Consequences of a tidal reduction for the salt-marsh vegetation in the Oosterschelde estuary (The Netherlands)

A storm-surge barrier was constructed in the mouth of the Oosterschelde, a euhaline mesotidal estuary in the SW Netherlands (mean tidal range 3.6 m). As a consequence, the tidal range and the Mean High Water in the estuary have been reduced to about 88% of their original values.During the final construction stage of this barrier (1986–87) both were reduced to a maximum of 65% for more than 18 months. During this period, large-scale die-back of the vegetation occurred in vast areas on the salt marshes; locally, a complete die-back of the vegetation took place. Glycophytes and disturbance indicating species appeared on a large scale and grew abundantly. After the new tidal regime had been established, the vegetation recovered. The species characteristic of disturbance, are gradually being replaced by perennial salt marsh species. In addition, most species are shifting into zones of lower elevation, which correspond (in 1990/1991) more or less with the original flooding frequencies. Moreover, in many basins the levee-species Halimione portulacoides and Elymus pycnanthus are far more prominent than before, probably as a result of the strong ripening of the soil that has occurred in these basins during the extra tidal reduction. In 1991, four years after the establishment of the new tidal regime, the salt marsh vegetation had still not been stabilized.     

The influence of riparian vegetation on macroinvertebrate community structure and functional organization in six new Guinea streams

Information on the ecology of New Guinea streams is meagre, and data are needed on the trophic basis of aquatic production in rivers such as the Sepik in Papua New Guinea which have low fish yields. This study investigates the relationship between riparian shading (from savanna grassland to primary rainforest), algal and detrital food, and macroinvertebrate abundance and community structure in 6 Sepik River tributary streams. A particular aim was to elucidate macroinvertebrate community responses to changes in riparian conditions. All streams supported diverse benthic communities, but morphospecies richness (overall total 64) was less than in streams on the tropical Asian mainland; population densities of benthic invertebrates, by contrast, were similar to those recorded elsewhere. Low diversity could reflect limited taxonomic penetration, but may result from the absence of major groups (Plecoptera, Heptageniidae, Ephemerellidae, Psephenidae, Megaloptera, etc.) which occur on the Asian mainland. Population densities of all 19 of the most abundant macroinvertebrate taxa varied significantly among the 6 study streams, but community composition in each was broadly similar with dominance by Baetidae and (in order of decreasing importance), Leptophlebiidae, Orthocladiinae, Elmidae and Hydropsychidae. Principal components analysis (PCA) undertaken on counts of abundant macroinvertebrate taxa clearly separated samples taken in two streams from the rest. Both streams contained high detrital standing stocks and one was completely shaded by rainforest. Stepwise multiple-regression analysis indicated that population densities of the majority of abundant taxa (11 out of 19) across streams (10 samples per stream; n = 60) were influenced by algae and/or detritus, although standing stocks of these variables were not clearly related to riparian conditions. When regression analysis was repeated on mean counts of taxa per stream (dependent variables) versus features of each stream as a whole (thus n = 6), % shading and detritus were the independent variables yielding significant regression models most frequently, but pH, total-nitrogen loads and algae were also significant predictors of faunal abundance. Further regression analysis, undertaken separately on samples (n = 10) from each stream, confirmed the ability of algae and detritus to account for significant portions of the variance in macroinvertebrate abundance, but the significance of these variables varied among streams with the consequence that responses of individual taxa to algae or detritus was site-specific.Community functional organization — revealed by investigation of macroinvertebrate functional feeding groups (FFGs) — was rather conservative, and streams were codominated by collector-gatherers (mean across 6 streams = 43%) and grazers (36%), followed by filter-feeders (15%) and predators (7%). The shredder FFG was species-poor and comprised only 0.4% of total macroinvertebrate populations; shredders did not exceed 2% of benthic populations in any stream. PCA of FFG abundance data was characterized by poor separation among streams, although there was some evidence of clustering of samples from unshaded sites. The first 2 PCA axes accounted for 84% of the variation in the data suggesting that the poor separation resulted from the general similarity of FFG representation among streams. Although stepwise multiple-regression analysis indicated that algae and detritus accounted for significant proportions of the variations in population density and relative abundance of some FFGs, the response of community functional organization to changes in riparian conditions and algal and detrital food base was weak — unlike the deterministic responses that may be typical of north-temperate streams.     

