Effects of habitat transitions on rainforest bird communities across an anthropogenic landscape mosaic

We compared bird community responses to the habitat transitions of rainforest‐to‐pasture conversion, consequent habitat fragmentation, and post‐agricultural regeneration, across a landscape mosaic of about 600 km² in the eastern Australian subtropics. Birds were surveyed in seven habitats: continuous mature rainforest; two size classes of mature rainforest fragment (4–21 ha and 1–3 ha); regrowth forest patches dominated by a non‐native tree (2–20 ha, 30–50 years old); two types of isolated mature trees in pasture; and treeless pasture, with six sites per habitat. We compared the avifauna among habitats and among sites, at the levels of species, functional guilds, and community‐wide. Community‐wide species richness and abundance of birds in pasture sites were about one‐fifth and one‐third, respectively, of their values in mature rainforest (irrespective of patch size). Many measured attributes changed progressively across a gradient of increased habitat simplification. Rainforest specialists became less common and less diverse with decreased habitat patch size and vegetation maturity. However, even rainforest fragments of 1–3 ha supported about half of these species. Forest generalist species were largely insensitive to patch size and successional stage. Few species reached their greatest abundance in either small rainforest fragments or regrowth. All pastures were dominated by bird species whose typical native habitats were grassland, wetland, and open eucalypt forest, while pasture trees modestly enhanced local bird communities. Overall, even small scattered patches of mature and regrowth forest contributed substantial bird diversity to local landscapes. Therefore, maximizing the aggregate rainforest area is a useful regional conservation strategy.     

Effects of patch size and basal area on avian taxonomic and functional diversity in pine forests: Implication for the influence of habitat quality on the species–area relationship

Relationships between avian diversity and habitat area are assumed to be positive; however, often little attention has given to how these relationships can be influenced by the habitat structure or quality. In addition, other components of biodiversity, such as functional diversity, are often overlooked in assessing habitat patch value. In the Sandhills Ecoregion of Georgia, USA, we investigated the relationship between avian species richness and functional diversity, forest basal area, and patch size in pine forests using basal area as a surrogate for overstory structure which in turn impacts vegetation structure and determines habitat quality within a patch. We conducted bird surveys in planted mature pine stands, during breeding season of 2011. We used three classes of stand basal area (BA): OS, overstocked (BA ≥ 23 m²/ha); FS, fully/densely stocked (13.8 m²/ha ≤ BA < 23 m²/ha); and MS, moderately stocked (2.3 m²/ha ≤ BA < 13.8 m²/ha). MS patches showed more structural diversity due to higher herbaceous vegetation cover than other two pine stocking classes of patches. Total species richness and functional richness increased with the size of MS patches, whereas functional divergence decreased with the size of OS patches (p < 0.05). Functional richness tended to be lower than expected as the size of OS patches increased. Greater richness of pine–grassland species was also found at MS patches. Percent cover of MS patches within a landscape influenced positively the richness of pine–grassland species (p < 0.05). Our results suggest that (a) avian species–habitat area relationship can be affected by habitat quality (structural diversity) and varies depending on diversity indices considered, and (b) it is important to maintain moderate or low levels of pine basal area and to preserve large‐sized patches of the level of basal area to enhance both taxonomic and functional diversity in managed pine forests.     

Forest landscape pattern in the KwaZulu–Natal midlands,South Africa: 50 years of change or stasis?

