Skewed adult sex ratios in Columbina ground doves from Venezuela

Although sex ratios at conception are close to 1:1 in most species of birds, skewed adult sex ratios (ASRs) are not uncommon in populations of birds, and occur frequently at local and temporal scales. ASRs are a key variable influencing population demography, breeding systems, and many aspects of the behavior of birds. However, factors contributing to variation in ASRs, particularly for tropical species of birds, remain poorly understood. By compiling information from field sites and records from bird collections, we found that the ASRs of four species of Columbina ground doves from Venezuela deviated significantly from parity. Males of all species outnumbered females at all field sites and in all museum samples. ASR, expressed as the proportion of males, ranged from 0.59 for Common Ground Doves (Columbina passerina) to 0.65 for Plain‐breasted Ground Doves (Columbina minuta) in the overall samples. Males outnumbered females by ~ 44% in Common Ground Doves and by 85% in Plain‐breasted Ground Doves. Our samples included birds collected as specimens over many decades and across broad geographic areas, suggesting that skewed ASRs are characteristic of Venezuelan ground doves. Because these ground doves do not exhibit pronounced sexual size dimorphism and have socially monogamous breeding systems, selection would be expected to favor equal investment in males and females at hatching. As such, we argue that greater post‐hatching mortality of females, rather than deviations in the sex ratio of embryos, is the main cause of the biased ASRs of Venezuelan ground doves.     

Biogeochemical cycle of Sulfer in the Calamagrostis angustifolia wetland ecosystem in the Sanjiang Plain, China

To better understand the Sulfur (S) cycle in the wetland ecosystem, the S cycle and its compartmental distribution within an atmosphere-plant-soil system were studied using a compartment model in the Calamagrostis angustifolia wetland in the Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China. The results showed that the soil was the main S storage and flux hinge in which 97.78% S was accumulated. In the plant subsystem, the root was the main S storage, and it remained at 79.60% of the total S contents, which in the Calamagrostis angustifolia wetland ecosystem showed that the parts above the ground took up 0.75 g S/m², the S re-transferring biomass to the root was 0.24 g S/m², and to the litter was 0.51 g S/m²; the root took up 3.76 g S/m² and the S transferring biomass to the soil took up 3.07 g S/m²; the litter S biomass was 0.75 g S/(m²·a) and the S transferring biomass to the soil was more than 0.52 g S/(m²·a). The emission amount of H2S from the Calamagrostis angustifolia wetland ecosystem to the atmosphere was 1.42 mg S/m², whereas carbonyl sulfide (COS) was absorbed by the Calamagrostis angustifolia wetland from the atmosphere and the absorption amount was 1.83 mg S/m². The S input biomass from the rain to the ecosystem was 4.85mg S/m² during the growing season. The difference between input and output amounts was 5.26 mg S/m², which indicated that S was accumulated in the ecosystem and would lead to wetland acidification in the future.     

Decomposition and nutrient dynamics of marsh litter in the Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China

The litterbag technique was used to study the decomposition and nutrient dynamics of marsh litter in the four communities, Carex pseudocuraica (C.pa), C. lasiocarpa (C.la), Deyeuxia angustifolia (D.aa), and D. angustifolia-Shrub (D.aa-Srb), in Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China. Decomposition was divided into two periods in the first year, with the mass loss ranging from 11.7% to 31.4% of the initial mass during summer and autumn, accounting for more than 75% of the annual loss. The decomposition rates ranged from 0.000 612 to 0.000 945 d^?1 depending on the depth of the flooding and its duration, and differed significantly in each community. The litter decomposed faster in communities with deeper and perennial flooding than in those with shallow and seasonal flooding. The initial ratios of C:N and C:P were also different among the four litter types, but these differences had no impact on the decomposition rates, suggesting that the main factor influencing the decomposition rates of marsh litter was the flooding status rather than the litter quality. The N concentrations in C.pa and C.la almost continuously increased over time, with their final values being 2.8 and 2.4 times higher than the initial ones, respectively. However, the nutrient dynamics in D.aa and D.aa-Srb offered another pattern, sharply falling in the first month and then gradually rising, with the values at the end of the experiment being close to those at the beginning. The litter accumulated substantial amounts of N in C.pa and C.la, while net N release from the litter was observed in both D.aa and D.aa-Srb. The difference may be caused by microorganisms' demand for nutrition, and then limited by the C:N ratios of litter and the availability of nitrogen from the soil and marsh water. In contrast with N dynamics, P concentrations of all the litter types apparently decreased during the first month, and then continued to decline in C.pa, remained constant in C.la and D.aa and increased slightly in D.aa-Srb. At the end of the experiment, the P concentrations decreased, respectively, by 56%, ?5%, 47% and 24% of the initial values of C.la, C. pa, D.aa and D.aa-Srb. The net P release was observed in all marsh litter over 480 days of decomposition and the intensity of the P release was different amongst communities, which may be regulated by ratios of initial C:P. The results suggested that in the marsh with the N limitation, litter tended to accumulate N and release P during decomposition and the intensity of accumulation or release was closely related to the initial C:N and C:P ratios.     

