Wildlife Recovery During Tropical Forest Succession: Assessing Ecological Drivers of Community Change

Despite the high proportion of secondary forests in the tropics, their conservation value remains poorly understood, particularly with regard to animals. Most theoretical studies of succession have focused on plants, linking life history trade‐offs to well‐known patterns of community change. However, the same trade‐offs proposed for plants should apply to animals, and indeed, animal studies show a change in community dominance from habitat generalist to forest specialist species during succession. Focusing on the diverse terrestrial small mammals of the endangered Atlantic Forest, we assessed which ecological drivers (habitat structure and food availability) affect community changes during succession. If the change in community dominance is driven by trade‐offs between productivity and efficiency, it should be mainly associated with a decrease in food availability. As expected, from younger to older forest, habitat generalists decreased in richness and total abundance, concurrent with a decrease in arthropod biomass. By contrast, the increase in richness and total abundance of forest specialists was not clearly supported by the data; however, this group was not affected by food availability. These results are congruent with a trade‐off between competitive ability and ability to use abundant resources, and indicate that the major community change during succession involves habitat generalists. Secondary forests may thus be valuable for conservation, at least where habitat loss and fragmentation are not high, and old growth forest is available.     

西双版纳热带季节雨林土壤养分空间异质性对乔木树种多样性的影响

生态位理论认为,养分空间异质性分布会减少种间竞争排斥而有助于物种共存;而中性理论则认为群落树种呈独立于环境特征的随机分布。为研究土壤养分异质性与乔木树种多样性的联系,在西双版纳热带季节雨林随机设置了16个1 hm~2样方,调查了各样方乔木树种多样性,计算了各样方土壤有效氮(AN)、有效磷(EP)、有效钾(EK)、有机质(OM)、p H、总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)、总钾(TK)的变异系数以代表各样方土壤养分空间异质性分布的相对水平。Pearson相关分析表明,TK变异系数与乔木树种丰富度、Shannon-wiener指数呈显著正相关(P0.05),表明该区域不同植物可能在钾资源的利用上存在明显的生态位分化,钾的异质性有助于树种共存;OM、AN变异系数与Pielou均匀度指数呈明显正相关(P0.1),在一定程度上说明了这些养分的空间异质性缓解了种间竞争压力,树种多度分布相对均匀,有助于树种共存。除TK外,其它土壤指标的变异系数与乔木树种多样性的正相关性均不显著(P0.05),表明这些养分的空间异质性分布对乔木树种多样性的影响相对较小,中性或其它生态学过程可能掩盖了这些养分的空间异质性分布对乔木树种多样性的影响。这说明,土壤养分空间异质性可能在一定程度上促进了树种共存,但同时应当重视中性过程等在西双版纳热带雨林群落构建中的作用。     

Terrestrial Invertebrate Community Structure as an Indicator of the Success of a Tropical Rainforest Restoration Project

Rainforest restoration is a relatively new endeavor, and few attempts have been made to assess the success of such restoration efforts in terms of the reestablishment of an ecosystem. Small plantings of rainforest tree species have been carried out adjacent to mature rainforest at Lake Barrine National Park in North Queensland, Australia, since 1988. The aim of this project was to assess the leaf litter invertebrate fauna of these plantings as indicators of the success of the restoration process. Plots planted in 1988, 1989, and 1990, as well as adjacent mature rainforest, were sampled in the wet and dry seasons of 1994. Invertebrates were extracted from leaf litter samples with Berlese Funnels and sorted to order. Diversity, the abundance of different size classes and orders of invertebrates, and the abundance of different functional groups were examined. In most respects the 1988 plot was found to differ little from the mature rainforest plots, whereas the 1990 plot lacked small and predatory invertebrates, especially in the dry season. The 1989 plot was intermediate in invertebrate abundance and diversity. The use of partially deciduous trees in the 1989 and 1990 plots, resulting in lower canopy cover at the driest time of the year, may have contributed significantly to the differences found between the early and later plantings. It is recommended that trees that provide good canopy cover year-round be used as dominant species in plantings to facilitate the development of a leaf litter ecosystem that can be sustained throughout the year.     