Abstract Understanding patterns and processes of habitat change is essential for managing and conserving forest fragments in anthropogenically altered landscapes. Digitized aerial photographs from 1944 and 1996 were examined for changes to the indigenous forest landscape in the Karkloof‐Balgowan archipelago in KwaZulu–Natal, South Africa. Attributes relating to proximate land‐use, patch shape, isolation and position in the landscape were used to determine putative causes of forest change. The total change in forest area was ?5.7% (forest covered 6739 ha in 1996). This is contrasted with previous reports for the period 1880–1940 that estimated change in total forest area of up to ?80%. Attrition was the predominant process of forest transformation between 1944 and 1996. Despite little overall change in forest area, 786 mostly small (<0.5 ha) forest patches were lost from the landscape, leaving 1277 forest patches in 1996. An increase in patch isolation, but no change in patch cohesion accompanied the changes in forest area. Ignoring patches that were eliminated, 514 patches decreased in area. This was partly a function of patch size, but the conversion of natural grassland to commercial plantation forestry in the matrix also influenced forest decline. Their small size and irregular shape caused forest patches in the region to be vulnerable to edge effects. Core area declined in a negative exponential way with increasing edge width and the total area of edge habitat exceeded that of core habitat at an edge width of only 50 m. Nevertheless, total core area decreased by only 2% (65 ha) between 1944 and 1996 because most of the eliminated patches were small and contained no core area. The large Karkloof forest (1649 ha) is a conservation priority for forest interior species, but the ecological role and biodiversity value of small forest patches should not be overlooked.     

亚热带典型红壤侵蚀区人类活动对植被覆盖度及景观格局的影响

福建省长汀县是中国南方最严重的水土流失区之一,在20世纪80年代初和2000年两次集中治理的推动下,当地生态环境已得到显著改善。基于Landsat系列卫星影像提取长汀县1975—2013年共6期植被覆盖度分布图,分析该区在不同时期植被覆盖度及其空间格局的时空动态,并探讨人类干扰与政策治理对植被覆盖度及景观格局的影响。结果表明:(1)近38年来,长汀县平均植被覆盖度由47.02%(1975)提升至71.47%(2013),在覆盖度结构上逐渐形成以中高和高植被覆盖度占主导的格局;县域中部河田盆地的植被覆盖度由30.83%(1975)提升至60.34%(2013)。(2)在景观格局上,研究期间长汀县极低、低和中低覆盖度斑块平均面积呈波动下降趋势、同时斑块密度增加,而中高、高植被覆盖度区域面积扩大,表明封禁、造林等治理措施导致植被覆盖度较高的区域不断汇聚成片。(3)植被覆盖度的提升在空间上主要集中在海拔600 m和坡度25°以下区域,尤其在海拔400—600 m和坡度5°—15°区域最显著,表明植被的破坏和恢复过程与人类活动的联系密切。(4)空间分析表明,在距离农户居民地边缘1.2 km的范围内,越接近居民地中心的区域植被覆盖度越低、破碎度越大且恢复缓慢,但这种空间差异伴随治理进行正在逐步减弱。总体上看,长汀县生态治理和人类干扰的长期驱动影响,其恢复速度在不断提升。     

2003-2020年青藏高原冻融侵蚀时空变化特征

全球气候变暖导致青藏高原永久冻土逐渐退化,并增加了季节性冻土的面积,但对冻融侵蚀时空变化还缺乏系统的认识。通过权重法对年冻融日循环天数、日冻融相变水量、植被覆盖度、年均降雨量、坡度和坡向6个冻融侵蚀因子进行赋权,分析青藏高原2003—2020年不同强度的冻融侵蚀时空变化和主导驱动因素。结果表明：(1)2003—2020年青藏高原平均冻融侵蚀面积为(161.37±0.42)×10⁴km²,占青藏高原面积的64.55%,中度及以上侵蚀占冻融侵蚀面积的63.0%,强烈、极强烈和剧烈侵蚀主要分布在雅鲁藏布江流域、昆仑山-祁连山、帕米尔高原地区;(2)2003—2020年青藏高原冻融侵蚀表现为加剧趋势,加剧的区域达到29.79×10⁴km²,占青藏高原面积的11.6%;2003—2010年中度及以上平均侵蚀面积为(95.71±3.33)×10⁴ km²,2013—2020年为(107.60±3.20)×10⁴ km²,其面...     

