Landscape ecology provides new theoretical frameworks and methodologies for understanding complex ecological phenomena at multiple scales.Studies of landscape ecology focus on understanding the dynamics of eco-logical...Landscape ecology provides new theoretical frameworks and methodologies for understanding complex ecological phenomena at multiple scales.Studies of landscape ecology focus on understanding the dynamics of eco-logical patterns and processes,and highlight the integration of multiple disciplines.In this paper,we discussed the problems and challenges that landscape ecology is currently facing,emphasizing the limitations of current methods used to describe dynamic landscape patterns and processes.We suggested that the focus should be on the integration of ground-based observation,mobile monitoring,transect survey,and remote-sensing monitoring,as well as improved coupling of experimental and model simulations.In addition,we outlined the research frontiers in landscape ecology,including scaling,integrated pattern and process modeling,and regional synthesis.Lastly,a brief review of pat-tern-process-scale coupling studies in China was provided.We concluded by pointing out that pattern-process-scale interactions,correlations between natural,economic,and social processes,and the coupling of human and natural systems will be major research areas in landscape ecology in the future.展开更多
Since the industrial revolution, human activities have both expanded and intensified across the globe resulting in accelerated land use change. Land use change driven by China’s development has put pressure on the li...Since the industrial revolution, human activities have both expanded and intensified across the globe resulting in accelerated land use change. Land use change driven by China’s development has put pressure on the limited arable land resources, which has affected grain production. Competing land use interests are a potential threat to food security in China. Therefore, studying arable land use changes is critical for ensuring future food security and maintaining the sustainable development of arable land. Based on data from several major sources, we analyzed the spatio-temporal differences of arable land among different agricultural regions in China from 2000 to 2010 and identified the drivers of arable land expansion and loss. The results revealed that arable land decreased by 5.92 million ha or 3.31%. Arable land increased in the north and decreased in the south of China. Urbanization and ecological restoration programs were the main drivers of arable land loss, while the reclamation of other land cover types(e.g., forest, grassland, and wetland) was the primary source of the increased arable land. The majority of arable land expansion occurred in the Northwest, but the centroid for grain production moved to northeast, which indicated that new arable land was of poor quality and did not significantly contribute to the grain production capacity. When combined with the current ‘Red Line of Arable Land Policy’(RAL) and ‘Ecological Redline Policy’(EPR), this study can provide effective information for arable land policymaking and help guide the sustainable development of arable land.展开更多
Three-River Headwaters(TRH) region involved in this paper refers to the source region of the Changjiang(Yangtze) River,the Huanghe(Yellow) River and the Lancang River in China.Taking the TRH region of the Qinghai-Tibe...Three-River Headwaters(TRH) region involved in this paper refers to the source region of the Changjiang(Yangtze) River,the Huanghe(Yellow) River and the Lancang River in China.Taking the TRH region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as a case,the annual evapotranspiration(ET) model developed by Zhang et al.(2001) was applied to evaluate mean annual ET in the alpine area,and the response of annual ET to land use change was analyzed.The plant-available water coefficient(w) of Zhang's model was revised by using vegetation-temperature condition index(VTCI) before annual ET was calculated in alpine area.The future land use scenario,an input of ET model,was spatially simulated by using the conversion of land use and its effects at small regional extent(CLUE-S) to study the response of ET to land use change.Results show that the relative errors between the simulated ET and that calculated by using water balance equation were 3.81% and the index of agreement was 0.69.This indicates that Zhang's ET model based on revised plant-available water coefficient is a scientific and practical tool to estimate the annual ET in the alpine area.The annual ET in 2000 in the study area was 221.2 mm,11.6 mm more than that in 1980.Average annual ET decreased from southeast to northwest,but the change of annual ET between 1980 and 2000 increased from southeast to northwest.As a vast and sparsely populated area,the population in the TRH region was extremely unbalanced and land use change was concentrated in very small regions.Thus,land use change had little effect on total annual ET in the study area but a great impact on its spatial distribution,and the effect of land use change on ET decreased with increasing precipitation.ET was most sensitive to the interconversion between forest and unused land,and was least sensitive to the interconversion between cropland and low-covered grassland.展开更多
