Determination of actual evapotranspiration and transpiration in desert sand dunes (Negev Desert) using different approaches

In an arid environment, especially in sandy areas where surface runoff is of no practical importance in the hydrological budget, it is rainfall, dewfall and evapotranspiration that become the most important variables. To assess actual evapotranspiration, several methods (flux-gradient, BREB, eddy correlation) were applied to data from the Nizzana experimental site in the northwestern Negev Desert. Additionally, a model specifically designed for arid environments is introduced in this paper. This zero plane model shows the most reasonable results compared with the other methods, which overestimate evapotranspiration to a large degree. It is shown that plant transpiration is the dominant process in total evapotranspiration while advective processes do not play a major role in the near-ground boundary layer, although the study area is influenced by a sea breeze. Actual transpiration of Artemisia monosperma was measured in a field experiment to validate the calculated evapotranspiration. The vegetation contributed 41% of the calculated total evapotranspiration in a single month.     

Ground vegetation under natural stress conditions in Scots pine forests on fixed sand dunes in southwest Estonia

Ecosystems on dunes are influenced by critical environmental factors (mineral nutrients, water deficiency, etc.) considered decisive for their existence. The present paper is based on studies carried out on dunes on the coastal area of the Baltic Sea, southwest Estonia. The nature of forest ecosystems on dunes was studied from the aspects of chemical characteristics of soil, vascular plant species richness and diversity. Sampling sites on the dunes with different heights were selected in Cladina and in Vaccinium vitis-idaea site-type Scots pine forests. Vascular plant species richness and diversity were related to edaphic gradients. On the dune with a height of 32.1 m a.s.l., significant relationships were revealed between the number of species of ground vegetation, pH, volumetric water content in soil and the position of the sample plots. No relationships were revealed between the number of vascular plant species, soil pH, volumetric water content and mineral nutrients on the dune with a height of 9 m a.s.l. The most frequent and abundant plant species on the higher dune were Deschampsia flexuosa, Vaccinium vitis-idaea and V. myrtillus; the highest number of species were found at the bottom of the dune, while on the top only some xeromorphic species such as Festuca ovina, Sedum acre and Crepis tectorum occurred. On the lower dune, the most frequent were Vaccinium vitis-idaea, V. myrtillus and Melampyrum pratense, while V. uliginosum was found only on the bottom and slope and Empetrum nigrum on the top of the dune.     

森林地上生物量多模式遥感信息动态分析及建模框架

森林控制着全球碳循环的动态,而森林地上生物量是固碳能力的重要标志,是评估森林碳收支的重要参数,是系统发挥其它生态功能的物质基础。基于任何单一的方法,如森林资源清查资料方法、遥感模型反演方法、通量观测法以及生态模型方法等均无法高效地刻画森林地上生物量及其动态变化信息。基于此,提出改进森林地上生物量估测精度的时空连续性的新思路和新方法,即基于已有的多模式遥感数据及产品、森林生态过程时空动态知识和各种地面连续观测数据提取的时空动态特征,采用同化算法进行遥感信息动态建模,生成高精度、时空连续、物理量一致的森林地上生物量及其动态变化产品。     

长白山高山冻原生态系统植被生物量分布和养分生物循环研究(英文)