Relationship between small-scale structural variability and simulated vegetation productivity across a regional moisture gradient in southern Africa

The observed variability in vegetation structure within landscapes was used as the basis for model estimates of the range of annual productivity of landscape patches at four sites along a moisture gradient in southern Africa ranging from 879 to 365 mm mean annual rainfall. Principal components of patch‐scale variability in leaf area, woody biomass and vertical leaf profiles were derived from intensive characterization of the small‐scale spatial structure of woody vegetation at each site. For each site, the mean and extremes of the principal component distribution parameterized an ecophysiology model of vegetation productivity. Vegetation was most heterogeneous at intermediate locations along the rainfall gradient. Variability in vegetation structure led to a range of annual productivity within one site (600 mm) that accounted for 68% of the total range in mean productivity across all sites. Patch‐scale estimates of tree productivity were found to be primarily correlated to annual rainfall (r²=0.66, P=0.001) and not woody leaf area (r²=0.01, P=0.75), while grass productivity was found to be related to values of woody leaf area (r²=0.77, P<0.001) and not annual rainfall (r²=0.11, P=0.29). This result indicates that life‐form interactions have a significant role in controlling vegetation productivity across the rainfall gradient. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of considering heterogeneity rather than mean structure when modeling productivity, particularly when considering dynamic vegetation structure, where differences between landscape patches may not be well represented in the mean structure.     

基于土地利用/覆被变化的流域景观格局与水沙响应关系研究

以黄河流域的2个典型流域为研究对象,借助GIS和Fragstats平台与长系列水沙数据,分析流域景观格局和水沙变化特征,并探讨景观指数与径流输沙的关系。结果表明:(1)两个流域优势景观类型为草地,1985—2010年间变化最大的景观类型分别为未利用土地(25a变幅为453.94 km~2)和耕地(25a变幅为52.85 km~2);(2)秃尾河流域景观均向规则、高连通和高度聚集的方向发展。孤山川控制流域内景观多样性和聚集度逐渐增加,整体向好。秃尾河流域景观稳定性指数高于孤山川流域,两流域草地和未利用土地地稳定性均呈增加趋势,而城乡工矿用地则相反。(3)流域年径流量和泥沙量均呈现逐年同步减小的趋势。秃尾河年径流量明显高于孤山川,但孤山川流域泥沙量与秃尾河流域相近。两流域径流泥沙相关关系显著,秃尾河流域相关系数(0.48)明显低于孤山川流域(0.85)。(4)景观指数与径流量、泥沙量呈显著线性相关,其中景观多样性相关的指数SHDI、SIDI、SHEI和SIEI均与径流呈极显著正相关,而泥沙仅与CONTAG、COHESION呈显著负相关。     

Native bird breeding in a chronosequence of revegetated sites

Restoration of degraded landscapes through replantings of native vegetation has been proceeding in response to habitat loss and fragmentation and plummeting biodiversity. Little is known about whether the investments in ecological restoration have resulted in biodiversity benefits. We evaluated the potential of restored sites to support populations by assessing bird breeding activity. We surveyed 21 revegetated sites of various ages (9–111 years) in the box–ironbark region of Victoria, Australia. Sites differed in landscape context, patch features and in-site characteristics. The latter, including whether sites were grazed, amounts of fallen timber and numbers of remnant trees, were most important in affecting overall bird breeding activity. Patch-configuration (e.g., shape, area) was of secondary importance. Landscape context appeared to have little effect on bird breeding except for one species. While these results suggest that in-site habitat structure is the predominant driver, we caution against dismissing the importance of patch characteristics and landscape context for two reasons. First, the available sites covered a relatively small range of areas (<54 ha), and we could not provide a broad range of landscape-contextual contrasts given that we could only use existing plantings. Second, much of the breeding activity was by bird species known to be tolerant of smaller woodland areas or of the open countryside. We show that there is very little breeding activity in replantings by species that have declined dramatically in rank abundance between large ‘reference’ areas and fragmented landscapes. It seems likely that most replantings provide habitat configurations unsuited for dealing with declines of species most vulnerable to habitat loss and fragmentation. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

What determines the distribution of a flightless bush-cricket (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Metrioptera brachyptera</Emphasis>) in a fragmented landscape?

