Ecotourist trail-use affects the taxonomic,functional and phylogenetic diversity of mammals in a protected area: lessons for conservation management

Ecotourism, by definition, aims to engage peoples’ interest in wildlife and the environment. The use of tourist roads and trails to access sites within protected areas (PAs) can detrimentally affect the behavior and distribution of species. The way mammals respond to anthropogenic pressures may differ across taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic groups; nevertheless, how ecotourist trail-use affects these different diversity remains under-investigated. Here, we assessed 6 metrics of taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity for a mammal community in a PA in central China, recording how Trail use (using Trail type as a proxy) and habitat variables affected sightings and signs of mammals across 60 replicate 0.5 km transects. We then examined how Trail use affected the taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity indices of species (>1 kg). Using generalized liner mixed modeling, we identified that more used trail types had a greater adverse effect on all diversity richness indices than did less used trail types. Consequently, tourist pressure was associated with a general tendency to homogenize the site's mammal community. In contrast, the effects of Trail Types on all diversity evenness indices were non-significant. Furthermore, more developed and more heavily used trail types had a greater, significant negative effect on taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic richness, whereas these richness indices were unaffected by minor trail types, used less intensively. As a general principle, lower biodiversity indices reduce ecosystem resilience, and so it is vital to better understand these responses to balance public access against biodiversity management in PAs.     

放牧和模拟降水对短花针茅荒漠草原植物功能群多样性的影响

为探究放牧和降水变化对植物功能群的影响,本文以内蒙古短花针茅(Stipa breviflora)荒漠草原为研究对象,开展了野外控制试验。试验设置围封和适度放牧,分别进行模拟降水处理(减少降水量50%、自然降水、增加降水量50%、增加降水量100%),并在每年8月观测植物群落组成。结果表明：减水会降低植物功能群多样性、生物量和物种数量,增水有利于植物功能群多样性的提高。多年生丛生禾草多样性随降水量的增加而升高。同时,对降水梯度和功能群多样性进行拟合分析发现,降水量低于年降水量16%则不利于除灌木、半灌木外其他功能群植物的生长。围封草地增水67%～79%时,功能群的Simpson指数、Shannon-Wiener指数、Pielou指数值均较高,功能群多样性较高;由于放牧提高了植物的水分利用效率,放牧地各指数在增水26%～50%时较高,功能群多样性较高。综上,适度的放牧及水分补充有利于提高植物功能群多样性。     

短花针茅荒漠草原物种间关系的多度不对称性对载畜率的响应

目前物种的相对多度与种间关系的内部联系如何影响物种共存仍不清楚。为探讨植物群落物种间关系强度的多度不对称性及其对载畜率的响应,本研究以内蒙古短花针茅(Stipa breviflora)荒漠草原植物群落为对象,分析了对照、轻度、中度及重度放牧下群落物种的多度及其频率。结果表明：随载畜率的增大,物种数呈现出降低的趋势。不同载畜率下同分布指数CO均存在明显的多度依赖性;常见种(如短花针茅、无芒隐子草(Cleistogenes songorica)及刺穗藜(Chenopodum aristatum))对其他物种的作用强度普遍较强。不同载畜率下短花针茅对无芒隐子草及刺穗藜的作用强度均高于其二者对短花针茅的强度,表现出种间强度的不对称性。此外,放牧使得短花针茅对无芒隐子草的作用强度呈现出增大的趋势,使得无芒隐子草对短花针茅的作用强度呈现出降低的趋势。因此,物种间存在多度的不对称性,而放牧进一步造成其物种间作用强度的变化。     

