New Grouped Harvesting-Based Population Structures of Cotton

The construction of rational population structures is an important cultivation basis to achieve high yield and quality of cotton. ‘Small-sized plant under high plant density’, ‘moderate-sized plant under moderate plant density’ and ‘large-sized plant under low plant density’ are three types of traditional cotton population structures in China, which have been widely used in China's major cotton planting regions of Northwest inland, Yellow River and Yangtze River valley, respectively, and have played key roles in achieving stable and high yields of cotton in the nation. However, in the new era of cotton industry development, there occur such disadvantages that the traditional population structures are not suitable for grouped harvesting as well as both fiber quality and production efficiency improvements. The exploration of new population structures has become an important approach in the new period of cotton cultivation. In this paper, we concisely reviewed the main features and the disadvantages of traditional population structures. Based on the needs of light and cost-saving cultivation as well as quality improving and efficiency increasing in the new era, it was suggested that constructing 3 new types of population structures adapted to grouped harvesting, ‘reduced plant density with healthy plants’, ‘increased plant density with robust plants’, and ‘direct seeding and close planting with short plants’ to substitute the three traditional structures. On this basis, the key indicators and regulation technologies of the 3 new population structures were mainly discussed, and the future development of the new population structures both in research and practice were also prospected.     

Assessing the utility of topographic variables in predicting structural complexity of tree stands in a reforested urban landscape

The transformation of natural landscapes into impervious built-up surfaces through urbanization is known to significantly interfere with the ecological integrity of urban landscapes and accelerate climate change and associated impacts. Although urban reforestation is widely recognised as an ideal mitigation practice against these impacts, it often has to compete with other lucrative land uses within an urban area. The often limited urban space provided for reforestation therefore necessitates the optimization of the ecological benefits, which demands spatially explicit information. The recent proliferation of tree stands structural complexity (SSC) and topographic data offer great potential for determining the ecological performance of reforested areas across an urban landscape. This study explores the potential of using topographic datasets to predict SSC in a reforested urban landscape and ranks the value of these topographic variables in determining SSC. Tree structural data from a reforested urban area was collected and fed into a tree stand structural complexity index, which was used to indicate ecological performance. Topographic variables (Topographic Wetness Index, slope, Area Solar Radiation and elevation)- were derived from a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and used to predict SSC using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression technique. Results show that SSC varied significantly between the topographic variables. Results also show that the topographic variables could be used to reliably predict SSC. As expected, the Topographic Wetness Index and slope were the most important topographic determinants of SSC while elevation was the least valuable. These results provide valuable spatially explicit information about the ecological performance of the reforested areas within an urban landscape. Specifically, the study demonstrates the value of topographic data as aids to urban reforestation planning.     

Does full protection count for the maintenance of β‐diversity patterns in marine communities? Evidence from Mediterranean fish assemblages

1. Although it is widely recognized that protection may enhance size, abundance, and diversity of fish, its effect on spatial heterogeneity of fish assemblages and species turnover is still poorly understood.
2. Here the effect of full protection within a Mediterranean marine protected area on β‐diversity patterns of fish assemblages along a depth gradient comparing a no‐take zone with multiple unprotected areas is explored. The no‐take zone showed significantly higher synecological parameters, higher β‐diversity among depths, and lower small‐scale heterogeneity of fish assemblages relative to unprotected areas.
3. Such patterns might likely depend on the high level of fishing pressure outside the no‐take zone, as also abundance‐biomass curves seemed to indicate. Results suggested that full protection could play a role in maintaining high β‐diversity, thus reducing the fragility of marine communities and ecosystems, and spatial heterogeneity may represent a reliable predictor of how management actions could provide insurance against undesirable phase shifts.

     

基于PSR模型的黄河陕西段鱼类增殖放流生态安全评价

基于压力、状态、响应模型(PSR)和层次分析法(AHP),确定17项指标通过数据的标准化处理,指标权重赋值、权重一致性检验、评价等级确定以及评价模型的构建,用生态安全评价黄河陕西段鱼类增殖放流效果,分析生态安全所面临的主要问题。结果表明:黄河陕西段2013年增殖放流生态安全度(ESI)评价等级为Ⅱ级,为良好状态;2014年评价等级为Ⅲ级,处于一般状态;2015年评价等级为Ⅳ级,处于较差状态,属于临界不安全状态以下水平。生态安全形势呈现出逐年下降局势。不安全状态受到影响较大的前3个指标是:黄河径流量变化影响、重要生境保持率和公众资源环境保护意识的影响,3个指标下降值占到下降ESI值的64.93%。其次还受到污水排放达标率、鱼类增殖放流量、政策和管理水平、鱼类生物多样性指数、保护区建设、水质综合污染指数、群落结构等诸多因素影响。研究显示,现阶段增殖放流对黄河生态安全有一定影响,还存在一定提升空间。     

Coexisting invasive gobies reveal no evidence for temporal and trophic niche differentiation in the sublittoral habitat of Lake Erhai,China

Niche differentiation facilitates the coexistence of species within a community through avoidance of competition via mechanisms involving spatial, temporal and/or trophic dimensions. Where invasive species coexist in their non‐native range, niche differentiation could allow their persistence at higher levels of abundance. Here, we tested whether there was temporal and/or trophic niche differentiation between two congeneric invasive goby species (Rhinogobius cliffordpopei and Rhinogobius giurinus) in the sublittoral habitat of Lake Erhai (south‐west China) through quantifying their diel and seasonal rhythm of locomotion activities, feeding activities and diet composition. Both species displayed two similar diel peaks in activity and two main feeding periods (6:00–10:00 and 18:00–22:00), with rhythms of locomotion and feeding activity not differing significantly between the species in each season. Their diets had a high degree of overlap, being primarily composed of macrozooplankton, aquatic insects and shrimp larvae, with no diel changes across the seasons. Thus, in this habitat, there was no clear temporal or trophic niche differentiation between the invasive congeners, indicating their coexistence with high temporal and trophic overlap. In conjunction with data from the littoral and profundal habitats, the gobies revealed different strategies across the habitats (e.g. spatial segregation, trophic niche differentiation) that minimised their competitive interactions and promoted their coexistence. This suggests that the interactions of invasive fishes during the integration into native communities can be context dependent, varying according to factors including habitat and the availability of food resources.     