Based on metapopulation theory, isolation, patch size and habitat quality within patches have recently been identified as the most critical parameters determining the persistence of species. In the special case of flightless and sedentary Orthoptera species, taking into account the low dispersal ability, species survival probably depends more on habitat quality than on isolation. The aim of this study was to document how landscape (patch size, isolation and climate) and microhabitat (vegetation structure, microclimate and land use) factors influence patch occupancy and population densities, respectively, of a flightless bush-cricket (Metrioptera brachyptera) in fragmented calcareous grasslands. In summer 2005 patch occupancy of M. brachyptera was assessed in 68 calcareous grassland patches of the Diemel Valley (central Germany). Among these, 26 patches with 80 plots were selected to characterise M. brachyptera habitats in detail. On each plot, bush-cricket density was sampled in an area of 20 m² using a 0.5 m² box quadrat. At the landscape level (patches) in 46 (68%) of 68 studied calcareous grassland patches M. brachyptera was present. Patch occupancy increased with annual precipitation and patch size but was independent of altitude, annual temperature and isolation. At the microhabitat level (plots), population density of M. brachyptera decreased with land-use intensity and increased with vegetation height. In addition, a high litter accumulation was adverse for M. brachyptera. Given the low explanatory power of isolation for patch occupancy, conservation of flightless and sedentary insects, such as M. brachyptera, should primarily focus on improving habitat quality. For M. brachyptera and other stenotopic calcareous grassland species we therefore recommend traditional rough grazing with sheep, which creates a heterogenous habitat structure and avoids the accumulation of too much litter.     

子午岭林区浅层滑坡侵蚀与植被的关系——以富县“7·21”特大暴雨为例

以2013年陕北富县"7·21"特大暴雨滑坡侵蚀灾害为对象,通过调查暴雨侵蚀区典型小流域植被条件及滑坡特征,测定滑坡壁不同土层的根系重量、土壤孔隙度、土壤容重等指标,研究子午岭林区暴雨滑坡侵蚀与植被根系的关系。根据不同类型植被根系深度和滑坡侵蚀特征(侵蚀深度、滑动面宽度及长度,滑坡体体积、滑动距离等),可将林区暴雨滑坡侵蚀划分为三类:以草本植被为主的A类滑坡,以灌丛植被为主的B类滑坡,以乔本植被为主的C类滑坡。结果表明,三类滑坡侵蚀的侵蚀深度与其对应植被类型的根系深度相近,且植被及其根系会加剧滑坡侵蚀的发生。在此次暴雨滑坡侵蚀中,滑坡侵蚀强度受植物根系重量、土壤孔隙度、土壤容重等因素的共同影响,但根系重量对滑坡侵蚀强度的影响占主导作用,通过建立二者之间的关系式发现,根系对滑坡侵蚀的贡献率超过80%。不同植被类型的滑坡侵蚀深度不同,且滑坡侵蚀强度也存在差异,表明植被根系不仅具有塑造滑坡侵蚀特征的作用,而且会影响滑坡侵蚀的强弱程度。在强降水基础上,特别是当降水量达到诱发滑坡灾害发生的临界值时,植被及其根系会加剧滑坡侵蚀的发生。在今后工作中,要因地制宜合理配置各类植被,同时结合其它措施,以便提高植被防治水土流失的作用,更好地发挥植被的水土保持效益。     

Quantitative estimation of vegetation changes by comparing two vegetation maps

The main goal of our work was to estimate how large the errors are associated with repeated vegetation mapping. We compared two vegetation maps (both 1:10 000) of the Pieniny National Park—ca 2300 ha (southern Poland), the first made in 1966 and the second in 2001. We superimposed—using the ARC-INFO software—a dense grid of points (50 × 50 m) upon each map, and we determined the identity of vegetation unit in each point for the year 1966 and for the year 2001. That procedure was repeated 100 times, each time changing the position of the grid by a random vector. To estimate the size of mapping errors, we compared the patches of communities which should not change their location during 35 years: vegetation of rocky outcrops and local wet depressions, and fertile beech forest, considered a climax community for the Pieniny Mountains. Overlapping small vegetation patches (average patch size below 0.5 ha) yielded highly erroneous results, while the reliability of overlapping the communities with large patches is much higher, exceeding 80% for average patch size of 5 ha. Taking into consideration the communities of average patch size of 1 ha, we can estimate that the vegetation has undergone profound changes: some communities expanded, while others shrunk. The area of meadows remained about the same, but majority of meadows in 2001 was located in former arable fields and previous meadow areas become forested. Among beech forests, we recorded an increase of area covered by floristically rich variants at the expense of floristically poor variants. We conclude that some information about vegetation changes may be obtained only by comparing sequential vegetation maps, but the reliability of the results strongly depends on the size of vegetation patches.     

