Understory vegetation indicators of anthropogenic disturbance in longleaf pine forests at Fort Benning,Georgia, USA

Environmental indicators for longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystems need to include some measure of understory vegetation because of its responsiveness to disturbance and management practices. To examine the characteristics of understory species that distinguish between disturbances induced by military traffic, we randomly established transects in four training intensity categories (reference, light, moderate, and heavy) and in an area that had been remediated following intense disturbance at Fort Benning, GA. A total of 134 plant species occurred in these transects with the highest diversity (95 species) in light training areas and the lowest (16 species) in heavily disturbed plots. Forty-seven species were observed in only one of the five disturbance categories. The variability in understory vegetation cover among disturbance types was trimodal ranging from less than 5% cover for heavily disturbed areas to 67% cover for reference, light, and remediated areas. High variability in species diversity and lack of difference in understory cover led us to consider life-form and plant families as indicators of military disturbance. Life-form successfully distinguished between plots based on military disturbances. Species that are Phanerophytes (trees and shrubs) were the most frequent life-form encountered in sites that experienced light infantry training. Therophytes (annuals) were the least common life-form in reference and light training areas. Chamaephytes (plants with their buds slightly above ground) were the least frequent life-form in moderate and remediation sites. Heavy training sites supported no Chamaephytes or Hemicryptophytes (plants with dormant buds at ground level). The heavy, moderate, remediated, and reference sites were all dominated by Cryptophytes (plants with underground buds) possibly because of their ability to withstand both military disturbance and ground fires (the natural disturbance of longleaf pine forests). Analysis of soils collected from each transect revealed that depth of the A layer of soil was significantly higher in reference and light training areas which may explain the life-form distributions. In addition, the diversity of plant families and, in particular, the presence of grasses and composites were indicative of training and remediation history. These results are supported by prior analysis of life-form distribution subsequent to other disturbances and demonstrate the ability of life-form and plant families to distinguish between military disturbances in longleaf pine forests.     

基于陆地-水生态系统耦合的海河流域水生态功能分区

水生态功能分区是针对水生态系统特征的陆地生态系统划分,是为流域水生态管理提供生态背景和基本单元。陆地-水生态系统的耦合是水生态功能分区的核心,但多停留在个别小流域进行理论探讨,大型流域的实际案例较少。针对海河流域独特的气候、地貌、水文和人类活动特征,提出了水生态功能分区的三级指标体系。一级二级区针对气候、地貌、水文背景进行"自上而下"的分区,三级区针对人类活动对水资源、水环境、生境影响,采用"自下而上"的分区方法。最终,海河流域划分了6个一级区、16个二级区和73个三级区。研究充分体现了"以水定陆、以陆控水"的基本原则,以及"自下而上"和"自上而下"分区方法的优点,结果可为海河流域水生态管理提供科学依据,为水资源空间调配与合理利用、产业结构布局与区域协调等服务。     

黄土高原流域水沙变化研究进展

人类活动和气候变化是影响流域水文过程的两大驱动因素,径流输沙是流域水文过程的总体反映,变化环境下径流输沙的变化规律与成因分析是水文学和全球变化研究的热点问题。黄土高原是我国水土流失最严重的地区。20世纪50年代以来,黄土高原地区开展了大规模的生态环境建设和水土流失综合治理,显著改变了流域土地利用和植被覆盖。下垫面条件改变与气候变化综合作用,使得流域水沙情势发生剧变。围绕黄土高原流域水沙变化的时空尺度特征与驱动机制,总结了径流输沙和水沙关系变化特征的研究结果,归纳了径流输沙变化的归因分析方法与人类活动和气候变化影响的贡献分割结果,探讨了气候变化、植被恢复、水土保持工程措施以及流域景观格局对水沙变化的影响机制。未来应加强流域水沙演变的时空尺度特征特别是水沙关系非线性特征的定量研究,阐明极端事件对水沙动态的影响与贡献;开展水沙变化影响机制的多要素综合解析,发展耦合地表覆被动态特征和气候变化的降雨-径流-输沙模型,揭示生态恢复与水沙演变过程互馈机制;开展未来气候变化、社会经济发展和生态建设工程情景下水沙动态的趋势预测,为黄土高原生态综合治理和水资源管理与黄河水沙调控提供策略建议。     

