The current status, threats and protection way of Sanjiang Plain wetland, Northeast China

The Sanjiang Plain is a vast area of alluvial floodplains and low hills in northeast Heilongjiang Province. It is the largest tract of wetlands in China and East Asia outside of Siberia. 28 wetland nature reserves exist on the Sanjiang Plain, and three of them have been listed as wetlands of international importance to water bird conservation by the Ramsar Convention Bureau. The wetlands of Sanjiang Plain are noteworthy for its rich biodiversity, but they continue to decline in area and deteriorate in quality currently. The main threats or constrains, immediate cause, root cause and required response are analyzed in this paper, and the four aspects opinion such as improvement of watershed management, enhancement of protection and restoration of habitats and biodiversity, alternative livelihoods of rural residents living in and near natural wetland reserve, and reinforcement of capacity building of natural reserves are brought forward as the effective measures for the Sanjiang Plain wetland protection.     

东北三江平原湿地现状、面临的威胁和保护措施

三江平原是黑龙江省东北部由冲积平原和低山组成的广袤区域,它是中国和东亚最大的一片湿地.三江平原现有28个湿地保护区,其中3个被列为Ramsar公约有重要国际影响的湿地.三江平原湿地具有丰富的生物多样性,但随着近年来开发的加剧,三江平原湿地的面积不断缩小,湿地的质量逐步恶化.本文在阐述了三江平原湿地现状的同时,对湿地面临的主要威胁、退化的主要原因以及亟待解决的问题做了深入的分析,同时提出了改善流域的管理、加强湿地生境与生物多样性的保护与恢复、改变湿地周边地区居民的生活方式及强化湿地保护的能力建设等4个方面保护三江平原湿地的有效措施.     

Biomass structure and nitrogen, phosphorus nutrient of Calamagrostis angustifolia populations in different communities of Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China

Calamagrostis angustifolia is the dominant species in the typical meadow and marsh meadow communities of Sanjiang Plain. The study on its biomass, the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contents in its different organs showed that the biomass of different C. angustifolia organs in the two types of wetland communities was distinctly different, which could be described by polynomial. The biomass of aboveground part and each organ presented single peak changing, with the maximum value of the latter occurred 15 days after. The F/C values were all less than 1, which were bigger in typical meadow than those in marsh meadow. The total N and P contents in different organs of aboveground part all descended monotonically in growth season, with the order of leaf>vagina>stem. The change of total N content in roots of the two types of C. angustifolia was consistent, while that of total P was quite different. The content of total N, ammonium nitrogen (NH₄ ⁺-N) and nitrate nitrogen (NO₃ ⁻-N), especially of NH₄ ⁺-N and NO₃ ⁻-N, varied widely in different organs, with NH₄ ⁺-N/NO₃ ⁻-N>1. Root was the important storage of N and P, but the storage of N and P in stem, leaf and vagina fluctuated greatly. The N/P ratios of the two types of C. angustifolia were all less than 14, which implied that N might be the limiting nutrient of C. angustifolia, and the limitation degree was higher in typical meadow than that in marsh meadow. __________ Translated from Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 2006, 17(2): 221–228 [译自: 应用生态学报]     

三江平原湿地生态环境变化分析

湿地是自然界重要的自然资源和生态系统．近年来．由于全球人口、资源、环境与发展等方面相互矛盾的日趋尖锐,湿地资源的潜力和功能遭受破坏,因此如何评估湿地资源面临的各种压力、分析湿地所处在的状态、揭示湿地的演变规律,对保护湿地起着至关重要的作用．以1986和2000年遥感影像作为信息源,在GIS技术的支持下建立了三江平原湿地空间信息数据库．以压力-状态-响应(PSR)模型作为研究方法,建立了一套湿地生态评价指标体系．通过选取反映压力、状态以及响应等的指标,对该区湿地生态环境的动态变化进行了分析．     

Diversity of non-timber forest products in Cachar District,Assam, India

We identified 67 and 21 NTFP-yielding plant and animal species, respectively, in a reserve forest in Cachar district of Assam. We recorded globally threatened species listed by IUCN as Critically Endangered （plant species Dipterocarpus turbinatus）, Vulnerable （plant species Aquillaria malaccensis）, Endangered （animal species Hoolock hoolock, Indotestudo elongata and Manis pentadactyla）, and Vulnerable （animal species Nilssonia hurum and Rusa unicolor）. The whole plant or animal and/or their various parts were used as food or medicine, in house construction, magico-religious activities and others. While some NTFPs were harvested throughout the year, others were harvested seasonally. A comprehensive NTFP policy, along with scientific measures for regen- eration, restoration and augmentation of NTFP-yielding plants and animals, would help in addressing the conflicting demands of conservation and livelihood in the forests of this area.     