城市生态园林与生物多样性保护

城市生态园林与生物多样性保护袁兴中,刘红（曲阜师范大学,２７３１６５）ＵｒｂａｎＥｃｏｌｏｇｉｃａｌｇａｒｄｅｎｉｎｇａｎｄＢｉｏｄｉｖｅｒｓｉｔｙＣｏｎｓｅｒｖａｔｉｏｎ．￥ＹｕａｎＸｉｎｇｚｈｏｎｇ;ＬｉｕＨｏｎｇ（Ｄｅ－ｐａｒｔｍｅｎｔｏｆＢｉ...     

Natural CO2 springs in Italy: a resource for examining long-term response of vegetation to rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations

It is estimated that more than 100 geothermal CO₂ springs exist in central-western Italy. Eight springs were selected in which the atmospheric CO₂ concentrations were consistently observed to be above the current atmospheric average of 354μmol mol^-1. CO₂ concentration measurements at some of the springs are reported. The springs are described, and their major topographic and vegetational features are reported. Preliminary observations made on natural vegetation growing around the gas vents are then illustrated. An azonal pattern of vegetation distribution occurs around every CO₂ spring regardless of soil type and phytoclimatic areas. This is composed of pioneer populations of a Northern Eurasiatic species (Agrostis canina L.) which is often associated with Scirpus lacustris L. The potential of these sites for studying the long-term response of vegetation to rising atmospheric CO₂ concentrations is discussed.     

Latitudinal gradients of coniferous tree species,vegetation, and climate in the Sierran-Cascade axis of Northern California

Latitudinal gradients of tree species composition along the Sierran/Cascade axis in northern California were explored by comparing forests of Lassen Volcanic and Yosemite National Parks, USA. A calibration procedure based on canonical correspondence analysis predicted a mean rate of elevational displacement of 172.1 m/° latitude for Lassen sites in Yosemite. This is a steep latitudinal gradient compared with other temperate uplands (which average around 100 m/⁰ latitude), but it corresponds with the magnitude of the July mean temperature gradient (143 m/⁰ latitude) and the annual precipitation gradient (230 m/⁰ latitude). Elevational displacement of basal-area weighted species means showed considerable variation. The range for montane species was 20–153 m/⁰ latitude; for subalpine species the range was 142–305 m/⁰ latitude. This disparity is related to differential temperature lapse rates between regions and is reinforced by contrasting biogeographic affinities of montane vs. subalpine species. Whereas it is uniformly hot and dry during the growing season at lower elevations in both regions, growing seasons in the subalpine zone are significantly warmer and drier (at comparable elevations) in Yosemite, the more southerly locale. Furthermore, montane species are principally of Sierran affinity, whereas subalpine are primarily of Pacific Northwestern affinity.     

Soil factors affecting patchiness in community composition of heavy metal-contaminated areas of Western Europe

The vegetation at various sites within two separate areas (Mechernich and Aachen) of the Eifel Mountains, Germany/Belgium, both characterized by elevated concentrations of heavy metals in their soils, was surveyed in order to investigate the relationships between soil chemical attributes and floristic composition. In both areas, the typical heavy metal communities can form distinct zones, clearly separated from the surrounding heavy metal-sensitive vegetation. However, an intergrading of heavy metal-tolerant and-sensitive vegetation types is not uncommon and such overlaps can occupy large areas. In Mechernich, soil toxicity is primarily determined by the effects of lead, which is best expressed in terms of the Pb/Ca ratio rather than the absolute levels of this metal in the soil. Soils of heavy metal-sensitive vegetation types have a low Pb/Ca ratio, whereas it is considerably higher in areas supporting heavy metal vegetation. Zinc appears to exert little influence on the floristic composition of the investigated vegetation types. In Aachen, zinc is the predominant heavy metal determining vegetation development. Absolute zinc levels of soils do not accurately reflect zinc toxicity. Analogous to the role of the Pb/Ca ratio in the Mechernich area, the Zn/Ca ratio not only separates heavy metal-sensitive and highly tolerant vegetation units, but also gives a good indication of the gradient operating between the two vegetation types. Lead is probably only of local importance in influencing species composition.     