The Role of Stream Water Carbon Dynamics and Export in the Carbon Balance of a Tropical Seasonal Rainforest,Southwest China

A two-year study (2009 ∼ 2010) was carried out to investigate the dynamics of different carbon (C) forms, and the role of stream export in the C balance of a 23.4-ha headwater catchment in a tropical seasonal rainforest at Xishuangbanna (XSBN), southwest China. The seasonal volumetric weighted mean (VWM) concentrations of total inorganic C (TIC) and dissolved inorganic C (DIC) were higher, and particulate inorganic C (PIC) and organic C (POC) were lower, in the dry season than the rainy season, while the VWM concentrations of total organic C (TOC) and dissolved organic C (DOC) were similar between seasons. With increased monthly stream discharge and stream water temperature (SWT), only TIC and DIC concentrations decreased significantly. The most important C form in stream export was DIC, accounting for 51.8% of the total C (TC) export; DOC, POC, and PIC accounted for 21.8%, 14.9%, and 11.5% of the TC export, respectively. Dynamics of C flux were closely related to stream discharge, with the greatest export during the rainy season. C export in the headwater stream was 47.1 kg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, about 2.85% of the annual net ecosystem exchange. This finding indicates that stream export represented a minor contribution to the C balance in this tropical seasonal rainforest.     

Posthurricane Seedling Structure in a Multi‐aged Tropical Dry Forest: Implications for Community Succession

Hurricane‐caused tree mortality in tropical dry forests occurs predominantly in early successional species. Consequently, hurricanes may accelerate succession in these forests. Forest regeneration, however, must be measured over an extended posthurricane time period to demonstrate this pattern. In this study, we recorded tree seedlings in 19 Florida Keys forests during May–August 1995, 3 years after Hurricane Andrew. For these forests—spanning a chronosequence from 14 to over 100 years since the most recent clearing—we used weighted averaging regression on relative abundances of pre‐hurricane trees to calculate a successional age optimum for each species; and used weighted averaging calibration to calculate inferred successional ages for stands based on pre‐hurricane trees and on posthurricane seedlings. To test the hypothesis that successional stage of seedlings exceeded successional stage of pre‐hurricane trees, we compared inferred stand ages based on posthurricane seedlings with those based on pre‐hurricane trees. Across the study area, inferred stand ages based on posthurricane seedlings were greater than those based on pre‐hurricane trees (P < 0.005); however, more seedlings in the youngest stands were early successional than in older stands. Of 29 species present both as pre‐hurricane trees and posthurricane seedlings, 23 had animal‐dispersed seeds. These results provide evidence that: (1) hurricanes do not ‘reset’ succession, and may accelerate succession; and (2) a strong legacy of stand successional age influences seedling assemblages in these forests.     

Structure of the Epiphyte Community in a Tropical Montane Forest in SW China

Vascular epiphytes are an understudied and particularly important component of tropical forest ecosystems. However, owing to the difficulties of access, little is known about the properties of epiphyte-host tree communities and the factors structuring them, especially in Asia. We investigated factors structuring the vascular epiphyte-host community and its network properties in a tropical montane forest in Xishuangbanna, SW China. Vascular epiphytes were surveyed in six plots located in mature forests. Six host and four micro-site environmental factors were investigated. Epiphyte diversity was strongly correlated with host size (DBH, diameter at breast height), while within hosts the highest epiphyte diversity was in the middle canopy and epiphyte diversity was significantly higher in sites with canopy soil or a moss mat than on bare bark. DBH, elevation and stem height explained 22% of the total variation in the epiphyte species assemblage among hosts, and DBH was the most important factor which alone explained 6% of the variation. Within hosts, 51% of the variation in epiphyte assemblage composition was explained by canopy position and substrate, and the most important single factor was substrate which accounted for 16% of the variation. Analysis of network properties indicated that the epiphyte host community was highly nested, with a low level of epiphyte specialization, and an almost even interaction strength between epiphytes and host trees. Together, these results indicate that large trees harbor a substantial proportion of the epiphyte community in this forest.     