Has deregulation of non-timber forest product controls and marketing in Orissa state (India) affected local patterns of use and marketing

State control of marketing agricultural or forestry products may lead to a trade monopoly and restricted competition, resulting in inequitable returns to producers. Consequently, market deregulation for agriculture and other natural products has been advocated to improve market efficiencies, participation and returns for the producers and local traders. The study examines the impact of deregulation of state marketing controls on collection, sale and returns to extractors and traders from non-timber forest products. It assessed whether deregulation policy resulted in greater benefits to primary extractors and a win–win situation for both producers and traders? Mixed effects were found, with no significant changes in terms of trade, demand, or quantum of consumption; but there was an overall increase in the procurement price for several products following deregulation. The collection and farm gate price of tree based oilseeds and honey increased due to lower transaction costs, and ease of trading with a continued demand for these products. The impact on less valuable products was insignificant. Abolition of monopolistic trading increased competition and had a pull effect on the local market prices of several NTFPs. Although traders paid a higher price to procure products, overall they also benefited being able to sell the purchased products to merchants and manufacturers at a better margin than previously.     

Participatory technology development for incorporating non-timber forest products into forest restoration in Yunnan,Southwest China

Indigenous knowledge has become a topic of considerable interest within the research and development environment. Incorporating indigenous knowledge into state-led ‘top-down’ conservation and development programmes, however, is still a great challenge. This paper presents a case from Yunnan, Southwest China, in which indigenous knowledge has been integrated into the development of an agroforestry model with non-timber forest products for the Sloping Land Conservation Programme (SLCP) by using a participatory technology development (PTD) approach. This approach was adopted to increase the likelihood that technologies developed would be suitable for resource-poor households. It is expected that integrating indigenous and scientific knowledge, will lead to positive ecological and economic outcomes. Finally, the paper argues that the integration of indigenous knowledge in both forestry policy formulation and implementation is important in the context of sustainable forest management in mountain areas.     

The role of non-timber forest products during agroecosystem shift in Xishuangbanna,southwestern China

There are few observations on the role of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in shifting from subsistence to commercial plantation-dominated systems with long-term monitoring, despite interests in NTFPs for sustainable development and livelihood dependence. During 1998–2004, we conducted an annual survey of households in the two villages, Baka and Daka, which represent different stages in the shift from a subsistence agroecosystem to a rubber plantation-dominated system in Xishuangbanna, southwestern China. Significant negative correlations were observed between gross income and dependence on NTFPs-generated income in both Baka and Daka villages (P = 0.029 in Baka and P = 0.028 in Daka), which is supporting evidence that poorer households derive greater benefits from NTFPs than do wealthy households. When the rubber price dropped during 1998–2001, the NTFPs income of Baka increased greatly from US$59.10 to US$145 per household, or from 6.4% to 26.6% of household gross income. In contrast, in Daka village, NTFPs income increased by insignificant amounts of US$1.6 per household in 1998 to US$23.8 in 2001, but this was compensated by an increase in income from off-farm work of US$11 to US$147 (an increase from 1.8% to 16.2% of gross income per household) from 1998 to 2001 in Daka. NTFPs retained important roles both in alleviating risk associated with monoculture price fluctuations and in generating income for relatively poor people.     

