Logging pattern and landscape changes over the last century at the boreal and deciduous forest transition in Eastern Canada

Forestry practices associated with the industrial era (since ~1900) have altered the natural disturbance regimes and greatly impacted the world’s forests. We quantified twentieth century logging patterns and regional scale consequences in three sub-boreal forest landscapes of Eastern Canada (117,000, 49,400 and 92,300 ha), comparing forestry maps depicting age and forest cover types for early industrial (1930) and present-day (2000) conditions. Results were similar for the three landscapes, indicating large-scale forest change during the twentieth century. In 1930, previous logging activities had been concentrated in the lowlands and along the main hydrographical network, as compared to a more even distribution over the landscapes in 2000, reflecting a decreasing influence of the environmental constraints on forest harvesting. In 1930, old-aged forests (>100 years) accounted for more than 75% of the unlogged areas of the three landscapes, as compared to less than 15% for the present-day conditions. Logging practices have thus inverted the stand age distribution of the landscapes that are currently dominated by young and regenerating stands. The 1930 forest cover types showed a clear relationship with elevation, with conifers located in the lowlands and mixed and deciduous stands restricted to the upper slopes. Between 1930 and 2000, 58–64% of the conifer areas transformed to mixed and deciduous forests, such that no clear altitudinal relationships remained in 2000. We conclude that twentieth century logging practices have strongly altered the preindustrial vegetation patterns in our study area, to the point that ecosystem-based management strategies should be developed to restore conifer dominance, altitudinal gradients, as well as the irregular structure inspired from old forest stands.     

地被植物在南京仙林大学城景观规划中的应用

阐述园林地被植物的概念、生态习性,调查研究南京仙林大学城绿地中常见的多年生草本地被植物,同时对地被植物在景观规划中的配置应用及存在的问题进行探讨。     

Water use of spring wheat to raise water productivity

In semi-arid environments with a shortage of water resources and a risk of overexplotation of water supplies, spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a crop that can reduce water use and increase water productivity, because it takes advantage of spring rainfall and is harvested before the evaporative demands of summer. We carried out an experiment in 2003 at “Las Tiesas” farm, located between Barrax and Albacete (Central Spain), to improve accuracy in the estimation of wheat evapotranspiration (ETc) by using a weighing lysimeter. The measured seasonal ETc averages (5.63 mm day⁻¹) measured in the lysimeter was 417 mm compared to the calculated ETc values (5.31 mm day⁻¹) calculated with the standard FAO methodology of 393 mm. The evapotranspiration crop coefficient (Kc) derived from lysimetric measurements was Kc-mid: 1.20 and Kc-end: 0.15. The daily lysimeter Kc values were fit to the evolution linearly related to the green cover fraction (fc), which follows the crop development pattern. Seasonal soil evaporation was estimated as 135 mm and the basal crop coefficient approach was calculated in this study, Kcb which separates crop transpiration from soil evaporation (evaporation coefficient, Ke) was calculated and related to the green cover fraction (fc) and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) obtained by field radiometry in case of wheat. The results obtained by this research will permit the reduction of water use and improvement of water productivity for wheat, which is of vital importance in areas of limited water resources.     

荒漠草原植被覆盖对土壤水分的影响

以希拉穆仁草原为研究对象,通过对不同植被覆盖下土壤水分进行测定,研究了荒漠草原植被覆盖对土壤水分的影响,结果表明:植被覆盖度与土壤水分之间具有显著的相关关系,尤其是10 cm深度范围内土壤水分随植被盖度呈二次抛物线性趋势增加(R2=0.904 9);由于根系层分布的差异使得土壤剖面不同深度上对这种影响的水分响应不尽相同,灌丛植被覆盖的土壤水分含量在剖面0～40cm范围内明显大于其他植被类型,以坡顶土壤含水量最低;荒漠草原植被覆盖状况变化不仅影响土壤水分含量大小,而且显著影响土壤水分的空间分布,退化较轻的河滩草甸植被有利于维持相对均匀的土壤水分空间分布.     

Quality assessment of three warm-season turfgrasses growing in different substrate depths on shallow green roof systems

In an effort to increase the accessibility and functionality of shallow green roof systems, the ability of warm-season grasses to provide acceptable growth needs to be further investigated. In the current study, which was conducted during 2011 and 2012, three warm-season grasses (hybrid bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. x C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy ‘MiniVerde’; seashore paspalum, Paspalum vaginatum Swartz ‘Platinum TE’ and zoysiagrass, Zoysia japonica Steud. ‘Zenith’) were established in outdoor lysimeters. The lysimeters were equipped with all necessary green roof layers placed below a coarse-textured substrate that comprised pumice, thermally treated attapulgite clay, peat, compost and zeolite. Half of the lysimeters had a substrate depth of 15 cm, while the other half had a substrate depth of 7.5 cm. Irrigation was applied at crop evapotranspiration (ET_c). Measurements included determination of substrate moisture content, green turf cover (GTC) and leaf stomatal resistance. Significant differences were observed in the values of GTC among the three turfgrass species and the two substrate depths. Zoysiagrass exhibited the best adaptation at the lower depths of shallow green roof systems. At 15 cm substrate depth, zoysiagrass managed to sustain green coverage for the two study periods. In addition, it was the only turfgrass species that managed to perform well at the substrate depth of 7.5 cm. Seashore paspalum exhibited limited green cover at both substrate depths, while hybrid bermudagrass could provide acceptable green coverage only at 15 cm substrate depth.     