Spatial and temporal variation of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in the North China Plain

A monitoring network of nine sites was established to determine the spatial and temporal variation of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition in the North China Plain (NCP) over a two-year period. The annual bulk deposition of inorganic N in the North China Plain ranged from 18.4 to 38.5 kg/hm² and averaged 28.0 kg/hm². The concentration of NH₄⁺-N and NO₃^?-N in rainwater averaged 3.76 and 1.85 mg/L, respectively, which were significantly higher than the values at background sites in China (normally less than 0.5 mg/L). Annual bulk deposition of inorganic N in the Beijing area (32.5 kg/hm²) was higher than that in Shandong and Hebei provinces (21.2 kg/hm² on an average). Also bulk N deposition was much greater in Dongbeiwang and Fangshan than in Yanqing and Shunyi counties. Significant spatial variation of bulk deposition was observed in the Beijing area because of variation of precipitation, and 60% of bulk deposition occurred from June to September. Bulk deposition of NH₄⁺-N was 2.0 times that of NO₃^?-N deposition at the rural monitoring sites. However, the situation was reversed at the Beijing Academy of Agricultural-Forestry Sciences (BAAFS), the unique urban monitoring site. The results suggest that reduced N in precipitation is dominant in rural regions, but oxidized N is the major form in urban regions. The positive relationship between inorganic N deposition and precipitation can be fitted by a power equation (r²= 0.67), showing an increase of NH₄⁺-N and NO₃^?-N inputs with increased precipitation. Wet deposition of N accounted for 73% of the bulk deposition, implying that dry deposition of N, particularly NH₄⁺-N from dust, is important in the North China Plain.     

Conservation and restoration of the Pinus palustris ecosystem

Abstract. The well‐documented decline of the Pinus palustris ecosystem has resulted from several anthropogenic influences, such as forest clearing (e.g. pine plantation forestry, agriculture) and urban development, both of which are closely related to increases in human populations. Other impacts have arisen from alterations in disturbance regimes responsible for maintaining the structure and function of these ecosystems. Restoration and management of degraded pine savanna ecosystems is critical. Identification of ecological processes that determine the structure and function of the intact system are important because successful restoration efforts should be based on sound scientific understanding. In this paper, we introduce this special issue on the ecology, conservation, and restoration of the Pinus palustris ecosystem. Some global climate change scenarios have suggested that future changes may occur that alter frequency and severity of disturbances such as fires and hurricanes. Such changes may have large effects on pine stands, and ultimately entire Pinus palustris savanna ecosystems, thus presenting further challenges to their sustainable management.     

Forest sources and pathways of organic matter transport to a blackwater stream: a hydrologic approach

Quantitative information regarding landscape sources and pathways of organic matter transport to streams is important for assessing impacts of terrestrial processes on aquatic ecosystems. We quantified organic C, a measure of organic matter, flowing from a blackwater stream draining a 12.6 km² watershed on the upper Atlantic Coastal Plain in South Carolina, and utilized a hydrologic approach to partition this outflow between its various pathways from upland and wetland forest sources. Results of this study indicate that 28.9 tonnes C yr^–1 were exported in stream flow, which was estimated to be 0.5% of the annual C input from forest detritus to the watershed. Upland forest, which covers 94% of the watershed area, contributed only 2.0 tonnes C yr^–1 to stream flow, which amounted to 0.04% of detritus annually produced by the upland forest. Organic matter was transported from uplands to the stream almost entirely through groundwater. Apparently, upland soils are too sandy to support overland flow, and the sloping topography insufficiently extensive or steep enough to drive important quantities of interflow. Riparian wetland forest, which covers only 6% of the watershed area, contributed 26.9 tonnes C yr^–1 to stream flow, amounting to about 10.2% of detritus annually produced by the wetland forest. Dissolved organic C leached from wetland soil accounted for 63% of all organic C entering the stream, and was transported chiefly in baseflow. These results indicate that upland detritus sources are effectively decoupled from the stream despite the sandy soils and quantitatively confirm that even small riparian wetland areas can have a dominant effect on the overall organic matter budget of a blackwater stream. In view of the recognized importance of dissolved organic matter in facilitating transport of other substances (e.g., cation nutrients, metals, and insoluble organic compounds), our results suggest that the potential for movement of these substances through wetland soils to streams in this region is high.     

