Land use,soil loss,and sustainable agriculture in Rwanda

The conservation of scarce land resources is essential to the long-term viability of agriculture in Rwanda. High population density, steep slopes, and abundant rainfall prevail in the highland portions of this African country, making the task of erosion control uncommonly difficult for the peasant farmer. The specific use to which land is put, e.g., cultivation, fallow, pasture, woodlots, and, if it is cultivated, the particular combination of crops grown, can be seen as contributing to both the cause and the solution of the land degradation problem. Based on data from a nationwide survey of over 4800 agricultural fields in Rwanda, this study reviews the extent to which the land use and cropping patterns employed by farmers are appropriately suited, in terms of erosion control, to the topographical and environmental characteristics of their landholdings. Analyses of other aspects of the traditional agricultural system, e.g., variations in relative soil fertility, the use of organic fertilizers, and the location of fields relative to the household, are introduced to help explain why farmers often fail to maximize erosion control through land use and cropping practices. Adjustments to current land use practices that can be expected to reduce soil loss are discussed.     

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。     

基于斑块评价的三峡库区腹地坡耕地优化调控方法与案例研究

三峡库区腹地坡耕地大量存在,且25°的陡坡耕地实现全部退耕还林难度很大,同时还存在农户自发弃耕撂荒现象。有必要深入探讨库区腹地不同地域特征下坡耕地优化调控的理论与方法。在充分考虑坡耕地的分布现状和未来发展趋势的前提下,设定了坡耕地优化调控的6个原则,提出空间优化适宜性评价和农户对坡耕地资源的需求压力数量评价相结合的坡耕地综合优化调控方法。选取库区腹地典型流域草堂溪流域进行案例研究。根据草堂溪流域特点以及坡耕地分布特征,从坡耕地可达性、生态功能和坡改梯适宜性3方面选取相关指标作为格局适宜性调控体系,选取耕地压力指数和果园对农户需求的补充能力作为数量调控体系。综合优化将研究区坡耕地分为优化利用型、重点整治型、逐步退耕型和优先退耕型4种类型,结合研究区坡耕地特点在保持耕地压力不增加、减少陡坡不适宜耕地和土壤侵蚀的前提下设置了4种退耕情景。最后根据农户自发撂荒地的空间分布特征,验证了评价指标体系建立的合理性和正确性。     

高标准基本农田建设对耕地生态系统服务价值的影响

耕地不仅有粮食生产功能,更具备重要的生态功能。高标准基本农田建设是保障国家粮食安全的重要战略举措,可以提升耕地质量、增强耕地抗灾能力和耕地生态系统服务能力。以北京市为例,在确定不同等级耕地生态系统服务价值的基础上,通过预测法计算高标准基本农田建设能提升的耕地等级,在此基础上测算耕地生态系统服务价值的提升程度,以此定量化高标准基本农田建设对耕地生态系统服务价值的影响。研究发现,通过高标准基本农田建设,北京市耕地等级可以平均提高2.28个利用等,耕地生态系统服务价值由原来的48.83×10~8元提升到52.22×10~8元,说明高标准基本农田建设在提高区域生产能力的同时,也能明显的提高区域生态水平。研究为定量化测算高标准基本农田建设造成的生态系统服务价值变化提供了思路。     

黄土丘陵区植被类型与土壤微生物区系及生物量的关系

以陕西延安黄土丘陵区5种不同植被类型(人工刺槐林、天然侧柏林、天然辽东栎林、灌丛和裸地)为研究对象,分析了土壤微生物生物量碳、氮含量、细菌和真菌的丰度变化规律及其与土壤基本化学性质的关系。结果表明:(1)4种植被类型的土壤质量较之裸地都有不同程度的改善,总体趋势:天然林地人工林地裸地;(2)土壤微生物生物量碳、氮的总体趋势:天然林地最高,人工林次之,裸地最低,且与土壤有机碳(SOC)、全氮(TN)和速效磷(AP)极显著正相关(P0.01);(3)裸地土壤的细菌丰度最低,人工刺槐林真菌含量显著低于天然辽东栎林。细菌丰度与土壤营养状况呈显著正相关(P0.05),而真菌与土壤营养无明显相关性,只与土壤pH负相关。说明在该研究区域,植被类型与土壤质量对微生物资源都具有不同程度的作用。     