荒漠土壤藻群落结构的原生演替

微生物结皮是荒漠化治理中新的热点之一,但其关键形成生物——微型藻类如何通过群落结构的变化向地衣结皮、藓类结皮转变的机理仍是未知的。本文以时空替代法,将沙坡头流沙,4、8、17、34及42龄结皮当作同一群落演替进程中的6个阶段,通过系统聚类、主分量分析的方法首次对这一问题进行了研究,结果显示该地荒漠藻群落的原牛演替朝着蓝藻总丰度和爪畦伪枝藻(Scytonema javanicum)丰度逐渐下降,纤细席藻(Phormidium tenue)、绿藻、硅藻丰度逐渐增加的方向进行;多样性随群落演替的发展而增高;生物量在初期呈正向演替,后期随地衣、藓类的入侵逐渐下降;演替速度非常缓慢,高龄结皮中的优势种仍是建群种,只是优势度略有下降;水分、植被覆盖、地形、时间,土壤理化性质都影响演替徐径和速度．特别是Mn含量对演替有重要的阈值作用。     

荒漠土壤藻群落结构的原生演替

微生物结皮是荒漠化治理中新的热点之一,但其关键形成生物--微型藻类如何通过群落结构的变化向地衣结皮、藓类结皮转变的机理仍是未知的.本文以时空替代法,将沙坡头流沙,4、8、17、34及42龄结皮当作同一群落演替进程中的6个阶段,通过系统聚类、丰分量分析的方法首次对这一问题进行了研究,结果显示该地荒漠藻群落的原生演替朝着蓝藻总丰度和爪哇伪枝藻(Scytonema javanicum)丰度逐渐下降,纤细席藻(Phormidiumtenue)、绿藻、硅藻丰度逐渐增加的方向进行;多样性随群落演替的发展而增高;生物量在初期呈正向演替,后期随地衣、藓类的入侵逐渐下降;演替速度非常缓慢,高龄结皮中的优势种仍是建群种,只是优势度略有下降;水分、植被覆盖、地形、时间,土壤理化性质都影响演替途径和速度,特别是Mn含量对演替有重要的阈值作用.     

Effects of Litter Inputs on N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O Emissions from a Tropical Rainforest in Southwest China

Litter inputs are expected to have a strong impact on soil N₂O efflux. This study aimed to assess the effects of the litter decomposition process and nutrient efflux from litter to soil on soil N₂O efflux in a tropical rainforest. A paired study with a control (L) treatment and a litter-removed (NL) treatment was followed for 2 years, continuously monitoring the effects of these treatments on soil N₂O efflux, fresh litter input, decomposed litter carbon (LCI) and nitrogen (LNI), soil nitrate (NO₃ ^?–N), ammonium (NH₄ ⁺–N), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and dissolved nitrogen (DN). Soil N₂O flux was 0.48 and 0.32 kg N₂O–N ha^?1 year^?1 for the L and NL treatments, respectively. Removing the litter caused a decrease in the annual soil N₂O emission by 33%. The flux values from the litter layer were higher in the rainy season as compared to the dry season (2.10 ± 0.28 vs. 1.44 ± 0.35 μg N m^?2 h^?1). The N₂O fluxes were significantly correlated with the soil NO₃ ^?–N contents (P < 0.05), indicating that the N₂O emission was derived mainly from denitrification as well as other NO₃ ^? reduction processes. Suitable soil temperature and moisture sustained by rainfall were jointly attributed to the higher soil N₂O fluxes of both treatments in the rainy season. The N₂O fluxes from the L were mainly regulated by LCI, whereas those from the NL were dominated jointly by soil NO₃ ^? content and temperature. The effects of LCI and LNI on the soil N₂O fluxes were the greatest in the 2 months after litter decomposition. Our results show that litter may affect not only the variability in the quantity of N₂O emitted, but also the mechanisms that govern N₂O production. However, further studies are still required to elucidate the impacting mechanisms of litter decomposition on N₂O emission from tropical forests.     

