Evergreen broad-leaved forest improves soil water status compared with tea tree plantation in Ailao Mountains,Southwest China

Abstract

In this paper, the spatial-temporal dynamics of soil moisture content was investigated in an evergreen broad-leaved forest and a tea tree plantation in Ailao Mountains, which was dominated by Fagaceae (Castanopsis wattii and Lithocarpus xylocarpus). Soil moisture content was studied between January 2005 and December 2006 at different depths (from 0–150 cm) with a neutron probe. The results showed that mean soil moisture content in the evergreen broad-leaved forest was usually higher than in the tea tree plantation in the dry season, whereas it was lower than the tea tree plantation in the rainy season. In addition, mean soil moisture content was depth dependent, and in the 10–50 cm layer the spatial variability was due to the active root zone within this depth area in two types of land use. From 50–150 cm, the spatial variability was slightly increasing in the evergreen broad-leaved forest or relatively stable in the tea tree plantation. Our study also showed that soil moisture content was higher and more stable under the evergreen broad-leaved forest than the tea tree plantation, hence we stress that evergreen broad-leaved forest plays an important role in holding soil moisture. It is suggested that the protection of evergreen broad-leaved forest should be strengthened.     

微灌管网智能化设计系统研制

微灌管网智能化设计系统是利用地理信息系统技术,在对微灌管网水力学优化设计模型研究成果进行可视化技术集成的基础上建立的智能化设计系统。对该系统的数据库结构、功能结构和系统结构进行了详细阐述,分析了系统的实现难点和关键技术。该系统采用面向对象技术,具有可视化、智能化、易扩展、易操作等特点。     

西北地区东部夏季降水日数的变化趋势及其气候特征

以西北地区东部(95°E～112°E,32°N～41°N)104个测站1960～2000历年夏季(6～8月)降水日数资料为基础,通过EOF和REOF等分析方法,研究夏季降水日数时空分布的异常特征。结果表明西北地区东部夏季多年平均降水日数的地区分布特点是西部多、东部少,沿祁连山山脉存在一个降水日数较多中心区域,并且降水量和降水日数均呈增多趋势。降水日数的空间异常主要表现为一致性异常和南北相反异常两种类型。根据REOF方法可将西北区东部分为5个不同降水日数气候区,即甘肃中东部及河套区、渭水流域区、河西走廊区、青海高原北部区、青海南部区和四川北部区。20世纪80年代以来,西北地区东部大部分地区降水日数呈现减少的趋势。冬季(或夏季)青藏高原地面加热场强度偏强,甘肃河西及祁连山地区、宁夏南部等地夏季降水偏多(或少),青海东南部-甘肃南部-渭水流域夏季降水日数偏少(或偏多)。     

The use of herders’ accounts to map livestock activities across agropastoral landscapes in Semi-Arid Africa

Improved understandings of the agricultural and range ecologies ofsemi-arid Africa require better information on the spatiotemporal distributionof domestic livestock across agropastoral landscapes. An empirical GIS-basedapproach was developed for estimating distributions of herded livestock acrossthree agropastoral territories (around 100 km² each)over a two-year period. Algorithms developed from regression analyses of herdtracking data (with R²s 0.67) are used to transform a morecomprehensive but incomplete set of data generated from herders accounts oftheir herds grazing itineraries (400 herds following 6500 itineraries). Theresulting characterization registers 40 000 days of livestock activitiesacross694 land units (averaging 70 ha) over the study period. This studydemonstrates that rural producers knowledge of their daily extractionpracticescan be translated to fine-grained characterizations of extraction densitiesacross mixed landscapes. The spatiotemporal distribution of livestock that isrevealed by this approach diverges strongly from that predicted bycommonly-usedpoint-diffusion estimation procedures. Instead, the distribution reflects localpatterns of land use, topography, vegetation, settlements, and water points.Grazing and nongrazing times spent in land units are not spatially correlatedand the seasonality of grazing pressure is spatially variable. Therefore, theecological impacts of livestock grazing are spatially variable at fine scalesand there is a significant potential for livestock-mediated nutrient transfersacross agropastoral landscapes. The georeferenced data produced by thisapproachnot only will help evaluate the impact and sustainability of differentmanagement practices but also provides a strong empirical base for improvedspatial modeling of herded livestock.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

基于RS和GIS的吉林省城乡居民地区划特征分析

探讨吉林省的城乡居民地的空间格局对于城镇建设和相关基础设施建设无疑具有很大的参考价值。本文以TM为数据源提取了吉林省居民地空间分布信息。在GIS技术支撑下,结合区划理论和聚落地理学说,分析了吉林省城乡居民地的空间格局。结果表明,吉林省城乡居民地空间分布区划为三个区,分别是东部区、中部区和西部区。中部区城镇居民地和农村居民地密集,且城镇化程度最高;东、西部区城镇居民地景观指数无明显差别,但农村居民地的景观指数明显有差别。从居民地分布类型来看,城镇居民地与农村居民地在各区内都呈随机分布,但其指示参数最近邻点指数还是体现出明显的区划差异。     

Spatial and temporal patterns of Lolium rigidum–Avena sterilis mixed populations in a cereal field

Through a detailed case study of a two‐species (Lolium rigidum and Avena sterilis) weed community at contrasting scales, this paper examined factors that affect weed distribution across space and time in a commercial wheat field in north‐east Spain. A. sterilis showed relatively stable spatial distribution and spatial structure of its population over time at large scale, with well‐defined patches, although weed density rose quickly. L. rigidum showed poorly defined patches that were not stable across time. Interaction between species could explain to some degree the spatial distribution at large scale: a negative relationship was detected between the spatial structures of both weed populations. At fine scale, both species showed a clear interaction effect from primary dispersal (more important in A. sterilis) and secondary dispersal from combine harvesting (more important in L. rigidum).     