基于GIS的鄱阳湖流域生态系统服务价值结构变化研究

鄱阳湖作为中国最大的淡水湖,国际重要湿地,其生态环境保护与可持续发展意义重大。基于生态系统服务价值分析方法,以鄱阳湖全流域为研究区,利用1990年、2000年、2008年3个时期数据,分别从全流域与子区域两个层次,计算了生态系统服务价值。并且基于威弗(Weaver)组合指数,求出了鄱阳湖各子流域的生态系统服务价值结构与坡度结构类型。分析表明,鄱阳湖流域在3个时期生态系统服务价值量持续增大,全流域的可持续性向有利的方向发展。在各子区域中,大部分区域生态系统服务价值较高,可持续发展水平较好,且呈现良性发展趋势,但是在鄱阳湖流域的中部地区生态系统服务价值较低,可持续发展水平较差,且呈现不良发展趋势。鄱阳湖流域的生态系统服务价值组合结构以林地、农用地、水体3类为主,且单重结构类型所占比例最大,双重结构类型与三重结构类型次之;坡度类型以小于15°的组合类型为主,结构类型除三重结构类型外,其它类型分布均较多。促进流域可持续发展向更高水平发展,在全流域角度,应该继续执行退耕还林、还湖工程,严格控制建设用地的增加;从子区域的角度,对鄱阳湖流域的中部地区应该控制建设用地与农用地对林地、草地的占用,严格执行退耕还林、还草工程。从生态系统服务价值结构角度,对于山地丘陵区,应该加大对生态环境的维护,并且合理的发展林业经济以促进经济发展;对于环鄱阳湖平原区,应该推进资源消耗少,污染排放小,高科技产业,促进湖区生态环境保护与社会经济的协调发展。     

基于PSR模型的耕地生态安全物元分析评价

耕地生态安全评价是改善农田生态系统安全状况、促进耕地可持续利用的重要基础。针对多数综合评价研究中存在信息屏蔽和主观性的问题,在界定耕地生态安全内涵的基础上,构建了基于压力-状态-响应(PSR)模型的评价指标体系,采用物元分析方法和改进的熵值法对我国耕地生态安全进行评价。研究结果表明:(1)1996-2010年我国耕地生态安全水平不断提高,安全等级经历了"临界安全-较安全"的演变历程,但2010年"较安全"等级关联度很弱;(2)单位耕地化肥负荷、人均耕地面积、单位耕地农药负荷、土地垦殖率、水土流失程度等是耕地生态安全等级提升的关键制约因素。为了促进耕地生态安全等级不断提升,需要进一步转变经济发展方式,加强土地利用监督管理,降低经济增长对土地资源的过度消耗;大力发展绿色农业,合理施用农药、化肥;积极开展农村土地整治,加强高标准基本农田建设;加大环境治理力度,有效控制水土流失程度。基于PSR模型的评价指标体系能更准确地反映农田生态系统各要素之间的关系,物元分析方法可以揭示单个评价指标的分异信息和综合评价结果的中间信息、挖掘耕地生态安全存在的具体问题,适合用于耕地生态安全的评价。     

晋西黄土区退耕还林22年后林地土壤物理性质的变化

退耕还林林地土壤物理性质的变化,是评价退耕还林措施及其生态效益的重要内容之一。选取晋西黄土区退耕22年后形成的3种典型乔木林分,包括自然恢复的辽东栎林、油松刺槐人工混交林和刺槐人工纯林,并以耕地作为对照,通过外业调查和采样分析,从深度和程度两方面研究了退耕还林对土壤容重、土壤总孔隙度和毛管孔隙度等物理性质的影响,结果表明:(1)就土壤容重而言,自然恢复林80 cm以上土层较耕地有显著变化(P0.05),平均降低了28.78%,变化程度最大的在10—20 cm土层;人工林较耕地显著变化发生在60 cm以上土层,混交林和纯林分别降低了10.58%和8.34%,变化程度最大的土层为20—40 cm;(2)3种退耕林地土壤总孔隙度在80 cm以上较耕地发生显著增加(P0.05),增加程度表现为自然恢复林(35.53%)混交林(15.04%)纯林(13.68%),20—40 cm土层变化程度最大;(3)土壤毛管孔隙度自然恢复林、混交林和纯林分别达到耕地的1.36,1.13和1.12倍,自然恢复林和人工林显著变化土层分别为80 cm和60 cm以上,变化程度最大的均为40—60 cm处;(4)土壤有机质和粘粒含量对土壤理化性质影响显著。对于土壤容重、总孔隙度和毛管孔隙度的变化,有机质的增加可解释31%以上,而粘粒含量的解释度则达到44%—51%,均为极显著水平(P0.01)。自然恢复林对于土壤物理性质影响程度和影响土层深度都大于人工林。     