A study was conducted to test the correlation between biomass and elevation and the differences in concentration and storks of nutrients among five vegetation types (Felsenmeer alpine tundra vegetation-FA, Lithic alpine tundra vegetation-LA, Typical alpine tundra vegetation-TA, Meadow alpine tundra vegetation MA, and Swamp alpine tundra vegetation-SA) on alpine tundra of Changbai Mountains,Jilin Province, China in growing seasons of 2003, 2004 and 2005. The biomass of 43 mono-species and soil nutrients in alpine tundra ecosystem were also investigated. Dominant species from Ericaceae (such as Rhododendron chrysanthum and Vaccinium jliginosum var.alpinum) were taken to analyze organ biomass distribution. Result showed that the biomass and elevation had a significant correlation (Biomass=-237.3 In(Elevation) 494.36; R2=0.8092; P＜0.05). No significant differences were found in phosphorus and sulphur concentrations of roots, stems and leaves among the five vegetation types. There were significant differences in nitrogen and phosphorus stocks of roots, stems and leaves and in sulphur stock of stems and leaves among TA, MA, and SA vegetation types (p＜0.05). The nutrient stock of five vegetations was averagely 72.46 kg·hm-2, of which N, P, S were 48.55, 10.33 and 13.61 kg·hm-2, respectively. Soil N and S concentrations in meadow alpine tundra soil type was significantly higher than those in other four soil types (Cold desert alpine tundra soil, Lithic alpine tundra soil, Peat alpine tundra soil, and Gray alpine tundra soil). Phosphorous concentration in SA type was higher (p＜0.05) than in other types. Soil nutrient stock (0-20cm) was averagely 39.59 t·hm-2, of which N, P, S were 23.74, 5.86, 9.99 t·hm-2, respectively.     

Distribution patterns of vegetation biomass and nutrients bio-cycle in alpine tundra ecosystem on Changbai Mountains, Northeast China

A study was conducted to test the correlation between biomass and elevation and the differences in concentration and storks of nutrients among five vegetation types （Felsenmeer alpine tundra vegetation-FA, Lithic alpine tundra vegetation-LA, Typical alpine tundra vegetation-TA, Meadow alpine tundra vegetation-MA, and Swamp alpine tundra vegetation-SA） on alpine tundra of Changbai Mountains, Jilin Province, China in growing seasons of 2003, 2004 and 2005. The biomass of 43 mono-species and soil nutrients in alpine tundra ecosystem were also investigated. Dominant species from Ericaceae （such as Rhododendron chrysanthum and Vaccinium jliginosum var. alpinum） were taken to analyze organ biomass distribution. Result showed that the biomass and elevation had a significant correlation （Biomass-237.3 in（Elevation） ＋494.36; R^2=0.8092; P〈0.05）. No significant differences were found in phosphorus and sulphur concentrations of roots, stems and leaves among the five vegetation types. There were significant differences in nitrogen and phosphorus stocks of roots, stems and leaves and in sulphur stock of stems and leaves among TA, MA, and SA vegetation types （p〈0.05）. The nutrient stock of five vegetations was averagely 72.46 kg.hm^-2, of which N, P, S were 48.55, 10.33 and 13.61 kg·hm^-2, respectively. Soil N and S concentrations in meadow alpine tundra soil type was significantly higher than those in other four soil types （Cold desert alpine tundra soil, Lithic alpine tundra soil, Peat alpine tundra soil, and Gray alpine tundra soil）. Phosphorous concentration in SA type was higher （p〈0.05） than in other types. Soil nutrient stock （0-20cm） was averagely 39.59 t.hm^-2, of which N, P, S were 23.74, 5.86, 9.99 t·hm^-2, respectively.     

枣园节肢动物群落的数量与生物量多样性特征分析

根据香农 -维纳信息多样性指数的定义 ,提出了生物量多样性指数的计算公式 ,并以此分析了枣园生态系统中节肢动物群落特征。结果表明 ,枣园节肢动物各类群的生物量多样性指数比数量多样性指数变化更为敏感 ,更能反映枣园生态系统中节肢动物群落的结构特征。作者认为 ,利用生物量多样性指数分析群落的结构特征更切合实际     

杜尔伯特蒙古族自治县沙地沙丘植被发育过程及其特征

通过对嫩江沙地具有代表性意义的沙地类型植物群落的调查,研究了沙地沙丘植被发育过程及其特征。研究结果表明,不同的沙地类型对应着典型的群落类型。植被发育过程中群落组成物种的数量、物种丰富度、生活型结构和占优势的科、物种多样性指数、生态优势度及均匀度的变化,表明了流动沙地→半固定沙地→固定沙地植被发育过程和群落生态功能的提高。某些禾本科植物在群落中地位的上升,说明植被的草原成份增加,草地的生态和生物质量都得到改善。     

