Changes in anthropogenic impervious surfaces,precipitation and daily streamflow discharge: a historical perspective in a mid-atlantic subwatershed

Aerial photography provides a historical vehicle for determining long-term urban landscape change and, with concurrent daily streamflow and precipitation records, allows the historical relationship of anthropogenic impervious surfaces and streamflow to be explored. Anthropogenic impervious surface area in the upper Accotink Creek subwatershed (near Annandala, Virginia, USA) was mapped from six dates of rectified historical aerial photography ranging from 1949 to 1994. Results show that anthropogenic impervious surface area has grown from approximately 3% in 1949 to 33% in 1994. Coincident to this period, analysis of historical mean daily streamflow shows a statistically significant increase in the streamflow discharge response (per meter of precipitation) associated with normal and extreme daily precipitation levels. Significant changes were also observed in the frequency of daily streamflow discharge at given volumes above and below the historical daily mean. Simultaneously, the historical magnitude, frequency and pattern of precipitation values 0 mm, 6.0 mm and 35.0 mm show either no statistically significant change or influence on streamflow. Historical changes in streamflow in this basin appear to be related to increases in anthropogenic impervious surface cover. Historical aerial photography is a viable tool for revealing long-term landscape and ecosystem relationships, and allows landscape investigations to extend beyond the temporal and spatial constraints of historical satellite remote sensing data.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Die Zukunft: krankheitsresistente Apfelsorten

Zusammenfassung Integrierte und biologische Anbauverfahren gewinnen zunehmend an Bedeutung. Die Anwendung von Pflanzenschutzmitteln gestaltet sich zunehmend schwieriger bezüglich ihrer Bereitstellung als auch im Hinblick auf zunehmende Umweltsensibilität der Bevölkerung. Im Obstbau ist eine der Alternativen der Anbau resistenter Sorten, die mit weit weniger Pflanzenschutzaufwand produziert werden können. Eines der Ziele der Pillnitzer Obstzüchtung war die Kombination von hoher Fruchtqualität mit guter Ertragsleistung und Resistenz gegenüber Krankheiten und Schädlingen. Resistente früh, mittel und spät reifende Sorten, die Re-Sorten^®, konnten ausgelesen werden. Sie garantieren einen hohen Resistenzgrad unter Feldbedingungen, sie sind aber nicht immun. Dreifachresistente Sorten mit Widerstandsfähigkeit gegenüber Schorf, Mehltau und Feuerbrand sind: Remo, Regia, Rewena und Rebella. Rebella besitzt weiterhin Resistenz gegenüber Rindenbrand, Rote Spinne und abiotische Stressfaktoren. Obwohl in Mitteleuropa seit 1984 verschiedentlich Resistenzdurchbrüche an schorfresistenten Sorten mit M.-floribunda-Resistenz (V_f) beobachtet wurden, blieben die Sorten mit anderer genetischer Basis befallsfrei, so u. a. Reglindis (V_A), Reka (V_r) oder Regia (V_r). Als künftiges Ausgangsmaterial für die Züchtung wurde in der Genbank Obst nach weiteren Resistenzträgern unter den Malusarten und alten Apfelsorten gesucht, das in Zukunft durch Pyramidisierung von Resistenzgenen bei der Züchtung neuer Sorten zu mehr Stabilität unter Feldbedingungen beitragen kann.     

Ergebnisse der Leistungsprüfung von Kirschensorten auf wuchsreduzierenden Unterlagen in Ungarn