塔里木盆地南缘旱生芦苇生态特征与水盐因子关系

选择位于塔里木盆地南缘极端干旱区的克里雅河流域于田绿洲为靶区,结合经典统计学和冗余分析技术,研究了旱生芦苇生态特征与水盐因子的分布规律及相互关系。统计学分析显示:芦苇沿河岸至荒漠方向株高、盖度和地上生物量减少、地下生物量增加,水分与土壤盐分也呈现一定的梯度变化规律。冗余分析结果表明:水分为芦苇生态特征变化的关键驱动因子,地下水埋深和土壤水分与芦苇的生态特征呈现极显著的相关关系,钠吸附比、全盐与芦苇的生态特征呈现显著的相关关系,其他指标与芦苇生态特征的相关性均不显著。水盐因子对芦苇生态特征影响的重要性排序为地下水埋深土壤水分钠吸附比全盐HCO-3pH值Cl-/SO2-4。综合水盐要素,水分对芦苇生态特征的影响大于盐分。     

不同荒漠化阶段植被生态特征对土壤环境因子的响应——以民勤荒漠绿洲过渡带为例

荒漠绿洲过渡带是荒漠化和绿洲化两种地理过程共同影响的生态交错区,是恢复生态学重点关注的区域。利用第五次全国荒漠化和沙化监测数据,采用方差分析和冗余分析,研究了民勤荒漠绿洲过渡带4种不同荒漠化发展阶段的植被生态特征和土壤环境因子的变化规律与相互关系。结果表明:(1)随着荒漠化的发展,土壤环境因子中,除有效土层厚度逐渐变浅外,风蚀痕迹占地率、表土砾石含量、盐碱斑占地率和坡度均呈现增加的动态趋势;植被因子中,除优势种盖度与植被总盖度的比值逐步增加,物种丰富度、优势种多度等其他指标均表现出明显的下降特征;(2)土壤环境因子中,有效土层厚度在4种荒漠化阶段对植被生态特征的影响程度达显著水平(P0.05),风蚀痕迹占地率在轻度、中度和重度阶段是植被生态特征变化的主导驱动因子。其他因子在多数荒漠化阶段与植被生态特征相关性不显著;(3)相比其他荒漠化阶段,中度阶段中植被生态特征对土壤环境因子的响应更加敏感,应是荒漠化防治重点关注的阶段。     

Intraspecific variation in space use, group size, and mating systems of caviomorph rodents

Intraspecific variation in social systems is widely recognized across many taxa, and specific models, including polygamy potential, resource defense, and resource dispersion, have been developed to explain the relationship between ecological variation and social organization. Although mammals from temperate North America and Eurasia have provided many insights into this relationship, rodents from the Neotropics and temperate South America have largely been ignored. In this review we focus on reports documenting intraspecific variation in spacing systems, group size, and mating systems of caviomorphs. This large group of New World hystricognath rodents occupies a diverse array of habitats; thus, members of the same species potentially exhibit different social systems in response to different ecological conditions. Spatial patterns vary in response to a diverse array of factors, including predation, food availability, population density, and soil characteristics. Changes in group size typically correlate with changes in resource availability, particularly food. Mating systems generally reflect the ability of males to control access to females, which may depend on population density or food distribution. In general, social organization in caviomorphs fits predictions of resource-based models; however, most studies have been purely observational, involving small numbers of animals over short time periods and reporting qualitative rather than quantitative levels of ecological correlates. In future studies the use of molecular techniques and controlled, experimental manipulations can increase our understanding of intraspecific variation in caviomorph social systems. This understudied group of rodents offers excellent opportunities to provide insights into the influence of ecological conditions on behavior such as social systems.     

Factors influencing the distribution of Azorean mountain vegetation: implications for nature conservation

In order to understand the main ecological factors that influence the distribution of mountain vegetation in Azores and to use it as a model for nature conservation, a study on Santa Bárbara Mountain on Terceira Island was performed. A multivariate analysis was done on vegetation data and the abiotic factors governing the vegetation pattern are discussed. The major factors contributing to the observed vegetation patterns are wind exposure, soil water saturation and historical human impacts. The vegetation analysis showed that Azorean Mountain habitats have a high variation of vegetation structure as a result of the habitat heterogeneity and the extreme ecological conditions. Using the co-dominant plants as indicator species, eco-zones are distinguished, characterized by the combination of different ecological–human factors which contribute to the distribution of specific types of natural vegetation communities. The studies of vegetation distribution give important information about the relation between vegetation and landscape that is essential for conservation, restoration proposals and landscape planning. Azores terrestrial Natura 2000 sites are largely dominated by mountain vegetation, therefore this work provides essential background data for the management plans of these sites.     