三江平原典型湿地毛果苔草养分含量及累积特征

以三江平原典型湿地毛果苔草群落为研究对象,在2007年5月至2008年9月研究了毛果苔草植物地上和地下部生物量季节动态以及养分（氮、碳、磷）特征。结果表明：毛果苔草地上生物量随着植物的生长符合二次函数模型,地下生物量随着植物的生长符合指数增长模型。毛果苔草地上、地下部分有机碳含量随植物生长均呈显著正的线性相关,相关系数分别是0.983和0.746。地上、地下有机碳累积量随着植物生长的变化趋势与其生物量的变化是一致的,随着植物的生长符合二次函数模型。毛果苔草地上、地下部分总氮含量和积累量随着植物的生长分别符合指数递增模型。毛果苔草磷含量随着植物的生长分别符合二次函数模型,但是磷累积量随着植物的生长分别符合线性增长模型。植物生长季毛果苔草植物体碳/氮的大小与其总氮含量呈反比关系,碳/磷的大小与其总磷含量呈反比关系,研究表明氮含量是毛果苔草生长过程中的限制性养分。     

东北林区森林凋落物中的有机酸分析

落叶松(Larixolgensis)、水曲柳(Fraxinusmandshurica)、红松(Pinuskoraiensis)、白桦(Betulaplatyphylla)是东北林区主要造林树种。于2002年10月初,在东北林业大学帽儿山实验林场老爷岭和尖砬沟试验站(45?2?45?0碞,127?0?127?8碋)采集了4个树种林分的森林凋落物样品。采用气相色谱法对当年新鲜凋落物及半分解凋落物中有机酸进行了定性、定量分析。鉴定出13种有机酸,包括草酸、丙二酸、反丁烯二酸、丁二酸、顺丁烯二酸、苹果酸、柠檬酸、棕榈酸、硬脂酸、油酸、亚油酸、亚麻酸、花生酸。结果表明:对于新鲜凋落物而言,所测的7种低分子量有机酸中草酸含量最大,一般高于30mg/g;6种高级脂肪族酸中油酸或亚油酸含量最大,高于40mg/g;在半分解凋落物中,草酸含量最多,其次为亚油酸,再次为油酸;同一树种新鲜凋落物中有机酸种类和含量明显多于半分解凋落物。图5表2参10。     

Analysis of organic acids in seleted forest litters of Northeast China

Larch(Larix olgensis), Manchurian ash(Fraxinus mandshurica), Korean pine(Pinus koraiensis) and White birch(Betula platyphylla) are the major planting species in northeast China. The samples of forest litters were collected from the stands of the above 4 species in Laoyeling and Jianlagou experiment stations of Maorshan Exp. Forest Farm (45°12′–45°30′N, 127°30′–127°48′E), Northeast Forestry University, in early October 2002. Quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis were carried out on the organic acids existing in freshly fallen litters (L layer) and hemi-decomposed litters (F layer) of the four forest species by using Gas Chromatogram system. A wide variety of organic acids were identified, including oxalic, malonic, fumaric, succinic, maleic, malic, citric, C₁₆:O, C₁₈:O, C₁₈:1, C₁₈:2, C₁₈:3 and C₂₀:O acids. In respect of L litters of all samples, the oxalic acid content (over 30 mg/g) was the highest of the seven low-molecular-weight organic acids identified, while the content of oleic or linoleic (above 40mg/g) was found to be highest among the six high aliphatic acids identified. As to F litters, oxalic acid content was also the highest, followed by linoleic and oleic. For the same tree species or the same forest, the kinds and contents of organic acids in L litters were more abundant than that in F litters. Foundation item: This paper is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (30170768) Biography: SONG Jin-feng (1976-), female, doctor postgraduate, Harbin 150040, P. R. China. Responsible editor: Chai Ruihai     

Determinants of engagement in non-timber forest products (NTFPs) business activities: A study on worker households in the forest areas of Daxinganling and Xiaoxinganling Mountains,northeastern China

This study used data of 128 worker households that possessed woodland resources and owned by seven forestry bureaus (counties) belonging to the forest areas of Daxinganling and Xiaoxinganling Mountains to analyze the behavioral characteristics of worker households that engaged in non-timber forest products (NTFPs) business activities. A logistic regression model was utilized to analyze factors that influenced worker households to engage in NTFPs business activities. The study found the following: NTFPs collection activities had become the primary NTFPs business activity engaged in by the worker households in the forest areas of Daxinganling and Xiaoxinganling Mountains because of the relatively small investment needed as well as fewer production and operating risks. The engagement of worker households in the forest areas of Daxinganling and Xiaoxinganling Mountains in NTFPs business activities was still in a preliminary stage. Whether or not worker households engaged in NTFPs business activities was not affected by household head or household manpower characteristics; rather, worker households were more willing to engage in NTFPs business activities when the households had bank deposits, homes were close to the woodlands, the woodlands had good quality soil, and the households received social services.     