Zusammenfassung In Ungarn gibt es ein reges Interesse an intensivem Obstanbau. Der Erfolg dieses Anbaus hängt in sehr großem Maße von den Wechselwirkungen zwischen dem Standort, den Sorten-Unterlagen-Kombinationen und dem Anbauverfahren ab.Um die Wirkung wuchsreduzierender Kirschenunterlagen aus ausländischen Züchtungsinstituten unter ungarischen Klimaverhältnissen untersuchen zu können, wurde im Forschungsinstitut für Obst- und Zierpflanzenbau Budapest-Érd ein Vergleichsversuch durchgeführt. Der Versuch wurde mit Cerasus avium C. 2493, Weiroot 13, Weiroot 53, Weiroot 72, Weiroot 154, Weiroot 158, GiSelA 5 und P-HL-A-Unterlagen 1997 in der Versuchsanstalt des Forschungsinstituts für Obst- und Zierpflanzenbau Budapest-Érd aufgepflanzt. Als Kontrolle diente die Sämlingsunterlage Cerasus mahaleb Cema, deren Anteil im ungarischen Süßkirschenanbau bei 70–80% liegt. Die Unterlagen wurden mit drei Süßkirschensorten (Germersdorfi , Linda, Katalin) und mit einer Sauerkirschensorte (Piramis) veredelt.Nach der Wüchsigkeit bis zum Ende des 8. Standjahres konnten die Unterlagen in drei Gruppen eingeteilt werden: starkwüchsige (Cerasus mahaleb Cema, Cerasus avium C. 2493, Weiroot 13), mittelstarkwüchsige (Weiroot 158, Weiroot 154, P-HL-A) und schwachwüchsige Unterlagen (Weiroot 72, Weiroot 53, GiSelA 5). Die stärkste Neigung, Wurzelschosse zu treiben, zeigten Weiroot 13 und Weiroot 154.Während der Untersuchung der generativen Eigenschaften wurde beobachtet, dass es Unterschiede in der Blütezeit der Sorten-Unterlagen-Kombinationen gibt. Auf GiSelA 5 veredelte Sorten blühten 1 oder 2 Tage früher als die Kontrolle. Es gab nur geringe Unterschiede in der Reifezeit der Kombinationen. Den größten Ertrag hatte die Sorte Linda, gefolgt von Katalin, Germersdorfi 3 und Piramis. Der größte Fruchtdurchmesser wurde bei der Süßkirschensorte Germersdorfi 3 gefunden, der größte Anteil an Früchten größer als 26 mm bei den Bäumen auf Weiroot 72 (23%), der geringste Anteil großer Früchte bei den Bäumen auf GiSelA 5. Bei Piramis wurde der größte Fruchtdurchmesser auf Cerasus avium C. 2493 gemessen.     

Human influence on the abundance and connectivity of high-risk fuels in mixed forests of northern Wisconsin,USA

Though fire is considered a natural disturbance, humans heavily influence modern wildfire regimes. Humans influence fires both directly, by igniting and suppressing fires, and indirectly, by either altering vegetation, climate, or both. We used the LANDIS disturbance and succession model to compare the relative importance of a direct human influence (suppression of low intensity surface fires) with an indirect human influence (timber harvest) on the long-term abundance and connectivity of high-risk fuel in a 2791 km² landscape characterized by a mixture of northern hardwood and boreal tree species in northern Wisconsin. High risk fuels were defined as a combination of sites recently disturbed by wind and sites containing conifer species/cohorts that might serve as ladder fuel to carry a surface fire into the canopy. Two levels of surface fire suppression (high/current and low) and three harvest alternatives (no harvest, hardwood emphasis, and pine emphasis) were compared in a 2×3 factorial design using 5 replicated simulations per treatment combination over a 250-year period. Multivariate analysis of variance indicated that the landscape pattern of high-risk fuel (proportion of landscape, mean patch size, nearest neighbor distance, and juxtaposition with non fuel sites) was significantly influenced by both surface fire suppression and by forest harvest (p > 0.0001). However, the two human influences also interacted with each other (p < 0.001), because fire suppression was less likely to influence fuel connectivity when harvest disturbance was simultaneously applied. Temporal patterns observed for each of seven conifer species indicated that disturbances by either fire or harvest encouraged the establishment of moderately shade-tolerant conifer species by disturbing the dominant shade tolerant competitor, sugar maple. Our results conflict with commonly reported relationships between fire suppression and fire risk observed within the interior west of the United States, and illustrate the importance of understanding key interactions between natural disturbance, human disturbance, and successional responses to these disturbance types that will eventually dictate future fire risk.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Für eine Verdopplung der Ca-Gehalte der Äpfel sind auch unter günstigen Bedingungen mindestens 12 Spritzungen mit Kalziumchlorid erforderlich

