Charcoal production through selective logging leads to degradation of dry woodlands:a case study from Mutomo District,Kenya

Provision of woodfuel is an important ecosystem service of dry forests and woodlands.However,charcoal production through selective logging of preferred hardwood species has the potential to alter the physiognomic composition of the residual or re-growth woodlands and may lead to their deterioration and degradation.This study,conducted through forest inventory in Mutomo District in Kenya,assessed the impact of charcoal production on unprotected dry woodlands in terms of tree density,targeted species basal area,species richness,evenness and Shannon diversity.The parameters of the disturbed woodlands were evaluated for significant differences with those of the neighbouring protected Tsavo East National Park,which served as a reference for an ecologically undisturbed ecosystem.By evaluating a consequence of tree harvesting for charcoal production,this study confirmed the overall significant differences between the protected and unprotected woodlands in all the tested parameters.To confirm if the differences in the land-covers of the woodlands had any influence on their degradation,all mentioned parameters were compared between the four differentiated classes and their respective control plots in the protected areas.At the "land-cover level",the statistically significant difference in the basal area of tree species preferred for charcoal production between the protected and unprotected open trees confirms that the class with a high density of large mature trees is the prime target of charcoal producers.In addition,there seems to be a general trend of lower values of tree species richness,evenness and Shannon diversity for the unprotected woodlands subjected to charcoal production.On the other hand,the disturbed woodlands display the potential to recover through their comparably high saplings density.The findings make an important contribution to the discourse on the impact of charcoal production in dry woodlands,a topic that is highly controversial among researchers.     

Soil organic matter amendments in date palm groves of the Middle Eastern and North African region: a mini-review

Countries in the Middle Eastern and North African(MENA) region are among the most water-scarce regions in the world, and their dryland soils are usually poor in organic carbon content(<0.5%). In this study, we summarize examples of how people in the few oases of the MENA region overcome environmental challenges by sustainably managing economically important date production. On the basis of the limited studies found in the existing literature, this mini-review focuses on the role of traditional soil organic matter amendments beneath the soil surface as a key tool in land restoration. We conclude that soil organic matter amendments can be very successful in restoring soil water and preventing the soil from salinization.     

有限灌溉对绿洲春玉米农田耗水特征及水分利用效率的影响

为了探究有限灌溉对绿洲沙地春玉米农田耗水特征及水分利用效率的影响,利用中子仪结合烘干秤重法连续监测了河西走廊荒漠绿洲沙地春玉米不同生育期农田土壤水分动态,分析了玉米农田日耗水量动态与土壤蒸散及作物水分利用效率。结果表明,整个生育期除播种-五叶期和拔节-孕穗期外,所有有限灌溉处理及充分供水对照间日耗水量均无显著差异(P0.05),各生育时段内日耗水量随生育过程呈由小到大再由大到小的变化趋势,其峰值出现在吐丝—灌浆中期且高达6.8~10.0mm/d。灌水最少但产量最高的有限灌溉处理MI1全生育期蒸散量仅次于灌水较多的处理MI5。对照CK全生育期蒸散量远高于MI5,增幅达16.0%,而以MI3最低。水分利用效率以MI1和MI3最高,且与其他处理及对照间差异显著(P0.05)。水分利用效率以MI4最低,MI1和MI3水分利用效率均比MI2、MI4、MI5和CK显著提高19.3%,34.1%,15.3%和25.4%。MI1与其他所有处理及对照间、MI3与其他所有处理及对照间灌溉水利用效率差异显著,且以灌水最少但产量最高的MI1最高,以MI4最低。处理MI1灌溉水利用效率分别比MI2、MI3、MI4、MI5及CK显著提高35.1%,14.6%,61.0%,36.7%,48.4%,而MI3比MI2、MI4、MI5、CK分别显著提高17.9%,40.4%,19.3%,29.4%,MI5比MI4则显著提高17.7%。因此,有限灌溉能提高绿洲玉米水分利用效率和灌溉水利用效率,但有限灌溉对作物水分利用效率和灌溉水利用效率提高的促进作用并不具有稳定性。     