Forest Structure and Biomass of a Tropical Seasonal Rain Forest in Xishuangbanna,Southwest China1

Xishuangbanna is a region located at the northern edge of tropical Asia. Biomass estimates of its tropical rain forest have not been published in English literature. We estimated forest biomass and its allocation patterns in five 0.185–1.0 ha plots in tropical seasonal rain forests of Xishuangbanna. Forest biomass ranged from 362.1 to 692.6 Mg/ha. Biomass of trees with diameter at 1.3 m breast height (DBH) ≥ 5 cm accounted for 98.2 percent of the rain forest biomass, followed by shrubs (0.9%), woody lianas (0.8%), and herbs (0.2%). Biomass allocation to different tree components was 68.4–70.0 percent to stems, 19.8–21.8 percent to roots, 7.4–10.6 percent to branches, and 0.7–1.3 percent to leaves. Biomass allocation to the tree sublayers was 55.3–62.2 percent to the A layer (upper layer), 30.6–37.1 percent to the B layer (middle), and 2.7–7.6 percent to the C layer (lower). Biomass of Pometia tomentosa, a dominant species, accounted for 19.7–21.1 percent of the total tree biomass. The average density of large trees (DBH ≥100 cm) was 9.4 stems/ha on two small plots and 3.5 stems/ha on two large plots, illustrating the potential to overestimate biomass on a landscape scale if only small plots are sampled. Biomass estimations are similar to typical tropical rain forests in Southeast Asia and the Neotropics.     

Correspondence between Community Structure and Function during Succession in Phenol- and Phenol-plus-Trichloroethene-Fed Sequencing Batch Reactors

The effects of more than 2 years of trichloroethene (TCE) application on community succession and function were studied in two aerobic sequencing batch reactors. One reactor was fed phenol, and the second reactor was fed both phenol and TCE in sequence twice per day. After initiation of TCE loading in the second reactor, the TCE transformation rates initially decreased, but they stabilized with an average second-order rate coefficient of 0.044 liter mg⁻¹ day⁻¹ for 2 years. In contrast, the phenol-fed reactor showed higher and unstable TCE transformation rates, with an average rate coefficient of 0.093 liter mg⁻¹ day⁻¹. Community analysis by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis of the 16S rRNA genes showed that the phenol-plus-TCE-fed reactor had marked changes in community structure during the first 100 days and remained relatively stable afterwards, corresponding to the period of stable function. In contrast, the community structure of the phenol-fed reactor changed periodically, and the changes coincided with the periodicity observed in the TCE transformation rates. Correspondence analysis of each reactor community showed that different community structures corresponded with function (TCE degradation rate). Furthermore, the phenol hydroxylase genotypes, as determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, corresponded to community structure patterns identified by T-RFLP analysis and to periods when the TCE transformation rates were high. Long-term TCE stress appeared to select for a different and stable community structure, with lower but stable TCE degradation rates. In contrast, the community under no stress exhibited a dynamic structure and dynamic function.     

Recruitment and Succession in a Tropical Benthic Community in Response to In-Situ Ocean Acidification

Ocean acidification is a pervasive threat to coral reef ecosystems, and our understanding of the ecological processes driving patterns in tropical benthic community development in conditions of acidification is limited. We deployed limestone recruitment tiles in low aragonite saturation (Ω_arag) waters during an in-situ field experiment at Puerto Morelos, Mexico, and compared them to tiles placed in control zones over a 14-month investigation. The early stages of succession showed relatively little difference in coverage of calcifying organisms between the low Ω_arag and control zones. However, after 14 months of development, tiles from the low Ω_arag zones had up to 70% less cover of calcifying organisms coincident with 42% more fleshy algae than the controls. The percent cover of biofilm and turf algae was also significantly greater in the low Ω_arag zones, while the number of key grazing taxa remained constant. We hypothesize that fleshy algae have a competitive edge over the primary calcified space holders, coralline algae, and that acidification leads to altered competitive dynamics between various taxa. We suggest that as acidification impacts reefs in the future, there will be a shift in community assemblages away from upright and crustose coralline algae toward more fleshy algae and turf, established in the early stages of succession.     

