Theories for ecological restoration in changing environment: Toward ‘futuristic’ restoration

Ecological restoration is one of the fastest growing fields in applied ecology providing new ideas and opportunities for biological conservation and natural resource management. Despite countless attempts in the past, large portions of restoration projects have been considered unsuccessful mainly due to: unrealistic goals; inadequate restoration plans based on an ad-hoc approach; lack of explicit and quantified evaluation criteria for restoration success; lack of ecological understanding; social, economic, and political constraints; or combinations of these factors. Existing ecological theories, particularly succession theories, may provide a conceptual framework for a restoration trajectory. However, projecting a desirable trajectory and outcome is often challenged by the unpredictability of ecological communities in the changing environment. Particularly, the sustainability of reconstructed historic ecosystems appears to be an unlikely goal in the ever-changing and unpredictable future environment. This paper calls for a shift in the restoration paradigm from historic to futuristic. A futuristic restoration is: (i) to set realistic and dynamic (instead of static) goals for future, instead of past, environment; (ii) to assume multiple trajectories acknowledging the unpredictable nature of ecological communities and ecosystems; (iii) to take an ecosystem or landscape approach, instead of ad-hoc gardening, for both function and structure; (iv) to evaluate the restoration progress with explicit criteria, based on quantitative inference; and (v) to maintain long-term monitoring of restoration outcomes. A theoretical framework for futuristic restoration, in terms of goals, trajectories, evaluation criteria, and monitoring, along with a historical perspective is presented in this paper.     

Social perspectives on the use of reference conditions in restoration of fire‐adapted forest landscapes

As approaches to ecological restoration become increasingly large scale and collaborative, there is a need to better understand social aspects of restoration and how they influence land management. In this article, we examine social perspectives that influence the determination of ecological reference conditions in restoration. Our analysis is based on in‐depth interviews with diverse stakeholders involved in collaborative restoration of fire‐adapted forest landscapes. We conducted interviews with 86 respondents from six forest collaboratives that are part of the U.S. Forest Service's Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program. Collaboratives use a variety of approaches to develop reference conditions, including historic, contemporary, and future scenarios. Historical conditions prior to European settlement (nineteenth century or “pre‐settlement” conditions), or prior to more recent grazing, logging, and exclusion of fire, were the predominant type of reference used in all sites. Stakeholders described benefits and limitations of reference conditions. Primary benefits include (1) providing a science‐based framework for bringing stakeholders together around a common vision; (2) gaining social understanding and acceptance of the underlying need for restoration; and (3) serving to neutralize otherwise value‐laden discussions about multiple, sometimes competing, resource objectives. Limitations stem from (1) concerns over social conflict when reference conditions are perceived to contradict other stakeholder values and interests, (2) differing interpretations of reference condition science, (3) inappropriate application or over‐generalization of reference information, and (4) limited relevance of historical references for current and future conditions in some ecosystems. At the same time, collaboratives are adopting innovative strategies to address conceptual and methodological limitations of reference conditions.     

Vegetation:environment relationships and water management in Shark Slough,Everglades National Park

The hydrologic regime of Shark Slough, the most extensive long hydroperiod marsh in Everglades National Park, is largely controlled by the location, volume, and timing of water delivered to it through several control structures from Water Conservation Areas north of the Park. Where natural or anthropogenic barriers to water flow are present, water management practices in this highly regulated system may result in an uneven distribution of water in the marsh, which may impact regional vegetation patterns. In this paper, we use data from 569 sampling locations along five cross-Slough transects to examine regional vegetation distribution, and to test and describe the association of marsh vegetation with several hydrologic and edaphic parameters. Analysis of vegetation:environment relationships yielded estimates of both mean and variance in soil depth, as well as annual hydroperiod, mean water depth, and 30-day maximum water depth within each cover type during the 1990's. We found that rank abundances of the three major marsh cover types (Tall Sawgrass, Sparse Sawgrass, and Spikerush Marsh) were identical in all portions of Shark Slough, but regional trends in the relative abundance of individual communities were present. Analysis also indicated clear and consistent differences in the hydrologic regime of three marsh cover types, with hydroperiod and water depths increasing in the order Tall Sawgrass < Sparse Sawgrass < Spikerush Marsh. In contrast, soil depth decreased in the same order. Locally, these differences were quite subtle; within a management unit of Shark Slough, mean annual values for the two water depth parameters varied less than 15 cm among types, and hydroperiods varied by 65 days or less. More significantly, regional variation in hydrology equaled or exceeded the variation attributable to cover type within a small area. For instance, estimated hydroperiods for Tall Sawgrass in Northern Shark Slough were longer than for Spikerush Marsh in any of the other regions. Although some of this regional variation may reflect a natural gradient within the Slough, a large proportion is the result of compartmentalization due to current water management practices within the marsh. We conclude that hydroperiod or water depth are the most important influences on vegetation within management units, and attribute larger scale differences in vegetation pattern to the interactions among soil development, hydrology and fire regime in this pivotal portion of Everglades.     

