THE WATTLED CRANE BUGERANUS CARUNCULATUS (GMELIN)

The southern African endemic Short-clawed Lark Certhilauda chuana has two geographically isolated populations. Little is known about the smaller eastern population, which is restricted to the Polokwane Plateau, South Africa. To provide input for a conservation strategy for the eastern population, this study evaluated its habitat preference. Territories previously supporting Short-clawed Lark (1995–2005) were visited in the 2008/09 breeding season. Biophysical habitat parameters were measured at each site to determine the differences between active territories and those no longer active. Active territories had significantly less grass cover, more bare ground, shorter grass, smaller trees and had burned more recently. Bush encroachment and a reduction in the fire frequency were identified as serious threats to the Short-clawed Lark. However, overgrazing and harvesting of wood in rural areas may benefit the species.     

Spectral feature differences between shrub and grass communities and shrub coverage retrieval in shrub-encroached grassland in Xianghuang Banner,Nei Mongol,China北大核心CSCD

Aims: Shrub-encroached grassland has become an important vegetation type in China's arid and semi-arid region. Our study objective is to explore the spectral features of shrub and grass communities, as well as their empirical relationships with shrub coverage. The quantitative estimation of shrub cover based on medium-resolution Landsat satellite imagery provides the practical basis for long term retrieval of large areas of shrub expansion in the grassland region. Methods: Linear models and Multiple Endmember Spectral Analysis Model (MESMA) based on medium resolution Landsat satellite imagery were developed to quantify the shrub coverage in a shrub-encroached grassland region in Xianghuang Banner, Nei Mongol using the spectral features and their seasonal differences between the shrub and grass communities. Important findings: Compared to Leymus chinensis and Stipa krylovii dominated grass communities, Caragana microphylla community had a higher normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), modified red edge normalized difference vegetation index (mNDVI705), and red edge slope. The red edge position of C. microphylla community shifted to longer wavelengths. The average and the maximum shrub coverage was 13% and 25%, respectively, in the shrub-encroached grassland based on both models. The correlation coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE) of the linear model was 0.31 and 0.05, respectively. We found that the linear model based on seasonal differences of shrub and grass community was more suitable for retrieving shrub coverage in the study area from medium resolution imagery than the MESMA model that is based on mid-summer images.     

Looking to the future: key points for sustainable management of northern Great Plains grasslands

The grasslands of the northern Great Plains (NGP) region of North America are considered endangered ecosystems and priority conservation areas yet have great ecological and economic importance. Grasslands in the NGP are no longer self‐regulating adaptive systems. The challenges to these grasslands are widespread and serious (e.g. climate change, invasive species, fragmentation, altered disturbance regimes, and anthropogenic chemical loads). Because the challenges facing the region are dynamic, complex, and persistent, a paradigm shift in how we approach restoration and management of the grasslands in the NGP is imperative. The goal of this article is to highlight four key points for land managers and restoration practitioners to consider when planning management or restoration actions. First, we discuss the appropriateness of using historical fidelity as a restoration or management target because of changing climate, widespread pervasiveness of invasive species, the high level of fragmentation, and altered disturbance regimes. Second, we highlight ecosystem resilience and long‐term population persistence as alternative targets. Third, because the NGP is so heavily impacted with anthropogenic chemical loading, we discuss the risks of ecological traps and extinction debt. Finally, we highlight the importance of using adaptive management and having patience during restoration and management. Consideration of these four points will help management and restoration of grasslands move toward a more successful and sustainable future. Although we specifically focus on the NGP of North America, these same issues and considerations apply to grasslands and many other ecosystems globally.     

Influence of fire and mechanical sagebrush reduction treatments on restoration seedings in Utah,United States

Overabundance of woody plants in semiarid ecosystems can degrade understory herbaceous vegetation and often requires shrub reduction and seeding to recover ecosystem services. We used meta‐analysis techniques to assess the effects of fire and mechanical shrub reduction over two post‐treatment timeframes (1–4 and 5–10 years) on changes in cover and frequency of 15 seeded species at 63 restoration sites with high potential for recovery. Compared to mechanical treatments, fire resulted in greater increases in seeded species. Native shrubs did not increase, and forbs generally declined over time; however, large increases in perennial grasses were observed, suggesting that seeding efforts contributed to enhanced understory herbaceous conditions. We found greater increases in a few non‐native species than native species across all treatments, suggesting the possibility that interference among seeded species may have influenced results of this regional assessment. Differences among treatments and species were likely driven by seedbed conditions, which should be carefully considered in restoration planning. Site characteristics also dictated seeded species responses: while forbs showed greater increases in cover over the long term at higher elevation sites considered to be more resilient to disturbance, surprisingly, shrubs and grasses had greater increases in cover and frequency at lower elevation sites where resilience is typically much lower. Further research is needed to understand the causes of forb mortality over time, and to decipher how greater increases of non‐native relative to native seeded species will influence species diversity and successional trajectories of restoration sites.     

An increase in pH boosts olfactory communication in sticklebacks

Human-induced eutrophication is a serious environmental problem that constrains visual communication and influences the mate choice process in fishes. Eutrophication also changes the chemical environment and the pH of the water, which could influence the use of olfactory cues in mate choice. Here, we show that an increase in pH enhances the use of male olfactory cues in mate choice in three-spined sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus. In a laboratory choice experiment, gravid females were more attracted to male olfactory cues when pH was raised. This could compensate for impaired visual communication in eutrophied waters and facilitate adaptive mate choice.     

