Effects of changing spatial scale on acoustic observations of patchiness in the Gulf Stream

We examine the influence of spatial scale on studies of nektonic patchiness at the north edge of the Gulf Stream by altering the grain size of acoustic cross sections and applying a patch-finding algorithm. From original pictures of 180 pixels deep by 540–1260 pixels long, we averaged depth and length, to give 9 scales ranging from fine grain (1 m vertical × 25 m horizontal sized pixels) to coarse grain (12 m × 300 m sized pixels). Measures of overall echo intensity within patches were the most predictable and showed little change with scale. Measures of variability of the echo within patches showed simple negative trends with scale and were best measured at fine spatial scales. Patch size and shape related variables have a more complex relationship with scale with differences between day and night transects more pronounced at intermediate scales. This suggests behavioral patch forming mechanisms within the nekton occur at a specific grain size (4 m vertical × 100 m horizontal) within the Gulf Stream front.     

Spatio-temporal modelling of broad scale heterogeneity in soil moisture content: a basis for an ecologically meaningful classification of soil landscapes

We describe the classification of landscapes characterised bymineral soil using a model that calculates soil moisture availability on amonthly basis. Scotland is used as a case study area. The model uses potentialsoil moisture deficit, estimated using broad scale (40 × 40 km)climate patterns, in conjunction with meteorological station measurements toobtain finer scale values of climatic soil moisture deficit. Point estimates ofsoil available water are obtained for soil characteristics using appropriatepedotransfer functions, and geostatistical techniques are used to upscale theresults and interpolate to a 1-km grid. Known heterogeneityin soil physical characteristics is used to provide local corrections to thepotential soil moisture deficit, estimated using the climatic variables above.Temporal profiles of monthly water content are modelled for each1-km location and classified into six classes usingunsupervised cluster analysis. The spatial distribution of these classesreflects regional variations in the availability of moisture and energy, onwhich finer-grained topographic patterns are superimposed. In the case study,the broad scale spatial heterogeneity of heathlands and grasslands on mineralsoils in Scotland is shown to be strongly related to the soil moistureclassification. The results can be used in studies investigating the patternsofdistribution of communities at the landscape and regional scale.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of landscape structure on nest predation in roadsides of a midwestern agroecosystem: a multiscale analysis

Nest predation is an important cause of mortality for many bird species, especially in grassland ecosystems where generalist predators have responded positively to human disturbance and landscape fragmentation. Our study evaluated the influence of the composition and configuration of the surrounding landscape on nest predation. Transects consisting of 10 artificial ground nests each were set up in 136 roadsides in six watersheds in south-central Iowa. Nest predation on individual roadside transects ranged from 0 to 100% and averaged 23%. The relationship of landscape structure within spatially-nested landscapes surrounding each roadside transect (within 200, 400, 800, 1200, and 1600 m of the transect line) to nest predation was evaluated by using multiple regression and canonical correlation analyses. The results of this multiscale landscape analysis demonstrated that predation on ground nests was affected by the surrounding landscape mosaic and that nest predators with different-sized home ranges and habitat affinities responded to landscapes in different ways. In general, wooded habitats were associated with greater nest predation, whereas herbaceous habitats (except alfalfa/pasture) either were associated with less nest predation or were not important. Different landscape variables were important at different spatial scales. Whereas some block-cover habitats such as woodland were important at all scales, others such as rowcrops and alfalfa/pasture were important at large scales. Some strip-cover habitats such as gravel roads and paved roads were important at small scales, but others such as wooded roadsides were important at all all scales. Most landscape metrics (e.g., mean patch size and edge density) were important at large scales. Our study demonstrated that the relationships between landscape structure and predator assemblages are complex, thus making efforts to enhance avian productivity in agricultural landscapes a difficult management goal.     