Goat Production and Fodder Leaves Offered by Local Villagers in the Mid-Hills of Nepal

More than 50% of Nepal’s population lives in the hill regions, usually with small land holdings, and over 60% are considered below the poverty line. Livestock, and particularly goats, provide these small-scale farmers with about 55% of their on-farm income. We studied goat production in Katteldanda, a mid-hill village of 78 households, mainly Brahmins, in Ghorka District. Subsistence farmers raise six or seven goats and one or two buffalo, and cultivate mainly maize, millet and rice. Tree fodder constituted about 70% of dry matter intake of goats for large parts of the year and was collected by lopping branches from trees on upland, rain-watered, private terraces (bari) near the household compound. Local farmers ranked the fodder trees they considered best and we measured the actual fodder they offered to goats. In addition, we evaluated and ranked 23 fodder species on the basis of laboratory in vitro nutritional and metabolizable energy yields. Using a Mantel test, a significant correlation was found between what the farmers thought was best fodder and fodder offered to goats (Mantel r = 0.398; P = 0.037) but non-significant correlations were found between either what the farmers thought was best fodder or fodder offered to goats and laboratory rankings (Mantel r = −0.027; P = 0.49 and Mantel r = 0.187; P = 0.18, respectively). We concluded that biomass produced and availability throughout the year, in addition to nutritional and energy yield, are important criteria for selecting fodder trees for goat production.     

不同土地利用方式对三峡库区消落带土壤细菌和真菌多样性的影响

旨在为三峡消落带选择适合的生态恢复方式提供参考依据。以三峡库区重庆忠县汝溪河流域典型消落带为研究区域,于2015年6月进行原位取样,利用末端限制性片段长度多态性(Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism,T-RFLP)方法,对消落带的耕地、林地、弃耕地土壤细菌和真菌群落多样性进行研究。研究发现:(1)除容重和密度外,不同用地类型对土壤各理化特性均产生显著影响,林地的含水量、有机质(OM)、全氮(TN)、全磷(TP)、速效氮(AN)、速效钾(AK)、速效磷(AP)的含量显著高于耕地和弃耕地(P0.05)。(2)在三峡库区消落带不同土地利用方式下细菌和真菌多样性均有显著性差异。(3)耕地和林地的细菌多样性无显著性差异,均显著高于弃耕地;不同用地方式中,土壤全磷(TP)和速效磷(AP)显著影响细菌群落结构(P0.05)。(4)真菌群落的Shannon-Weiner指数和辛普森指数在耕地中均为最低,但均匀度指数在3种用地类型之间没有显著性差异;在不同用地方式的土壤中,土壤有机质(OM)、全氮(TN)含量和p H显著影响真菌群落结构(P0.05)。结论:与弃耕地和耕地相比,林地可固持、滞留和保有更多的土壤养分,有较高的细菌多样性和真菌多样性。在三峡消落带165—175 m海拔高程,林地为最适宜的用地方式,建议限制耕作,推广人工生态修复林地建设。     

Influence of age on the association of retinol-binding protein 4 with metabolic syndrome

Objective: The relationships of retinol‐binding protein 4 (RBP4) with insulin sensitivity and body fat distribution have been investigated in a few recent studies with conflicting results. This may have been due to differences in ages of the subjects in the different studies. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the association of RBP4 and insulin sensitivity and percent trunk fat are influenced by age. Methods and Procedures: Cross‐sectional analyses of 48 young subjects and 55 elderly subjects. Insulin sensitivity was determined by a hyperinsulinemic–euglycemic clamp. Body fat distribution was determined by a dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA). Results: In the young subjects, RBP4 levels were associated with insulin sensitivity (r = ?0.30, P = 0.04), percent trunk fat (r = 0.54, P < 0.001), triglycerides (r = 0.44, P = 0.003), low‐density lipoprotein (r = 0.38, P = 0.01). In contrast, in the elderly subjects there was no correlation between RBP4 levels and insulin sensitivity (r = ?0.18, P = 0.20), percent trunk fat (r = 0.00, P = 0.10), triglycerides (r = 0.25, P = 0.10), and low‐density lipoprotein (r = ?0.11, P = 0.47). Discussion: The associations of RBP4 with insulin sensitivity, percent trunk fat, and lipid levels are influenced by age.     