Zusammenfassung Siebenjährige Apfelbäume der Sorten Elstar, Gala, Karmijn de Sonnaville, Pinova und Pilot wurden 2003 von Juni bis September 12-mal mit 400 l/ha CaCl₂-Lösungen gesprüht. Kontrollen (Fu) waren Bäume, die nur mit Fungiziden (Discus, Dithane Ultra oder Kumulus) behandelt wurden. Bei den Behandlungen FuCa wurde den Fungiziden CaCl₂ (ansteigend von 5–25 g/l) zugegeben. Die Behandlungen FuCaTe enthielten zusätzlich das Netzmittel Plantacare 1200 UP, um die Benetzung der Früchte (Oberflächenspannung 29–30 mN/m) zu verbessern. Die Ca-Konzentrationen in den Kontrollfrüchten (Schale plus 5 mm Fruchtfleisch) variierten von 3,6 (Elstar) bis 9,0 mg/100 mg Frischsubstanz (Pilot). Durch die Fruchtdüngung (FuCa) stiegen die Konzentrationen auf 6,3 bzw. 13,3 mg/100 g Frischsubstanz (FS). Zugabe des Netzmittels (FuCaTe) erhöhte die Ca-Gehalte weiter auf 6,8 bzw. 14,9 mg/100 g FS. Bezogen auf die Behandlung Fu entspricht das einer Erhöhung der Ca-Konzentrationen der Früchte auf 163 bzw. 193%. Der Tensideffekt auf die Ca-Konzentrationen der Früchte wird auf die schnellere Penetration des CaCl₂ infolge besserer Benetzung zurückgeführt, da ein Einfluss auf die Retention der Spritzbrühe ausscheidet. Von der applizierten Ca-Dosis in Höhe von 26 kg/ha wurden nur 2,3 kg in den Früchten (50 t/ha) wieder gefunden, was einer Wiederfindungsrate von 8,8% entspricht. Die beobachtete Erhöhung der Ca-Konzentrationen der Früchte durch 12 Spritzungen dürfte in der Nähe des maximal Möglichen liegen, da die Witterungsbedingungen günstig und die Ca-Konzentrationen der Spritzbrühen hoch waren.     

Landscape changes and breeding bird assemblages in northwestern Portugal: the role of fire

Fire is a major driving force of landscape change in the Mediterranean region. The objectives of this paper were to explore the implications of landscape change and wildfires in a region of northwestern Portugal for the diversity of breeding birds. Land use cover for the years 1958, 1968, 1983 and 1995 was obtained from aerial photography for a study area of 3700 ha. Breeding bird assemblages in each of six land use categories were characterized in 1998 using point counts. The main landscape changes in the study area across the 40 years were a decrease in the area of agricultural land and low shrublands (respectively 29% and 48%) and an increase in forests and tall shrublands (both over 95%). Bird assemblages showed increased richness and diversity across the gradient: low shrublands tall shrublands conifer mixed deciduous agricultural areas. Many of the species with narrow niche breadth (specialists) were associated with agricultural areas and deciduous forests. In spite of the low diversity of burned areas (mostly shrublands) a few specialist species depend on this habitat. Thus, the current fire regime probably contributes to maintaining bird diversity at the landscape level. There was an inverse relationship between landscape diversity and estimated bird diversity across the last 40 years. Landscape management actions to preserve bird diversity should focus on the maintenance of agricultural land and deciduous forests. In parallel, a wider use of prescribed burning and grazing is suggested. This would contribute to maintaining low shrublands in the landscape, useful both as an habitat for some bird species and as fuel breaks for preventing the occurrence of large wildfires.     