Comparative functional responses of native and high‐impacting invasive fishes: impact predictions for native prey populations

Comparative functional responses (FRs) can predict impacts of invasive species, including piscivorous fishes, via quantifying their depletion of native food resources as a function of prey density. The utility of FRs for predicting impacts on prey populations by invasive fishes of different trophic guilds was tested here by comparing the FRs of the invaders Cyprinus carpio and Carassius auratus, with three native, trophically analogous fishes, Barbus barbus, Squalius cephalus and Tinca tinca. Chironomid larvae and Gammarus pulex were used as prey items. Predictions, developed from studies on the foraging of C. carpio and C. auratus in the literature, were that the invaders would have significantly higher consumption rates for chironomids than the native fishes, but not for G. pulex. Mean consumption rates for chironomids were significantly lower for both invaders than B. barbus and S. cephalus, but were similar to T. tinca. Barbus barbus had a significantly lower consumption rate of G. pulex than both invaders, but there were no significant differences between S. cephalus, T. tinca and the invaders. All FRs were type II, with FR curves for the invaders preying upon chironomids never being significantly higher than the native fishes, contrary to predictions. For G. pulex, some significant differences were apparent between the invaders and native fishes, but again were contrary to predictions. These results indicated that when predation impacts of invasive fishes could also be a function of their population density and body sizes, these parameters should be incorporated into FR models to improve impact predictions.     

京郊休闲型家庭农场发展创新策略及保障机制

北京郊区具备发展休闲型家庭农场的多种条件,可以通过理性规划,准确定位;注入农耕文化,融于体验;塑造品牌,注重营销的创新发展策略来展开。在此基础上,政府应通过加强引导,提供各种政策保障;调整发展思路,促进农场区域化发展;建立休闲型农场专门人才的培养机制,提升农场主文化与经营水平等一系列保障机制来实现。     

Long‐term habitat loss in a lightly‐disturbed population of the Indo‐Pacific humpback dolphin,Sousa chinensis

1. Coastal and estuarine waters are important ecosystems with high primary and secondary productivity, but they are prone to the impacts of habitat loss caused by anthropogenic activities. For species exclusively inhabiting coastal and estuarine waters, such as the Indo‐Pacific humpback dolphin, Sousa chinensis , irreversible habitat loss can have dramatic implications for population viability.
2. A Landsat image database was used to determine the extent of coastal changes along the northern Beibu Gulf, where a large humpback dolphin population is found. The results were compared with the standardized sighting gradient (SPUF) determined from a questionnaire survey of fishermen and likely core habitats identified by application of a global digital elevation model.
3. Both SPUF and likely core habitat results indicated a continuous distribution of the humpback dolphin along the northern Beibu Gulf. Landsat images revealed that 129.6 km² of coastal waters were permanently lost in the past 40 years, 60 km² within the likely core habitats. Although this may be considered small, the impact of such habitat loss could be substantial in some local habitats.
4. The humpback dolphin population in the northern Beibu Gulf should be regarded as one management unit, with two or more social subunits. Immediate systematic surveys are needed to fill information gaps on true distribution range and habitat‐use patterns.
5. Habitat protection actions for dolphins in the northern Beibu Gulf should include both core and linking habitats, including enacting protected areas in core habitats, mitigating anthropogenic impacts in likely habitats, restoring both coastal waters and surrounding landscape quality, effective treatment of industrial sewage discharge, and comprehensive environmental impact assessments for the planning of coastal development projects.

     

不同土壤条件下氮肥处理对小麦产量及品质的影响

为探讨不同土壤条件下氮肥处理对小麦产量及品质的影响,采用盆栽试验,以Egypt1和津强7号为供试材料,研究不同土壤条件下氮肥处理对小麦产量及品质的影响。试验设黑土、潮土2种土壤类型和不追肥、拔节期追氮肥、挑旗期追氮肥3种肥料处理,3次重复。结果表明: 在2种土壤条件下,小麦籽粒产量和各蛋白质组分产量表现为黑土>潮土,除球蛋白产量外,土壤处理间均差异显著。不同时期追施氮肥均显著提高了籽粒产量和蛋白质产量。黑土和潮土配合追施氮肥都可以有效提高小麦籽粒产量,改善品质。     

森林土壤动物生态功能研究进展

森林土壤动物是森林土壤生态系统中不可分割的重要组成部分，对森林土壤生态系统的物质循环和能量流动起着重要作用。文中综述了近10年森林土壤动物生态功能的相关研究进展，包括森林土壤动物对土壤理化性质、微生物、植物的影响以及外来土壤动物入侵对土壤生态系统的影响等；展望了我国森林土壤动物的未来研究方向，未来研究应多关注森林土壤动物生态功能的作用机制、森林土壤动物对全球变化的响应、外来土壤动物入侵对森林生态系统的影响、森林土壤动物种类的研究范围以及新技术的应用，以期为我国森林土壤动物生态功能、土壤动物与生态系统、可持续利用土壤动物等领域研究提供科学参考。