中国东部10个海岛植被近自然度评价

植被近自然度评价是森林近自然恢复的重要理论基础。海岛因特殊的生物地理环境,其植被结构和功能有别于陆地植被,当前还未有从植物生理生态角度,联合植物功能性状的海岛植被近自然度评价指标体系。基于中国东部10个典型海岛的74个植物群落,以植被信息、土壤属性和多样性特征（物种和功能多样性）构建海岛植被近自然度评价指标体系。利用敏感性分析筛选出13个反映海岛植被近自然度的中、高敏感性指标,基于筛选指标用层次分析法初次构建了中国东部海岛植被近自然度评价指标体系,并计算典型海岛的植被近自然度综合指数和划定植被近自然度等级。结果显示：海岛植被近自然度综合评价指标的权重：植被信息 > 多样性特征 > 土壤属性,其中植物自然构成系数、土壤含水量、Shannon-Wiener指数、Rao二次熵指数的权重较大;典型海岛的植被近自然度综合指数在0.345-0.611间,其中大金山岛的植被近自然度最高,属半天然林,北长山岛最低,为近人工林,其他海岛为远天然林;中亚热带的海岛植被近自然度较高,暖温带和南亚热带的海岛植被近自然度较低。本研究基于陆地植被近自然度评价指标,联合植物功能多样性对我国东部海岛植被近自然度进行综合评价,为海岛植被的生态状况提供定量依据,以及为海岛植被保护与管理和近自然恢复提供理论支撑。     

北京九龙山地区的植被及其对生境类型的指示意义

 本研究在对北京西郊九龙山地区植被(以次生灌丛和灌草丛为主)全面调查的基础上,分析了该地区的植物区系和植物群落特性。采用系统聚类的方法,以各样方包含的主要植物种类为属性,对120个样方进行了系统聚类分析,阐明了一定地段上的植物种类组成对生境条件(尤其是土壤条件)的指示意义。进而对九龙山植被及其生境进行了分类,并指出了各植物群落类型的组成、结构和分布规律及其与土壤厚度、土壤水分状况等生境条件的密切关系。文章还讨论了京郊低山地各生境类型的改造和利用途径。     

Species richness,equitability, and abundance of ants in disturbed landscapes

Ants are used as indicators of environmental change in disturbed landscapes, often without adequate understanding of their response to disturbance. Ant communities in the southeastern United States displayed a hump-backed species richness curve against an index of landscape disturbance. Forty sites at Fort Benning, in west-central Georgia, covered a spectrum of habitat disturbance (military training and fire) in upland forest. Sites disturbed by military training had fewer trees, less canopy cover, more bare ground, and warmer, more compact soils with shallower A-horizons. We sampled ground-dwelling ants with pitfall traps, and measured 15 habitat variables related to vegetation and soil. Ant species richness was greatest with a relative disturbance of 43%, but equitability was greatest with no disturbance. Ant abundance was greatest with a relative disturbance of 85%. High species richness at intermediate disturbance was associated with greater within-site spatial heterogeneity. Species richness was also associated with intermediate values of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), a correlate of net primary productivity (NPP). Available NPP (the product of NDVI and the fraction of days that soil temperature exceeded 25 °C), however, was positively correlated with species richness, though not with ant abundance. Species richness was unrelated to soil texture, total ground cover, and fire frequency. Ant species richness and equitability are potential state indicators of the soil arthropod community. Moreover, equitability can be used to monitor ecosystem change.     

