Landscape improvement, or ongoing degradation – reconciling apparent contradictions from the arid rangelands of Western Australia

Recent quantitative site-based monitoring and qualitative aerial and ground traverses provide contrasting assessments of the health of much of the arid shrublands of Western Australia extensively grazed by livestock (‘rangelands’). Although these results seem incompatible, we explain the apparent contradictions based on landscape succession processes operating at multiple levels of ecological organisation. Specifically, we suggest that the intact areas in which site-based monitoring is conducted are contracting as catchment canalisation and desiccation increase. However, the impacts of these processes have not yet become manifest at the site scale. The site-based system addresses important regional questions. These relate to the large, relatively intact areas away from most active surface flows, which should be a focus for resource conservation, given practical limits to repairing widespread degradation with low management inputs. We provide a complementary set of questions to provide a more comprehensive audit of rangeland dynamics in the context of underlying hierarchical landscape patterns and processes that might threaten intact areas. We recognise the need to match questions and levels of ecological organisation and the implications these have for sampling. We also recognise the difficulty in producing concise statements of change for clients when reporting on complex ecological issues and processes. Without a clearly articulated, and well understood, hierarchical model of pattern and process within which apparently contradictory findings can be reported meaningfully, policy makers may be confused by the results, with the consequent risk of policy inaction.     

Linking Land-use, Water Body Type and Water Quality in Southern New Zealand

Land-use and vegetation cover have been linked to the nutrient levels (nitrogen, phosphorus) of surface waters in several countries. However, the links generally relate to streams and rivers, or to specific types of standing water, for example shallow lakes in a geologically defined region. We measured physical variables and nutrient chemistry of 45 water bodies representative of the wide range of lentic wetland environments (swamps, riverine wetlands, estuaries, reservoirs, shallow lakes, deep lakes) in Otago, New Zealand, and related these to catchment variables and land-use in order to assess the potential influence of catchment modification on water quality of these diverse wetlands. Catchment boundaries and land cover were derived from maps using ArcView GIS software. Our predictions that concentrations of nutrients and other components of water quality would correlate positively with the nature and intensity of catchment modification were confirmed in multivariate analyses. Physical and chemical measures were positively related to the extent of modification in the catchment (percentage of the catchment in pasture, planted forest, scrub and urban areas), and negatively related to lack of catchment modification (more of the catchment in bare ground, tussock grassland and indigenous forest). The strong negative correlations between nutrient concentrations, suspended sediment, water colour and the percentage of tussock cover in the catchment imply that increased conversion of the␣native tussock grassland to pastoral farming in␣Otago will increase nutrient concentrations and␣reduce water quality of the diverse lentic ecosystems.     

A COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC STUDY OF VOLUME AND X-RAY ATTENUATION OF THE LUNGS OF BEAGLES IN VARIOUS BODY POSITIONS

The influence of body position on volume and x-ray attenuation of the lungs of three Beagles was investigated with computed tomography. In left and right lateral recumbency, the dependent lung had decreased volume and increased x-ray attenuation compared with ventral recumbency. Volume and x-ray attenuation of the nondependent lung, however, were unchanged. In dorsal recumbency, there was a vertical gradient of x-ray attenuation being increased dorsally and decreased ventrally compared with ventral recumbency where regional differences in x-ray attenuation were not found. Results indicate a risk of overlooking a mass in the dependent pulmonary parenchyma of dogs in lateral and dorsal recumbency. Regional differences in x-ray attenuation of the lungs of dogs can be avoided if the radiographs are obtained with the dog in ventral recumbency.     

论蚕种场面临的困境与对策

目前蚕种场系统面临困境，本文就此进行了原因分析，并就茧量平衡，提高经营水平，综合开发，政策引导，科技改良等方提出了对策 。     

莲草直胸跳甲成虫产卵选择性及叶位与幼虫发育适合度的关系

采用室内自由选择法和发育测定法研究莲草直胸跳甲(Agasicles hygrophila)成虫对喜旱莲子草(Alternanthera philoxeroides)叶位的产卵选择性及后代发育与不同叶位叶片的适合度.结果表明:(1)莲草直胸跳甲成虫嗜好在中部叶片的叶背产卵,以在第2对叶上的选择系数最高,选择率为35.18%,与第1对叶上的28.03%差异不显著,但显著高于对其他叶位的选择系数;(2)相对于在叶表进行取食,初孵幼虫显著趋向在叶背,且这样取食的1龄幼虫存活率高、发育历期显著缩短,这与雌虫选择在叶背产卵的习性相符,说明其选择有一定生物学意义,即有利于后代发育;(3)叶龄对莲草直胸跳甲各龄幼虫发育有显著影响,叶位越低,各龄幼虫的发育历期越长,但存活率上以取食第1叶位的为最高.     