森林生态系统碳储量估算方法研究进展

基于植被碳储量和土壤碳储量2方面综述森林生态系统碳储量的定量研究方法．土壤碳储量估算方法主要有土壤类型法、生命带法、GIS估算法等;植被碳储量估算方法主要有样地清查法、模型模拟法、遥感估算法3种;未来的森林碳储量研究将采用更高精度的遥感数据并要求多种方法的综合运用以提高估测精度．     

茶陵县紫色页岩荒漠区植被恢复初探

茶陵县紫色页岩分布广泛,但部分紫色页岩裸露,山地荒芜,植被稀少,覆盖率低.本文介绍了茶陵县紫色页岩分布情况,分析了紫色页岩荒漠区林地土壤肥力状况及植被特征,并重点探讨了紫色页岩荒漠区植被恢复措施,建议政府增加财政投入,建立合理的营林措施,拓展林业发展空间,恢复森林植被,优化生态环境,发展农林牧业生产,增加农民收入.     

Modelling natural drying of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) logs for energy based on meteorological data

A key factor for improving the whole fuel wood supply chain is moisture management. Moisture affects material quality, transport costs and revenue. The aim of this study was to develop a drying model for piled European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) logs based on meteorological data, employing the continuous weighing approach. Two drying cycles with three piles altogether were conducted. In the first one (February to October 2013) the moisture content of the pile dropped from 43.5% to 22.5%, whereas in the second one (December 2013 to March 2015), the moisture content of the 2 piles dropped from 42.1% and 40.5% to 20.6% and 19.8%, respectively. Model performance (R² adj?=?0.41) was validated by applying the model developed from the second cycle's data on the first cycle's data. Model's mean deviation in moisture content from the observed curve was ?0.41%?±?0.72%. Economic benefits and environmental impact were highlighted. Calorific value increased from 2.65 to 3.57?kWh?kg^–1 from February to October 2013. Truckload volume utilization increased by 25.1% and transported calorific value by 48.0%. The number of truck trips for transportation was reduced from nine to seven.     

Modelling of rainfall interception loss in agroforestry systems

Two models of interception loss have been tested against new field data obtained in widely-spaced stands of Sitka spruce trees. The Gash model and a modified version of the Rutter model, have been used with data from an automatic weather station, to predict interception loss using parameters obtained from observations made in 1988 and 1989. The predictions for an eight-week period during 1987 were compared with measurements of interception loss. Good agreement between observed and predicted interception loss was obtained with both models over the whole period. The modified Rutter model gave better predictions than the Gash model for individual storm events and performed better at the wider spacings. The sensitivity of both models to the major characteristics of the tree stand structure in agroforestry systems was also investigated and it was shown that interception loss was most sensitive to boundary layer conductance and free throughfall coefficient.     

Dominance by the introduced tree Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn) may limit aboveground carbon storage in Southern Wisconsin forests

Many ecosystems are now dominated by introduced species, and because dominant species drive ecosystem properties, these changes lead to increased uncertainty in estimates of carbon storage and cycling. We examined aboveground biomass in forests dominated by the introduced tree Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn) relative to forests dominated by native species, and measured aboveground biomass increment over a three-year period (2005-2008). Three of the four lowest biomass levels occurred in R. cathartica-dominated forests, and biomass in these forest types was stored primarily in trees 10-20 cm DBH. By contrast, forests dominated by native trees (including those with R. cathartica understories) had the six highest biomass levels, and biomass was stored primarily in trees >50 cm DBH. On average, forests dominated by R. cathartica stored half as much aboveground biomass (14.6 ± 3.3 kg/m²) as forests dominated by native tree species (28.9 ± 8.3 kg/m²). R. cathartica-dominated forests also had half the aboveground biomass increment of native-dominated forests (0.28 vs. 0.60 kg/m²/year). Although known anecdotally as a fast-growing species, R. cathartica growth rates declined with increasing size. Between 2005 and 2008, R. cathartica individuals <10 cm DBH grew faster than native species; however, R. cathartica individuals >10 cm DBH grew consistently slower than native species. Overall, our findings indicate that intrinsic size limitations on R. cathartica will lead to lower biomass stocks in forests where it acts as a canopy dominant relative to forests dominated by native tree species.     