柴达木盆地荒漠灌丛群落谱系结构研究

谱系信息是群落生态学和保育生物学研究的主要内容之一。为探究柴达木盆地荒漠灌丛群落谱系结构及其与环境因子的关系,该研究以柴达木盆地荒漠灌丛为对象,基于群落中物种存在与否的物种组成数据,使用R语言中picante软件包计算了灌丛群落谱系多样性指数和谱系结构指数,并且分析了谱系结构指数与年均温度、年均降水以及土壤含水量之间的关系,以揭示柴达木盆地灌丛群落物种之间的亲缘关系和群落生物多样性维持机制。结果表明:(1)柴达木盆地灌丛群落谱系结构与土壤含水量之间存在极显著相关性(P=2.77×10-6),随着土壤含水量的增加,群落谱系结构聚集程度逐渐降低,表现出生境过滤作用逐步减弱,生物间相互作用逐渐加强的变化趋势。(2)群落谱系结构与年均温度、年均降水之间无显著相关性。(3)典型荒漠生境灌丛和河谷(河漫滩)生境灌丛群落的谱系结构差异显著(P0.05),整体上分别表现为谱系聚集状态和谱系发散状态;河谷(河漫滩)生境灌丛群落的谱系多样性显著高于典型荒漠生境灌丛(P0.05)。(4)将群落谱系信息应用在生物多样性保护实践中,发现河谷(河漫滩)生境灌丛群落较典型荒漠生境的灌丛群落可能具有更高的保护价值。研究认为,将群落谱系研究与保育生物学理论结合将会使生物多样性保护策略更加科学有效。     

鼎湖山针阔混交林演替过程中群落组成和结构短期动态研究

分析了鼎湖山针阔混交林永久样地在4a演变过程中群落的物种组成结构、空间结构、物种多样性以及生物量的动态变化。结果表明：群落乔、灌、草3层的物种个体数量有很大变化,但其物种组成结构变幅很小;针叶树种马尾松(Pinus massoniana)的优势地位逐步丧失,而阔叶树种荷木(Schima superba)和锥栗(Castanopsis chinensis)等优势地位日益巩固,同时中生性树种的罗伞(Ardisia quinquegona)和九节(Psychotria rubra)等地位也在加强,整个群落向常绿阔叶林演变：群落乔木层的生物量增加而灌木层的生物量逐步减少,但群落总生物量仍在增加：群落各层次物种多样性的变化及其相互关系较为复杂,但各层次的物种多样性指数只表现微小的起伏,说明针阔混交林群落的演替是一种缓慢的、较为稳定的过程。同时,在群落的演替过程中,偶见种及珍稀植物的保护值得关注。     

Bird Community Changes in Response to Single and Repeated Fires in a Lowland Tropical Rainforest of Eastern Borneo

Our current understanding of bird community responses to tropical forest fires is limited and strongly geographically biased towards South America. Here we used the circular plot method to carry out complete bird inventories in undisturbed, once burned (1998) and twice burned forests (1983 and 1998) in East Kalimantan (Indonesia). Additionally, environmental variables were measured within a 25 m radius of each plot. Three years after fire the number of birds and bird species were similar for undisturbed and burned forests, but species diversity and turnover were significantly lower in the burned forests. The bird species composition also differed significantly between undisturbed and burned forests, with a strong decline of closed forest preferring bird species accompanied by a strong increase in degraded forest preferring species in burned forests. These differences were strongly related to differences in environmental conditions such as shifts in vegetation cover and layering and differences in ground and understorey vegetation structure. We also found significant shifts in body mass distribution, foraging height and feeding guilds between the bird communities in unburned and burned forests. Surprisingly, repeated burning did not lead to increasing impoverishment of the avifauna, and both once and twice burned forests still contained most of the bird species that were also present in undisturbed forest, even though their densities were considerably lowered.     