Genetic diversity decreases as population density declines: Implications of temporal variation in mitochondrial haplotype frequencies in a natural population of Tscherskia triton

Although the spatial genetic differentiation that occurs in animal populations has been extensively studied, information on temporal variations in genetic structure and diversity is still lacking, especially for animals with oscillating populations. In the present study, we used the mtDNA D‐loop sequence to assess the temporal genetic variation in samples from six successive years for the greater long‐tailed hamster, Tscherskia triton. Sampling was carried out between 1998 and 2003 in cropland on the North China Plain, China. A total of 108 individuals were analyzed. The temporal samples showed a high level of genetic diversity. Substantial genetic changes in haplotype frequencies over time were detected for the hamster population. Random genetic drift and migration are likely to be the major factors responsible for the observed temporal pattern. The genetic diversity of the hamster population was higher in years with higher population density, and lower in years with lower population density. The result supports our hypothesis that genetic diversity decreases when population density declines in animals whose population oscillates greatly between years. The combined effects of inbreeding and genetic drift caused by reproduction, dispersal and population size might play important roles in the observed changes in genetic structure and diversity between years.     

苜蓿黄萎病菌在我国的适生性分析研究

本文以适生性评判指标分析为基础,采用生物学建模与GIS分析相结合的方法,依据我国677个气象站点的逐月气温数据以及全国土壤pH等值线图,对苜蓿黄萎病菌在我国的适生性作了分析研究。结果表明,苜蓿黄萎病菌在我国的适生性强,适生范围较广,每年4~9月份,该病菌在我国西北、东北以及华北地区的适生程度处于较高水平。鉴于此,我国应加强苜蓿黄萎病菌的植物检疫措施力度,严防该病的传入或扩散。     

Identification of Landscape Elements Related to Local Declines of a Boreal Grey-sided Vole Population

Several studies indicate a long-term decline in numbers of different species of voles in northern Fennoscandia. In boreal Sweden, the long-term decline is most pronounced in the grey-sided vole (Clethrionomys rufocanus). Altered forest landscape structure has been suggested as a possible cause of the decline. However, habitat responses of grey-sided voles at the landscape scale have never been studied. We analyzed such responses of this species in lowland forests in Västerbotten, northern Sweden. Cumulated spring densities representing 22 local time series from 1980–1999 were obtained by a landscape sampling design and were related to the surrounding landscape structure of 2.5×2.5 km plots centred on each of the 22 1-ha trapping plots. In accordance with general knowledge on local habitat preferences of grey-sided voles, our study supported the importance of habitat variables such as boulder fields and old-growth pine forest at the landscape scale. Densities were negatively related to clear cuts. Habitat associations were primarily those of landscape structure related to habitat fragmentation, distance between habitat patches and patch interspersion rather than habitat patch type quantity. Local densities of the grey-sided vole were positively and exponentially correlated with spatial contiguity (measured with the fragmentation index) of old-growth pine forest, indicating critical forest fragmentation thresholds. Our results indicate that altered land use might be involved in the long-term decline of the grey-sided vole in managed forest areas of Fennoscandia. We propose two further approaches to reveal and test responses of this species to changes in landscape structure.     

Habitat Selection and Breeding Success in a Forest-nesting Alcid, the Marbled Murrelet, in Two Landscapes with Different Degrees of Forest Fragmentation

We studied habitat selection and breeding success in marked populations of a protected seabird (family Alcidae), the marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus), in a relatively intact and a heavily logged old-growth forest landscape in south-western Canada. Murrelets used old-growth fragments either proportionately to their size frequency distribution (intact) or they tended to nest in disproportionately smaller fragments (logged). Multiple regression modelling showed that murrelet distribution could be explained by proximity of nests to landscape features producing biotic and abiotic edge effects. Streams, steeper slopes and lower elevations were selected in both landscapes, probably due to good nesting habitat conditions and easier access to nest sites. In the logged landscape, the murrelets nested closer to recent clearcuts than would be expected. Proximity to the ocean was favoured in the intact area. The models of habitat selection had satisfactory discriminatory ability in both landscapes. Breeding success (probability of nest survival to the middle of the chick rearing period), inferred from nest attendance patterns by radio-tagged parents, was modelled in the logged landscape. Survivorship was greater in areas with recent clearcuts and lower in areas with much regrowth, i.e. it was positively correlated with recent habitat fragmentation. We conclude that marbled murrelets can successfully breed in old-growth forests fragmented by logging.