外来树种的耗水特征及其对环境水资源的影响

外来树种常被作为"先锋树种"广泛引种,在荒山造林和水土保持方面发挥了积极作用;然而,不少外来树种具有高耗水和强抗旱的水分利用特性,耗水量大、水分消耗快,若不加甄别地引种会影响甚至危害本土森林生态系统的健康。目前,部分被引种的外来树种已造成入侵;同时,在当前水资源缺乏的形势下,外来树种的引种安全问题已成为全球关注的生态环境问题。本文综述了外来树种在生态系统、整树、叶片及枝条水平的耗水特性,分析了外来树种对引种地水资源的影响。前期的研究结果显示,被引种的外来树种在生态系统及整树水平的耗水量普遍高于乡土树种,但对水资源的影响却因受控于多个因素如环境、气候、植物个体等而不尽相同;同时还显示,外来树种在叶片和枝条水平的耗水特性更多地体现了其应对环境变化的水分利用策略。研究还就提高外来树种耗水特性研究的准确性和提升外来树种危害风险的预警能力方面,提出了若干研究方向,旨在为森林管理者和政府部门平衡外来树种的经济效益和生态效应提供借鉴和指导,以期降低外来树种引种风险,增进生态安全。     

Mercury toxicity to terrestrial biota

The heavy metal mercury is a non-essential hazardous element which concentrates up the food chain. It is necessary to assess the ecological risk of mercury to establish proper regulatory guideline levels. Most of the toxicological assessment of mercury has been focused on aquatic organisms, however in terrestrial bodies the information is limited. Hence this review critically discusses the toxicity of inorganic mercury to key terrestrial biota from recent literature and evaluate whether these information are adequate to establish safe regulatory limits or precautionary values which is invaluable for risk assessment of mercury in soil. Till date soil microorganisms, plants and invertebrates have been utilized for assessing mercury toxicity; among them, microorganisms have been observed to be the most sensitive indicators to mercury stress. Large inconsistency among the measured toxic concentrations indicates that measuring mercury toxicity in soil may be influenced by soil characteristics and ageing period of contamination. This review warrants more studies to obtain widely acceptable safe limit of soil mercury.     

加拿大一枝黄花在安徽合肥的入侵生态因子分析

【目的】研究加拿大一枝黄花入侵区域的入侵格局,分析其入侵性与当地生态环境之间的关系。【方法】通过随机布设样地方法量化了该植物入侵区域的海拔、坡度、植物群落等22个生境因子,并进行主成分分析。【结果】(1)加拿大一枝黄花生境的22个生态因子所含的生态信息可用6个综合因子表征:土壤肥力因子、土壤理化因子、植被因子、复合因子、干扰因子和光源因子;(2)加拿大一枝黄花的发生频率与速效钾、样地中植物总株数、杂草盖度、有机质、植物种数、海拔、坡度、乔木高度、乔木大小、土壤含水率等生态因子呈正相关,但是与水源距、土壤有效磷、土壤全磷、土壤pH呈负相关。【结论】加拿大一枝黄花入侵可能与当地自然环境中的某些生态因子密切相关,生态因子可能对其入侵成功产生抑制或促进作用。本研究有助于明确加拿大一枝黄花入侵的生态因子,为该入侵植物的有效防治提供一定的理论依据。     

Pemon Perspectives of Fire Management in Canaima National Park,Southeastern Venezuela

Recent research on the ecology of fire has challenged the view that the use of fire by indigenous peoples is detrimental to ecosystems and wildlife in protected areas. However, in Canaima National Park and World Heritage Site in southeastern Venezuela, since 1981 managers have employed a costly fire control program to eliminate savanna burning by the Pemon indigenous people. Here I present the results of the first study on Pemon perspectives of fire management in the park. I show that savanna burning is an important tool in indigenous land management and plays a key role in preventing large catastrophic fires. Pemon knowledge of fire also raises questions about conventional interpretations of environmental change in the park. Lastly, I recommend a fire management policy that seeks to integrate local ecological knowledge. This will require: (a) greater openness from scientists and resource managers to understanding Pemon rationale for the use of fire, (b) clarification among the Pemon themselves of their own views of fire, and (c) research partnerships among scientists, resource managers and the Pemon in order to encourage understanding of Pemon ecological knowledge of fire, and to assess its true impact in the Canaima National Park.     