Effects of Organic Resource Quality on Soil Profile N Dynamics and Maize Yields on Sandy Soils in Zimbabwe

Optimising the use efficiency of nitrogen (N) derived from different quality organic resources and mineral fertilizers on sandy soils with <100 g clay kg⁻¹ is a major challenge for smallholder farmers in Southern Africa. The dominant sandy soils have a poor capacity to store and supply crop nutrients due to low organic matter contents and inherent infertility. A study was conducted in Zimbabwe to determine the differential N supply effects of different quality and quantities of organic nutrient sources on maize productivity. Crotalaria juncea L., Calliandra calothyrsus Meissn., cattle manure, maize (Zea mays L.) stover and Pinus patula Schiede & Schltdl. & Cham. sawdust which represented high to low quality materials respectively, were each incorporated into soil at 1.2 and 4 t C ha⁻¹ at Makoholi Experiment Station (rainfall: 450–650 mm yr⁻¹) and tested against a sole mineral N fertilizer and control treatments. In a separate experiment conducted in farmers’ fields under different rainfall zones of Zimuto (450–650 mm yr⁻¹), Chinyika (650–750 mm yr⁻¹) and Chikwaka (>750 mm yr⁻¹), commonly available organic materials, including manure and composted miombo leaf litter, applied in varying amounts by farmers were evaluated. Nitrogen release patterns were consistent with differences in resource quality. At 3 weeks after incorporation into soil at the onset of the rains, C. juncea and C. calothyrsus had released as high as 24% and 13% of added N respectively, compared with no more than 5–6% for the rest of the amended treatments. Most of the N released was lost through leaching as evidenced by progressive movement of NO₃⁻-N bulges beyond maize rooting depth following major rainfall events. Maize yields were significantly related to the size of profile mineral N fluxes, with the best linear relationship (R² = 0.86) obtained with N available in the top 30 cm of soil at maize flowering. High grain yields of ~3 t ha⁻¹ were only achieved with C. juncea applied at 4 t C ha⁻¹, which also had highest NO₃⁻-N leaching losses. Conversely, the same application rate increased N immobilization by 30% and 42% under maize stover and sawdust, respectively, relative to the control. Results from farmers’ fields showed that organic resources traditionally used on smallholder farms are invariably of low quality relative to C. juncea and C. calothyrsus. However, they exhibited shorter N immobilization effects than was shown for maize stover and sawdust at Makoholi, suggesting that pre-application treatments, such as composting, employed by farmers enhance seasonal N benefits from these materials. Maize yields increased linearly with total N added in these resources in combination with N fertilizer, justifying the high organic matter loading strategy (e.g. >20 t ha⁻¹ for manure, fresh litter and composted litter) used by farmers who often achieve high crop yields on such coarse sandy soils in Zimbabwe.     

Distribution of chromobacteria in a lowland river

A selective medium was used to estimate the numbers of purple pigmented bacteria in the River Wey. Chromobacteria were never isolated from the springs at the source of the river, but they appeared within a short distance and their numbers generally increased over the first 30 km. Counts were always low but were much higher during the winter than during the summer.Records of water temperature and turbidity, as well as daily rainfall, were maintained during the sampling period. An unweighted multiple regression analysis of some of the results has shown that much of the variability in the counts of chromobacteria was correlated with turbidity (r=0.67,P<0.001). After turbidity was allowed for, a significant inverse correlation with temperature (r=0.60,P < 0.001) became apparent and these two factors together accounted for 64.7% of the variation in counts. Allowing for these two factors revealed a significant correlation with rainfall during the previous 4 days (r=0.27,P<0.05), and the three factors together accounted for 67.2% of the variability in counts.In an attempt to discover the source of chromobacteria, samples of silt, soil, and storm overflow effluents were studied. In general, chromobacteria were present in highest numbers in soil or silt containing substantial quantities of organic material.     