Urban plants provide various ecosystem services and biodiversity for human well-being. It is necessary to examine the plant species and functional traits composition and the influencing factors. In this study, a field...Urban plants provide various ecosystem services and biodiversity for human well-being. It is necessary to examine the plant species and functional traits composition and the influencing factors. In this study, a field survey was conducted using the tessellation-randomized plot method to assess the plant species and functional traits variability in greenspaces across eight land use types(LUTs) in the built-up areas of Beijing, China. Results showed that the woody plants in the built-up areas of Beijing comprised 85 non-native species(57%), 21 pollen-allergenic species(14%), and 99 resistant species(67%). Residential areas, community parks and institutional areas had higher woody plant species richness than other LUTs. Native and extralimital native species were more widespread than exotic species. Proportions of species with resistances were low except for cold-and drought-resistance; consequently, a high intensity of management and maintenance is essential for survival of plants in this urban area. Caution should be exerted in selecting plant species with resistance to harsh conditions in different LUTs. Housing prices, distances from the urban center, years since the establishment of LUTs and greening rate were strongly correlated with the plant functional traits and species diversity. Urban forest managers should consider plant functional traits and LUT-specific strategies to maximize both forest and human health.展开更多
The climate has an impact on the urban thermal environment,and the magnitude of the surface urban heat island(SUHI)and urban cool island(UCI)vary across the world’s climatic zones.This literature review investigated:...The climate has an impact on the urban thermal environment,and the magnitude of the surface urban heat island(SUHI)and urban cool island(UCI)vary across the world’s climatic zones.This literature review investigated:1)the variations in the SUHI and UCI intensity under different climatic backgrounds,and 2)the effect of vegetation types,landscape composition,urban configuration,and water bodies on the SUHI.The SUHI had a higher intensity in tropical(Af(tropical rainy climate,Köppen climate classification),Am(tropical monsoon climate),subtropical(Cfa,subtropical humid climate),and humid continental(Dwa,semi-humid and semi-arid monsoon climate)climate zones.The magnitude of the UCI was low compared to the SUHI across the climate zones.The cool and dry Mediterranean(Cfb,temperate marine climate;Csb,temperate mediterranean climate;Cfa)and tropical climate(Af)areas had a higher cooling intensity.For cities with a desert climate(BWh,tropical desert climate),a reverse pattern was found.The difference in the SUHI in the night-time was greater than in the daytime for most cities across the climate zones.The extent of green space cooling was related to city size,the adjacent impervious surface,and the local climate.Additionally,the composition of urban landscape elements was more significant than their configuration for sustaining the urban thermal environment.Finally,we identified future research gaps for possible solutions in the context of sustainable urbanization in different climate zones.展开更多
The inhibition of nitrification by mixing nitrification inhibitors(NI)with fertilizers is emerging as an effective method to reduce fertilizer-induced nitrous oxide(N_(2)O)emissions.The additive 3,4-dimethylpyrazole p...The inhibition of nitrification by mixing nitrification inhibitors(NI)with fertilizers is emerging as an effective method to reduce fertilizer-induced nitrous oxide(N_(2)O)emissions.The additive 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate(DMPP)apparently inhibits ammonia oxidizing bacteria(AOB)more than ammonia oxidizing archaea(AOA),which dominate the nitrification in alkaline and acid soil,respectively.However,the efficacy of DMPP in terms of nitrogen sources interacting with soil properties remains unclear.We therefore conducted a microcosm experiment using three typical Chinese agricultural soils with contrasting pH values(fluvo-aquic soil,black soil and red soil),which were fertilized with either digestate or urea in conjunction with a range of DMPP concentrations.In the alkaline fluvo-aquic soil,fertilization with either urea or digestate induced a peak in N_(2)O emission(60μg N kg^(-1)d^(-1))coinciding with the rapid nitrification within 3 d following fertilization.DMPP almost eliminated this peak in N_(2)O emission,reducing it by nearly 90%,despite the fact that the