Erfolgreiche Bekämpfung des Apfelschorfs mit Kalziumhydroxid

Zusammenfassung In einer 12-jährigen Apfelanlage mit den Sorten Elstar, Fiesta, Golden Delicious, Jonagold und Kent wurde im Jahre 2004 die Schorfbekämpfung durch Überkronenberegnung mit Suspensionen von Kalziumhydroxid (5 g/l) durchgeführt. Im Zeitraum 7. April bis 30. September 2004 wurde insgesamt 62-mal für 15 min beregnet. Drei verschiedene Zeitpunkte der Behandlungen wurden getestet. Bei Behandlung A wurde mit der Beregnung begonnen, wenn nach Mills 100% Infektion erreicht waren. Bei den Behandlungen B und C wurde die Beregnung 6 bzw. 20 h später gestartet. Bei den nicht behandelten Kontrollen waren zum Zeitpunkt der Ernte bei Golden Delicious 30% und bei Jonagold 23% der Früchte mit Schorf befallen. Die Kontrollbäume der anderen Sorten hatten keinen Fruchtschorf. Die Früchte der drei Behandlungen waren bei der Ernte und nach einer 7,5-monatigen Lagerung im Kühllager oder im ULO-Lager frei von Schorf. Die Bonitur auf Schorfbefall der Blätter erfolgte zum Zeitpunkt der Ernte an 3 Langtrieben pro Baum mit je etwa 20–25 Blättern. Bei der Ernte im September/Oktober wurden bei allen Kontrollen Schorfflecken gefunden. Die Extreme reichten von 20 bis fast 60% befallene Blätter. Die Blätter der Langtriebe aller Behandlungen waren schorffrei. Bei den Behandlungen hatten die Blattunterseiten im Mittel bis zu 15% Schorfläsionen. Das liegt vermutlich daran, dass bei der Überkronenberegnung die Blattunterseiten nicht vollständig benetzt wurden. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Schorfbekämpfung mit Überkronenberegnung von Kalziumhydroxid möglich ist.     

Landscape graphs: Ecological modeling with graph theory to detect configurations common to diverse landscapes

In view of the bewildering diversity of landscapes and possible patterns therein, our objectives were to see if a useful modeling method for directly comparing land mosaics could be developed based on graph theory, and whether basic spatial patterns could be identified that are common to diverse landscapes. The models developed were based on the spatial configuration of and interactions between landscape elements (ecosystems, land uses or ecotopes). Nodes represented landscape elements and linkages represented common boundaries between elements. Corridors, corridor intersections, and the matrix were successfully incorporated in the models. Twenty-five landscape graphs were constructed from aerial photographs chosen solely to represent a breadth of climates, land uses and human population densities. Seven distinctive clusters of nodes and linkages were identified and common, three of which, in the forms of a spider, necklace and graph cell, were in >90% of the graphs. These represented respectively the following configurations of patches, corridors and matrix: (1) a matrix area surrounding or adjoining many patches; (2) a corridor bisecting a heterogeneous area; and (3) a unit in a network of intersecting corridors. The models also indicated that the connectivity or number of linkages for several common elements, such as fields and house clearings, was relatively constant across diverse landscapes, and that linear shaped elements such as roads and rivers were the most connected. Several additional uses of this graph modeling, including compatibility with systems dynamics models, are pinpointed. Thus the method is useful in allowing simple direct comparisons of any scale and any landscape to help identify patterns and principles. A focus on the common and uncommon configurations should enhance our understanding of fluxes across landscapes, and consequently the quality of land planning and management.     

The use of herders’ accounts to map livestock activities across agropastoral landscapes in Semi-Arid Africa

Improved understandings of the agricultural and range ecologies ofsemi-arid Africa require better information on the spatiotemporal distributionof domestic livestock across agropastoral landscapes. An empirical GIS-basedapproach was developed for estimating distributions of herded livestock acrossthree agropastoral territories (around 100 km² each)over a two-year period. Algorithms developed from regression analyses of herdtracking data (with R²s 0.67) are used to transform a morecomprehensive but incomplete set of data generated from herders accounts oftheir herds grazing itineraries (400 herds following 6500 itineraries). Theresulting characterization registers 40 000 days of livestock activitiesacross694 land units (averaging 70 ha) over the study period. This studydemonstrates that rural producers knowledge of their daily extractionpracticescan be translated to fine-grained characterizations of extraction densitiesacross mixed landscapes. The spatiotemporal distribution of livestock that isrevealed by this approach diverges strongly from that predicted bycommonly-usedpoint-diffusion estimation procedures. Instead, the distribution reflects localpatterns of land use, topography, vegetation, settlements, and water points.Grazing and nongrazing times spent in land units are not spatially correlatedand the seasonality of grazing pressure is spatially variable. Therefore, theecological impacts of livestock grazing are spatially variable at fine scalesand there is a significant potential for livestock-mediated nutrient transfersacross agropastoral landscapes. The georeferenced data produced by thisapproachnot only will help evaluate the impact and sustainability of differentmanagement practices but also provides a strong empirical base for improvedspatial modeling of herded livestock.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Relationships between watershed Stressors and sediment contamination in Chesapeake Bay estuaries

