Adaptation of the LIGNUM model for simulations of growth and light response in Jack pine

LIGNUM is a whole tree model, developed for Pinus sylvestris in Finland, that combines tree metabolism with a realistic spatial distribution of morphological parts. We hypothesize that its general concepts, which include the pipe model, functional balance, yearly carbon budget, and a set of architectural growth rules, are applicable to all trees. Adaptation of the model to Pinus banksiana, a widespread species of economic importance in North America, is demonstrated.

Conversion of the model to Jack pine entailed finding new values for 16 physiological and morphological parameters, and three growth functions. Calibration of the LIGNUM Jack pine model for open grown trees up to 15 years of age was achieved by matching crown appearance and structural parameters (height, foliage biomass, aboveground biomass) with those of real trees. A sensitivity study indicated that uncertainty in the photosynthesis and respiration parameters will primarily cause changes to the net annual carbon gain, which can be corrected through calibration of the growth rate. The effect of a decrease in light level on height, biomass, total tree branch length, and productivity were simulated and compared with field data. Additional studies yielded insight into branch pruning, carbon allocation patterns, crown structure, and carbon stress. We discuss the value of the LIGNUM model as a tool for understanding tree growth and survival dynamics in natural and managed forests.     

Overstory and shrub effects on natural regeneration processes in native Pinus radiata stands

Native Monterey pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) stands on the Monterey peninsula have been significantly modified by natural and anthropogenic disturbances. The exclusion of fire and the introduction of pitch canker (caused by Fusarium circinatum Nirenberg & O’Donnell) created a need for the examination of these changing ecosystems with respect to regeneration, especially as these stands reach mature ages. We established 210 plots on 35 transects distributed throughout five stands in order to describe the current stand structure and quantify the extent and condition of regeneration. The results indicated that Monterey pine seedling establishment varies throughout the peninsula depending on percent canopy cover, duff and litter depth, and percent shrub cover while seedling growth is influenced by percent shrub cover. Canopy cover was also found to inversely influence shrub cover. Our study highlights the importance of understory removal to increase Monterey pine regeneration and seedling growth as canopy cover decreases, especially in areas where coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia Nee) and poison-oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum E. Greene) are abundant.     

Litter dynamics of six multipurpose trees in a homegarden in Southern Kerala, India

Multipurpose trees, the integral components of homegardens, contribute significantly to the closed nutrient cycling processes and sustainability of the ecosystem. Although, the litter production and probable nutrient returns via litter in homegardens have been documented, quantification and characterization of the decomposition and bioelement release from the litter have received relatively little scientific attention. The objective of the present study is to explore the litter dynamics of six locally important multipurpose trees (Mangifera indica L., Artocarpus heterophyllus Lamk., Anacardium occidentale L., Ailanthus triphysa Dennst., Artocarpus hirsutus L. and Swietenia macrophylla L.), in an agroforestry homegarden in Southern Kerala, India. Litterfall and nutrient additions in the six species ranged from 383 to 868 g m⁻² yr⁻¹, nitrogen, 6.4 to 8.8, phosphorus, 0.17 to 0.42 and potassium, 1.1 to 2.8 g m⁻² yr⁻¹. The annual litter output in the homegarden was 425 kg with A. hirsutus, M. indica, A. heterophyllus and A. occidentale recording significantly higher litter and nutrient additions. Leaf litter decay studies revealed A. heterophyllus and A. occidentale to be the most labile litter species and S. macrophylla the most recalcitrant. The decay rate coefficients varied significantly among the species. Foliage decomposition rates related to the initial chemical composition of the litter revealed best correlation with lignin. NPK release was almost complete by the end of decay in all species inspite of the initial phases of accumulation observed for nitrogen and phosphorus. Two-way analysis of variance test revealed significant differences in the contents of the three elements as a function of species and time elapsed. Macronutrients were released in the order K>N/P. The higher rates of decay and nutrient turnover in M. indica, A. heterophyllus and A. occidentale foliage indicated the potential of using these species’ litter as nutrient inputs in agriculture while A. triphysa, A. hirsutus and S. macrophylla perform better as organic mulches taking a longer time for decay and hence nutrient release.     