Modelling nutrient flux and interspecies root competition in agroforestry interplantings

Nutrient competition between interplanted species is investigated using mechanistic modelling. Though tree and crop plant roots may occupy the same soil volume, nutrient competition is seen to be dependent on soil supply mechanisms. Model simulations illustrate the effects of nutrient diffusion rate, mobility/soil interaction, root diameter, soil moisture content, and rooting density on nutrient concentration gradients governing uptake adjacent to plant roots. These factors, unique for each nutrient and soil, combine to determine the potential for competition in agroforestry plantings. Nutrient competition is most likely for the more mobile nutrients and mechanistic modelling can be used to select tree and crop species with superior rooting and physiological characteristics for interplantings to better manage below-ground competition.     

豫东平原杨农复合系统物质生产与碳截存

农林复合系统由于林分、农作物和土壤之间的相互作用而对储藏和固定碳具有巨大的潜力.其已经成为减少大气CO2浓度、解决全球气候变暖问题的重要土地利用方式之一,将会对陆地生物圈中通量的输入和碳的长期贮藏产生重要的影响.对豫东平原农区5,9,11和13年4个不同林龄的杨农间作复合系统的生物量、生产力和碳截存量进行测定和研究,结果表明:豫东平原农区5,9,11和13年4个不同年龄段的杨农间作复合系统的总生物量分别为33.03,103.06,124.30和154.60 t·hm-2.4个年龄的杨农间作复合系统平均净生产力分别为19.95,29.30,33.24和56.94t·hm-2a-1.豫东平原农区5,9,11和13年4个年龄的杨农间作复合系统总碳截存量分别达到了19.86,52.42,62.45和76.44 t·hm-2.     

Canopy cover and groundlayer vegetation dynamics in a fire managed eastern sand savanna

Savanna vegetation is characterized by high and variable ground layer species richness regulated by functional group interactions with fire regimes and canopy cover. Frequent fire selects for C4 grasses and prairie forbs in canopy openings and C3 graminoid species and shade-adapted forbs and shrubs in canopy shade. Frequent fire also maximizes heterogeneity in partial canopy cover and species richness across the full canopy gradient. However, few studies have linked fire induced change in tree canopy cover with groundlayer vegetation dynamics in relation to this model. In 1986 and in 2007, we measured canopy cover and sampled groundlayer vegetation in 1 m² plots along 53 transects at the Tefft Savanna, a fire managed 197 ha eastern sand savanna with strong canopy cover and elevation gradients. We analyzed temporal change in canopy cover and groundlayer vegetation, correlating percent change in canopy cover with change in ground layer functional groups. After 20 years of burning at 3 fires/decade, elevation accounted for 62% of the variation in an NMS ordination of groundlayer vegetation. However, canopy cover, which averaged 24-86% in 2007, had a significant secondary effect on the ordination. Five vegetation types classified by TWINSPAN varied significantly in elevation and canopy cover. Woody vegetation comprised 8 of the 12 species with greatest niche breadths, and tended to predominant in woodland or forest, where tree cover averaged 50% or more. Forbs had greater richness in savanna, which averaged less than 30% canopy cover. The C3 sedge Carex pensylvanica was the dominant graminoid species under woodland canopy cover, and was co-dominant with the C4 grasses Andropogon scoparius and Sorghastrum nutans under savanna canopy cover. As in other savannas, N-fixing species sorted across shade and canopy openings, and heterogeneity among transects was maximized at mid-canopy cover. Over time, canopy cover decreased up to 50%, creating more open savanna conditions at mid to high elevations. This decrease was associated with a 20-100 % increase in species richness and was significantly correlated with increasing richness and cover of C4 grasses and summer flowering prairie and woodland forbs. These results support a canopy cover model of fire-maintained savanna vegetation, with greater abundance of C4 grasses and prairie forb species associated with lower canopy cover, greater heterogeneity at mid-canopy cover, and species richness maximized across the light gradient. They also indicate that decreasing canopy cover caused by repeated burning increases species richness and abundance of C4 and prairie forb species.     