Three methods for assessing the relationships between estuarine sediment contaminant levels and watershed Stressors for 25 Chesapeake Bay sub-estuaries were compared. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to delineate watersheds for each sub-estuary and analyze land use pattern (area and location of developed, herbaceous and forested land) and point source pollution (annual outflow and contaminant loading) using three landscape analysis methods: (1) a watershed approach using the watershed of the estuary containing the sampling station. (2) a partial watershed approach using the area of the watershed within a 10 km radius of the sampling station and (3) a weighted partial watershed approach where Stressors within the partial watershed were weighted by the inverse of their linear distance from the sampling station. Nine sediment metals, 16 sediment organics and seven metals loading variables were each reduced to one principal component for statistical analyses. Relationships between the first principal components for sediment metals and organics concentrations and watershed stressor variables were analyzed using rank correlation and stepwise multiple regression techniques. For both metals and organics, the watershed method yieldedR ² values considerably lower than the partial and weighted partial watershed analysis methods. Regression models using Stressor data generated by the weighted partial watershed landscape analysis method explained 76% and 47% of the variation in the first principal component for sediment metals and organics concentrations, respectively. Results suggest that the area of developed land located in the watershed within 10 km of the sediment sampling station is a major contributing factor in the sediment concentrations of both metals and organics.     

Coincidences between different landscape ecological zones and growth forms of Cembran pine (Pinus cembra L.) in subalpine habitats of the Central Alps

The forgotten depots of the European Nutcracker (Nucifraga c. caryocatactes) often lead to the development of tufts of Pinus cembra. In many cases the other individuals of such tufts are not suppressed by the fittest one, rather there is an intraspecific coexistence up to the senescent stage of the trees. There are fusions of separate trunks, and so frequently the individual history of older trees can only be reconstructed by studying sutures, crown structures or trunk cross sections. Different types of trunk fusions are worked out. By means of transect counting the occurrence of these multiple trunk trees is documented quantitatively in different landscape ecological zones of the Engadin region (the Grisons, Switzerland). The data base is 3024 counted microsites of Pinus cembra individuals arising from seeds, including 5272 living individuals. These multiple trunk trees significantly play an important role in the landscape ecological zones of recent glacier recession and at the alpine timberline. Their growth forms have a higher biomechanical stability.     

Scale dependence of tree abundance and richness in a tropical rain forest,Malaysia

Abundance and richness are the two fundamental components of speciesdiversity. They represent two distinct types of variables of which the formerisadditive when aggregated across scales while the latter is nonadditive. Thisstudy investigated the changes in the spatial patterns of abundance andrichnessof tree species across multiple scales in a tropical rain forest of Malaysiaandtheir variations in different regions of the study area. The results showedthatfrom fine to coarse scales abundance had a gradual and systematic change inpattern, whereas the change in richness was much less predictable and ahotspot in richness at one scale may become acoldspot at another. The study also demonstrated that differentmeasures of diversity variation (e.g., variance and coefficient of variation)can result in different or even contradictory results which further complicatedthe interpretation of diversity patterns. Because of scale effect the commonlyused measure of species diversity in terms of unit area (e.g.,species/m²) is misleading and of little use in comparing speciesdiversitybetween different ecosystems. Extra care must be taken if management andconservation of species diversity have to be based on information gathered at asingle scale.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A case study of forest change in the Swiss lowlands

This paper presents a regional case study of forest development and the history of forest use and management in the north-eastern lowlands of Switzerland during the 19th and 20th centuries. The analysis draws on historical documents related to forestry to consider the following aspects of forest change: forest types, growing stock, trees species composition and non-timber forest uses. Based on the data presented, three overlapping periods of forest use and management can be discerned. The period of traditional multiple use lasted until the second half of the 19th century. From the mid 19th to the mid 20th century, a period of primacy of timber production occurred. During the 20th century, the period of modern multi-impact management has developed. For these three periods, groups of main actors, their needs and interests, and how they were causing the changes in the aspects under study were defined. This procedure of defining periods and the respective groups of main actors is a critical link between landscape ecology and history, as changes in demands of the society can be directly linked with changes in land-use and land-cover.     

