China's role in the global forest sector: how will the US recovery and a diminished Chinese demand influence global wood markets?

Over the last decade, while the size of China's economy more than doubled, China has simultaneously become a major producer and exporter of forest products. Although China's domestic supply of wood is significantly constrained both by a limited natural supply and by conservation-oriented policies, the country is increasingly regarded as the world's “wood workshop.” Furthermore, China is the largest driver of demand for the trade in tropical logs and is becoming a significant driver of demand for trade in coniferous logs. In this paper, we describe a spatial equilibrium model adapted to study forest sector markets and policies that affect them. We present the model and the result of two alternative future scenarios. The first scenario analyzes the impact on global forest products markets of a US recovery in wood markets. The second scenario examines the effect on global forest products markets of decelerating growth in Chinese demand for wood products. Through these two scenarios, the modeling output sheds light on the role China's wood products markets have on resource supply and trade around the world. The trade model shows substantial potential changes in global prices, production, and trade activity associated with the recovery in domestic demand in the USA.     

Effectiveness of Protected Area Governance in the Conservation of Mt. Marsabit Forest Ecosystem,Kenya

ABSTRACT

Protected area systems (PAs) have the potential to conserve natural resources and provide social and economic benefits to local communities. Establishing and maintaining good governance and associated mechanisms is necessary for adaptive management of PAs. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the relationships between various stakeholders and the effectiveness of PA governance of Mt. Marsabit forest ecosystem in Kenya. We used social network analysis (SNA) to assess the interactions between actors, and factor analysis to analyze the effectiveness of governance criteria. Governance of Mt. Marsabit forest ecosystem was complex with a multiplicity of stakeholders from diverse interests. Governance was moderately effective (61%) with positive indicators including the regulatory framework, delineation of areas under conservation, and reduction in poaching. The low level of interactions and associations among stakeholders suggest a weakness in the networks that may negatively affect the flow of information and other resources. This weakness was attributed to a lack of institutionalization of the links leading to poor coordination of processes. Local communities were inadequately represented in the governance of this PA despite being important actors. Our study finds that local ownership and strong linkages between actors are important ingredients for effective governance of PAs.     

祁连山森林土壤的水文生态效应

祁连山水源涵养林受立地水热条件的影响和自然、历史干扰,多世代演替共存,分布占祁连山3个垂直气候带,主要由湿性灌丛林、青海云杉林、祁连圆柏林、干性灌丛林4种类型组成,6个林型即湿性灌丛林、藓类青海云杉林、灌木青海云杉林、草类青海云杉林、祁连圆柏林、干性灌丛林。调查研究表明,各类森林枯落物(层)的现存量,组成成分、持水率、持水量等均不相同。森林土壤矿质层的主要物理性质因森林类型而不同,并均随着土壤的深度呈某种规律性的变异。森林土壤的持水量主要受土壤孔隙度的影响。在祁连山林区,森林土壤的持水量较非林地(牧坡草地)土壤为高,在各森林类型中青海云杉林和灌丛林的持水量,较祁连圆柏林为高。     

辽东山区次生林植物物种多样性研究

通过对辽东山区18块样地的调查及数据处理,计算出各样地乔木、灌木、草本的Margalef丰富度指数、Gini均匀度指数和Simpson多样性指数。从调查及分析结果来看,在本研究区域内,海拔高度对调查区域内的物种多样性影响不大,郁闭度、坡向、坡度对物种多样性有一定影响。     

Effects of enhanced ultraviolet-B radiation on water use efficiency, stomatal conductance, leaf nitrogen content and morphological characteristics of Spiraea pubescens in a warm-temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest

Spiraea pubescens, a common shrub in the warm-temperate deciduous forest zone which is distributed in the Dongling Mountain area of Beijing, was exposed to ambient and enhanced ultraviolet-B (UV-B, 280–320 nm) radiation by artificially supplying a daily dose of 9.4 kJ/m² for three growing seasons, a level that simulated a 17% depletion in stratospheric ozone. The objective of this study was to explore the effects of long-term UV-B enhancement on stomatal conductance, leaf tissue δ ¹³C, leaf water content, and leaf area. Particular attention was paid to the effects of UV-B radiation on water use efficiency (WUE) and leaf total nitrogen content. Enhanced UV-B radiation significantly reduced leaf area (50.1%) but increased leaf total nitrogen content (102%). These changes were associated with a decrease in stomatal conductance (16.1%) and intercellular CO₂ concentration/ air CO₂ concentration (C _i /C _a) (4.0%), and an increase in leaf tissue δ ¹³C (20.5‰), leaf water content (3.1%), specific leaf weight (SLW) (5.2%) and WUE (4.1%). The effects of UV-B on the plant were greatly affected by the water content of the deep soil (30–40 cm). During the dry season, differences in the stomatal conductance, δ ¹³C, and WUE between the control and UV-B treated shrubs were very small; whereas, differences became much greater when soil water stress disappeared. Furthermore, the effects of UV-B became much less significant as the treatment period progressed over the three growing seasons. Correlation analysis showed that enhanced UV-B radiation decreased the strength of the correlation between soil water content and leaf water content, δ ¹³C, C _i/C _a, stomatal conductance, with the exception of WUE that had a significant correlation coefficient with soil water content. These results suggest that WUE would become more sensitive to soil water variation due to UV-B radiation. Based on this experiment, it was found that enhanced UV-B radiation had much more significant effects on morphological traits and growth of S. pubescens than hydro-physiological characteristics. __________ Translated from Journal of Plant Ecology, 2006, 30(1): 47–56 [译自: 植物生态学报]     