浅谈自然保护区在湖北生态建设中的地位与作用

随着全国野生动植物保护和自然保护区建设工程的实施 ,自然保护区在我省生态环境建设中的地位与作用越来越重要 ,运用生物多样性管护区的理论指导我省的自然保护区建设将是正确认识自然保护区地位与作用的关键所在。     

黄土半干旱区集水造林条件下林木生长适宜的土壤水分环境

2000年在山西方山，采用LI－6200光合测定系统和LI－1600稳态气孔仪，对不同集水措施试验地的刺槐、侧柏和苹果的生理指标进行了实地观测，并辅以相同树种实地盆栽苗木水分胁迫条件下的林木生理指标观测，研究了林木净光合速率、羧化效率、水分利用效率与土壤含水量的定量关系。结果表明：维持刺槐、侧柏和苹果净光合作用的最佳土壤含水量分别为17.13%、15.9%和16.11%，三树种维持叶片水分利用效率的最佳土壤含水量依次为13.23%、10.66%和12.38%；羧化效率最高时的土壤含水量临界值依次为15.7%、15.5%和15.8%；土壤水合补偿点分别为4.55%、3.91%和4.49%。上述三树种蒸腾速率所适宜的土壤含水量分别为18.82%、19.70%和16.33%。根据集水造林的基本构思，可选取维持最佳叶片水分利用效率的土壤含水量临界值作为集水造林林木密度调控的土壤水分阈值和林木需水量的低限计算条件。这一指标可量化为刺槐10％－13％，苹果10％－12.5%，侧柏9.5%-11%。     

变形轴中心孔最佳位置的确定

以往生产中只能凭直观或用外圆打表测量方法来确定变形轴中心孔最佳位置，这既不方便又不准确．经分析与计算，得出变形轴中心孔最佳位置为０．３５Ｌ．     

Variation in infiltration with landscape position: Implications for forest productivity and surface water quality

Variation of infiltration rates with landscape position influences the amount, distribution, and routing of overland flow. Knowledge of runoff patterns gives land managers the opportunity to affect changes that optimize water use efficiency and reduce the risk of water quality impacts. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of landscape position and associated soil properties on infiltration in a small (147 ha) forest/pasture watershed in the Ozark Highlands. Three previously reported studies measured infiltration rates using double ring, sprinkling, single ring, and tension infiltrometers on soils at varying landscape positions. Although large variation in infiltration rates was observed among measurement techniques, upland and side slope soils (Nixa and Clarksville) had consistently lower infiltration rates compared to the soil in the valley bottom (Razort). A conceptual understanding of watershed runoff is developed from these data that includes infiltration excess runoff from the Nixa and Clarksville soils and saturation excess runoff on the Razort soil. Management of the soil water regime based on this understanding would focus on increasing infiltration in upland soils and maintaining the Razort soil areas in forest. Forest productivity would be enhanced by increasing plant-available water in upland soils and decreasing flooding on the Razort soil. Surface water quality would be improved by reducing the transport of potential water contaminants from animal manure applied to upland pastures.     

柑橘高接换种适宜嫁接部位探讨

以温州蜜柑为中间砧,对高林温州蜜柑、太田椪柑进行不同部位高接的适宜性研究.结果表明,不同部位高接对成活率的影响无显著性差异,但树冠的恢复程度与嫁接部位的高低成正比,即高接部位越高,树冠恢复越快;含糖量和糖酸比以腹接最高,侧枝次之;外观以腹接、侧枝高接为好,副主枝高接次之,主枝高接最差.柑桔高接最高高度应控制在1.0 ～ 1.3m,早投产,树冠恢复快,果实品质好,以侧枝高接,腹接为好,侧枝高接易引起内膛空虚,可采取内膛腹接弥补.