Branch mortality and potential litterfall from Douglas-fir trees in stands of varying density

Forest floor characteristics influence nutrient cycling and energy flow properties of forest ecosystems, and determine quality of habitat for many forest plants and animals. Differential crown recession and crown development among stands of differing density suggest that an opportunity may exist to control the input of fine woody litter into the system by manipulating stand density. The objective was to measure the rate of branch mortality among stands of differing density and to estimate the range in total per hectare necromass inputs. Although litter traps are reliable for estimating per hectare rates of litterfall, branch mortality dating on sectioned stems uniquely allows assessment of several other litterfall components: (1) individual tree contributions to total litterfall; (2) the amount of branch material released by mortality, regardless of whether the branches are shed to the forest floor; (3) the distribution of basal diameters characterizing the litterfall from a given tree and stand. Twenty-four trees were felled and sectioned on permanent plots that were part of a silvicultural study of stand density regimes in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco.). Whorl branches were dissected out of bole sections to determine the dates of mortality, and a branch biomass equation was applied to estimate potential rate of litterfall. Periodic annual rates were expressed in four ways: (1) number of branches per tree; (2) mass of branches per tree; (3) mass of branches per unit of crown projection area; (4) mass of branches per hectare. For the growth periods investigated, larger trees and trees growing on denser plots tended to release a greater necromass through branch mortality. Average branch basal diameter generally decreased with increasing stand density. Annual branch mortality ranged from 33 to 430 g m⁻² crown projection area for individual trees, and from 236 to 1035 kg ha⁻¹ for individual plots. These rates approached the low end of the range of previously published fine litterfall rates for Douglas-fir. Rates on these plots were relatively low owing to the temporary delay in crown recession imposed by artificial thinning. A conceptual model of branch litter dynamics is presented to depict consistencies with crown development among stands managed under different density regimes.     

不同破坏方式对固定沙丘植被的影响

通过对吉林省前郭县乌兰图嘎林场固定沙丘植被试验区采取限制放牧与过度放牧的对比调查，结果得出，控制放牧有利于固定沙丘植被的恢复，可有效地提高草牧场植被的多样性和异质性；而过度放牧通常是吉林省西部草牧场退化的最重要原因。     

不同放牧制度对荒漠草原短花针茅空间异质性的影响

在不同放牧制度下,以荒漠草原短花针茅植物种群为研究对象,采用GS＋软件和地统计学分析方法对其空间异质性分布进行了研究。结果显示：对照区和划区轮牧区或自由放牧区都表现出很强的空间自相关性,且结构是导致短花针茅空间变异的主要因素。对照区、划区轮牧区和自由放牧区,短花针茅空间格局的分形维数相近,都接近于2。不同放牧制度下短花...     

基于地统计的额济纳绿洲地下水位埋深空间异质性研究

利用地统计学方法定量研究了额济纳绿洲地下水位埋深的空间异质性.结果表明:额济纳绿洲地下水位埋深分布有较大的空间异质性,地下水位埋深的理论模型为球体模型;额济纳绿洲地下水位埋深主要受结构性因子的影响;地下水位埋深的变程在22.6km左右.地下水位埋深的空间分布总体上表现为从南到北,从西向东逐渐增大的分布格局.局部分布上,...     

Seasonal patterns of photochemical capacity and spring phenology reveal genetic differentiation among native Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) populations in Scotland

