Effects of longleaf pine planting density and other factors on stand structure and associated wildlife habitat

The primary objective of many longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) restoration programs is to enhance or restore habitat for wildlife dependent on herbaceous plant communities. Because herbaceous cover is inversely related to canopy cover, restoration programs often place restrictions on longleaf pine planting density. However, the influence of planting density on understory plant communities has been inadequately evaluated. Therefore, we initiated a study to examine the relative influences of planting density and other factors on overall understory composition and forage availability for white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) in nine longleaf pine stands throughout the Coastal Plain of Alabama during 2017–2018. We found that coverage of herbaceous plants decreased 3.5%, coverage of woody plants decreased 2.4%, and coverage of northern bobwhite forage plants decreased 1.9% for each 1 m²/ha increase in longleaf pine basal area. However, planting density was not a significant predictor of current basal area, nor coverage of any functional group of plants we examined, likely because current longleaf pine density averaged only 46% (range = 30–64%) of seedling planting density. We did not detect an effect of prescribed fire on stand condition or understory plant communities, likely due to variability in fire timing and frequency. Our findings related to planting density were likely a function of low longleaf pine survival, which is not uncommon. Because of this and the inherent variability in growth rates for young longleaf pine stands, restoration programs should consider placing greater emphasis on post‐planting monitoring and management than planting density.     

马尾松和苦槠林根际土壤矿化和根系分解CO2释放的温度敏感性

以中亚热带马尾松林和苦槠林为对象,原位收集根际和非根际土壤、树木不同生态功能的根系,开展15 ℃、25 ℃、35 ℃和45 ℃恒温培养模拟试验,采用密闭气室碱液吸收法测定53 d内CO₂释放的动态变化.结果表明: 两种森林类型不同温度下土壤矿化CO₂释放速率的根际效应介于1.12～3.09,且培养前期高于培养后期;15 ℃下马尾松林和苦槠林差异不显著,25 ℃和35 ℃下前者低于后者,45 ℃下则相反.不同培养温度下两树种吸收根分解的CO₂释放速率均高于过渡根和贮存根,且马尾松均低于苦槠.两种森林类型CO₂释放的Q₁₀值均为土壤(1.21～1.83)显著高于根系(0.96～1.36).两种森林类型土壤矿化CO₂释放的Q₁₀值差异不显著,而马尾松根系分解CO₂释放的Q₁₀值高于苦槠.推断全球变暖导致的土壤矿化CO2释放的增量将远远高于根系分解,且马尾松林高于苦槠林;地带性顶极群落应对气候变化的抵抗力强于先锋树种群落.     

西北干旱区气候变化及其对生态环境影响

在全球气候变化的大背景下,中国西北干旱区气候在过去50 a也发生了相应的变化,对该区域的生态环境已经产生了较大程度的影响.利用西北干旱区128站点1961-2010年逐日气温降水量资料,结合DEM数据和GIDS插值分析方法,探讨了西北干旱区气候变化特征及其对生态环境的影响.结果表明:西北干旱区气温普遍升高,但变暖的幅度因季节和地域而存在差异,其中冬季增暖最为明显(0.506℃·10 a-1),夏季增暖缓慢;增温趋势最大区域主要在伊犁河谷、塔城等地区,天山东部和祁连山区变暖趋势也较大,天山中部及沙漠周边地区变暖趋势一般;降水量也呈增加趋势,年和冬季降水增加显著,春季降水有逐步增加的趋势,秋季降水增加则比较缓慢;降水变化趋势山区最大,干旱区东部、沙漠腹地及周边地区有下降趋势;近几十年来西北干旱区气候的暖湿化趋势,导致冰川强烈的消融退缩,对干旱区水资源和生态环境产生重大影响;而沙尘暴频次减小主要与新疆和内蒙古等沙源区向暖湿化发展有关,由暖干化向暖湿化转型对沙尘暴的发生有一定的弱化作用.湖泊水位的升降、面积的变化对气候变化有一定的响应.     