nitrification rate was only reduced by 50%.In the acid black soil,only the digestate induced an N_(2)O emission that increased gradually,reaching its maximum(20μg N kg^(-1)d^(-1))after 5–7 d.The nitrification rate and N_(2)O emission were both marginally reduced by DMPP in the black soil,and the N_(2)O yield(N_(2)O-N per NO2–+NO3–-N produced)was exceptionally high at 3.5%,suggesting that the digestate induced heterotrophic denitrification.In the acid red soil,the N_(2)O emission spiked in the digestate and urea treatments at 50 and 10μg N kg^(-1)d^(-1),respectively,and DMPP reduced the rates substantially by nearly 70%.Compared with 0.5%DMPP,the higher concentrations of DMPP(1.0 to 1.5%)did not exert a significantly(P<0.05)better inhibition effect on the N_(2)O emissions in these soils(either with digestate or urea).This study highlights the importance of matching the nitrogen sources,soil properties and NIs to achieve a high efficiency of N_(2)O emission reduction.展开更多
Land use/cover change(LUCC)plays a key role in altering surface hydrology and water balance,finally affect-ing the security and availability of water resources.However,mechanisms underlying LUCC determination of water...Land use/cover change(LUCC)plays a key role in altering surface hydrology and water balance,finally affect-ing the security and availability of water resources.However,mechanisms underlying LUCC determination of water-balance processes at the basin scale remain unclear.In this study,the Soil and Water Assessment Tool(SWAT)model and partial least squares regression were used to detect the effects of LUCC on hydrology and water components in the Zuli River Basin(ZRB),a typical watershed of the Yellow River Basin.In general,three recommended coefficients(R^(2)and E ns greater than 0.5,and P bias less than 20%)indicated that the output results of the SWAT model were reliable and that the model was effective for the ZRB.Then,several key findings were obtained.First,LUCC in the ZRB was characterized by a significant increase in forest(21.61%)and settlement(23.52%)and a slight reduction in cropland(-1.35%),resulting in a 4.93%increase in evapotranspiration and a clear decline in surface runoffand water yield by 15.68%and 2.95%at the whole basin scale,respectively.Second,at the sub-basin scale,surface runoffand water yield increased by 14.26%-36.15%and 5.13%-15.55%,respectively,mainly due to settlement increases.Last,partial least squares regression indicated that urbanization was the most significant contributor to runoffchange,and evapotranspiration change was mainly driven by forest expansion.These conclusions are significant for understanding the relationship between LUCC and water balance,which can provide meaningful information for managing water resources and the long-term sustainability of such watersheds.展开更多
Although a crucial objective of ecosystem management should be the avoidance of degradation at the beginning,an unfortunate truth is that ecosystems have been substantially exploited,degraded and destroyed in the last...Although a crucial objective of ecosystem management should be the avoidance of degradation at the beginning,an unfortunate truth is that ecosystems have been substantially exploited,degraded and destroyed in the last century as a result of the global increase in economic and societal prosperity(Suding,2011).More than 60%of ecosystems have been converted for human use or degraded through unsustainable harvest,pollution,展开更多
Urbanization in modern times led to a series of development strategies that brought new opportunities in China. Rapid urbanization caused severe stress to the ecosystems and the environment. Using the center-of-gravit...Urbanization in modern times led to a series of development strategies that brought new opportunities in China. Rapid urbanization caused severe stress to the ecosystems and the environment. Using the center-of-gravity(COG) method and parameters such as population, economy, and land, we studied the urbanization pattern in Songhua River Basin and its southern source sub-basin from 1990 to 2010. Urbanization was analyzed based on the COG position, eccentric distance, movement direction of COG, and distance of COG movement. Various characteristics of urbanization in the southern source sub-basin of the Songhua River were explained in relation to the whole Songhua River Basin. Urbanization in the southern source sub-basin of the Songhua River is balanced, relatively advanced, and stable compared to the whole Songhua River Basin. The average eccentric distance between the urbanization COGs in the Songhua River′s south source basin indicated rapid expansion of land urbanization during the span of this study. A basic pattern of urbanization COG in the whole Songhua Basin was observed, but there existed differences among the three aspects of urbanization process. Land urbanization is still in its active stage, so future studies should focus on analysis of such urbanization trends.展开更多