Scale-dependent habitat use in three species of prairie wetland birds

We evaluated the influence of scale on habitat use for three wetland-obligate bird species with divergent life history characteristics and possible scale-dependent criteria for nesting and foraging in South Dakota, USA. A stratified, two-stage cluster sample was used to randomly select survey wetlands within strata defined by region, wetland density, and wetland surface area. We used 18-m (0.1 ha) fixed radius circular-plots to survey birds in 412 semipermanent wetlands during the summers of 1995 and 1996. Variation in habitat use by pied-billed grebes (Podilymbus podiceps) and yellow-headed blackbirds (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus), two sedentary species that rarely exploit resources outside the vicinity of nest wetlands, was explained solely by within-patch variation. Yellow-headed blackbirds were a cosmopolitan species that commonly nested in small wetlands, whereas pied-billed grebes were an area-sensitive species that used larger wetlands regardless of landscape pattern. Area requirements for black terns (Chlidonias niger), a vagile species that typically forages up to 4 km away from the nest wetland, fluctuated in response to landscape structure. Black tern area requirements were small (6.5 ha) in heterogeneous landscapes compared to those in homogeneous landscapes (15.4–32.6 ha). Low wetland density landscapes composed of small wetlands, where few nesting wetlands occurred and potential food sources were spread over large distances, were not widely used by black terns. Landscape-level measurements related to black tern occurrence extended past relationships between wetlands into the surrounding matrix. Black terns were more likely to occur in landscapes where grasslands had not been tilled for agricultural production. Our findings represent empirical evidence that characteristics of entire landscapes, rather than individual patches, must be quantified to assess habitat suitability for wide-ranging species that use resources over large areas.     

用自动盘式吸渗仪测定土壤导水率

盘式吸渗仪已成为测定田间土壤水力参数的重要工具之一,自动监测装置的应用将进一步提高试验的精确度并加快试验进程。该文介绍了一种试验装置,通过连接在储水管上下两端的传感器实时压差监测,以此确定入渗水量的变化过程,并通过一系列试验,对试验装置的可靠性进行了验证,将试验装置应用到实际测定土壤水力参数中。试验结果表明：自动监测装置通过测定储水管的压差,并通过相应关系代换为储水管水位变化来采集试验数据的方法是可靠的。通过与人工读数方法测定的结果对比表明,其精度可以达到试验要求;对于本试验土壤,用自动监测装置采集的数据来确定吸渗率的时间可以控制在30 s～4 min之间。     

甘肃省年有效降水次数的异常特征分析

利用1958-2001年甘肃省45个气象站的逐日降水资料,统计出年有效降水次数,通过经验正交展开(EOF)和旋转经验正交展开(REOF),研究其异常的空间结构及时间演变规律,同时利用墨西哥帽子波变换技术,对甘肃省年有效降水次数进行多时间尺度分析.结果表明:大范围区域一致性异常是甘肃省年有效降水次数的首要特征;甘肃省年有效降水次数异常区域大致分为4个关键区;从总体上看(较大时间尺度),甘肃省年有效降水次数是增加的,而从较小时间尺度看,则表现为增中有减,减中有增的复杂变化.     

近43年黄河上游来水来沙变化特点

选取黄河头道拐站实测水沙序列(1960-2002年)资料,对水沙序列进行了多时间尺度和趋势识别的小波分析。结果表明:①黄河上游来水来沙量汛期所占比例减少,而非汛期所占比例增加;在年际变化上,水沙量逐年减少;同时,水沙相关关系具有一定的变化;②黄河上游水沙序列具有相同的多时间尺度(准周期)变化,但同一尺度下,水沙所处的丰枯变化并不一致;③年水沙序列趋势变化基本一致,20世纪80年代以来,两者存在明显减少趋势;但在非汛期,两者的趋势变化有较大区别。     

区域尺度分布式水文模拟的时空分辨率

基于数据实验,就区域尺度分布式水文模拟中时空分辨率匹配问题进行讨论,就分布式水文建模中时空分辨率匹配问题提出建议。结果表明:低分辨率高程数据在区域水文要素空间离散过程中,导致边界错位、高程趋于集中、坡度变缓、河网稀疏失真等不良后果,在区域水文模拟研究中,应根据不同时间尺度对应的科学计算需求,选择适宜的空间分辨率数据进行模型平台构建。     

黄土高原西部人工灌木林土壤水分分布规律

利用便携式中子水分测定仪,对黄土高原西部丘陵区不同立地条件、不同灌木类型覆盖下土壤水分含量进行观测研究,同时对人工灌木林土壤水分分布规律进行了初步的探讨。结果表明：阴坡土壤水分储量最高,其次为半阴坡和半阳坡,阳坡最低,坡向因子与土壤水分储量呈显著正相关,坡位因子与土壤水分储量相关性不显著。柠条(Caragana korshinskii)、半日花(Helianthemum songaricum)耗水量较大,沙木蓼(Atraphaxis bracteata）、梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)等耗水量居中,荒漠锦鸡儿(Caragana roborovskyi)、甘蒙锦鸡儿(Caragana opulens)、枸杞(Lycium chinense)耗水量较低,在植被恢复过程中,应根据物种抗旱性的不同在不同坡向进行合理的配置。从单株植物对土壤水分水平分布的影响看,随着离树干距离的加大,土壤水分含量越高,但在不同的土层深度土壤水分水平分布特征有差异。