An ecosystems approach to base-rich freshwater wetlands,with special reference to fenlands

A survey of base-rich wetlands in The Netherlands is presented. The main area of their occurrence is the low-lying Holocene part of the country, until some thousand years ago a large and coherent wetland landscape: the Holland wetland. The development of various parts of the Holland wetland into marshes, fens and bogs can be understood from hydrological relations in mire basins, as recognized in the distinction of primary, secondary and tertiary mire basin stages. Presently, the remnants of the Holland wetland are separate base-rich wetlands. The succession of their vegetation reflects various abiotic conditions and human influences. Three main developmental periods are distinguished as regards these factors. The first, geological period of mire development is seen as a post-glacial relaxation, with the inertia due to the considerable mass of wetland as a stabilizing factor. Biological “grazing” influences, as an aspect of utilization by humans, converted base-rich wetlands to whole new types in the second, historical period. Presently, mass and harvesting have decreased in importance, and actual successions in terrestrializing turbaries seem to reflect rapidly changing environmental conditions. Human control could well become the most important factor in the future development of wetland nature. The present value of open fen vegetation strongly depends on the continuation of the historical harvesting. The development of wooded fen may help to increase the mass of wetland in the future. Best results in terms of biodiversity are expected when their base state is maintained through water management. The vegetation and hydrology of floating fens in terrestrializing turbaries is treated in some more detail. Various lines and phases in the succession are distinguished. Open fen vegetation at base-rich, yet nutrient-poor sites is very rich in species threatened elsewhere. The fast acidification of certain such fens is attributed to hydrological and management factors. This acidification is illustrated in the profile of a floating raft sample. At the scale of these small fens, the elemental structure comprising base-rich fen, transitional fen and bog vegetation, is not as stable as it was in the large Holland wetland. A critical role seems to be played by the supply of bases with the water influx. The changing base state is supposed to change the nutrient cycling to such an extent that it would be correct to call this trophic excitation of the ecosystem, rather than just eutrophication. Eutrophication indicates a quantitative reaction to an increased nutrient supply, the internal system being unaltered. The drainage of fens, resulting in an increased productivity of the vegetation, provides another example of excitation, to the effect that the functional system is dramatically changed internally.     

Tropical surface temperature response to vegetation cover changes and the role of drylands

Vegetation cover creates competing effects on land surface temperature: it typically cools through enhancing energy dissipation and warms via decreasing surface albedo. Global vegetation has been previously found to overall net cool land surfaces with cooling contributions from temperate and tropical vegetation and warming contributions from boreal vegetation. Recent studies suggest that dryland vegetation across the tropics strongly contributes to this global net cooling feedback. However, observation-based vegetation-temperature interaction studies have been limited in the tropics, especially in their widespread drylands. Theoretical considerations also call into question the ability of dryland vegetation to strongly cool the surface under low water availability. Here, we use satellite observations to investigate how tropical vegetation cover influences the surface energy balance. We find that while increased vegetation cover would impart net cooling feedbacks across the tropics, net vegetal cooling effects are subdued in drylands. Using observations, we determine that dryland plants have less ability to cool the surface due to their cooling pathways being reduced by aridity, overall less efficient dissipation of turbulent energy, and their tendency to strongly increase solar radiation absorption. As a result, while proportional greening across the tropics would create an overall biophysical cooling feedback, dryland tropical vegetation reduces the overall tropical surface cooling magnitude by at least 14%, instead of enhancing cooling as suggested by previous global studies.     

Interactive effects of rising temperatures and urbanisation on birds across different climate zones: A mechanistic perspective

Climate change and urbanisation are among the most pervasive and rapidly growing threats to biodiversity worldwide. However, their impacts are usually considered in isolation, and interactions are rarely examined. Predicting species' responses to the combined effects of climate change and urbanisation, therefore, represents a pressing challenge in global change biology. Birds are important model taxa for exploring the impacts of both climate change and urbanisation, and their behaviour and physiology have been well studied in urban and non-urban systems. This understanding should allow interactive effects of rising temperatures and urbanisation to be inferred, yet considerations of these interactions are almost entirely lacking from empirical research. Here, we synthesise our current understanding of the potential mechanisms that could affect how species respond to the combined effects of rising temperatures and urbanisation, with a focus on avian taxa. We discuss potential interactive effects to motivate future in-depth research on this critically important, yet overlooked, aspect of global change biology. Increased temperatures are a pronounced consequence of both urbanisation (through the urban heat island effect) and climate change. The biological impact of this warming in urban and non-urban systems will likely differ in magnitude and direction when interacting with other factors that typically vary between these habitats, such as resource availability (e.g. water, food and microsites) and pollution levels. Furthermore, the nature of such interactions may differ for cities situated in different climate types, for example, tropical, arid, temperate, continental and polar. Within this article, we highlight the potential for interactive effects of climate and urban drivers on the mechanistic responses of birds, identify knowledge gaps and propose promising future research avenues. A deeper understanding of the behavioural and physiological mechanisms mediating species' responses to urbanisation and rising temperatures will provide novel insights into ecology and evolution under global change and may help better predict future population responses.