The altitudinal pattern of vegetation is usually identified by field surveys,however,these can only provide discrete data on a local mountain.Few studies identifying and analyzing the altitudinal vegetation pattern on...The altitudinal pattern of vegetation is usually identified by field surveys,however,these can only provide discrete data on a local mountain.Few studies identifying and analyzing the altitudinal vegetation pattern on a regional scale are available.This study selected central Inner Mongolia as the study area,presented a method for extracting vegetation patterns in altitudinal and horizontal directions.The data included a vegetation map at a 1∶1 000 000 scale and a digital elevation model at a 1∶250 000 scale.The three-dimensional vegetation pattern indicated the distribution probability for each vegetation type and the transition zones between different vegetation landscapes.From low to high elevations,there were five vegetation types in the southern mountain flanks,including the montane steppe,broad-leaved forest,coniferous mixed forest,montane dwarf-scrub and sub-alpine shrub-meadow.Correspondingly,only four vegetation types were found in the northern flanks,except for the montane steppe.This study could provide a general model for understanding the complexity and diversity of mountain environment and landscape.展开更多
Vegetation maps are fundamental for regional-scale ecological research. However, information is often not sufficiently up to date for such research. The Loess Plateau is a key area for vegetation restoration projects ...Vegetation maps are fundamental for regional-scale ecological research. However, information is often not sufficiently up to date for such research. The Loess Plateau is a key area for vegetation restoration projects and a suitable area for regional ecological research. To carry out regional vegetation mapping based on the principles of hierarchical classification, object-oriented methods, visual interpretation, and accuracy assessment, this study integrated land cover, high-resolution remote sensing images, background environmental data, bioclimate zoning data, and field survey data from the Loess Plateau. To further clarify the implications of vegetation mapping, we compared the deviation of the 2015 vegetation map of the Loess Plateau(VMLP) and the widely used vegetation map of China(VMC)(1 : 1 000 000) for the expressed vegetation information and the evaluation of ecosystem services. The results indicated that 1) the vegetation of the Loess Plateau could be divided into 9 vegetation type groups and 18 vegetation types with classification accuracies of 87.76% and 83.97%, respectively;2) the distribution of vegetation had obvious zonal regularity;3) a deviation of 29.56 × 10^4 km^2 occurred when the vegetation coverage area was quantified with the VMC;4) the vegetation classification accuracy affected the ecosystem service assessment, the total water yield of the Loess Plateau calculated by the VMC and other required parameters was overestimated by 2.2 × 10^6 mm in 2015. Because vegetation mapping is a basic and important activity, that requires greater attention, this study provides supporting data for subsequent multivariate vegetation mapping and vegetation management for conservation and restoration.展开更多
Background:The Swan Goose(Anser cygnoides)breeds across Mongolia and adjacent China and Russia and winters exclusively in China.It is globally threatened,showing long-term major range contractions and declining abunda...Background:The Swan Goose(Anser cygnoides)breeds across Mongolia and adjacent China and Russia and winters exclusively in China.It is globally threatened,showing long-term major range contractions and declining abundance,linked to habitat loss and degradation.We remain ignorant about the biogeographical subpopulation structure of the species and potential differences in their migration timing,stopovers and schedules,information that could be vital to effective conservation of different elements of the species population,which we address here with results from a telemetry study.Methods:In 2017-2018,we attached GPS/GSM telemetry devices to 238 Swan Geese on moulting sites in three discrete parts of their summering area(Dauria International Protected Area,Central Mongolia and Western Mongolia),generating 104 complete spring and autumn migration episodes to compare migration speed and nature between birds of different summer provenances.Results:Birds from all three breeding areas used almost completely separate migration routes to winter sympatrically in the Yangtze River floodplain.Although many features of the spring and autumn migrations of the three groups were similar,despite the significantly longer migration routes taken by Western Mongolian tagged birds,birds from Dauria Region arrived significantly later in winter due to prolonged staging in coastal areas and took longer to reach their breeding areas in spring.Among birds of all breeding provenances,spring migration was approximately twice as fast as autumn migration.Areas used by staging