松嫩平原碱化草甸天然碱地肤种群的密度制约规律

 本文以两个生长季的调查测定为基础,分析了松嫩平原碱化草甸天然碱地肤种群不同数量性状的密度制约规律及其数量调节机制。两个生长季取样合并拟合的幂函数模型,是碱地肤种群平均植株重、平均植株籽实重、单位面积籽实重、籽实重比率以及在籽实成熟期的地上生物量等性状密度制约的最好描述模型。综合分析的结果表明,环境容纳量随环境条件而变化,在环境容纳量和密度制约上,两个生长季均表现为籽实成熟期比开花期大。密度制约作用是一个连锁反应过程,碱地肤种群最终是以增减对生殖生长能量分配的生殖对策来实现其种群的数量调节。     

松嫩平原碱化草甸朝鲜碱茅、獐茅耐盐碱特性的比较研究

本研究通过野外调查与室内实验相结合的方法,从生态学、生理学方面探讨了松嫩平原碱化草甸朝鲜碱茅和獐毛耐盐碱的特性,结果表明：两种植物均生长在含盐、潮湿而贫瘠的土壤上,朝鲜碱茅分布地段的土壤多含碱性盐(Na2CO3)。而獐毛所在地的土壤则多含中性盐(NaCl),这些体现出它们对盐碱适应性的差异。不同浓度的NaCl、Na2CO3胁迫对这两种植物的细胞膜透性、游离脯氨酸含量有明显影响。均以logistic曲线y=k/(1+ea-bx)或直线方程：y=a+bx形式较好地表达出来。说明朝鲜碱茅对NaCl的胁迫敏感,獐毛则对Na2CO3的胁迫敏感。两种植物在自然条件下的生态适应与实验条件下的生理适应相近。     

Soil-surface CO<Superscript>2</Superscript> fluxes in a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Deyeuxia angustifolia</Emphasis> wetland in Sanjiang Plain,China

In many temperate-zone ecosystems, seasonal changes in environmental and biological factors influence the dynamics and magnitude of surface–atmosphere exchange. Research was conducted between July and October 2001 to measure growing season surface-layer fluxes of CO₂ in a Deyeuxia angustifolia dominated wetland on the Sanjiang Plain in northeastern China. Seasonal fluctuation and daily change in soil-surface CO₂ fluxes were measured as well as the edaphic factors controlling CO₂ fluxes. Soil-surface CO₂ fluxes were measured with a closed-chamber system. The results revealed that there were both seasonal fluctuations and daily change in CO₂ fluxes. The ranges of measured soil-surface CO₂ flux were 0.208 – 1.265 g CO₂m^–2h^–1. Soil-surface CO₂ fluxes averaged 0.620 g CO₂ m^–2h^–1. An analysis of several edaphic factors including soil temperature and soil moisture of the D. angustifolia wetland showed that there was a significant relationship between flux and temperature (R² = 0.77).     

三江平原春小麦农田生态系统氧化亚氮通量特征

利用静态暗箱-气相色谱法对三江平原春小麦农田生态系统N2O排放通量进行连续2.5年的田间原位观测.结果表明:三江平原春小麦农田生态系统N2O排放通量具有较明显的季节变化和年际变化,并主要与年际间降水及田间水分管理差异有关;春小麦农田生态系统N2O排放日变化与气温及地下5 cm温度变化有关.生长期N2O的排放较强,休耕期N2O排放量显著下降,冰冻期N2O的排放较微弱,融冻时N2O排放缓慢增强.生长期N2O平均排放通量为0.190 mg.m-2.h-1,收割后到冰冻期间为0.077 mg.m-2.h-1,冻融期间为0.017 mg.m-2.h-1.