Climate change and forest decline: A review of the red spruce case

Climate change as a contributor to the decline of red spruce is investigated. Previous climatic response model results are reviewed and more detailed time-dependent modeling of tree growth-climate interactions are performed using the Kalman filter. These new results show that there is a clear temporal and elevational dependence in the response of red spruce to climate. Influence of abnormally warm prior-August temperatures become increasingly time-dependent with decreasing elevation, which is contrary to the elevational gradient in the severity of decline. Thus, this variable, which had been implicated in red spruce declines from previous studies, is unlikely to be a primary cause of the current decline. However, it may be implicated in earlier declines at low elevations. Prior-December temperatures are influential at all elevations, but time-dependent only at the highest elevational zone. The emergence of a strongly time-dependent prior-November temperature response is clearly associated with a time-trend in the temperature record. Thus, it is likely that red spruce is responding, in a transient sense, to changing climate. An additional transient response to current-July temperatures is not associated with any unusual behavior in the data and is, as yet, unexplained. These results show that red spruce is not in equilibrium with its climatic environment, which may have made it more susceptible to damage caused by natural and anthropogenic factors.     

The impact of gas extraction on landfill-generated methane gas levels

The changes measured in landfill-generated CH₄ gas levels in response to continuous pumping from an augered borehole in the refuse are described. The results of statistical analyses of concentration and pressure levels at a series of probes located radially outward from the gas extraction well are used to characterize the temporal and spatial variations. A drawdown curve arising from the continuous pumping is apparent and is quantified as a series of cones of varying impacts on percentages of CH₄. The results are indicative of a fairly free flow of gas through the landfill.     

Plant uptake assay to determine bioavailability of inorganic contaminants

A laboratory technique has been developed to rapidly assess the potential uptake of contaminants by plants growing into waste burial sites. A soil-less planting media was used to provide rapid plant growth and reproducible growing conditions. The uptake of contaminants by several plant species grown on uranium mill tailings materials has been examined. The bioavailability of Mo, Se, Cl, and other trace metals in tailings was greater than in a surface soil from a uranium mining area. Significant differences in nutrient and contaminant contents in aboveground biomass were found between species.     

Florida manatees, Trichechus manatus latirostris, respond to approaching vessels

Florida manatees inhabit shallow coastal and estuarine waters of the southeast US, a range that brings them into frequent contact with vessels. More than 30% of documented annual mortalities are attributed to vessel collisions, and most living animals bear the scars of multiple, non-lethal encounters. To document the behavior of manatees in the presence of vessels, we recorded their movements with an overhead video system. We scored six aspects of behavior during 170 vessel approaches, and compared their behavior with 187 control segments when no boats were present. Manatees in shallow waters and at the edge of the channel responded to approaches by orienting towards the nearest deep water, a boat channel, and increasing their swimming speed. Close boat approaches and shallow water depths exacerbated these responses. Our results indicate that manatees detect and respond to approaching vessels with an apparent flight response, a response which includes movement towards deeper water. If given sufficient time, i.e., approached or passed slowly, the manatees may then be able to reach deeper water and safe depths.     

Survival and spatial fidelity of mouflons: The effect of location,age, and sex

This article is motivated by a series of data on a population of mouflons (Ovisgmelini) in the Caroux-Espinouse massif and focuses upon discriminating between competing biological hypotheses corresponding to the dependence of any or all of the population parameters upon either sex, location, or age. We show how we can analyze the data using a Bayesian approach, where we are able to take into account prior information obtained via a previous radio-tagging study. We consider the Arnason-Schwarz model together with its submodels to describe the data. Efficiently exploring model space using reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo methodology, we are able to calculate model-averaged estimates of parameters of interest, which incorporate both parameter and model uncertainty. In addition, we quantitatively compare different biological hypotheses by calculating their corresponding posterior probabilities. In particular, we show that survival rates tend to remain constant with some evidence to suggest a slight senescent decline. We also provide evidence to suggest that movement around the habitat is largely the same for both sexes up until age 4, when the males appear to extend their migration range, venturing further from the main flock in search of better grazing.     