祁连山不同类型草地的土壤理化性质与植被特征

祁连山草地生态系统在维护我国西部生态安全方面起着举足轻重的作用。为了解祁连山不同类型草地土壤水分、养分等理化性质与植被分布特征,及土壤理化性质与植被特征的相关关系,于祁连山选取7种类型的草地,测定土壤水分含量、养分含量、容重、颗粒组成和植被特征,计算土壤颗粒的分形维数、0～40 cm土层土壤有机碳、全氮和全磷储量、植物多样性指数。结果表明: 祁连山不同类型草地的土壤理化性质与植被特征差异显著,高寒草甸相比于其他类型草地具有较高的土壤水分、养分和黏粒含量,及较低的容重和砂粒含量;0～40 cm土层土壤有机碳、全氮、全磷储量变化范围分别为3084～45247、164～2358、100～319 g·m^-2,整体表现为有机碳和全氮含量高、全磷含量低;土壤全磷储量与植物多样性指数呈显著正相关关系,表明土壤全磷含量是祁连山草地植物多样性的关键影响因素。相比其他草地类型,高寒草甸具有较好的植被状况和土壤水分、养分条件。     

半干旱黄土小流域不同植被类型植物与土壤生态化学计量特征

生态化学计量学是研究生态系统元素平衡与能量流动的有效方法,明确不同植被恢复类型下植物与土壤化学计量特征对揭示黄土高原植被恢复中生态系统养分循环具重要意义,可为黄土高原植被恢复类型的选择提供可行性依据。以典型半干旱黄土小流域3种植被恢复方式下（天然荒草、自然恢复、人工恢复）的5种植被类型（长芒草草地、赖草草地、苜蓿草地、柠条灌丛、山杏林）为研究对象,分析不同植被类型下叶、茎、根及土壤碳（C）、氮（N）、磷（P）含量及化学计量特征。结果表明：1）植物不同器官和植被类型对植物生态化学计量特征都具有显著影响,C、N、P含量在5种典型植被中均表现为叶>茎>根。人工恢复植被各器官C、N含量及N ∶ P均显著高于天然荒草地,与自然恢复植被无显著差异;其中,在人工恢复植被中山杏各器官C含量最高,柠条各器官N含量最高。叶、茎、根的C ∶ N则表现为自然恢复植被显著高于人工恢复植被与天然荒草地。P含量、C ∶ P则在不同植被恢复类型间无显著差异。2）不同植被恢复类型下土壤C、N、P含量及化学计量特征具一定差异。人工恢复植被土壤C、N、P含量及C ∶ P、N ∶ P均为最高,显著高于自然恢复植被土壤;人工恢复植被中柠条土壤C、N含量及C ∶ P、N ∶ P均显著高于其他植被土壤。土壤C ∶ N在各植被类型间无显著差异。3）不同植被恢复类型下C、N、P含量在植物叶片与土壤间的相关性存在差异,说明植物自身生长特性影响着养分在植物与土壤间转化与传递。以5种典型植被整体来看,植物叶、茎、根的生态化学计量特征在彼此间均呈显著正相关。在植物与土壤间,植物各器官N含量与土壤C、N、P含量呈显著正相关,植物各器官N ∶ P与土壤N ∶ P呈显著正相关,表明该黄土小流域生态系统中植物与土壤生态化学计量特征的变化是相互制约,相互影响的。     

Relationships Between Hydrology and Soils Describe Vegetation Patterns in Seasonally Flooded Tree Islands of the Southern Everglades, Florida

Tree island ecosystems are important and distinct features of Florida Everglades wetlands. We described the inter-relationships among abiotic factors describing seasonally flooded tree islands and characterized plant–soil relationships in tree islands occurring in a relatively unimpacted area of the Everglades. We used Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to reduce our multi-factor dataset, quantified forest structure and vegetation nutrient dynamics, and related these vegetation parameters to PCA summary variables using linear regression analyses. We found that, of the 21 abiotic parameters used to characterize the ecosystem structure of seasonally flooded tree islands, 13 parameters were significantly correlated with four principal components, and they described 78% of the variance among the study islands. Most variation was described by factors related to soil oxidation and hydrology, exemplifying the sensitivity of tree island structure to hydrologic conditions. PCA summary variables describing tree island structure were related to variability in Chrysobalanus icaco (L.) canopy cover, Ilex cassine (L.) and Salix caroliniana (Michx.) canopy cover, Myrica cerifera (L.) plot frequency, litter turnover, % phosphorus resorption of co-dominant species, and nitrogen nutrient-use efficiency. This study supported findings that vegetation characteristics can be sensitive indicators of variability in tree island ecosystem structure. This study produced valuable, information which was used to recommend ecological targets (i.e. restoration performance measures) for seasonally flooded tree islands in more impacted regions of the Everglades landscape.     