东北过伐林区主要森林类型林分蓄积量生长模型

以吉林省汪清林业局金沟岭林场的主要森林类型为对象,基于小班调查数据,利用R ichards、Logistic、单分子、Gompertz和Korf 5种理论生长方程,建立了林分蓄积量生长模型,采用模型拟合统计量、误差及残差分布对模型进行评价和检验。结果表明:白桦林、人工混交林、天然针阔混交林用R ichards模型最好,人工落叶松林、阔叶混交林、天然针叶混交林用Logistic模型最好。研究结果为该地区森林生长预测和经营优化提供了参考和依据。     

Ecological, socio-cultural, economic and political factors influencing the contribution of non-timber forest products to local livelihoods: Case studies from honduras and the Philippines

Discussion of the role of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in efforts to reconcile the objectives of forest conservation and rural development has often been hampered by limited understanding of the complexity of the factors that affect the contribution of NTFPs to local livelihoods. By drawing upon two case studies where NTFPs play an important role - the municipality of Lepaterique in Honduras and Palawan Island in the Philippines - this study emphasizes that an ideal extractive system should be based on a mix of products to enable sustainable harvesting throughout the year. The study also demonstrates that considerable attention needs to be paid to the socio-cultural heterogeneity of resource users, and to the value chain structure, access and control over resources and political transparency that affect the opportunities for local people to benefit from NTFP extraction.     

Analysis of environmental effects of prospective trade agreements: the forest products ATL as a case study in the science–policy interface

In the past few decades, the interaction between commodity trade and environmental conditions in both exporting and importing countries has received increasing attention. Recognition of accumulating and expanding environmental consequences of economic activity coincides with an increase in the absolute value and relative importance of trade in the global economy. Therefore, efforts to further reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade are prospectively attractive economic policies and, at the same time, potentially problematic from the perspective of environmental policy objectives. As is the case with many contemporary policy debates, the trade and environment debate is frequently characterized by rhetoric and advocacy of positions. Although examination of the consequences of specific trade policies is complicated by the nature of trade negotiations, opportunities exist to use science in formulating and evaluating policies. In the late 1990s, the forest sector was one of eight sectors targeted for accelerated tariff reduction. In response to concerns about the environmental consequences of the initiative, the US government conducted a first-of-its kind, quantitative study of the economic and environmental effects of the trade policy initiative on the forest sector. Although the multi-sector initiative was not implemented, successful completion of the analysis contributed to policy deliberations in a highly-charged atmosphere (during preparations for the 1999 World Trade Organization Ministerial meeting in Seattle). Demonstration of the ability to provide relevant, technically-credible results is among the factors providing support for the idea of environmental review of future US trade agreements. Therefore, the process and the results of the review of this trade initiative provide a useful case study in the science–policy interface.     

Comparison of water quality in two catchments with different forest types in the headwater region of the Hun River,Northeast China

In the headwater catchments of the Hun River,Northeast China, secondary forests(SF) have been replaced by plantations since the 1960 s. Concern has been growing over this loss and the decline in water quality caused by the plantations. To test the effects of plantations on water quality, we selected two separate catchments covered by SF and Pinus koraiensis plantations(KP) to monitor physical and chemical properties of various hydrological variables including throughfall, stemflow,through-litterfall and runoff(flowing out of outlets of the catchments). The physical properties of water declined after water flowed through the two catchments as compared with rainwater. The pH of runoff in both catchments also dramatically decreased. The concentrations of Cl^-, NO_3^- and NH_4^+ in the runoff from the two catchments were similar(concentrations of Cl-and NH_4^+ in both catchments were similar to those in rainwater). Total P concentration in runoff of the SF catchment was higher than that of the KP catchment(P concentrations in both catchments were also higher than in rainwater) because P concentrations in litter and soil of the SF catchment were higher than those in the KP catchment. In summary, the rainwater became acidic in both catchments, but the responses of most water quality variables were similar in the two catchments, suggesting that appropriate ratios of KP in SF are feasible for secondary forest recovery and for preserving water quality(KP did not cause a decline in quality) in the headstream regions in Northeast of China.     