Carbon and nitrogen dynamics under windrowed residues during the establishment phase of a second-rotation hoop pine plantation in subtropical Australia

The dynamics of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), derived from the decomposition of windrowed harvest residues, was examined in the establishment phase of a second rotation (2R) hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii Aiton ex A. Cunn) plantation in subtropical Queensland, Australia. Following harvesting and site preparation, when residues were formed into windrows, in situ N mineralisation was measured in positions along the three tree-planting rows formed between the windrows. The position above the windrow had a higher nitrification rate than the other positions, averaging about 18 kg N ha⁻¹/month compared with 12 and 9 Kg N ha⁻¹ for the positions between and below the windrow positions, respectively. This position also had consistently greater soil moisture.

Macroplots were formed extending 5 m above and 10 m below a windrow. Windrowed residues within the macroplots were replaced by ¹⁵N-labelled material comprising hoop pine foliage, branch and stem. Hoop pine trees were planted within each macroplot with foliar samples taken at 12 and 24 months. Differences in foliar ¹⁵N enrichment between positions within macroplots were <1‰. Soil samples were taken from positions along the macroplots at 6-monthly intervals. Samples revealed an initial release of labile C and N but soil δ¹⁵N showed that residue-derived N was largely immobilised within the windrows for the 30-month sampling period. Whilst the use of windrows may act as a barrier to the down-slope movement of water, the residue N within the windrows may not be available to the trees of the following rotation for a considerable period following planting. Trees closest to the windrows may be able to introduce roots under the windrows thereby gaining access to the available N, but trees in the central tree planting row are unlikely to derive any significant benefit from the decomposition of windrowed residues.     

Comparison of stand dynamics after dieback caused by pine wilt disease among pine forests with different management regimes in western Japan

In pine forests damaged by pine wilt disease, in western Japan, the effect of protection regimes of pine trees on the stand dynamics were examined in the following four stands: (1) lightly damaged stand (age 30–40 years) with no procedure in operation for protecting pine trees; (2) severely damaged stand (age 30–40 years) with no procedure in place for protecting pine trees; (3) severely damaged stand (age 50 years) with a selective cutting of infected trees; (4) severely damaged stand (age 30–40 years) with a selective cutting of infected trees. All the stands had been abandoned before the pine wilt disease damage. The understory structure of the severely damaged stand with no protection procedure was similar to that of the lightly damaged stand. Frequent invasion by tree species and acceleration in the growth of understory trees occurred after the dieback in the selective cutting stand. These results suggest that a deficiency in the canopy layer caused by the dieback resulted in low disturbance intensity in the early stages after the dieback, but the selective cutting increased the intensity by the reduction in the understory as well as the canopy layer. The intensity of the disturbance in the selective cutting stands was larger in the younger stand because it had a higher density of selectively cut pine trees. The different stand structure of pine forests occurred after the dieback because the intensity of the disturbance varied as a result of the selective cutting operation and the stand age.     

林隙(GAP)干扰研究进展

本文系统地介绍了森林循环的理论、自然干扰的概念、林隙的一般特征和林隙干扰的时空格局。干扰是森林循环的驱动力,干扰形成的林隙是森林循环的起点。林隙的大小、形成年龄、形成方式以及形成木的特征是研究林隙特征的重要参数,虽然不同森林群落中,林隙干扰的频率和程度及其时空变化规律不同,但大多数森林的年平均干扰率是在１％左右。不同的森林类型中,大、小型干扰的比例不同。小型林隙干扰与大型灾难性干扰在不同时空条件下的组合,就形成了不同森林景观的时空变化格局。     

土壤水分动态对林地地表径流的影响概况

指出了土壤水分是影响地表径流产生重要因素之一 ,研究土壤水分在土壤中的分布、土壤水分动态变化规律以及影响土壤水分变化的因子 ,对林地的生态环境保护具有重要意义.土壤水分的分布受空间和时间的影响 ,不仅如此 ,土壤水分动态变化和分布规律还受到诸如气象因子、地形因子、地形利用因子、人为活动等因子的影响.这些影响因素都导致了土壤水分动态变化在空间和时间上的差异 ,从而导致了林地降雨-产流的差异.因此 ,深入研究影响土壤水分变化的各种因素 ,以及研究各种因素对土壤水分动态变化的作用规律 ,一方面能够为降雨-地表径流的发生规律提供参考 ,另一方面为保护林地植被生长提供了重要的条件.     