气候和土地利用变化影响下生态屏障带水土流失趋势研究

受气候和地形等诸多因素影响,我国"两屏三带"国家生态屏障带中的川滇-黄土高原区域和南方丘陵带水土流失十分严重,自然灾害频发。但是,针对川滇-黄土高原区域和南方丘陵带水土流失时空格局变化,特别是未来气候变化和土地利用变化影响下水土流失变化趋势的研究很少。因此,本研究以川滇-黄土高原区域和南方丘陵带为研究对象,利用修正土壤流失方程（RUSLE）定量分析了该区在2000-2015年水土流失的时空变化规律及其影响因素,并预测了在RCP2.6和RCP4.5的未来气候情景下及土地利用变化条件下水土流失的变化趋势。研究结果表明：（1）黄土高原地区在植被恢复的积极作用下,水土流失显著缓解;（2）川滇地区的西南部因植被盖度的增长和降雨的减少水土流失显著缓解,但四川省境内人口密集区农田面积增加以及降水增加造成水土流失大幅度加剧;（3）南方丘陵带受降水增加影响导致了部分区域的水土流失恶化;（4）在未来气候变化情景下,由于大部分地区降雨将减少使土壤侵蚀趋于缓解,但四川、黄土高原和南方丘陵带大部分地区仍然面临未来农田面积增加带来的水土侵蚀压力。考虑到未来气候变化情景下降雨减少的趋势,建议在黄土高原地区提高草地在土地利用类型中的占比,在减少耗水量的同时维持地表盖度,缓解水土侵蚀;此外,各区域仍需控制农田面积,而且需通过加强坡耕地上保水保土耕作措施降低农田区域的土壤侵蚀压力。     

长江中上游地区退耕还林成效监测与评价

将长江中上游地区84个地市级区域作为一个整体,利用GIS综合解译分析归一化植被指数(NDVI)、土地利用类型和数字高程模型(DEM),揭示该区域退耕还林工程所取得的成效.结果表明: 2000-2015年,研究区域NDVI持续增长;与2000年相比,2015年长江中上游地区有2.1%的耕地不再耕种,坡度>35°坡耕地的25%实现了退耕,25°~35°坡耕地的2.7%实现了退耕,中坡度耕地绝大部分实现退耕;耕地主要转变为林地和草地.研究期间,林草覆盖度增加显著,增幅达21.9%;低植被覆盖度的土地面积大幅减少,植被覆盖度小于10%的面积减少95.3%,高植被覆盖度的土地面积显著增加;土壤侵蚀强度总体降低,轻度、强度、极强度等级土壤侵蚀的土地面积均减少10%以上,但剧烈土壤侵蚀状况未得到缓解.研究区森林覆盖率达到60%,但不同时段覆盖度的变化比例存在差异,空间分布不均匀,呈现东部高、西部低的特征,需要继续加强治理.     

黄土高原地区土壤可蚀性及其应用研究

通过回顾已有的成果,分析评价了我国土壤可蚀性研究的进展及存在的问题,提出我国土壤可蚀性研究中的标准小区定义,运用野外观测资料,研究计算了黄土高原地区土壤可蚀性指标标值,结果表明,陕北和晋西北一带黄土可蚀性K值变化于0．3－0．7之间,并且有以陕西子洲,绥德一带为最大,以此为中心,向南,向北和向东都减少的变化趋势。     

Low IGF-1 levels are associated with cardiovascular risk factors in haemodialysis patients

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) constitute a significant risk and may, in part, explain the high morbidity and mortality rates among haemodialysis (HD) patients. Several studies have implicated reduced insulin like growth factor (IGF-1) levels in the development of CVD. However, it is not clear whether IGF-1, and its relationship with other hormones such as leptin, insulin, and growth hormone (GH), as well as anthropometric variables may explain the high incidence of vascular complications in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. This study was designed to measure total serum IGF-1, leptin, insulin and GH levels in CKD patients and in age-matched control subjects and to elucidate the relationship between IGF-1 and GH, leptin, and insulin as well as other known aetiological risk factors for CVD including blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and age. The study consisted of 50 CKD patients [36 M and 14 F; mean age; 41.8 ± 10.3 years) on maintenance haemodialysis and 50 healthy control subjects (36 M and 14 F; mean age 41.6 ± 10.2 years) matched for age and sex. None of the subject among patients and controls reported either smoking or history of diabetes mellitus. The circulating levels of IGF-1 were significantly lower (P < 0.001) in both male and female patients compared to the control subjects. Moreover, IGF-1 was strongly and inversely correlated with both systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r = −0.360; P < 0.01) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (r = −0.512; P < 0.001) in the CKD group, and when the two groups were combined SBP (r = −0.396; P < 0.001) and DBP (r = −0.296; P < 0.01). When adjusted for age, the correlation was more significant, however, when adjusted for BMI no significant correlation was observed between IGF-1 and blood pressure. IGF-1 was inversely correlated with age (r = −0.367; P < 0.01) and BMI (r = −0.310; P < 0.05) in the control group, but not the patient group. In controls and patients, respectively, a positive correlation between leptin and BMI (r = 0.358; P < 0.01; r = 0.640, P < 0.001) was observed. The results show that circulating levels of IGF-1 were significantly lower in CKD patients as compared to healthy normal subjects and were inversely correlated with SBP and DBP independent of age, but not BMI indicative of a strong relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and low IGF-1 levels. Although, the data do not clearly indicate low IGF-1 levels as a cause or an effect of these cardiovascular risk factors, they do point to an interesting relationship between low IGF-1 levels and increased cardiovascular risk factors among CKD patients as compared to age-matched healthy control subjects.     