长枝木霉对禾谷胞囊线虫寄生和致死作用的显微观察及测定

通过室内试验测定长枝木霉分生孢子悬浮液对小麦禾谷胞囊线虫胞囊的寄生和致死作用.结果表明： 不同浓度（1.5×10⁵～1.5×10⁷ cfu·mL^-1）长枝木霉分生孢子悬浮液对小麦禾谷胞囊线虫胞囊具有明显的寄生和致死作用,并且不同浓度的长枝木霉分生孢子悬浮液之间存在显著差异.第18天浓度为1.5×10⁷ cfu·mL^-1的长枝木霉分生孢子悬浮液对胞囊的寄生率为96.7%,第22天对胞囊孵化的相对抑制率为91.2%.显微观察表明,侵染初期长枝木霉分生孢子附着在胞囊体表,并且萌发产生大量的菌丝寄生于胞囊体表,使〖JP2〗胞囊胚胎发育停止和内容物凝集,甚至有的胞囊出现畸形和表面形成深褐色的小液泡.侵染后期大量菌丝穿透胞囊体表,胞囊破裂,内容物外渗,有的胞囊体表菌丝形成分生孢子梗,其上着生卵圆形的分生孢子.表明长枝木霉可作为一种高效的生防制剂防治小麦禾谷胞囊线虫的发生与危害.     

Population estimation and monitoring of an endangered lagomorph

We conducted the most intensive estimate of the endangered Lower Keys marsh rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris hefneri) metapopulation to date using pellet surveys and capture–recapture methodology. We livetrapped 83 rabbits, evaluated 5 closed population models, and selected the model that best represented the data. We considered the variation in behavioral response model the best model and correlated (r² = 0.913) its patch population estimates to patch pellet densities. From the prediction equation, we generated a range-wide metapopulation estimate of 317 rabbits, a western clade population of 257 rabbits, an eastern clade population of 25 rabbits, and translocated marsh rabbit populations of 35 and zero on Little Pine and Water keys, respectively. A subset of patches whose marsh rabbit subpopulations were last estimated in 1993 exhibited a 46% decline in abundance over 15 yr. Due to the low estimate of the eastern clade population, special effort should be initiated to avoid loss of genetic diversity. The prediction equation suffers from limited data at high pellet densities, patches with ≥5 pellets/m². Future studies should investigate if the slope of the regression is indeed near 1 by sampling patches across the range of pellet densities, especially those with ≥5 pellets/m². The equation provides managers a quick, efficient, and noninvasive method to estimate marsh rabbit abundance from pellet counts but the confidence of predicted rabbit densities from high pellet density patches is low. © 2011 The Wildlife Society     

岩溶区不同根系地下生境类型白栎叶片δ13C值的变化

选取岩溶区白云岩低倾产状多层空间类型、中倾产状多层空间类型及高倾产状多层空间类型3种根系地下生境类型中生长的优势树种白栎为对象,研究白栎叶片的δ¹³C值及其与各类型生境中土壤条件的关系,以及白栎水分利用效率.结果表明： 3种类型中的白栎叶片δ¹³C值存在显著差异,表现为低倾产状多层空间类型(-26.35‰)>高倾产状多层空间类型(-26.66‰)> 中倾产状多层空间类型(-27.07‰),白栎水分利用效率依次降低;白栎叶片的δ¹³C值与根系地下生境类型中土壤水分含量显著相关,但与土壤元素含量相关性不显著;δ¹³C值随土壤水分含量和肥力水平的减少而增加.     

上海地区水鸟群落结构和动态分布特征

为了解上海地区水鸟的栖息状况和种群动态变化,2006—2010年在全市选取9个主要区域开展了全市水鸟同步调查。5年来共记录到水鸟9目17科133种796738只次,其中鸻形目53种,雁形目28种,鹳形目17种,鸥形目16种。按居留类型来分,留鸟、夏候鸟、冬候鸟和旅鸟种类分别占总种类的3.0%、9.0%、43.6%和44.4%。以雁鸭类为主体的冬候鸟迁徙时间一般为9月—次年4月;以鸻鹬类为主体的旅鸟一般为3—5月完成北迁,南迁时间为8—10月。上海市全年水鸟数量较多的区域依次是崇明东滩鸟类自然保护区、南汇东滩和九段沙湿地自然保护区,淀山湖、崇明北湖、宝钢水库和三甲港数量最少。对各调查区域内水鸟的聚类分析和主要类群的生境偏好分析说明,雁鸭类倾向于浅滩生境和开阔水面生境,鸻鹬类倾向于沿海面积较大的浅滩光滩,而滩涂的围垦和人为干扰都会产生负面影响。在此基础上提出了水鸟栖息地管理的一些建议。