Biophysical indicators based on spatial hierarchy for informing land reclamation: The case of the Lower Athabasca River (Alberta,Canada)

In the Lower Athabasca region of Alberta (Canada), surface mining for bitumen from oil sands creates highly disturbed environments, which need to be restored, after mine closing, to equivalent land capability in terms of biodiversity and ecosystem services. We demonstrate a method to characterize ecosystem diversity and conditions using biophysical indicators of the Lower Athabasca meant for informing land reclamation planning and monitoring by identifying and creating a typology of the main assemblages of topography, soil and forest vegetation at the watershed, landform and ecosite scales, and analysing the relationships among land units of various scales. Our results showed that watersheds could be classified into distinct groups with specific features, even for a region with a generally flat or gently rolling topography, with slope, surficial deposits and aspect as key drivers of differences. Despite the subtle topography, the moisture regime, which is linked to large-scale cycles that are dependent on the surrounding matrix, was of primary importance for driving vegetation assemblages. There was no unique and homogeneous association between topography and vegetation; the specific landforms each displayed a range of ecosites, and the same ecosites were found in different landforms. This suggests that landscapes cannot be defined in a qualitative manner but rather with quantitative indicators that express the proportion occupied by each class of ecological units within the coarser units, therefore requiring during land reclamation that sufficient care is given to create heterogeneity within a given landform in terms of soil texture and drainage so that a mosaic of ecosite conditions is created.     

强度石漠化区不同植被修复模式下土壤螨类群落差异

石漠化治理区不同植被修复模式下的土壤螨类群落差异反映了生态系统的恢复状况,可籍以反映石漠化治理的生态效果。2014年1月、4月、8月和10月,对贵州花江喀斯特峡谷区顶坛小流域强度石漠化区域的"花椒"、"金银花"、"花椒+金银花"3种植被修复生境的土壤螨类进行了调查,共捕获土壤螨类1372头,隶属3目55科89属。采用类群(属)数、个体数量、个体密度、多样性指数(H')、丰富度指数(SR)、均匀性指数(J)、相似性指数(CN)、捕食性螨类成熟度指数(MI)和甲螨MGP类群等参数对土壤螨类群落差异进行了表征。结果显示,花椒林拥有较丰富的螨类属,金银花林拥有较高的的个体数量和个体密度。不同模式下的科、属类群组成呈现差异;属数、个体数量存在一定的季节差异,花椒林的螨类属数、金银花林的螨类个体数量和个体密度呈现一定的表聚性;群落多样性大多存在季节差异;捕食性革螨以r选择型为主,甲螨主要为O型和M型。研究表明,强度石漠化在不同植被修复模式下,土壤螨类生物生态类群存在差异,土壤生态系统仍处于修复之中,其中螨类优势属、具有典型生物学与生态学特性差异的螨类类群对石漠化治理的生态效果具有重要的指示作用。     

Indicators of environmentally sound land use in the humid tropics: The potential roles of expert opinion,knowledge engineering and knowledge discovery

Despite abundant literature on indicators for sustainable resource management, practical tools to help local users to apply its general concepts at a local to regional level are scarce. This means that decisions over land evaluation and land use at a local level are often not based on the formal application of indicators or decision support systems for environmentally sound management but instead on the opinion of local expertise, for instance forest managers, cattle breeders, farmers and/or academics. This is particularly seen to be the case in the tropics where access to modern communication and information technologies is restricted.As the opinions of experts are often based on and influenced by personal experience, intuition, heuristics and bias, their evaluations and decision are often unclear to the non-expert working at a local level. In order to make their reasoning more comprehensible to the non-expert, the ecological condition of 176 plots in the tropical Southeast of Mexico were evaluated by experts on soil fertility, forest management, cattle breeding and agriculture. With the assistance of a knowledge engineer (one who converts expert knowledge and reasoning into a model), these expert opinions and reasoning were then translated into a formal computer model.As an alternative approach we applied a knowledge discovery technique, namely the induction of regression trees and automatically developed models using the expert evaluations as training data. Where knowledge engineering was tedious and time consuming, regression models could be rapidly generated. Moreover, the correspondence between regression trees and expert opinions was considerably higher than the correspondence between expert opinion and their own models. The regression trees used less explicative variables than the models generated by the experts. The minimisation of sampling effort due to variable space reduction means that the application of regression tree induction has a high potential for a rapid development of indicators for narrowly defined ecological assessments, needed for decision making on a local or regional scale.