Swan Geese(mainly wetlands)in autumn and spring almost never fell within national level protected areas,suggesting major site safeguard is necessary to protect these critical areas.Conclusions:This study showed the discreteness of migration routes taken by birds of different summer provenances and differences in their migratory patterns,highlighting key staging areas(Yalu River Estuary in China/North Korea for Dauria Region breeding birds,Daihai Lake for Central Mongolian and Ordos Basin for Western Mongolian birds).Based on this new knowledge of the biogeographical subpopulation structure of the Swan Goose,we need to combine data on subpopulation size,their distribution throughout the annual life cycle and conservation status,to develop more effective conservation strategies and measures to reverse population decline throughout the range.展开更多
Understanding the relationship between landscape patterns and ecological processes has been a central yet challenging research theme in landscape ecology. Over the past decades,many landscape metrics have been propose...Understanding the relationship between landscape patterns and ecological processes has been a central yet challenging research theme in landscape ecology. Over the past decades,many landscape metrics have been proposed but few directly incorporated ecological processes. In this paper,we developed a landscape index,namely,location-weighted landscape index(LWLI) to highlight the role of landscape type in ecological processes,such as nutrient losses and soil erosion. Within the framework of the Lorenz curve theory,we develop this index by integrating landscape pattern and point-based measurements at a watershed scale. The index can be used to characterize the contribution of landscape pattern to ecological processes(e.g. nutrient losses) with respect to a specific monitoring point in a watershed. Through a case study on nutrient losses in an agricultural area in northeastern China,we found that nutrient losses tended to be higher for a watershed with a higher LWLI value,and vice versa. It implied that LWLI can be used to evaluate the potential risk of nutrient losses or soil erosion by comparing their values across watersheds. In addition,this index can be extended to characterize ecological processes,such as the effect of landscape pattern on wildlife inhabitation and urban heat island effect. Finally,we discuss several problems that should be paid attention to when applying this index to a heterogeneous landscape site.展开更多
Understanding the process of the changing phytoplankton patterns can be particularly useful in water quality improvement and management decisions.However,it is generally not easy to illustrate the interactions between...Understanding the process of the changing phytoplankton patterns can be particularly useful in water quality improvement and management decisions.However,it is generally not easy to illustrate the interactions between phytoplankton biomass and related environmental variables given their high spatial and temporal heterogeneity.To elucidate relationships between them,in a eutrophic shallow lake,Taihu Lake,relative long-term data set of biotic and abiotic parameters of water quality in the lake were conducted using multivariate statistical analysis within seasonal periodicity.The results indicate that water temperature and total phosphorus(TP)played governing roles in phytoplankton dynamics in most seasons(i.e.temperature in winter,spring and summer; TP in spring,summer and autumn); COD(chemical oxygen demand)and BOD(biological oxygen demand)presented significant positive relationships with phytoplankton biomass in spring,summer and autumn.However,a complex interplay was found between phytoplankton biomass and nitrogen considering significant positive relationships occurring between them in spring and autumn,and conversely negative ones in summer.As the predatory factor,zooplankton presented significant grazing-pressure on phytoplankton biomass during summer in view of negative relationship between them in the season.Significant feedback effects of phytoplankton development were identified in summer and autumn in view that significant relationships were observed between phytoplankton biomass and pH,Trans(transparency of water)and DO.The results indicate that interactions between phytoplankton biomass and related environmental variables are highly sensitive to seasonal periodicity,which improves understanding of different roles of biotic and abiotic variables upon phytoplankton variability,and hence,advances management methods for eutrophic lakes.展开更多