Environment-driven genetic differentiation among populations is a common feature among forest trees, and an understanding of how populations have adapted to their home site conditions is essential for management and conservation practices. In Scotland, 84 native Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) woodlands are recognised by the Forestry Commission and they occupy highly diverse environments from the maritime west coast to continental sites in eastern Scotland. However, it is not known whether adaptations to local environments along sharp temperature and rainfall gradients have occurred in different populations and as a result, the seed transfer guidelines of the species are based only on data from isozymes and monoterpenes. In this study of an outdoor common-garden trial, we used chlorophyll fluorescence to examine whether seedlings from 32 open-pollinated families and eight populations from sites experiencing contrasting annual temperature regimes differed in their response to variation in natural outdoor temperatures between September 2009 and May 2010. In addition, growth initiation in spring was recorded. Photochemical capacity at photosystem II F_v/F_m showed a distinct seasonal trend and remained at relatively high levels (∼0.7) until November. Following a period of over 2 weeks with temperatures below or close to 0 °C, F_v/F_m started decreasing towards its minimum values recorded in early March when population means varied between 0.35 and 0.45. By early May and along with rising temperatures, photochemical capacity had recovered to the same level as observed in early November. Populations were found to respond differently to the cold period starting in December. The largest drop in photochemical capacity was observed in seedlings from a low-altitude population located in the maritime western Scotland, while in seedlings from higher-altitude locations in the cooler eastern Scotland, the response was smaller. In March, the recovery of photochemical capacity was slowest in seedlings from the mildest and coolest sites. Evidence of adaptive genetic differentiation was also found in spring phenology. Initiation of shoot elongation and needle flush were earlier in families from higher altitudes (cooler areas), but population differences were not significant at the α = 0.05 level. These results suggest that adaptation to the spatially heterogeneous environment in Scotland has taken place in Scots pine and that in order to minimise the risk of planting maladapted seed stock, the patterns of environmental and adaptive genetic variation should be taken into account in the management of genetic resources in this species.     

巢湖流域土地利用程度变化及其空间异质性分析

基于GIS和遥感平台提取巢湖流域范围,分析了2000-2013近15年来的巢湖流域土地利用程度及其空间异质性特征。研究表明:①近15年来,巢湖流域的土地利用结构变化较大,呈现"三减一增"的变化趋势,即林地、农地和水体呈下降趋势,建设用地呈上升趋势,其中,农地面积下降明显,建设用地面积增幅较大;②土地利用程度变化两极分化,弱土地利用程度显著下降,强土地利用程度明显增加。分析表明,2000—2013年的近15年间,弱和较弱土地利用程度的流域面积下降3 429 km~2,占总流域面积24.61%;较强和强土地利用程度的流域面积上升729 km~2,占总流域面积5.23%;③土地利用程度空间异质性分析表明,2000年和2013年巢湖流域土地利用程度全局空间自相关的Moran's I值分别为0.802 2和0.753 9,呈显著的正相关关系,表明巢湖流域土地利用程度不是无序的,而是具有明显的空间集聚性;局部空间自相关分析表明,LISA图显示土地利用程度的高高值区主要集聚在以合肥市区为核心的周围,低低值区主要集聚在以西南部的大别山森林地区和中部巢湖及沿湖周边。     

黄土丘陵小流域景观空间格局动态分析——以固原市上黄试区为例

 为黄土高原土地资源合理利用及区域可持续发展提供参考,以上黄试区为例,在地理信息系统支持下获得计算景观多样性的有关参数,选取斑块大小及数量、分维数、斑块伸长指数、多样性、优势度、均匀度和破碎度等指标,对黄土丘陵小流域10年来景观多样性动态变化进行分析。结果显示:1995—2004年,该试区总斑块数增加了6个,斑块变化明显的主要表现为:坡耕地及天然草地斑块分别减少19个和12个,人工草地斑块及梯田分别增加15个和9个;平均斑块面积及平均斑块周长分别下降了0.14hm2和185.36m2;梯田、天然草地、疏林地、园地及居民点用地分维数,都有不同程度的下降,而坡耕地、人工草地、灌木林地及未利用地景观的分维数有所上升,水浇地、川台地、乔木林地、水域景观分维数保持不变;上黄试区景观异质性特征表现为:均匀度指数下降5.86,景观破碎度指数上升0.002,人为干扰度增加1.95,景观类型多样性指数下降0.25,优势度指数上升0.25。目前,试区从耕地及草地为主的景观生态系统,转变为以林地和草地景观为主的高度异质化的景观生态系统,人类活动的干预,是驱动该试区景观空间格局变化的主要驱动因素。     