Can we manage tropical landscapes? – an answer from the Caribbean perspective

Humans have used Caribbean island landscapes for millennia. Theconversion of wild lands to built-up lands or to agricultural lands in thesetropical countries follows predictable patterns. Conversion of moist forestlifezones and fertile flatlands is faster than conversion of wet and rain forestlife zones and low fertility steep lands. In Puerto Rico, these trends areleading to increased built-up areas, environmental surprises, and increaseddependence on external subsidies. Changes over the past 50 yr alsoinclude a reversal in deforestation and increase in forest patch size in spiteof increasing human population density. Present forests have different speciescomposition than the original ones but are indistinguishable in physiognomy andbasic function. The reversal of deforestation and forest fragmentation trends,if accompanied by an understanding of the forces that cause the reversal, canresult in the development of tools for landscape management. Tropical landscapemanagement requires understanding and application of natural resiliencemechanisms of ecosystems, greater use of ecological engineering approaches toinfrastructure development, enforcement of zoning laws, enlightened economicdevelopment policies, and an understanding and agreement of a conservationvision among all sectors of society. Mixing species in new combinations to formnew ecosystems is a necessary step in the development of future landscapes.Landscapes have always changed over time, but we sense,somewhat uneasily, that the processes now at work are more powerfully focusedand possibly irreversible.Our present assumption is that generally tropical lands aremuch more sensitive and less resilient than those in the temperatezones....the long-term world trend in land uses is a cascadingloss in capacity (i.e., degradation) in every broad category of landuse. J.F. Richards 1990, p 176 and 177.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Comparison of available soil water capacity estimated from topography and soil series information

We present a simple and generalized method to predict Available Soil Water Capacity (ASWC-TOP) for a given area using a topographic index, defined as ln(/tan), where is the upslope area draining past a certain point per unit width of slope, and is the local surface slope angle. The estimated results (ASWC-TOP) were then compared with the available soil water capacity calculated from soil series information provided by Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (ASWC-SCS). The model implementation was tested with three study cases: the Seeley-Swan valley, Montana, with pixel resolutions of 100 m and 1 km, respectively; and the state of Montana, U.S.A., with a pixel resolution of 1 km. A linear relationship exists between ASWC-SCS and ln(/tan). Standard errors between ASWC-TOP and ASWC-SCS were about 4.4 cm in the Seeley-Swan valley and 5.5 cm in the state. The number of pixels with absolute residuals 4 cm between ASWC-TOP and ASWC-SCS accounted for 68.2, 64.4, and 51.9% for the valley 100 m, valley 1 km, and the state respectively. Some of the mismatches between ASWC-TOP and ASWC-SCS may indicate an improvement using this method compared to existing data because the topographic method reflects the higher spatial variation of the inputs. The increasing availability of digital elevation data, at various resolutions, may provide an alternative to soil series for estimating ASWC. The accuracy of ASWC-TOP depends on estimation of mean and maximum ASWC for a study area.     

Gap analysis: concepts,methods, and recent results*

Rapid progress is being made in the conceptual, technical, and organizational requirements for generating synoptic multi-scale views of the earth's surface and its biological content. Using the spatially comprehensive data that are now available, researchers, land managers, and land-use planners can, for the first time, quantitatively place landscape units – from general categories such as Forests or Cold-Deciduous Shrubland Formation to more categories such as Picea glauca-Abies balsamea-Populus spp. Forest Alliance – in their large-area contexts. The National Gap Analysis Program (GAP) has developed the technical and organizational capabilities necessary for the regular production and analysis of such information. This paper provides a brief overview of concepts and methods as well as some recent results from the GAP projects. Clearly, new frameworks for biogeographic information and organizational cooperation are needed if we are to have any hope of documenting the full range of species occurrences and ecological processes in ways meaningful to their management. The GAP experience provides one model for achieving these new frameworks.     

Modeling multiscale effects of light limitations and edge-induced mortality on carbon stores in forest landscapes