西北干旱荒漠区植物化感作用研究进展

为探明荒漠生态系统中植物之间的化感作用,首次对近年来该领域所取得的研究成果、已报道的化感植物、化感物质以及化感物质释放途径等进行总结,认为：（1）中国有关荒漠植物化感作用的研究才刚刚起步,在该区菊科、豆科、蔷薇科、玄参科、禾本科等科属中发现具有化感潜势的植物。（2）荒漠植物化感物质释放的途径以自然挥发为主,这主要与其生长环境有关,鉴定出的化感物质有生物碱、黄酮类、萜类等化合物。（3）最后指出荒漠生态系统中化感植物研究存在的关键问题,对确定合理的荒漠植物保护措施及荒漠化综合治理提供理论依据和实践价值。     

西鄂尔多斯草原化荒漠植物群落多样性

西鄂尔多斯位于我国阿拉善—鄂尔多斯生物多样性中心的核心区域,是生物多样性研究的关键地带。由于自然和人为因素的影响,目前区域生境破碎化程度高、群落多样性受到严重威胁,为了修复破碎生境、合理建植植被,采用样方法,对12个主要群系,共53个样地进行了详细的调查和分析。结果表明:1西鄂尔多斯荒漠植被中含有单种属和寡种属植物,如四合木属(Tetraena)、绵刺属(Potaninia)、沙冬青属(Ammopiptanthus)等;2在生活型谱组成上,灌木比相邻荒漠化草原高出13.1%,并在不同生境中成为群落的建群种或优势种;3在水分生态类型谱中,虽以典型旱生植物占优势,但强旱生植物比相邻荒漠化草原高15.9%;4典型的草原化荒漠群落〔如霸王(Zygophyllum xanthoxylon)、绵刺(Potaninia mongolica)、沙冬青(Ammopiptanthus mongolicus)、四合木(Tetraena mongolica)群落〕的物种多样性在草本层片与灌木层片的相互作用下,群落具有更高的多样性和稳定性;5与荒漠化草原相比,西鄂尔多斯草原化荒漠群落之间具有更高的β多样性,能容纳更多的群落共同存在。     

克拉玛依人工杨树(Populus)林碳汇功能研究

近年来,我国人工林面积不断增加,人工林在我国陆地森林生态系统碳收支中的作用越来越大。以克拉玛依人工杨树林和荒漠灌木林为研究对象,通过样地调查,对生物量及碳储量、碳密度、碳汇功能等进行了估算。通过实测数据及模型分析,得出以下基本结论:1该人工杨树林单位面积生物量平均为51.30 t·hm-2;碳密度平均为24.59 t·hm-2,碳储量为73 715.41 t,说明其发挥着一定的碳汇作用。2与荒漠环境下灌木林对比结果表明,克拉玛依人工杨树林单位面积生物量增加了50.56 t·hm-2,碳密度增加了24.26 t·hm-2,碳储量增加了72 726.14 t,表明在干旱区荒漠环境下通过造林来增加区域陆地植被碳汇,进而达到碳减排的目的是可行的。     

干旱荒漠区物理结皮的土壤水文效应

在干旱荒漠区,物理结皮是广泛发育的一类结皮,其存在对维持干旱荒漠区生态平衡具有重要作用。笔者总结了物理结皮种类、形成及影响因素,综述了物理结皮对土壤降雨入渗、蒸发、地表径流以及土壤发育和微生物生长等方面的国内外研究动态,探讨了物理结皮和生物结皮的相互联系,在此基础上,提出了物理结皮进一步研究的展望,认为：在河西走廊东段的民勤沙区,粘土沙障加梭梭的固沙造林模式,促使粘土沙障在雨滴的冲刷下物理结皮广泛发育,发育的结皮降低了降水入渗,增加了地表径流,使深层土壤旱化,造成人工梭梭固沙林衰退和较深层土壤水分的减少,导致沙区生态水文过程和植被格局变化,研究对退化荒漠植被恢复与干旱沙区土壤水分循环具有意义。     