黄土丘陵区坡耕地与撂荒地土壤水分对降雨的响应特征

为了揭示黄土丘陵区不同土地覆被方式下土壤含水量对不同强度降雨的响应过程,选取山西省冯家沟小流域农耕地和撂荒地为研究对象,基于2019年4—10月降雨和土壤含水量以小时为单位的观测数据,分析了土壤含水量对不同强度降雨的响应规律。结果表明:(1)小雨、中雨、大雨和暴雨对土层的影响深度分别为20、20、60 cm和60 cm,研究区降雨最主要的形式—小雨对土壤水分的补给作用较小。(2)各强度降雨过程中,除0—10 cm土层外,农耕地土壤含水量均大于撂荒地,且大雨条件下农耕地各土层土壤含水量变化较显著,而撂荒地仅0—10 cm和10—20 cm土层土壤含水量有所增加。(3)不同土层土壤含水量对降雨的响应不同,表层响应相对明显而深层相对减弱;农耕地土壤平均含水量最大值出现在50—60 cm土层,而撂荒地出现在30—40 cm土层。(4)本地区农耕地土壤含水量高于撂荒地,表明在该地区适当的作物种植有较好的储存土壤水分的作用。本研究的结果对地区水资源的高效利用和水土流失防控提供了一定的科学依据。     

Pine forest structure in a human-dominated landscape system in Korea

To elucidate the characteristics of spatial heterogeneity in a human-dominated landscape, vegetation and community structure of pine (Pinus densiflora andP. rigida) forests were studied at rural Teokseong-ri in Chollanam-do, in the southwestern part of Korea. Daily removal of undergrowth for firewood affects the stratification and species composition in the community. In general, stratification of the pine forest develops in proportion to its distance from the main habitat of farmers, involving the residential and cultivated land. In pine forests near the main habitat of farmers, sun-demanding herbaceous plants grow well, while in remote forests, Fagaceous plants such asQuercus serrata, Q. actissima andCastanea crenata grow well. This zonation results from the fact that removal of undergrowth is greater in the forest near the main habitat of farmers, than in the remote forest. Construction and maintenance of graveyards, however, prevents development of stratification of the forest even in remote stands.     

Patterns of bryophyte diversity and rarity at a regional scale

Information on bryophyte diversity and rarity were combined withinformation on soil conditions and land use for Walloon Brabant (centralBelgium, 1091 km²) in order to investigate whichlandscape features sustain the most rare and diverse species assemblages.Presence–absence of 325 bryophyte species was recorded in 87 grid-squaresof 4 × 4 km. Species diversity was significantly correlatedwith forest cover (r = 0.71, P <0.001), sandy soils (r = 0.61, P <0.001), loamy soils, (r = –0.68,P < 0.001), and agricultural fields(r = –0.49, P < 0.001). Themost diverse grid-squares possessed up to 182 species and were characterized byat least 10% forest cover and the presence of unique micro-habitats.Grid-squares with forest cover reaching at least 10% but lacking uniquemicro-habitats contained between 90 and 130 species. Below 10% forest cover,diversity ranged between 55 and 110 species per grid-square. However, even theleast diverse cultivated areas included a significant amount of the regionallyrare species. A number of the latter are characteristic in other areas forspecific primary habitats lacking in Walloon Brabant but display an unexpectedability to disperse throughout hostile areas and colonize secondary habitats.The tendency of such species to occur in man-made habitats decreased our abilityto predict species richness and rarity from landscape features and soilconditions.