Long-term effect of different planting proportions on forest landscape in Great Xing’an Mountains, Northeast China after the catastrophic fire in 1987

A landscape model (LANDIS) was used to study the long-term forest dynamics under five planting types (100% larch (P₁); 70% larch and 30% Mongolian Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica) (P₂); 50% larch and 50% Mongolian Scotch pine (P₃); 30% larch and 70% Mongolian Scotch pine (P₄); 100% Mongolian Scotch pine (P₅)), which were also employed in severely burned area under current planting intensity, and under natural regeneration (as a comparison) in Tuqiang Forest Bureau in the northern slopes of Great Xing’an Mountains after the catastrophic fire in 1987. Results showed that different planting types had a significant influence on the abundance of larch, Mongolian Scotch pine and white birch. The abundance of larch increased with time, whereas the abundance of Mongolian Scotch pine was in a converse way. The abundance of larch and Mongolian Scotch pine under these planting scenarios was higher than that under natural regeneration. Under these planting scenarios, the abundance of larch increased with the increasing proportion of larch, and the abundance of Mongolian Scotch pine was in a similar way. Contrary to larch and Mongolian Scotch pine, white birch had higher abundance under natural regeneration than that under these planting scenarios. Also, the different proportions of larch and Mongolian Scotch pine had an influence on the abundance of white birch. White birch had higher abundance with the increasing proportion of Mongolian Scotch pine. As for the total abundance of larch and Mongolian Scotch pine, the difference was not significant under P₂, P₃ and P₄ scenarios, but was higher than that under P1 and P5 scenarios, which indicated that individual-species planting should not be used in the forest landscape. __________ Translated from Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 2006, 17(5): 855–861 [译自: 应用生态学报]     

蛟河市改培速生丰产用材林建设项目的分析

改培速生丰产用材林建设项目是吉林省林业厅为加快全省林业发展、实施"三大区域"发展战略、促进森林资源恢复性建设启动的林业重点工程。本文对蛟河市改培速生丰产用材林建设项目进展情况进行了总结分析,并对项目建设过程中存在的问题提出建议。     

Analysis of solute preferential transport in a dark coniferous forest ecosystem of Gongga Mountain,Sichuan Province,southwestern China

We selected a dark coniferous forest ecosystem of Gongga Mountain in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River as our research area to study the preferential flow and solute preferential transport by adding the tracers KNO3 and KBr to the self-made soil column equipment in different ways to examine density and volume changes of inflows and outflows of a mass input (impulse input) and a stable,well-distributed input (step input)).The results showed that this dark coniferous forest ecosystem of Gongga Mountain is a typical area of preferential flow and solute preferential transport,a process that can be classified into five parts.A great amount of solute was transported at high speed as the result of preferential flow in the soil and caused the density of the solute in both deep water and in groundwater to rise rapidly,which definitely increased pollution in the deep soil layer.     

大兴安岭主要森林类型林分空间结构及最优树种组成

以2011—2012年大兴安岭的44块固定样地调查数据为基础,以常用的林分空间结构参数(角尺度、大小比、混交度、林分空间结构指数和林分空间结构距离)为切入点,对大兴安岭主要森林类型的林分空间结构特征及最优树种组成进行研究。结果表明:天然落叶松林、针叶混交林以及针阔混交林的林木水平分布格局均表现为随机分布,而白桦林则为明显的聚集分布;4种林型中树木的生长整体处于中庸状态,落叶松处于明显优势地位,其他伴生树种则处于不同程度受压状态;落叶松混交程度随着其优势程度的增加而降低,其他伴生树种则具有较高的混交度,整体上天然落叶松林、白桦林的树种空间隔离程度较低,而针叶混交林、针阔混交林的林分平均混交度相对较高;大兴安岭4种主要森林类型林分空间结构的优劣表现为针阔混交林针叶混交林天然落叶松林天然白桦林;天然落叶松林最优的树种组成为8落,其次为7落。