In recent years, with the constant change in the global climate, the effect of climate factors on net primary productivity(NPP) has become a hot research topic. However, two opposing views have been presented in this ...In recent years, with the constant change in the global climate, the effect of climate factors on net primary productivity(NPP) has become a hot research topic. However, two opposing views have been presented in this research area: global NPP increases with global warming, and global NPP decreases with global warming. The main reasons for these two opposite results are the tremendous differences among seasonal and annual climate variables, and the growth of plants in accordance with these climate variables. Therefore, it will fail to fully clarify the relation between vegetation growth and climate changes by research that relies solely on annual data. With seasonal climate variables, we may clarify the relation between vegetation growth and climate changes more accurately. Our research examined the arid and semiarid areas in China(ASAC), which account for one quarter of the total area of China. The ecological environment of these areas is fragile and easily affected by human activities. We analyzed the influence of climate changes, especially the changes in seasonal climate variables, on NPP, with Climatic Research Unit(CRU) climatic data and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS) satellite remote data, for the years 2000–2010. The results indicate that: for annual climatic data, the percentage of the ASAC in which NPP is positively correlated with temperature is 66.11%, and 91.47% of the ASAC demonstrates a positive correlation between NPP and precipitation. Precipitation is more positively correlated with NPP than temperature in the ASAC. For seasonal climatic data, the correlation between NPP and spring temperature shows significant regional differences. Positive correlation areas are concentrated in the eastern portion of the ASAC, while the western section of the ASAC generally shows a negative correlation. However, in summer, most areas in the ASAC show a negative correlation between NPP and temperature. In autumn, precipitation is less important in the west, as opposed to the east, in which it is critically important. Temperatures in winter are a limiting factor for NPP throughout the region. The findings of this research not only underline the importance of seasonal climate variables for vegetation growth, but also suggest that the effects of seasonal climate variables on NPP should be explored further in related research in the future.展开更多
Tree species composition was important for carbon storage within the same climate range.To quantify the dynamics of ecosystem carbon allocation as affected by different tree species,we measured the above-and below-gro...Tree species composition was important for carbon storage within the same climate range.To quantify the dynamics of ecosystem carbon allocation as affected by different tree species,we measured the above-and below-ground biomass accumulation in 22 years,as well as the tissue carbon concentrations of trees in Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation and Michelia macclurei plantation.Results indicated that M.macclurei plantation significantly stored more carbon(174.8 tons/hm2) than C.lanceolata plantation(154.3 tons/hm2).Most of the carbon was found in the soil pool(57.1% in M.macclurei plantation,55.2% in C.lanceolata plantation).Tree and soil component of M.macclurei plantation possessed significantly higher carbon storage than that of C.lanceolata plantation(p < 0.05).No significant difference was found in the carbon storage of understory and forest floor.These results suggest that the broadleaved species(M.macclurei) possesses greater carbon sequestration potential than the coniferous species(C.lanceolata) in southern China.展开更多
Numerous studies have focused on vegetation traits and soil properties in grassland, few of which concerned about effects of human utilization patterns on grassland yet. Thus, this study hypothesized that human distur...Numerous studies have focused on vegetation traits and soil properties in grassland, few of which concerned about effects of human utilization patterns on grassland yet. Thus, this study hypothesized that human disturbance(e.g., grazing, mowing and fencing) triggered significant variation of biomass partitioning and carbon reallocation. Besides, there existed some differences of species diversity and soil fertility. To address these hypotheses of grassland with diverse utilization patterns in Hulun Buir City, Inner Mongolia, China, we sampled in situ about aboveground biomass(AGB) and belowground biomass(BGB) to evaluate their biomass allocation. Species diversity and soil properties were also investigated. Subsequently, we discussed the relationship of species diversity with environmental conditions, using data collected from 23 sites during the ecological project period of Returning Grazing Lands to Grasslands(RGLG) program. The results were as follows: 1) both AGB and BGB were lower on grazing regime than those on fencing and mowing, but the ratio of root-to-shoot(R/S) was higher on grazing regime than the other two utilization patterns; 2) neither of evenness and Simpson Index was different significantly among all grassland utilization patterns in desert, typical, and meadow grassland at 0.05. In meadow grassland, species