Successional trajectories of soil nematode and plant communities in a chronosequence of ex-arable lands

Conversion of arable land into semi-natural grassland or heath land is a common practice for restoring and conserving plant diversity. However, little is known about the effectiveness of land conversion for restoring and conserving taxonomic and functional diversity in the soil. We studied soil nematode community development in a chronosequence of abandoned fields and related this to plant community development. The taxonomic and functional composition of the soil nematode community was analyzed to detect changes in soil food web structure, using semi-natural sites and theoretical plant and soil communities as references.While plant communities clearly developed towards the semi-natural references, there was less direction in succession of nematode taxa. The number of fungal feeding nematodes increased after land abandonment. Numbers of omni-carnivorous nematodes expanded only during the first years, after which there were no substantial changes for the next three decades. Plant communities on the ex-arable fields developed towards the theoretical reference plant associations Galio hercynici-Festucetum ovinae and Genisto anglicae-Callunetum. Nematode communities developed away from a theoretical community indicative of arable land, but there was no clear development towards a theoretical (semi-)natural reference. Our results show that restoration and conservation of plant communities is of limited indicative value for developments belowground: successful restoration of plant diversity does not necessarily imply successful restoration of belowground diversity. Assessing the impact of conservation measures on restoring soil biodiversity requires information on belowground community composition of (semi-)natural areas in order to establish proper references for restoration sites.     

基于多波段MODIS遥感数据的乌审旗土壤含水量监测研究

[目的]探究内蒙古自治区乌审旗地区土壤含水量与表观热惯量的响应关系,提高土壤含水量遥感监测精度,使观测分析结果更具说服力和可靠性。[方法]选取多波段MODIS遥感数据和表观热惯量法,采用重复的地面采样方案设计,减弱单点采样代表性差的影响。[结果]该方案设计较单点采样方法相关系数有明显提高,对0—10cm,0—20cm,0—30cm土壤含水量相关系数分别为0.587,0.658和0.650。对回归模型进行精度验证,得其含水量平均相对误差为21.53%,26.67%,22.83%。[结论]重复的地面采样方案下,基于表观热惯量的乌审旗土壤含水率监测结果更加科学、可靠。     

根据植被估算黄土高原的自然侵蚀和加速侵蚀──以安塞县为例

植被具有很好的水土保持作用。已有的研究成果证实：当森林郁被度或植被群落总盖度或森林覆盖度达到４０％左右时，植被的水土保持效益发生质的飞跃，较之裸芒地可减少土壤流失５０％以上；当植被群落总盖度达到８０％时，就能基本控制水土流失。目前黄土高原的植被很差，以安塞县为例，林草总覆盖度只有４５％，而且群落盖度很低，大多在３０％￣５０％。而若无人类破坏，在同样的气候、地质条件下，安塞县的自然植被类型为森林和疏     

强还原土壤灭菌防控作物土传病的应用研究

随着集约化种植程度的不断提高,土传病原菌侵染、土壤酸化、次生盐渍化、养分平衡失调等引起的作物连作障碍发生率不断攀升,严重威胁着集约化农业的可持续发展。强还原土壤灭菌(Reductive Soil Disinfestation,RSD)法是一种作物种植前的土壤处理方法,即:在发生土传病害的土壤上,添加大量的易分解有机物料、灌溉、薄膜覆盖或淹水阻隔与大气的气体交换,快速创造土壤强还原环境,短期内杀灭土传病原菌的方法。强还原杀灭土传病原菌的作用机理包括:1)厌气杀灭好氧病原菌;2)还原过程产生有毒有害的物质杀灭土传病原菌;3)强还原改变土壤微生物群落结构,抑制土传病原菌活性。强还原土壤灭菌法还具有提高土壤p H,减轻次生盐渍化的作用,具有广谱性和环境友好性。本文介绍了该方法的起源、作用机理、影响该方法效果的因素及其应用前景。     

Comparison of the plant-damaging spectral solar ultraviolet radiation between three locations in Eastern USA in the year 2000

The National Ultraviolet Monitoring Center (NUVMC) maintains a network of Brewer Spectrophotometers that collect spectrally resolved, full sky ultraviolet (UV) irradiance values throughout the day. Using these data, an investigation into the spectral UV irradiances at several Brewer locations has been carried out by employing plant action spectra that represent a generalized response of plants to UV exposure. Analysis was performed for the year 2000 on the Chicago, Virgin Islands, and Shenandoah Brewer sites of the Eastern USA, which are of varying latitude, elevation, and atmospheric composition. The weighted and unweighted UV data grouped in SZA ranges of 10° increments is analyzed seasonally, highlighting the seasonal atmospheric differences between the sites. Results obtained in this paper suggest that UV data, when weighted with certain plant action spectra, show the potential sensitivity of plants to small changes in UV irradiances.     

海南次生植被与其土壤性质的关系探讨

在野外调查和室内分析的基础上,对海南岛热带次生植被及其土壤性质变化关系开展了研究。结果表明,热带森林在不同程度的人为干扰下,形成了多样化的次生植被类型,在调查区域内植物群落类型多达36种。其中,次生密林有10种类型;次生疏林有4种;灌丛有11种,草地11种。结果还表明,不同植被类型的土壤肥力状况从大到小依次为次生林>灌丛>草地。植被性状、植被与土壤复杂关系主要体现在:(1)次生植被类型的物种组成特性间相关性较大;土壤各营养元素含量之间的相关性变化较大;(2)植物组成特征与土壤各营养元素含量之间的相关性系数普遍偏小。     

How much of the vertebrate diversity of sub-Saharan Africa is catered for by recent conservation proposals?

A database documenting the distribution of birds, mammals, amphibians and snakes across 1° latitude and longitude squares of mainland sub-Saharan Africa provides an opportunity to quantify how many of these vertebrates are potentially catered for by recent large-scale conservation proposals. Sets of priority areas proposed by BirdLife International, the World Wildlife Fund (USA), the World Conservation Union and the World Wide Fund for Nature, Conservation International, and the World Resources Institute contain between 45 and 93% of 3752 species of birds, mammals, snakes and amphibians breeding in this area. Gaps in the coverage of vertebrates were found in all large-scale proposals, and these are mapped. Most of the conservation proposals perform better than random selection of similar sized areas of Africa, with the proposals focused on species performing more efficiently than schemes based on large areas of intact habitat or process-related criteria. Four of the schemes approach the performance of a complementarity-based algorithm that aims to maximise the number of species captured within a given area of land, and which has been widely advocated as a tool for conservation planning. The reasons for this are discussed and the relevance of the results for conservation planning at coarse and fine scales are explained.     

What does IUCN species action planning contribute to the conservation process?

More than 60 Species Action Plans have been published by the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of IUCN—The World Conservation Union. They are designed to assess the status of threatened species and their habitats, and provide prioritised recommendations for action, but there is debate about the effectiveness of such plans in stimulating conservation action and research. We evaluated three Action Plans covering a group of large terrestrial birds, published in 1995. Of 54 projects suggested in these plans, 33 had been initiated in the 5 years since publication, and 35 specific conservation actions were undertaken. Forty-five peer-reviewed papers were published, and at least 88 other outputs in the form of symposium presentations, posters and popular articles were produced. Although it is impossible to demonstrate the effectiveness of species action planning through rigorous scientific assessment, these results indicate a substantial amount of conservation-relevant activity directly attributable to the process. They also highlight the need for a clear definition of the role of Action Plans. We suggest that many of the criticisms directed toward species action plans result from an over-optimistic view of their power to catalyse action, and conclude by presenting a new model describing their niche within the wider context of conservation biology and policy.