Wind disturbances shape old Norway spruce-dominated forest in Bulgaria

Correct knowledge of disturbance ecology is essential for understanding the characteristic behavior of forest ecosystems and for guiding appropriate management strategies. However, the role of natural disturbances in shaping European mountain forest ecosystems has not been adequately studied, possibly because of the perception that the development of most European forests is primarily shaped by human influences and/or fine-scale gap-phase dynamics.In the present study, we investigate the long-term disturbance history of old protected forest dominated by Norway spruce in the Parangalitsa Reserve, Bulgaria. We used aerial photo interpretation and dendroecological methods to reconstruct the history of wind, insect, and fire disturbances across a topographically complex landscape. Over the past 150 years wind has been the most important disturbance agent in this ecosystem and at least 18% of the forested area shows evidence of high-severity blowdowns. Windthrow patches ranged in size from <1 ha to >10 ha (minimum 0.11 ha, mean 0.16 ha, maximum 10 ha). Although small disturbances were much more frequent, few larger blowdowns accounted for most of the disturbed area. Pure coniferous and single-cohort coniferous forest patches were more affected by blowdowns than mixed coniferous-deciduous and multi-cohort coniferous forest patches. Although bark beetle (Ips typhographus) populations were large enough to cause mortality of some live trees, the populations did not grow to epidemic proportions during recent decades. Fire disturbance was of limited importance in the last 200 years and only two patches (4% of the study area) showed evidence of fire.The present research indicates that wind disturbances have been characteristic of these ecosystems at least over the past decades to centuries. Thus, blowdowns appear integral to the normal function and structure of the Picea-dominated mountain forests in the region and such events, in and of themselves, do not represent unhealthy forest conditions or environmental emergencies. Management strategies that aim to maintain these ecosystems within a natural range of variation should incorporate wind disturbances into the management strategy. The frequency and magnitude of future wind disturbances may be considered within the historical framework described in the current study to assess potential effects of climate change on altered disturbance regimes.     

Nitrogen dynamics during ecosystem development in tropical forest restoration

We considered whether ecological restoration using high diversity of native tree species serves to restore nitrogen dynamics in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We measured δ¹⁵N and N content in green foliage and soil; vegetation N:P ratio; and soil N mineralization in a preserved natural forest and restored forests of ages 21 and 52 years. Green foliage δ¹⁵N values, N content, N:P ratio, inorganic N and net mineralization and nitrification rates were all higher, the older the forest. Our findings indicate that the recuperation of N cycling has not been achieved yet in the restored forests even after 52 years, but show that they are following a trajectory of development that is characterized by their N cycling intensity becoming similar to a natural mature forest of the same original forest formation. This study demonstrated that some young restored forests are more limited by N compared to mature natural forests. We document that the recuperation of N cycling in tropical forests can be achieved through ecological restoration actions.     

Clearcutting forestry and Eurasian boreal forest grouse: Long-term monitoring of sympatric capercaillie Tetrao urogallus and black grouse T. tetrix reveals unexpected effects on their population performances

Along the succession gradient of the boreal forest ecosystem, black grouse Tetrao tetrix inhabits the early and capercaillie Tetrao urogallus the latest stages. When converting old forest to clearcuts and plantations, commercial forestry has therefore been assumed to affect capercaillie negatively and to be favourable to black grouse. During a 30-year period (1979-2008) we monitored sympatric populations of the two species in a forest in southeast Norway based on annual spring and autumn censuses and radio-marked birds. During this period, the proportion of old, semi-natural forest was halved and clearcuts and young plantations increased accordingly. The grouse populations did not change as predicted. While the trend in August numbers of adult black grouse declined, males more than females, abundance of adult capercaillie remained unchanged. Number of males at leks showed similar patterns. Equally surprising, breeding success (number of chicks per female in August) of both species increased, thus indicating that the populations were regulated more by variation in adult survivorship than by recruitment of young birds. No correlations were found with changing climatic factors (precipitation and temperatures in winter and spring, snow depth and time of snow melt), except that year-to-year breeding success was positively correlated with minimum temperatures during 2 weeks posthatch. The results are explained by a combination of more flexible habitat selection than previously assumed and a changing predator regime: In the early period, nearly all capercaillie leks were located in old, semi-natural forest, but as plantations grew older (>30 years), new leks were established there. Similarly, while young capercaillie broods used old semi-natural forest almost exclusively when the study started, they frequently used middle-aged plantations, especially those with a ground cover of bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus, when these became common in later years. The increasing breeding success could largely be explained by more females rearing chicks successfully, presumably due to a marked decline in the main nest predator, the red fox Vulpes vulpes. A practice of thinning of the old, semi-natural forest some years prior to final harvesting probably facilitated predation of black grouse by goshawks Accipiter gentilis. Contrary to many beliefs, our results indicate that both capercaillie and black grouse are quite tolerant to changes in forest management regimes. In our study, numerical and functional responses of predators (mainly red fox and goshawk) apparently played a more important role in regulating grouse numbers than habitat factors per se.     