Multiple spatial-scale resource selection function models in relation to human disturbance for moose in northeastern China

The moose (Alces alces cameloides) population in northeastern China is on the southernmost edge of its distribution in Asia. A survey was conducted to determine moose resource selection and the effects of human disturbance on moose in a study area of 20,661 ha located on the northwestern slope of the Lesser Khingan Mountains, located in northeastern China. Predictive models of resource selection were developed using logistic and autologistic regression. All models considered resource variable selection at two spatial scales, patch and landscape. At the patch scale, moose preferred larger birch (Betula platyphylla) patches, but avoided larger tamarack (Larix gmelinii) patches. At the landscape scale, moose preferred higher densities of tamarack patches, i.e., heterogeneity of tamarack stands, selected areas with more abundant annual shoots, terrain conducive to better concealment, higher altitudes and areas saturated with soil moisture. Roads and forest harvest intervals were identified as important human disturbance factors. This is the first time that moose have been reported to avoid roads, and the avoidance distance was nearly 3 km. We believe that in this region moose under the influence of roads are behaviorally plastic, compared with the indifference of moose to the presence of roads in other regions. Moose avoided forest areas logged more than 3 years previously and preferred areas logged 1–2 years previously. In addition, it may be necessary to monitor the effect of the dynamic of density of roe deer on the spatial distribution of the moose population.     

Analysis of household's energy consumption,forest degradation and plantation requirements in Eastern Tigray,Northern Ethiopia

This study examines the link between household's energy consumption, forest degradation and plantation requirements in Eastern Tigray. Data on household's fuelwood, cow‐dung, kerosene and electricity consumption in the study sites were collected from 557 urban and 114 rural households. Deforestation rate was estimated following FAO and Woody Biomass Inventory Strategy Planning Project (WBISPP's) conversion factors. The study showed that household's fuelwood consumption in urban areas (mean = 2.5 kg/day) was about 52% lower as compared to the rural villages (mean = 3.8 kg/day). The estimated area abandoned annually in the vicinity of urban areas as the result of urban fuelwood consumption varies from 217 ha around Maichew town to 12047 ha around Mekelle City. The estimated area abandoned in rural areas annually as the result of tree cutting for fuelwood also varies from 6.5 ha around Sinkata to 127 ha around Dergajen village. It is therefore recommended that an estimated annual tree plantation of area ranging from 286 ha around Maichew town to 21,684 ha around Mekelle city is required. Moreover, an estimated annual tree plantation of area ranging from 16 ha around Sinkata village to 229 ha around the Dergajen village is required taking the existing population into account.     

Evaluation of the Degraded Riparian Ecosystems in the Geum River Watershed in Korea

Riparian vegetation, an important mediator of land–water interactions, provides habitat for animals and other organisms; however, riparian vegetation zones have been altered by agricultural and urban development in Korea. This riparian vegetation survey was conducted to obtain information vital for the ecological restoration and management of the Korean Geum River ecosystem. At 100 study sites, along the Geum River, we recorded the vegetation of the Geum riparian zone. We then surveyed the riparian vegetation associations in the area and overlaid those areas corresponding to trees, shrubs, perennial herbs, annual herbs, exotic plants, cultivated lands, and damaged lands on a geographical map. We also reconstructed the cross-sectional landscape. The mean values of vegetation diversity, exotic plant area (%), annual plant area (%), and species richness were 6.47 ± 0.26, 5.44 ± 1.01, 11.98 ± 1.20, and 22.69 ± 0.93, respectively. The landscape elements of the herbaceous plants were more spread out, compared with those of the woody plants, and 23 sites were composed strictly of herbs. Our results indicate significant differences in vegetation structure among the study sites. For example, at some sites, exotic plants, cultivated lands, and damaged lands dominated the landscape comprising 25.7, 62, and 68.9%, respectively, of the area. The riparian landscape reference model suggested by these results may be applied to studies of other well-conserved riparian zones. We propose that the material pathways and transport of organisms from land to water at Geum River depend on the patchy distribution of these diverse landscape elements.     