Analyses of carbon (C) dynamics at broad scales usually do not consider spatial interactions. The assumption is that C dynamics can be modeled within homogenous (i.e., even-aged) patches and then summed to predict broad-scale dynamics (an additive approach). The goal of this paper is to elucidate the scales over which this additive approach is sufficient to explain observed C dynamics at broad scales. We define emergent behaviors (vs. emergent properties) as those behaviors that cannot be predicted solely from the additive properties of units at a finer scale. We used a forest process model to check for possible emergent behaviors due to pattern-process interactions at multiple levels, from the patch to the landscape. Specifically, using artificial forest landscapes with various spatial structures, we estimated the relative effects of edge-induced, tree mortality (mainly due to wind) and light limitations on C dynamics. Emergent behaviors were observed at all levels examined, indicating that emergent behaviors did not cease as one proceeded from the patch to the landscape level, as we had expected. However, the magnitude of the emergent behaviors depended on the level of spatial interaction considered as well as the type and intensity of the processes included. In all simulations, interactions of light and wind processes resulted in significant emergent behaviors only when parameters controlling wind mortality were set to the highest levels observed in the literature. In one simulation, the magnitude of emergent behaviors differed among the landscapes, indicating that interactions among patches may not be accounted for by an additive correction for edge effects unless spatial interactions are addressed. The implication is that some C dynamics in fragmented landscapes may not be captured at broad-scales using an additive approach, whereas in other cases spatial interactions are small enough to be ignored.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Allochthonous ecosystems

In extreme deserts with precipitation of less than 10–20 mm/yr, biocoenoses occur which are void of producers but show ecosystem functions such as food chains and energy flow. Since they are fed by the importation of allochthonous organic material the term allochthonous ecosystems is proposed to designate these systems. The application of this term to other incomplete ecosystems without producers is discussed.     

Eintritt für Selbstpflücke, ein Kontinent ohne Frigopflanzen und ‘Elsanta‘

Zusammenfassung Die im Wachstum begriffene australische Erdbeerindustrie ist geprägt durch optimale Klimabedingungen und einfachen Zugang zu den Ressourcen, hohe Intensivierung und — wie in Kalifornien — hohe Erträge über 30 t/ha. Der Markt ist fast autark, Im- und Exporte frischer Erdbeeren spielen keine Rolle. Mit einem derzeitigen Produktionsvolumen von 40.000 t/Jahr auf ca. 1.300 ha wird eine Ausweitung auf 71.000 t bis zum Jahre 2008 angestrebt. Dies entspricht — bei ca. 20 Mio. Einwohnern Australiens — einer Steigerung des Erdbeerkonsums von 2,0 kg auf ca. 2,7 kg/Kopf und Jahr im Jahr 2008. Der gegenwärtige Erdbeerkonsum in Deutschland liegt bereits bei ca. 2,7 kg/Kopf und Jahr, wobei die Erdbeerimporte von ca. 120.000 t die Eigenproduktion von ca. 100.000 t auf 10.420 ha Anbaufläche — im Gegensatz zu Australien — übersteigen. Die drei australischen Hauptanbaugebiete konzentrieren sich auf Queensland im Nordosten, Perth im Westen und Victoria im Südosten Australiens. Der überwiegend einjährige Anbau erfolgt mit 45.000–66.000 Grünpflanzen/ha als Einzel- oder Doppelreihe in Dammkultur und Mulchfolie mit integriertem Fertigationsschlauch. Nach telefonischem Verkauf erfolgt die Lieferung im Kühl-LKW direkt an die Supermärkte oft weit entfernter Großstädte. Als tagneutrale Erdbeersorten dominieren mit 90% amerikanische Sorten wie Selva, Camarosa und Camino Real aus Kalifornien sowie Sweet Charlie und Festival aus Florida. Interessante Neuzüchtungen aus dem Jahre 2003 sind Rubygem, Sugarbaby, Brighteyes und Harmony aus Queensland als Kurztagssorten. Zusammen mit tagneutralen Sorten aus dem südlichen Züchtungsprogramm in Victoria stieg ihr Marktanteil in den letzten drei Jahren von 8% auf 10%. Primäre Zuchtziele des nördlichen Züchtungsprogramms in Queensland sind Kurztagssorten mit frühem Reifebeginn und hohem Ertrag über 1,2 kg/Pflanze. Das südliche Züchtungsprogramm um Victoria zielt dagegen sowohl auf Kurztagssorten als auch Tagneutralität sowie eine zusätzlich lange Ernteperiode über mindestens 10 Wochen. Während die Zuchtziele der äußeren Fruchtqualität wie Fruchtgröße, Fruchtfestigkeit und Glanz mit denen Deutschlands übereinstimmen, unterscheiden sich die der inneren Fruchtqualität wie süßer Geschmack bei gleichzeitiger Säurearmut und hoher Fruchtfleischfestigkeit.