日本北海道北部寒温带森林流域林冠层凋落物及其养分归还量的景观格局(英文)

Within a forested watershed at the Uryu Experimental Forest of Hokkaido University in northern Hokkaido, overstory litterfall and related nutrient fluxes were measured at different landscape zones over two years. The wetland zone covered with Picea glehnii pure stand. The riparian zone was deciduous broad-leaved stand dominated by Alnus hirsuta and Salix spp., while the mixture of deciduous broadleaf and evergreen conifer dominated by Betula platyphylla, Quercus crispula and Abies sachalinensis distributed on the upland zone. Annual litterfall averaged 1444, 5122, and 4123 kg.hm^-2·a^-1 in the wetland, riparian and upland zones, respectively. Litterfall production peaked in September-October, and foliage litter contributed the greatest amount （73.4%-87.6 %） of the annual total litterfall. Concentrations of nutrients analyzed in foliage litter of the dominant species showed a similar seasonal variation over the year except for N in P glehnii and A. hirsuta. The nutrient fluxes for all elements analyzed were greatest on riparian zone and lowest in wetland zone. Nutrient fluxes via litterfall followed the decreasing sequence： N （11-129 kg.hm-2.aq） 〉 Ca （9-69） 〉 K （5-20） 〉 Mg （3-15） 〉 P （0.4-4.7） for all stands. Significant differences were found in litterfall production and nutrient fluxes among the different landscape components. There existed significant differences in soil chemistry between the different landscape zones. The consistently low soil C：N ratios at the riparian zone might be due to the higher-quality litter inputs （largely N-fixing alder）.     

北京市高保护价值森林价值评估理论与方法初探

结合现行经济学理论界对森林价值的评估,针对高保护价值森林的特征,从生物多样性和生态服务功能两方面对北京市高保护价值森林的价值评估方法进行探讨.结合效用论、边际效益论等理论,根据实地情况,运用支付意愿法、补偿法、替代法等,从森林的实用价值和精神文化价值等方面作了评估方法概述.     

不同水分条件下皮叶两用杜仲林的生长效应

对12年生杜仲进行人工供水处理,研究土壤水分对皮叶两用杜仲林萌条生长规律的影响.结果表明:不同水平的供水对新枝生长均有促进作用,6~9月份,Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ级供水处理的新枝枝长生长量分别较对照增加30.2%、37.1%、77.9%、56.2%,新枝直径生长量分别较对照增加22.4%、53.7%、117.9%、83.6%;Ⅲ级供水最有利于萌条的生长,二次分枝数最多(43个/株),平均枝条长度最长(27.3 cm),单株叶片数和叶干质量分别为162个.株-1和16.5 g.株-1;杜仲供水多时,水分并不能被根部全部吸收,水分利用效率降低;5~9月份,秦岭南坡杜仲适宜的灌水量为1 050 m3.hm-2.     

Plant diversity of secondary forests in response to anthropogenic disturbance levels in montane regions of northeastern China

The effects of anthropogenic disturbances on forest structure and plant diversity of secondary forest ecosystems were evaluated based on the classification by site factors in the montane regions of northeastern China. Forty-five sample plots containing 720 sub-plots of overstory species (8 m × 8 m), 1,440 quadrats of understory species (2 m × 2 m), and 1,440 quadrats of herbaceous layer species (1 m × 1 m) were clustered into five groups (G1, G2, G3, G4 and G5) by site variables with Hierarchical Cluster Analysis. Meanwhile, the disturbance levels corresponding to the five groups were determined according to the factors influencing human disturbances (D0-G2, D1-G1, D2-G3, D3-G5, and D4-G4). Species diversities of overstory, understory, herbaceous layer and overall species were evaluated using species number, Margalef index, Pielou index, Shannon–Wiener index, and Simpson index; and β-diversities (Whittaker index, Cody index). Basal area of stands exhibited a decreasing trend along the disturbance level due to a gradual increase in the extraction of timber by the human disturbances. The indices of species diversity suggested that overstory and understory species were distributed evenly among the groups or disturbance levels. There were no absolutely dominant tree species in the secondary forest ecosystems. The differences in site factors and the current disturbance intensities were not intense enough to lead to loose changes in overstory and understory species. The species diversity indices exhibited the maximum values at D3 (G5) for herbaceous layer species; this may suggest that the current disturbance intensities were intense enough to lead the changes of herbaceous layer species. Three rare and endangered species (Juglans mandshurica, Fraxinus mandshurica and Acanthopanax senticosus) were found within the secondary forests. These rare and endangered species appeared in each clustered group or disturbance level, which suggested that the current disturbance intensity in the study area was not strong enough to influence the distribution of rare and endangered species. The current disturbances in the secondary forests may not lead to a decrease in stability and complexity of the overstory and understory species, but the higher disturbance level may be intense enough to change the habitat fitness for the herbaceous species. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized authors.