Growth modelling including size heterogeneity: Application to the intensive culture of white shrimp (P. vannamei) in freshwater

This article models the growth of a population in aquaculture, including the phenomenon of size heterogeneity. Experimental observations of six initial densities (90, 130, 180, 230, 280 and 330 shrimps m⁻²) in an intensive culture of Penaeus vannamei in freshwater were used to fit a growth model. For this, three mathematical functions were analysed (Gompertz, von Bertalanffy and Pütter), which were modified in order to include the effect of initial density. Two models were constructed, one assuming the hypothesis of homogeneous individual growth and the other including size-heterogeneity throughout the culture cycle. For the second case, a stabilisation time was evaluated which defines the future heterogeneity of the cohort. In each initial density, the stabilisation phase was reached at approximately 2 g. However, the time taken for this phase to start increased with increasing initial culture density. The modified von Bertalannfy function was the most effective of the three equations in predicting growth. The weight predictions, assuming homogeneity and variability of sizes, presented low Percentage Root Mean Square Errors (PRMSE). However, the inclusion of size variability in the fit produced better statistical results than when they were not included (PRMSE decreased from 16% to 12%). This confirms the importance of taking into account size heterogeneity at an intensive level. Particularly at the technical level when the aquaculture producer is required to make stocking and harvest plans.     

小兴安岭谷地云冷杉林土壤酶活性的异质性

利用传统统计学与地统计学相结合的方法对小兴安岭谷地不同死亡程度云冷杉林表层土壤（0~20cm）酶活性空间异质性和格局进行研究。结果表明：①土壤脲酶变异函数曲线的理论模型符合线性模型,土壤转化酶、碱性磷酸酶和过氧化氢酶的理论模型符合指数模型或球状模型。②土壤酶活性各项指标的空间变异主要是由结构性因素引起,土壤碱性磷酸酶活性和过氧化氢酶活性指标的空间自相关程度均属较强以上（空间结构比均在75%以上）,土壤转化酶为中等（空间结构比均在25%以上）,土壤脲酶在较弱到中等之间变化。③云冷杉林表层土壤过氧化氢酶的自相关范围最大（0.58~3.08 m）,转化酶和碱性磷酸酶分别为1.41~3.98 m和0.91~4.29 m,而土壤脲酶自相关范围最小（15.426~16.673 m）。④土壤转化酶、碱性磷酸酶和过氧化氢酶活性的空间格局明显,土壤转化酶、碱性磷酸酶、过氧化氢酶和土壤脲酶的分数维分别为1.930~1.990,1.910~1.986,1.923~1.997和1.936~1.970。     

Soil properties and their spatial pattern in an oasis on the lower reaches of the Tarim River, northwest China

In this study, classical, geostatistical methods and a geographical information system have been used to identify soil properties including soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (total N), salt content (SC) and soil moisture (SM), and their spatial variation as well as their relationships with groundwater, land use, and soil texture. The data came from 36 soil samples from 0 to 20 cm depth, and 36 groundwater samples in the Tikanlik Oasis on the lower reaches of the Tarim River, northwest China. The objective was to provide a scientific basis for understanding the heterogeneity of the spatial distribution of soil properties on a large scale with the goal of accelerating the sustainable development of agriculture in the oasis. The results showed that the SC and SM of the surface soil varied greatly, but the SOC and total N varied very little. A possible reason for the low variability of SOC and total N was the relatively consistent human activities within the typical agricultural oasis with more than 75% land used as cropland and orchards, because there was no significant effect of land use types on soil total N and SOC. Geostatistical analysis and the kriging estimator showed that SC and SM had a strong spatial autocorrelation. One-way ANOVA and LSD suggested that land use was the main structural indicator that resulted in the spatial autocorrelation of SC and SM within the 0-20 cm soil depth through its significant differences in soil texture, irrigation and groundwater. In particular, croplands and orchards had significantly higher SM, silt and clay particle percentages and lower SC compared to other land uses due to regular irrigation. Additionally, irrigation could effectively relieve the degree of the hazard from soil salt and soil water stress in cropland.