雪灾对农业影响的损失评估

为了分析雪灾对宁波市农业影响的损失,并对其进行评估。本研究选取宁波市2014年一次降雪过程,基于自然灾害理论,综合考虑形成雪灾损失的危险性、暴露性、脆弱性和防灾减灾能力,将遥感、地理信息技术与雪灾损失相结合构建雪灾损失评估模型。结合土地利用类型图,提取农业用地,将雪灾对农业影响的损失区域划分为低损失、中损失和高损失,并进行分区评述。结果表明:余姚市的积雪覆盖面积最大,且雪灾各损失等级所占面积均最大,受灾最严重;海曙区、江东区和江北区无积雪覆盖,无雪灾损失。雪灾高损失区域主要位于海拔较高的余姚南部和鄞州西部山区。     

Control of lettuce big-vein disease by application of fungicides and crop covers

One of the economically important diseases of lettuce is lettuce big-vein disease (LBVD), which leads to severe yield losses. LBVD is associated with a complex of two viruses, Lettuce big-vein associated virus (LBVaV) and Mirafiori lettuce big-vein virus (MLBVV). These viruses are transmitted by motile zoospores of Olpidium spp. fungi, which persist in the soil for decades through resting spores. In greenhouse and field experiments, this study tested whether changing plant and soil temperatures together with fungicide application would have a significant effect on controlling LBVD in lettuce. Soil fumigation with metam sodium was not effective at controlling the disease, as opposed to treatment with chloropicrin and methyl bromide. Moreover, the fungicides carbendazim and fluazinam were effective in reducing the incidence of Olpidium virulentus. Nevertheless, control of the fungal vector did not seem to be sufficient to control the disease due to the transition ability of the virus under low vector abundance. Crop covers, which affect the favourable environmental conditions for the viruses by lowering soil temperature and raising air temperature, reduced the disease symptoms. Combining fungicides with crop cover had a synergistic effect on reducing disease symptoms, thus providing a sustainable solution for LBVD.     

填闲作物腐解过程及其对后茬冬小麦产量的影响

研究了渭北旱塬地区不同填闲作物（长武怀豆（S）、黑麦草（R）及两者1∶1混合（M））翻压和氮肥水平（0、60、120 kg N·hm^-2）双因素处理下,填闲作物的腐解规律、碳氮释放动态及对后茬冬小麦产量的影响,并对腐解速率与Olsen模型进行了拟合。结果表明：各填闲作物翻压后腐解规律及碳氮释放特征均表现为“前期快-中期慢-后期加快”,填闲作物腐解规律符合Olsen模型,在第276天各处理累积腐解率均达70%以上。在第0~35天,同一施氮处理下,累积腐解率和腐解速率均表现为S>M>R（P<0.05）;第35天,S、M和R各处理干物质累积腐解率分别达到61.9%、55.5%和47.5%;在0~35 d,施氮对S、M的腐解影响不显著,对R影响显著,35 d后氮肥效应逐渐减弱;填闲作物的腐解同时伴随其碳、氮的快速释放,在第21天,S、M和R碳氮残留率分别达到40%、50%和60%左右。平均来看,S的碳氮释放速率显著高于R,与M无显著差异。与裸地对照相比,翻压填闲作物能够显著提高后茬冬小麦产量,其籽粒产量增加10%~35% （P<0.05）,其中翻压长武怀豆低氮处理和混合翻压低氮处理效果最佳。     

基于MODIS数据的2001—2016年内蒙古积雪分布及其变化趋势

积雪融水是干旱区重要的水资源之一,积雪分布变化的监测对区域雪冰资源的合理利用及灾害防治至关重要。基于内蒙古地区2001-2016年MOD10A2积雪数据对研究区进行分带提取,分析不同海拔高度积雪年内年际变化特征,结合气温和降水气象因素,分析其分布变化原因。研究表明:积雪面积、积雪覆盖率年内分布呈单峰形,10个海拔带的积雪期为9月到次年5月,峰值出现在冬季,积雪覆盖率增减的临界高度在952~1 114 m;不同高程带的积雪面积在春季、夏季、秋季整体上呈现出"增加-减少-增加-减少"的年际变化规律,冬季整体上表现出"减少-增加-减少"的变化规律;积雪面积受降水量和气温相互的影响,其中海拔高度可能起到间接作用。内蒙古地区春季、冬季积雪覆盖率均与冬季降水量呈显著正相关,各季节积雪覆盖率基本与温度呈负相关关系。     

Responses of subshrub sagebrush rangeland in North-Western China to changes in livestock numbers and rainfall over 10 years (2004–2013)

Seriphidium transiliense, or subshrub sagebrush, is one of the most important forage resources for livestock in many arid lands, but such resources have been threatened by overgrazing for a long time. A 2013 vegetation survey of an original sagebrush rangeland (2400?ha) in the Tianshan Mountains revealed that nearly half of the area once under sagebrush has been replaced by annual species. This is due to the continual and rapid increase in livestock numbers over the past 30?years. Three smaller sites with different grazing scenarios: no grazing (Site N), a decline (Site 1), and an increase (Site 2) in livestock numbers, were selected to monitor recent changes (from 2004 to 2013) in vegetation biomass and the degree of dominance by sagebrush. Supplanting happened at Site 2 but little occurred at Site 1. There were significant differences between Site 2 and Site 1 in standing biomass in Spring and Summer, but no significant differences in Summer between Site 1 and Site N. The supplanting of sagebrush marks the completion of a dynamic process – in which rainfall plays a crucial role – of damage to sagebrush from heavy grazing in drought years and its rehabilitation by light grazing in some good years. Plant biomass loss was greatest when the land was first subjected to heavy grazing. Sagebrush tends to exist as a sole-dominant species rather than a companion species in sagebrush communities. This suggests that sagebrush continued to survive in pockets where grazing pressure had declined.