基于Google Earth Engine平台的大湄公河次区域2001—2019年植被NPP时空变化分析

为探明大湄公河次区域植被净初级生产力(NPP)时空变化特征,基于Google Earth Engine(GEE)云计算平台,利用MOD17A3HGF NPP时序数据,采用线性趋势分析方法,分析了2001—2019年大湄公河次区域植被NPP的时空变化特征。结果显示:(1)2001—2019年间大湄公河次区域植被NPP总体较高,植被NPP年均值整体上变化趋势不显著,变化波动较大,且与年均温度有显著的负相关性;(2)大湄公河次区域植被NPP年均值具有较明显的空间分异性规律,大体呈中部高,南、西南部略低的状态,与其主要河流流域有着重要的联系;(3)植被NPP变化趋势呈现基本不变、轻微改善的特征,改善区域主要位于中国云南省与广西,轻微退化区域主要位于老挝中部和缅甸北部;(4)GEE云平台解决了本地平台数据下载与存储不便等问题,整个大湄公河次区域植被NPP时空变化的数据处理在10 min内完成,GEE云平台在大范围、长时间尺度的研究中体现出了强大的优势。     

耕地集约利用与新型城镇化的耦合关联研究——以福建省为例

耕地集约利用与新型城镇化的协调发展对于推动乡村振兴和城乡统筹发展具有重要意义。以福建省9个设区市为研究对象,构建耕地集约利用与新型城镇化耦合协调发展评价指标体系,基于灰色关联度模型,定量评价2008—2018年两系统各要素间的耦合关联程度。同时运用熵权TOPSIS模型和耦合协调发展度模型,研究二者的综合发展水平及其耦合协调发展水平时空特征。结果表明:耕地集约利用与新型城镇化的关联度为0.761,达到较高关联,耕地集约利用为新型城镇化提供发展动力,新型城镇化为耕地集约利用提供要素支持;新型城镇化水平呈逐年上升趋势,而耕地集约利用水平保持稳定;两系统的耦合度先上升后下降,耦合度阶段总体上由中度耦合进入高度耦合,空间分布上呈现出由东西高南北低到南北高中间低演变的特点;二者的协调发展水平总体呈上升态势,协调发展等级由轻度失调衰退过渡为勉强协调发展,空间上主要表现为东高西低的分布格局;相对发展程度状况呈现出耕地集约利用滞后的发展态势。因此,福建省应在现有的资源禀赋上科学投入,以提高耕地集约利用水平,均衡新型城镇化发展差异,完善制度配套,推动协调发展。     

From statistics to grids: A two-level model to simulate crop pattern dynamics

Crop planting patterns are an important component of agricultural land systems. These patterns have been significantly changed due to the combined impacts of climatic changes and socioeconomic developments. However, the extent of these changes and their possible impacts on the environment, terrestrial landscapes and rural livelihoods are largely unknown due to the lack of spatially explicit datasets including crop planting patterns. To fill this gap, this study proposes a new method for spatializing statistical data to generate multitemporal crop planting pattern datasets. This method features a two-level model that combines a land-use simulation and a crop pattern simulation. The output of the first level is the spatial distribution of the cropland, which is then used as the input for the second level, which allocates crop censuses to individual gridded cells according to certain rules. The method was tested using data from 2000 to 2019 from Heilongjiang Province, China, and was validated using remote sensing images. The results show that this method has high accuracy for crop area spatialization. Spatial crop pattern datasets over a given time period can be important supplementary information for remote sensing and thus support a wide range of application in agricultural land systems.