果园巡检机器人长臂抖动抑制方法

针对果园巡检机器人长臂因抖动而严重制约图像采集效率的问题,该研究提出基于臂体上3个部位的仰角构建单一反馈量进行抖动抑制的方法。首先基于臂体外伸段的有限元模态分析结果,通过固有频率和静变形的等效,建立三杆两扭簧等效机构的动力学模型。并基于微分平坦理论将3个倾角传感器读数合成为一个系统输出量,以平坦输出量作为被控量,采用PID控制器进行抑振试验,再利用自抗扰控制(Active Disturbance Rejection Control, ADRC)思想中对广义扰动的处理方法,将被控模型等效为二阶系统形式,并将模型信息代入到扩张状态观测器中进行对比试验。试验结果表明,基于本文构建的方法均能起到快速抑制长臂抖动的作用。在冲击作用致使末端产生10°幅值的抖动情况下,PID控制器实现了7 s内抑制大幅抖动,自抗扰控制器实现了8 s内快速抑制大幅抖动的效果。PID控制器的输出出现3次饱和现象且小幅较高频率抖动不易消除,而自抗扰控制器仅出现一次饱和,具有抖动抑制过程平滑的优点。本文的控制算法简洁适于在单片机等微型计算机系统中应用,系统结构简单成本低,可为现代农业装备研发与应用中解决长臂类结构抖动的主动抑制问题提供理论参考。     

基于离散元法的免耕深施肥分段式玉米播种开沟器研制

针对东北垄作深施肥免耕播种机上开沟器播种深度均匀性差、工作阻力大、土壤扰动大的问题,该研究利用离散元软件(EDEM 2.7)仿真分析不同类型破茬刀-施肥铲装置对土壤的作用机理,设计了一种分段式玉米播种开沟器。首先建立土壤-玉米根系-玉米秸秆离散元仿真模型,然后进行不同类型破茬刀-施肥铲装置离散元仿真试验,以回落土壤最大合外力的位置和方向为依据设计开沟器入土部分曲线,同时结合滑切原理设计开沟器未入土部分斜刃,最后根据土壤回落距离确定施肥铲和开沟器间距为374 mm。田间对比试验结果表明,分段式开沟器比尖角式开沟器、滑刀式开沟器、双圆盘式开沟器的播深变异系数分别降低了14.24%、27.31%、33.63%;工作阻力分别降低了27.56%、16.93%、1.23%;土壤扰动面积分别降低了11.67%、28.34%、49.34%。分段式开沟器播种深度均匀性高、工作阻力小、土壤扰动小,具有较优的作业效果。     

Conversion of a tropical forest into agroforest alters the fine root-related carbon flux to the soil

Large areas of remaining tropical forests are affected by anthropogenic disturbances of various intensities. These disturbances alter the structure of the forest ecosystem and consequently its carbon budget. We analysed the role of fine root dynamics in the soil carbon budget of tropical moist forests in South-east Asia along a gradient of increasing disturbance intensity. Fine root production, fine root turnover, and the associated carbon fluxes from the fine root system to the soil were estimated with three different approaches in five stands ranging from an old growth forest with negligible anthropogenic disturbance to a cacao agroforestry system with planted shade trees. Annual fine root production and mortality in three natural forest sites with increasing canopy openness decreased continuously with increasing forest disturbance, with a reduction of more than 45% between the undisturbed forest and the forest with large timber extraction. Cacao agroforestry stands had higher fine root production and mortality rates than forest with large timber extraction but less than undisturbed forest. The amount of carbon annually transferred to the soil carbon pool through fine root mortality was highest in the undisturbed forest and generally decreased with increasing forest use intensity. However, root-related C flux was also relatively high in the plantation with planted shading trees. In contrast, the relative importance of C transfer from root death in the total above- and below-ground C input to the soil increased with increasing forest use intensity and was even similar to the C input via leaf litter fall in the more intensively managed agroforest. We conclude that moderate to heavy disturbance in South-east Asian tropical moist forests has a profound impact on fine root turnover and the related carbon transfer to the soil.     