A preliminary study of water use strategy of desert plants in Dunhuang,China

Water is a restrictive factor for plant growth and ecosystem stability in arid and semiarid areas. The dynamics of water availability in soils and water use by plants are consequently critical to ecosystem functions, e.g. maintaining a high resistance to the changing climate. Plant water use strategies, including water-use efficiency(WUE) and the main water source that a plant species utilizes, play an important role in the evaluation of stability and sustainability of a plantation. The water use strategies of desert plants(Tamarix chinensis, Alhagi sparsifolia, Elaeagnus angustifolia, Sophora alopecuroides, Bassia dasyphylla and Nitraria sphaerocarpa) in three different habitats(saline land, sandy land and Gobi) in Dunhuang(located in the typical arid area of northwestern China) were studied. The stable isotope of oxygen was used to determine the main water source and leaf carbon isotope discrimination was used to estimate the long-term WUE of plant species in the summer of 2010. The results suggest that: 1) the studied desert plants took up soil water below the depth of 80 cm; 2) T. chinensis in the three habitats used deeper soil water and T. chinensis in the Gobi site had higher WUE than those in the saline land and the sandy land. The results indicated that desert plants in Dunhuang depended on stable water source and maintained high WUE to survive in water limited environments.     

Ambient TSP concentration and dustfall variation in Urumqi,China

Total suspended particulate(TSP, particle diameter≤100 μm) was the dominant air pollutant and significantly influenced local air quality. In this paper, we investigated the interannual and seasonal variations of TSP and dustfall of the atmosphere over Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, northwestern China, basing on environmental monitoring records and meteorological data from 1986–2012. The results showed that during the study period, annual average TSP concentration decreased from 716 to 260 μg/m3, with an average level of 422.9 μg/m3, while dustfall intensity reduced from 350.4 to 166.6 t/(km2?a), with an average level of 259 t/(km2?a). Over 50% of the annual pollution days were induced mainly by TSP. Spring and winter had relatively higher dustfall intensities, and dense traffic and residential areas had the highest dustfall intensities in the Urumqi metropolitan area. With an annual average precipitation of less than 300 mm, atmospheric particulates in Urumqi could be hardly removed through wet deposition. During spring and summertime prevailing winds from northwest and northeast could carry aeolian dust particles from sandy deserts to Urumqi. Aeolian dusts from deserts would remain to be a priority regarding air pollution control in arid oasis cities.     

Spatial pattern of soil organic carbon in desert grasslands of the diluvial-alluvial plains of northern Qilian Mountains

The soil properties in arid ecosystems are important determinants of vegetation distribution patterns.Soil organic carbon(SOC)content,which is closely related to soil types and the holding capacities of soil water and nutrients,exhibits complex variability in arid desert grasslands;thus,it is essentially an impact factor for the distribution pattern of desert grasslands.In the present study,an investigation was conducted to estimate the spatial pattern of SOC content in desert grasslands and the association with environmental factors in the diluvial-alluvial plains of northern Qilian Mountains.The results showed that the mean values of SOC ranged from 2.76 to 5.80 g/kg in the soil profiles,and decreased with soil depths.The coefficients of variation(CV)of the SOC were high(ranging from 48.83%to 94.67%),which indicated a strong spatial variability.SOC in the desert grasslands of the study region presented a regular spatial distribution,which increased gradually from the northwest to the southeast.The SOC distribution had a pattern linked to elevation,which may be related to the gradient of climate conditions.Soil type and plant community significantly affected the SOC.The SOC had a significant positive relationship with soil moisture(P<0.05);whereas,it had a more significant negative relationship with the soil bulk density(BD)(P<0.01).However,a number of the variations in the SOC could be explained not by the environmental factors involved in this analysis,but rather other factors(such as grazing activity and landscape).The results provide important references for soil carbon storage estimation in this study region.In addition,the SOC association with environmental variables also provides a basis for a sustainable use of the limited grassland resources in the diluvial-alluvial plains of northern Qilian Mountains.