西双版纳热带季雨林通量分配及能量平衡问题北大核心CSCD

为了探讨我国西双版纳热带季雨林的能量分配和平衡问题,利用涡度相关系统和常规气象仪器的连续监测结果,分析了不同季节的能量通量特征和闭合特点。结果表明,西双版纳热带季雨林全年的净辐射、潜热通量、显热通量、土壤热通量和热储存量分别是4546.07、2453.24、492.22、-10.47和45.93 MJ/m^(2),土壤为热源,潜热年总值占净辐射的54.0%,显热占10.8%,能量以蒸发散为主要的耗损形式。辐射和能量有明显的日变化和季节动态,各能量分量的日变化几乎都呈白天高夜间低的单峰趋势,反照率整体为0.10~0.12,波动不大;波文比季节差异明显,为0~0.8。热带季雨林的全年闭合度为0.67,未考虑热储量时,闭合度为0.51~0.79,考虑热储量为0.53~0.80。可见,在林冠茂密的热带季雨林中,热储量对能量闭合度的贡献不大,忽略热储量并不是导致能量不闭合的主要原因。     

西双版纳石灰山热带季节性湿润林内几种植物的水分利用策略

对两双版纳生境严酷的石灰山热带季节性湿润林内几种植物(潺槁木姜子、羽叶白头树、高榕、豆果榕、清香木等)的水分利用策略进行了研究.结果表明,石灰山热带季节性湿润林内土壤水势在于热季(2月～4月)75 cm深度处达到最低值,为-O.055MPa,雨季(5～10月)在30 cm处出现最低值为-O.039MPa.测定不同深度土壤体积含水量昼夜变化表明,白大和夜间各层深度土壤体积含水量没有显著变化(P>0.05),说明本林内植物没有水分再分配现象的发生.通过对雨水、土壤水、地下水、雾水、穿透水以及植物木质部水分的稳定性同位素分析得出,在干季,滴落雾水能够补给土壤表层水,在雨季,降雨则是地下水的主要水分输入.植物在昼夜尺度上虽然没有对水分进行时空区分利用,但是植物有更为长久有效的水分利用策略,即植物通过自身发达的根系统利用深层土壤水和地下水.目前,热带雨林的乱砍滥伐,森林片段化特别严重,尤其是生长在石灰山严酷生境的热带季节性湿润林受到破坏后,森林的重建和恢复是相当困难的.因此,对脆弱石厌山热带季节性湿润林的保护是十分必要的,而对石灰山热带季节性湿润林植物的水分利用方式和策略的研究将为此目标提供理论依据.     

西双版纳热带雨林下砂仁拔除后的生态恢复

 种植砂仁（Amomum villosum）对西双版纳热带雨林植物多样性的影响引起了人们的关注。通过西双版纳热带雨林下种植的砂仁拔除后的生态恢复两年的研究工作,结果表明砂仁排除后：1）林下植物数量显著增加,超过同等类型的没种过砂仁的原始热带雨林;植物种类、物种多样性和均匀度都有大幅度增加,与原始热带雨林差别不大;群落组成成分仍向着热带雨林演替,优势种不明显,其中,草本和蕨类植物增加显著;2）林下植物生长速率在旱季与原始林差别不大,但在雨季可有较快生长;生物量在两年内可达到(636.1±43.4) g·m-2,超过原始林,特别是草本和蕨类植物生长较快;3）土壤含水量得到提高,与原始林相比差异不显著,并且,涵养水源的能力有所增加;深层土壤有机质的含量增加显著,速效磷含量需要更长时间的植被恢复才能有所提高,速效钾受淋洗作用的影响,地表有大量损失。文中最后讨论指出,热带林下砂仁实现斑块式的轮歇种植是协调保护与发展的较好方法,这在偏远少数民族地区有着较好的可行性。     

西双版纳热带季节雨林145个树种繁殖体特征

分析了西双版纳热带季节雨林20公顷动态监测样地中145个树种的繁殖体特征。结果表明：雨季散布的种类最多（71.03%）,在雾凉季及干热季散布的种类相对较少;果实类型以核果,蒴果,浆果居多,黑色、黄色、褐色果实最为常见;动物散布的种类最多（56.55%）,其次为机械散布,独立散布,风力散布;大种子树种（种子最大长度〉10mm）较占优势（53.10%）;树种单粒种子重量从2.3×10^-5～22.29g不等,但76.55%的种子的重量集中在0.01～10g之间;干热季散布的种子平均重量显著高于雨季和雾凉季;独立散布的种子重量最大,风力散布的种子重量最小,而机械弹射的种子重量和动物散布的种子重量之间差异不显著;树种的成年个体最大胸径与种子重量之间存在显著正相关。