Effects of irrigation and plowing on soil carbon dioxide efflux in a poplar plantation chronosequence in northwest China

Soil respiration in forest plantations can be greatly affected by management practices. Irrigation is necessary for high productivity of poplar plantations in semi-arid northwest China. Moreover, plowing is essential for improving soil quality and reducing evaporation. In the present study, the influences of irrigation and plowing on soil carbon dioxide (CO₂) efflux were investigated in poplar plantations in 2007 and 2008. The experiments included three stand age classes receiving three treatments: control, irrigation, and plowing. Mean soil respiration in irrigation treatment stands was 5.47, 4.86, and 4.43?µmol?m^?2?s^?1 in 3-, 8-, and 15-year-old stands, respectively, during the growing season. In contrast, mean soil respiration in control stands was 3.71, 3.83, and 3.98?µmol?m^?2?s^?1 in 3-, 8-, and 15-year-old stands, respectively. During the entire observation period, mean soil respiration in plowing treatment stands increased by 36.2% compared with that in the control stands. Mean soil respiration in irrigation treatment stands was significantly higher than that in the control stands; this was mainly because fine root growth and decomposer activities were greatly depressed by soil drought, since natural precipitation could not meet their water demands. The results also suggest that plowing management can greatly increase soil CO₂ emission by modifying soil structure. After plowing, soil bulk density decreased and soil aeration was greatly improved, leading to greater rates of oxidation and mineralization.     

不同干扰方式对桂西北灌草植被物种多样性和生产力的影响

灌草植被在生态系统功能的维持中发挥着重要作用,不同的干扰方式可能改变退化土地灌草植被的多样性及其分布格局,甚至多样性与生产力的关系。以未受干扰的植被作为对照,研究放牧和火烧两种主要干扰对桂西北灌草植被的物种多样性和生产力的影响,并分析了两者之间的关系。结果表明:放牧和火烧处理均降低了灌木的物种丰富度和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数,但放牧处理的均匀度指数与对照相比无显著差异,火烧处理反而显著增加了其均匀度指数。对草本而言,放牧不影响物种丰富度指数,但显著降低了Shannon-Wiener多样性指数和均匀度指数;火烧显著降低了物种丰富度指数,但不影响Shannon-Wiener多样性指数和均匀度指数。与对照相比,放牧和火烧均降低了灌木的地上和地下部分生物量,但两者对草本的地上和地下生物量却产生了正面影响或无影响。此外,这两种干扰方式对灌木和草本多样性与生产力间关系的影响具有不一致性。     

坝上草原退耕地植被不同恢复处理土壤种子库研究

采用野外调查取样和室内实验相结合的方法,研究坝上草原退耕地土壤种子库的物种组成、密度和物种多样性等特征.结果表明:自然恢复、浅耕处理和深耕处理3种不同恢复措施下,土壤种子库物种丰富度(种)大小为浅耕处理(18)>自然恢复(15)>深耕处理(14);自然恢复处理、浅耕处理和深耕处理土壤种子库密度分别为23 949粒·m-2、15746粒·m-2和10600粒·m-2,浅耕处理和深耕处理分别比自然恢复处理减少34.3%和55.7%;不同恢复方式下土壤种子库与地上植被的物种密度的对应关系可用三次曲线来表示.土壤种子库间有较高的相似系数,但随着干扰程度的增加而减少.     

五台山南台山地草甸种群对旅游干扰的生态响应

以五台山南台为例,利用生态位的宽度指数,研究了草甸种群对旅游干扰的生态响应。结果表明:(1)紫羊茅、珠芽蓼和北方嵩草的生态位宽度较大,是群落的建群种。随着距离的增加,旅游干扰减小,不仅物种的数量越来越多,而且其生态优势也趋于增强,说明旅游干扰限制了种群对其周围资源的利用。其中,紫羊茅的相对优势在下降,而北方嵩草的相对优势却不断增强。(2)两种划分方法表明,北方嵩草、雪白委陵菜、零零香、歪头菜、小红菊和兰花棘豆是增长型的种类;扁蓄是衰退型的种类;地榆是波动型的种类。