How much variation in tree mortality is predicted by soil and topography in Central Amazonia?

Tree mortality in Amazonia has been related to regional variation in soil, topography and climatic disturbances, but the magnitude of the effect of these factors on tree mortality at local and mesoscales remains poorly determined. We investigated tree mortality in 72 1-ha permanent plots spanning 64 km² of tropical moist forest in Reserva Ducke, Manaus, Brazil. Plots were censused three times (2000-2003, 2003-2005, and 2005-2008), resulting in two census intervals. The relationships of soil and topography to tree mortality were dependent on tree size. Small- and medium-sized trees (1 ? dbh < 30 cm) had similar relationships of mortality with soil and topography, while large trees (dbh ? 30 cm) showed different (or no) relationships. The effects of soil and topography on tree mortality also varied temporally. In the second census interval after storms, soil and topography explained about one-fourth of the spatial variation in mortality of small- and medium-sized trees (<30 cm dbh), whereas no effects were detected in the first census interval. In particular, soil fertility was the most important predictor of tree mortality in the study area. Topography alone (altitude and slope) was associated with only 12% of the spatial variation in tree mortality and the magnitude of the effect of soil and topography on tree mortality also increased after storms. In general, plots on more fertile soils, on steep slopes and sandy soils in valleys showed greater tree mortality than those on plateau with well-drained clayey soils. Therefore, disturbance history and tree size should be included when scaling up tree mortality from local to regional scales. As much variation remains unexplained, other landscape features, such as watershed morphology and wind exposure, may be necessary to make more precise predictions on patterns of tree mortality in Central Amazonia.     

Cloning of vacuolar H<Superscript>+</Superscript>-ATPase subunit c genes from Japanese iris,and functional characterization in yeast

Five different isoforms (IrlVHA-c1-c5) of V-ATPase subunit c (VHA-c) were cloned from a Japanese iris (Iris lactea Pall. var. chinensis Fisch. Koidz) cDNA library using degenerate primers PCR and the 5'-RACE technique. The sequence analysis showed the open reading frame (ORF) of the IrlVHA-c1 c5 to be 495 bp, corresponding to a protein of 164 amino acids. Among the five isoforms, IrlVHA-c1 and IrlVHA-c2 are completely homologous. The IrlVHA-c protein is localized at the vacuolar membrane as indicated by a g...     

Effects of rainwater harvesting on herbage diversity and productivity in degraded Aravalli hills in western India

Over-exploitation and rural growth have severely damaged native vegetations of Aravalli hills in Rajasthan, India. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different restoration practices (i.e., rainwater harvesting (RWH) and planting of tree seedlings) on improve- ment in soil water and nutrients and growth and biomass of herbaceous vegetation. Contour trench (CT), Gradonie (G), Box trench (BT), V-ditch (VD) and a control were imposed on 75 plots (each of 700 m 2 ) in natural slope gradient defined as <10%, 10% 20% and >20% slopes in 2005. Each plot had three micro-sites of 1-m 2 at up (USP), middle (MSP) and lower (LSP) part of the plot for observation in 2008. The existed gradient (due to soil texture and topographic features) of soil pH, EC, SOC, NH 4 - N, NO 3 -N and PO 4 -P in June 2005 between >20% to <10% slopes were decreased in 2008 after applying RWH techniques. Such improvement in soil status promoted vegetation growth and biomass in higher slope gra- dients. Soil water, species diversity and herbage biomass increased from USP to LSP, and RWH techniques had positive role in improving SOC, nutrients, vegetation population, evenness and growth at MSP. Despite of lowest SWC, regular rain and greater soil water usage enhanced green and dry herbage biomasses in 10% 20% and >20% slopes, compared with <10% slope. The highest diversity in CT treatment was related to herbage biomass, which was enhanced further by highest concentrations of SOC and PO 4 -P. Further, CT treatment was found to be the best treat- ment in minimizing biomass variance in different slopes. Conclusively, soil texture and topographic features controlled soil water and nutrients availability. Rainwater harvesting techniques increased soil water storage and nutrient retention and also enhanced vegetation status and biomass by minimizing the effects of hillslopes. Thus depending upon the site conditions, suitable RWH technique could be adopted to increase herb- age biomass while rehabilitating the degraded hills.     