末次冰盛期低海面时南海南北陆架上的植被

在探讨孢粉的传播、来源地的基础上,根据南海南北陆坡柱状剖面（１７９４０ ,１７９６４） 的孢粉资料推断末次冰盛期（包括氧同位素３ 期的上部） 低海面时,南北出露的大陆架上生长的植被。末次冰盛期时北部大陆架曾分布以蒿属（Ａｒｔｅｍｉｓｉａ Ｌ．） 为主的草原植被,气候较今日冷且干旱。南部称为“巽他古陆”,曾覆盖热带低地雨林,河口及海岸为红树林,在周围岛屿上高山雨林曾多次向山下迁移,表明当时温度可能较今日低,但湿度没有明显变化。南北大陆架末次冰期时在植被与气候演化上的巨大差异,可能与南部巽他陆架的特殊位置（ 西太平洋暖池） 有关     

喀斯特地区植被恢复过程中适生植物的生理生态学研究进展

从喀斯特地区适生植物的生境适应性、光合生理、水分生理、养分生理、菌根生理以及遗传生理等方面综述了当前喀斯特地区植被恢复过程中开展的一些生理生态学研究成果,提出今后喀斯特地区需要开展适生植物的钙适应机制、碳循环以及抗旱遗传机制等方面的研究,为喀斯特地区植被恢复提供理论参考。     

中国东北地区流动沙丘生态系统丘间低地地下芽库的时空变化

中国东北地区流动沙丘生态系统丘间低地地下芽库的时空变化 地下芽库在半干旱区沙丘生态系统植被恢复中起着重要作用。然而,目前针对流动沙丘丘间低地地下芽库时空变化的研究却很少。本研究通过调查一个生长季内5个不同面积流动沙丘丘间低地地下芽库的大小和组成,确定流动沙丘丘间低地地下芽库的时空变化。研究结果显示,中等面积丘间低地的总芽库密度与分蘖芽密度最高,茎基部芽密度呈相反趋势,而根茎芽密度不随丘间低地的面积变化而变化。地下芽库大小具有明显的季节变化特征。总芽密度在8月份达到高峰,10月份最低,根茎芽密度变化趋势与总芽密度相似,而茎基芽密度变化趋势与总芽密度相反,分蘖芽密度的变化不明显。以上结果表明,地下芽库密度随丘间低地的面积和季节变化而变化。这一结果有助于认识流动沙丘生态系统中植物生长的适应策略,并可为半干旱区沙丘植被恢复和保护提供理论指导。     

山西蟒河自然保护区栓皮栎林的聚类和排序

本文用等级聚类、极点排序、主成分分析和对应分析等多元分析法, 对蟒河自然保护区的栓皮标(Quercus variabilis)林进与于了聚类和排序。等级聚类法将蟒河自然保护区的栓皮栎林划分为五个群丛, 极点排序、主成分分析和对应分析三种方法得出一致的结论, 并较好地反映了环境变化的梯度及植被变化的连续性。综合分析表明栓皮栎林是保护区内稳定的群落类型。     

生态能质(eco-exergy)在水生生态系统建模和评价中的应用

生态能质(eco-exergy)是指系统从给定状态达到热力学平衡状态所做的功,可以度量生态系统的复杂生物化学组分及生态结构。系统具有的能质越大,有序化程度越高,稳定性也越强。生态能质和比生态能质(specific eco-exergy)指标能够评价水生生态系统健康状况,对水生生态系统演替阶段具有指示作用。本文阐述了生态能质的定义、生态学意义以及生态能质值和权重因子fi值的计算方法。对生态能质作为功能函数在水生生态系统结构动力学模型(structural dynamic models,SDMs)中以及作为生态指标在生态系统健康评价、生态恢复研究中的实际应用进行了总结。最后探讨了生态能质指标的局限性以及未来的发展。此外,文中建议将eco-exergy和specific eco-exergy统一翻译为生态能质和比生态能质。     

丛枝菌根真菌应用技术研究进展

丛枝菌根(AM)共生体系能够改善植物营养状况,增强植物对各种逆境胁迫的耐受性,其在农业和生态环境方面的应用得到广泛关注.近年来,在AM真菌(AMF)应用技术和田间试验方面取得了许多重要成果.本文在介绍AMF种质资源库、商业化菌剂生产及相关专利申报情况的基础上,结合实例从菌剂生产、接种技术、接种效应影响因素等方面综述了AMF应用技术的理论与实践,包括国内外近年来菌根技术在农业、园艺、生态修复等方面的应用,最后提出尚待系统深入研究的 AMF应用领域中的关键科学和技术问题,旨在为菌根技术的发展和推广应用提供参考.     

高寒草甸15种植物种子发芽的比较研究

对高寒草甸 15种植物种子的发芽进行了比较实验研究。结果显示 ,冷湿层化、温度变幅及光照条件能够提高或者降低多数高寒草甸植物种子发芽率。其中 ,13种植物对层化、11种对光照条件、14种对温度变幅处理有显著性响应。 15种植物中 ,有14种对单一因子或因子组合有反应 ,仅藏嵩草种子发芽对设定的因子或因子组合没有响应。根据不同植物种子对不同处理及其组合的发芽反应可将植物种子划分为不同的反应类型 ,通过对种子进行冷湿层化处理 ,可以部分或者全部地替代某些植物种子发芽对光、温需求。探明植物种子在特定环境因子组合条件下的发芽表现 ,对通过种子恢复退化草甸是至关重要的。