Tree plantations on farms: Evaluating growth and potential for success

Interest in native species is growing across the tropics as reforestation of degraded lands becomes more widespread. In this study four tree species native to Panama - Cedrela odorata, Pachira quinata, Samanea saman, and Tabebuia rosea - were grown on rural farms at two dry tropical sites in Panama for up to five years. Survivorship and growth data at these “on-farm” trials are compared to data recorded from nearby experimental or “species selection” trial sites and evaluated in terms of soil fertility and management. Participant farmers were also asked about their interest in planting trees in general as well as their interest in 61 species grown in the species selection trial.Although, on-farm survivorship was variable and generally lower than that found on the species selection trial, one species (S. saman) experienced high and consistent survivorship. High survivorship combined with growth data from farms at both sites for this species suggests it would be a good candidate for extension projects working with rural farmers. Survivorship of other species appears more sensitive to farmer management and/or local site conditions. Generally lower growth on the Los Santos farms as compared to the species-selection trial is attributed to the lower soil fertility (plant available P) at the on-farm sites compared to the species selection trial. In contrast, only one species - P. quinata - had a growth variable found to be significantly lower between the on-farm and species selection trial sites in Rio Hato. C. odorata, P. quinata T. rosea can all be used in on-farm conditions with consideration to specific site and management conditions.By 2009, approximately 80% of the farmers planting trees still wished to participate in tree planting activities. All of the farmers no longer wishing to continue with the project expressed slow growth rates of trees as a principal reason. All but one of these farmers had growth rates for his/her trees markedly below those of the species selection trial nearby. Some farmers wishing to continue had very high mortality rates (>70% for all species), suggesting non-tangible benefits for participating in project activities. Other species that were not tested on-farm but grew well in the species-selection trials and were of interest to local farmers are discussed.As long as specific site and management conditions are carefully considered, data from species selection trials can be useful in informing tree planting projects with rural farmers; however, care should be taken to manage expectations.     

果胶细菌诱导油菜结瘤与固氮研究

果胶细菌处理油菜幼根（2天苗龄、根长3cm），同时接种紫云英根瘤菌突变菌株（Rhizobiumhuakuii），诱发类根瘤的结瘤率为96.80％。从这些类根瘤中分离的菌株能回接到原寄主。类根瘤的电镜观察可以明显地见到细胞内充满了细菌。乙炔还原法测定的固氨酶活性（C2H4）为76.80nmol／（planth）。     

Evaluating the relationship between ecological and habitat conditions using hierarchical models

Understanding the relationship between an index of biological community state and habitat is important for policy makers and environmental managers. A common approach to modeling this relationship is to use regression. However, this simple method becomes complicated when the data are clustered and have both within-cluster and between-cluster spatial correlation. This article proposes a Bayesian hierarchical model that incorporates both types of spatial correlation. This model yields both an understanding of the within-cluster relationships as well as an overall relationship between these variables. We apply this method to evaluate the relationship between the index of biotic integrity (a common measure of fish condition) and the qualitative habitat evaluation index (a common measure of habitat quality). This method allows us to show that there is a relationship between the biological community state and habitat and that this relationship varies across river basins, while accounting for the within- and between-spatial correlations.     

Pollutant loadings from solvay waste beds to lower Ninemile Creek,New York

Concentrations of Cl, total ammonia (TNH₃), NO₃ plus NO₂, total P (TP), and soluble reactive P (SRP) were measured at two sites, located 5 km apart, on Ninemile Creek, New York, for a period of more than 8 mo. The sites bound the most recently formed Solvay waste beds, associated with the production of soda ash, that adjoin the creek. Concentrations of Cl and T-NH₃ increased on average by factors of 16.1 and 7.6, respectively, over the monitored stream reach. The estimated average loadings of these materials to the stream over this reach were 2.3 × 10⁵ and 1.2 × 102 kg d^?1, respectively. These inputs are attributable to the Solvay waste beds. The loading of Cl from this source has not changed significantly over a 4 yr period since the closure of the soda ash manufacturing facility. This is the single largest source of Cl, and the second largest source of T-NH₃, to polluted Onondaga Lake. Profiles of Cl in the lake indicated that at times the creek inflow plunges to subsurface layers as a result of its elevated density. This is at least in part a result of the creek's ionic enrichment. The concentration of SRP decreased by a factor of 2.0 on average over the study reach, probably due to adsorption to the CaCO₃ deposits that cover the stream bed in this area. However, the TP load from the creek to the lake is not significantly affected by this phenomenon.