Hurricane disturbance in a temperate deciduous forest: patch dynamics, tree mortality, and coarse woody detritus

Patch dynamics, tree injury and mortality, and coarse woody detritus were quantified to examine the ecological impacts of Hurricane Fran on an oak-hickory-pine forest near Chapel Hill, NC. Data from long-term vegetation plots (1990–1997) and aerial photographs (1998) indicated that this 1996 storm caused patchy disturbance of intermediate severity (10–50% tree mortality; Woods, J Ecol 92:464–476, 2004). The area in large disturbance patches (>0.1 ha) increased from <1% to approximately 4% of the forested landscape. Of the forty-two 0.1-ha plots that were studied, 23 were damaged by the storm and lost 1–66% of their original live basal area. Although the remaining 19 plots gained basal area (1–15% increase), across all 42 stands basal area decreased by 17% because of storm impacts. Overall mortality of trees >10 cm dbh was 18%. The basal area of standing dead trees after the storm was 0.9 m²/ha, which was not substantially different from the original value of 0.7 m²/ha. In contrast, the volume and mass of fallen dead trees after the storm (129 m³/ha; 55 Mg/ha) were 6.1 and 7.9 times greater than the original levels (21 m³/ha; 7 Mg/ha), respectively. Uprooting was the most frequent type of damage, and it increased with tree size. However, two other forms of injury, severe canopy breakage and toppling by other trees, decreased with increasing tree size. Two dominant oak species of intermediate shade-tolerance suffered the largest losses in basal area (30–41% lost). Before the storm they comprised almost half of the total basal area in a forest of 13% shade-tolerant, 69% intermediate, and 18% shade-intolerant trees. Recovery is expected to differ with respect to vegetation (e.g., species composition and diversity) and ecosystem properties (e.g., biomass, detritus mass, and carbon balance). Vegetation may not revert to its former composition; however, reversion of biomass, detritus mass, and carbon balance to pre-storm conditions is projected to occur within a few decades. For example, the net change in ecosystem carbon balance may initially be negative from losses to decomposition, but it is expected to be positive within a decade after the storm. Repeated intermediate-disturbance events of this nature would likely have cumulative effects, particularly on vegetation properties.     

高寒草甸草原景观格局动态演变及其驱动机制

高寒草甸是高寒地区重要的生态屏障和畜牧业基地,脆弱的生态环境极易受到自然和人类活动的影响。为了探究高寒草甸景观格局变化及其驱动力,以多期遥感影像和统计数据为基础数据,在遥感和GIS技术支持下,在利用景观格局指数模型来分析研究区景观格局动态演变的基础上,运用Logistic回归模型从空间角度分析了研究区重要景观演变的驱动力。结果表明：（1）研究区植被覆盖面积所占比例始终维持在80%以上,各景观类型结构变化较为明显;（2）2000-2016年高寒草甸景观类型面积变化较大,其他草甸、旱地和建设用地的面积持续增加,并且年变化速率加快,灌木林地、灌丛草甸和水域面积持续减少;各类景观面积年变化率增大,2000-2009年高寒草甸景观面积年变化率为1.118%,2009-2016年景观面积年变化率为2.067%,每年发生类型转化的景观面积约为0.691×10⁴ hm²,5大类景观转移变化面积不大,但各小类景观的转换现象很明显。（3）景观水平上的景观指数变化反映出2000-2009年景观破碎化程度较强,2009-2016年景观状态得到优化,整体趋向于整合;斑块水平上的景观指数变化反映出不同斑块类型格局差异性较大,变化特征明显。（4）海拔与坡度因子对一级分类草地景观及其二级分类灌丛草甸和其他草甸演变的影响较为显著,植被覆盖度因子对草地景观演变存在显著影响,而距离因子对灌丛草甸和其他草甸演变的影响较为显著。人文驱动因素对草原生态及景观演替起到了加速推动作用,其中,政策因素在保护和修复高寒草甸生态系统上起到了至关重要作用。     