生态恢复中灌丛保育效应研究进展

灌木作为干旱半干旱地区植被的主要组成部分,对于维持生态系统稳定性和发挥生态服务功能具有重要作用。灌丛保育效应可以减轻限制性因子对目标植物生长和繁殖的不利影响,促进退化生境植物物种自然更新和植被恢复。本文综述了近20年有关灌丛保育效应研究和应用的主要成果,从微生境改善、肥岛形成、防御和抵抗作用发挥、有益微生物引入和协助繁殖体传播或保存以及种间竞争网络格局改变等方面阐述灌丛保育效应的促进机制,并从非生物环境、生物干扰、生活史阶段和生长繁殖策略等方面分析影响灌丛保育效应发挥的关键因素。从完善灌丛保育效应的理论机制和开展多因素共同作用下多植物物种相互作用关系模型构建角度,对灌丛保育效应的研究进行了展望。     

Effects of sand bar openings on some limnological variables in a hypertrophic tropical coastal lagoon of Brazil

This study describes the spatial and temporal dynamics of several physical, chemical and biological variables in the Grussai lagoon, and their relationship to ephemeral sand bar openings and to a constant in natura waste water input. The spatial variation in pH, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, total alkalinity and nutrients (e.g. soluble reactive silicate, soluble reactive phosphate and ammonium) was associated to the anoxic and nutrient rich groundwater discharge, the development of aquatic macrophytes, the biological activities of phytoplanktonic community and the marine influence. During the period when the sand bar was closed (isolated), the lagoon water was supersaturated with dissolved oxygen and exhibited high values of pH (8–10), total alkalinity (3.000–5.000 μeq l^-1), and chlorophyll a contents (60-300 μg l^-1), and had low values of dissolved nutrients (nearly undetectable). These suggest a biological processes dominance. When the sand bar was opened, there was an enrichment with dissolved inorganic nutrients (e.g. ammonium and soluble reactive phosphorus up to 120 and 5 μM, respectively) and a decrease in pH (below 8), total alkalinity (below 3.000 μeq l^-1) and dissolved oxygen during the initial second to eight days. Subsequently there was a period when the physical and chemical characteristics of seawater prevailed. The lagoon returned chemical to the pre-opening water conditions in a few days (∼ 10–20). This quick return implies highly efficient biological mechanisms. The high levels of chlorophyll a, total nitrogen and phosphorus in the water column indicate a high eutrophication stage in the Grussai lagoon during the sand bar closed periods. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Nitrogen budgets for the Republic of Korea and the Yellow Sea region

Growing populations in northeast Asia have greatly altered the nitrogencycle, with increases in agricultural production to feed the population, andwith increases in N emissions and transboundary air pollution. For example,during the 1900's over 50% of the N deposition over Republic of Korea wasimported from abroad. In this paper, we present biogeochemical budgets ofN for the South Korean peninsula (the Republic of Korea) and for the YellowSea region. We quantify N inputs from atmospheric deposition, fertilizers,biological fixation, and imports of food, feed, and products. We quantifyoutputs in riverine export, crop uptake, denitrification, volatilization,runoff, sedimentation and sea water exchange. Calculations were conductedusing mean values from 1994–1997. All of the nitrogen budgets werepositive, with N inputs exceeding outputs. The excess N inputs gave rise toincreases in N storage in landfills and in groundwater. Annual accumulationof N in the Yellow sea, including inputs from South Korea and otherdrainage areas, was 1229 kt yr^–1 with a residence time for N ofapproximately 1.5 years, thus doubling N content in marine waters every 3years during 1994–1997. The human derived N inputs leads to excessiveeutrophication and pollution of the Yellow Sea.     

Distribution of Microorganisms in the Al–Fe–Humus Podzols of Natural and Anthropogenically Impacted Boreal Spruce Forests

Natural and anthropogenically induced seasonal variations in the abundance and biomass of various groups of microorganisms in the Al–Fe–humus podzols of boreal spruce forests were analyzed. The fungal biomass in these soils was found to be considerably higher than the bacterial biomass. The microbial population was mainly concentrated in a thin surface layer (10–15 cm in thickness), which included the forest litter and the upper mineral root-inhabited soil horizon and greatly differed from other soil horizons in morphology and other properties. This layer was found to be optimal with respect to hydrothermal and nutritional conditions and is characterized by profound seasonal variations in the abundance and biomass of microbiota. The high acidity, typical of the Al–Fe–humus podzols, resulted from the metabolism of their microbial communities. In the polluted podzols, the population of prokaryotes increased and that of eukaryotes decreased.     

Influence of livestock grazing on vegetation in a saline area in Northeast Thailand

The influence of grazing by water buffalo (Bubalas bufalis) and cattle (Bos taurus) was estimated for vegetation inside and outside cages in a saline area at Khon Kaen, Northeast Thailand. The home range of water buffalo and cattle shifted in response to the period of rice cultivation: during the rice-growing season these animals grazed on roadsides and abandoned places such as the study area; after rice harvest they grazed mainly rice stubble on the paddy. The vegetation in the study area was divided into three types: 1) dominated by the annual grassesChloris barbata andIschaemum rugosum; vegetational cover and plant height in the cage increase due to the increase of these grasses; 2) thorny shrub patch ofMaytenus mekongensis; other species in this patch almost died a year after experimental elimination of this shrub; this salt-tolerant shrub not only protected the co-existing species from grazing, but also suppressed salt accumulation; 3) almost pure stand ofPanicum repens; livestock preferred this perennial grass over others. Electrical conductivity (EC) of surface soil did not increase under the vegetation protected from grazing. Litter and other organic matter in the soil suppressed the upward movement of brine. Grazing led to an increase of bare ground where NaCl accumulated, and modified the heterogeneity of vegetation, which was reflected in the degree of salt accumulation.