杉木人工林收获模型系统的研究*

利用优势木高生长与密度关系相对较小，并且是立地和年龄的函数这一特性以及直径生长的多因子效应等生物学规律，将优势高作为独立变量引入其它相关模型构建了杉木人工林收获模型系统。解决了杉木工林自然生长和伐后生长模拟，建立了标准树高曲线和直径与断面积相容性预估模型以及间伐模拟系统，推导出了由于间伐而引起的非生长性增长的计算公式。     

Status of floor vegetation under some monoculture and mixculture plantations in North India

A study conducted to assess the floor vegetation shows the presence of 17 species underPopulus deltoides in comparison to 28, 29 and 35 underAlbizia lebbeck, Dalbergia sissoo and mix-culture plantations, respectively. Further, the biomass and density of floor vegetation is considerably reduced underP. deltoides compared to other plantations. In addition, the indices for species richness, evenness, dominance and diversity are also reduced underP. deltoides showing some inhibitory mechanism being operative under these plantations. Based on available literature, allelopathy is speculated to be responsible for this reduction.     

Analysis of root fractal characteristics in remote areas of the Taklimakan desert, China

Fractal geometry is a potential new approach to analyze the root architecture, which may offer improved ways to quantify and summarize root system complexity as well as yield ecological and physiological insights into the functional relevance of specific architectural patterns. Fractal analysis is a sensitive measure of root branching intensity and fractal dimension expresses the ＂space filling＂ properties of a structure. The objective of this study was to find out the fractal characteristics of root systems in a remote area of the Taklimakan desert in China. The entire root system of two naturally occurring species were excavated and exposed with shov- els in 2007. The species were Tamarix taklamakanensis and Calligonum roborovskii. A one-factorial ANOVA with species as factor showed statistically a highly significant difference in fractal dimensions, indicating differences in their pattern of root branching. There was no relationship between root diameter and two parameters of fractal root models a and q, representing general characteris- tics of root systems, for either species （a： the ratio of the sum of root cross-sectional areas after a branching to the cross-sectional area before root division; q： the distribution of the cross-sectional areas after branching）. We have found significant linear relation- ships between the diameter after branching and root length and biomass respectively, because of the self-similarity of root branching. Branching rules are the same for roots of all sizes and lengths. Root biomass for the root systems of entire trees can be estimated by measuring the diameter of each root at the base of the trunk or the diameter after branching. We have shown that the diameter of each root at the base of the trunk and the diameter after branching are effective indices that can be measured easily in order to estimate the root lengths, biomass and other parameters of root architecture.     

Spatial and temporal variability of soil water in drylands: plant water potential as a diagnostic tool

Arid and semi-arid regions are characterized by low rainfall and high potential evaporative demand. Here, water is the major limiting factor for plant growth and productivity. Soil and surface hydrology properties （e.g. field capacity, infikration rates） effectively control the water re-distribution in the ecosystem, a fact that is aggravated in arid environments. Information of the spatial and temporal accessibility of soil water in desert ecosystems is limited. The purpose of the studies is the application of plant water potential to estimate the spatial and temporal variations of soil water availability in different arid ecosystems of the Negev （Israel） and southern Morocco. As model plants the evergreen shrubs Retama raetam, Thymelaea hirsuta and trees （Acacia tortilis） were chosen. Seasonal and spatial variations of the pre-dawn water potential （ψpd） were examined as diagnostic tool to determine water availability on the landscape level. The seasonal differences in the pre-dawn water potential were less pronounced on the dune compared to the interdune. This showed a better water availability on the dune slope. Also in the investigated wadis systems spatial differences of the water potential could be detected and related to the vegetation pattern.