Seed dispersal and vegetation development on a debris avalanche on the Ontake volcano,Central Japan

Seed dispersal and early revegetation processes were studied in an area devastated by a debris avalanche that occurred on volcano Ontake, Central Japan in 1984. The avalanche was initiated by a volcanic earthquake, and a 3.4 x 10⁷ m³ land mass destroyed the vegetation over 700 ha. The revegetation of the first five years was slow in the area of higher elevation (subalpine area). Both the speed of revegetation and the species richness of trapped seeds varied with the elevation. The post-disturbance vegetation on the deposit with surface soil or plant fragments was richer in species than that without any surface soil. Almost all of the seeds caught by sticky traps and most of the species with frequent occurrence in the vegetation after disturbance were wind dispersed. Wind dispersal was especially important on the deposit without surface soil or plant fragments.     

Structure of vegetation patches in northwestern Patagonia, Argentina

Vegetation of arid and semiarid environments has in general a patchy distribution. Our objective was to (a) determine several qualitative and quantitative analytical characteristics of vegetation patches in an arid zone of Patagonia, Argentina, and (b) investigate relationships between them. Annual precipitation in this area was 200 mm during 1999–2005. Eight transects involving ten patches each were studied within a 15 × 15 km area. Mean (±1 SE) values (n = 80) in the vegetation patches were 315 ± 25 and 207 ± 16 cm for the greatest and lowest patch diameter, respectively; 23 ± 2 cm for mound height; 113 ± 12 cm for maximum vegetation height; and 170 ± 18 cm and 58 ± 2% for distance to the next vegetation patch and vegetation patch cover within a transect, respectively. Correlations between greatest and lowest diameters, mound height, maximum plant height and distance to the closest vegetation patch were all significant (P < 0.01; n = 80). In all vegetation patches, the greatest and lowest frequencies were found for the grass Stipa spp. (71.2%) and the shrub Grindelia chiloensis (Cornel.) Cabrera (12.5%). Stipa spp. and the shrub Atriplex lampa (Moq.) D. Dietr. showed the highest simultaneous frequency (50%). A reasonable association among species (>45%) was found for Stipa spp., Atriplex lampa and the shrubs Larrea divaricata Cav., Lycium chilense Miers ex Bertero and Junellia ligustrina (Lag.) Moldenke. Larrea divaricata and Atriplex lampa contributed more than 84% of the total patch standing crop (5,777 ± 435 g). Average patch size and specific diversity were 5.93 ± 0.33 m² and 1.31 ± 0.11, respectively. Aboveground standing crop of the two dominant shrubs decreased as plant species diversity increased (P < 0.05). Conservation of vegetation patches is crucial to prevent increased soil erosion and desertification in the study ecological system.     

Effects of fragmentation on forest structure and litter dynamics in Atlantic rainforest in Pernambuco, Brazil

This study evaluates the effects of fragmentation on the spatial and temporal dynamics of small litterfall production in Atlantic rainforest in Pernambuco State, Brazil. Litterfall was collected for 24 months at two 0.2 ha sites, located in the forest edge zone and the forest interior, within a rainforest patch of about 300 ha. Structural parameters of both forest sites were recorded. Litter was sorted into six fractions (foliage, twigs, buds/flowers, fruits/seeds, peduncles, rest), dried and weighed. The interior forest plot contained 314 live trees with a dbh 5 cm and a stand basal area of 41.8±8.7 m², whereas the forest edge contained 211 live trees and a stand basal area of 23.4±3.6 m². Total small litterfall was extraordinarily high and totalled 12.62±4.73 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in interior forest and 14.74±2.78 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in forest edge. High litterfall rates are probably due to a pronounced periodicity, edge effects alter litterfall strongly.