南京典型利用方式土壤中球囊霉素含量及剖面分布特征

采用Brad-ford染色法研究了南京市5种典型利用方式土壤不同土层中(0~10、10~20、20~40 cm)球囊霉素的含量。结果表明:土壤中总球囊霉素含量为1.96~3.12 mg/g,占土壤有机碳的12.5%~29.0%,所占比例随土壤有机碳含量的增加而降低。林地和草地土壤中球囊霉素和有机碳的含量均高于3种耕作土壤(水稻田、茶园土和菜园土)。随着土层深度(0~40 cm)的增加,5种不同利用方式土壤中总球囊霉素和有机碳的含量均减小;与其他土层相比,0~10 cm土层总球囊霉素和有机碳含量均最大。耕作土壤中易提取球囊霉素更易于向总球囊霉素转化。发现5种土地利用方式下土壤中总球囊霉素含量与土壤有机碳含量极显著正相关,与土壤p H显著负相关;易提取球囊霉素与土壤有机碳含量极显著负相关。总球囊霉素和易提取球囊霉素可作为评价土壤丛枝菌根真菌活性和土壤质量的重要指标。     

重金属超富集植物龙葵对镉响应的蛋白组学分析

龙葵是典型的重金属超富集植物,但是我们对其重金属耐受和超富集的分子机理仍不完全清楚。为了从蛋白组学层面探究重金属超富集植物龙葵如何响应金属镉,本研究采用双向电泳和MALDI-TOF MS分析方法,鉴定了重金属超富集植物龙葵叶片和根中Cd胁迫下差异表达的蛋白。双向电泳在根和叶片中分别至少得到927和1 025个蛋白点,其中Cd胁迫下差异表达的蛋白点在根中有45个,叶片中有57个。采用MALDITOF MS分析,在根和叶片中分别鉴定了9个和12个蛋白点,分别代表了9个和6个差异表达的蛋白。生物信息学分析表明,这些蛋白涉及到激素合成、防御响应、能量代谢和细胞结构等。这些结果为进一步揭示重金属超富集植物龙葵响应Cd胁迫的分子调节机制,以及为通过现代生物技术手段进行重金属污染的植物修复提供了理论依据。     

土壤有机硫矿化动力学特征及影响因素

利用开放培养系统，分别在20℃和30℃，好气和淹水条件下研究了四种土壤（黑土、褐土、黄棕壤和红壤）有机硫矿化特征。结果表明，30℃条件下土壤有机硫累积矿化量显著高于20℃下的矿化量（P＜0．01）。20℃和30℃好气条件下累积矿化量分别为17．53－24．35mg kg^-1和34．20－54．33mg kg^-1，分别占有机硫总量的2．5％－6．5％和5．－14．5％，20℃和30℃淹水条件下累积矿化量分别为18．14－21．15mg kg^-1和26．86－30．63mg kg^-1，分别占有机硫总量的2．6％－5．6％和4．0％－7．7％。好气和淹水下30℃与20℃的有机硫累积矿化量之比分别为1．85－2．23和1．28－1．71。用一级动力学方程和双倒数方程计算土壤有机硫矿化势（S0）表明，20℃好气培养时S0分别为17．82－24．88mg kg^-1和17．83－27．7mg kg^-1，S0分别为17．50－21．49mg kg^-1和19．19－22．50mg kg^-1,30℃淹水条件下S0分别为28．26－35．87mg kg^-1和26．59－34．25mg kg^-1。土壤有机硫矿化速率常数（K）和矿化量达50％矿化势（S0）所需的时间（K1）受不同土壤和培养温度的影响，都可用一级动力学方程和双倒数方程来评价。碳键硫对有机硫矿化的贡献较大，尤其在淹水条件下更明显。     

Population dynamics of Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta) in different agricultural systems

Organic matter and abiotic conditions seem to influence distribution patterns of Enchytraeidae. In this study effects of changes in management practices on population dynamics of enchytraeids were determined. At two sites (in Athens and Griffin, GA) parts of a fescue (FE) field were converted into conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT) plots and changes in densities and depth distribution of enchytraeids were followed for 3 years. A site at Watkinsville, containing various soil textures and characterised by very low organic carbon content, which was converted into no-tillage 4 years earlier, was also sampled. Significant reductions in enchytraeid densities, after conversion of fescue into CT, were only found at Griffin. The management practices affected the vertical distribution of enchytraeids. In fescue and NT more enchytraeids were found in the 0–5cm than in the 5–15cm layer. In conventional tillage fields enchytraeids were more evenly distributed over the profile or more abundant in the 5–15cm layer. Management also affected the timing of population dynamics in the different plots. At two sample dates high abundances were found in CT plots only, not in any of the other plots. Enchytraeids were larger at Athens than at Griffin and Watkinsville and contained more soil particles in their gut. At Athens enchytraeids will presumably contribute more to the development of soil structure than at the other sites. We conclude that management affects vertical enchytraeid distributions in soil and changes the timing of population dynamics. Received: 7 January 1996