richness of fencing pattern was significantly higher than that of grazing pattern(p < 0.05); 3) both of soil organic carbon content and soil available phosphorous content were increased significantly on fencing pattern than grazing pattern(p < 0.05) in desert grassland, and mowing patterns increased the soil nutrients(soil organic carbon, soil total phosphorous, soil available phosphorous, and soil total nitrogen) significantly compared with grazing patterns(p < 0.05) in typical grassland. However, there were no significant differences among utilization patterns in meadow grassland. In conclusion, both of AGB and BGB were increased significantly by fencing. Moreover, species diversity and soil nutrients can be promoted via mowing and fencing. This study suggested that implementation of Ecological Project played a positive role in sustainable grassland utilization of Hulun Buir City and a strong positive influence on the entire temperate grassland.展开更多
Human activities significantly alter ecosystems and their services; however, quantifying the impact of human activities on ecosystems has been a great challenge in ecosystem management. We used the Universal Soil Loss...Human activities significantly alter ecosystems and their services; however, quantifying the impact of human activities on ecosystems has been a great challenge in ecosystem management. We used the Universal Soil Loss Equation and county-level socioeconomic data to assess the changes in the ecosystem service of soil conservation between 2000 and 2010, and to analyze its spatial characteristics and driving factors in the southwestern China. The results showed that cropland in the southwestern China decreased by 3.74%, while urban land, forest, and grassland areas increased by 46.78%, 0.86%, and 1.12%, respectively. The soil conservation increased by 1.88 × 10^(11) kg, with deterioration only in some local areas. The improved and the degraded areas accounted for 6.41% and 2.44% of the total land area, respectively. Implementation of the Sloping Land Conversion Program and urbanization explained 57.80% and 23.90% of the variation in the soil conservation change, respectively, and were found to be the main factors enhancing soil conservation. The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake was one of the factors that led to the degradation of soil conservation. Furthermore, industrial adjustment, by increasing shares of Industry and Service and reducing those of Agriculture, has also promoted soil conservation. Our results quantitatively showed and emphasized the contributions to soil conservation improvement made by implementing ecological restoration programs and promoting urbanization. Consequently, these results provide basic information to improve our understanding of the effects of ecological restoration programs, and help guide future sustainable urban development and regional industrial restructuring.展开更多
The application of nitrogen(N) fertilizer to increase crop yields has a significant influence on soil methane(CH_4) and nitrous oxide(N_2O) emission/uptake.A meta-analysis was carried out on the effect of N applicatio...The application of nitrogen(N) fertilizer to increase crop yields has a significant influence on soil methane(CH_4) and nitrous oxide(N_2O) emission/uptake.A meta-analysis was carried out on the effect of N application on(i) CH_4 emissions in rice paddies,(ii) CH_4 uptake in upland fields and(iii) N_2O emissions.The responses of CH_4 emissions to N application in rice paddies were highly variable and overall no effects were found.CH_4 emissions were stimulated at low N application rates(<100 kg N ha^(-1)) but inhibited at high N rates(>200 kg N ha^(-1)) as compared to no N fertilizer(control).The response of CH_4 uptake to N application in upland fields was 15%lower than control,with a mean CH_4 uptake factor of-0.001 kg CH_4-C kg^(-1) N.The mean N_2O emission factors were 1.00 and 0.94%for maize(Zea mays) and wheat(Triticum aestivum),respectively,but significantly lower for the rice(Oryza sativa)(0.51%).Compared with controls,N addition overall increased global warming potential of CH_4 and N_2O emissions by 78%.Our result revealed that response of CH_4 emission to N input might depend on the CH_4concentration in rice paddy.The critical factors that affected CH_4 uptake and N_2O emission were N fertilizer application rate and the controls of CH_4 uptake and N_2O emission.The influences of application times,cropping systems and measurement frequency should all be considered when assessing CH_4 and N_2O emissions/uptake induced by N fertilizer.展开更多
Using Geographic Information System(GIS), based on wind speed, precipitation, topographic, soil, vegetation coverage and land use data of Inner Mongolia between 2001 and 2010, we applied the revised wind erosion equat...Using Geographic Information System(GIS), based on wind speed, precipitation, topographic, soil, vegetation coverage and land use data of Inner Mongolia between 2001 and 2010, we applied the revised wind erosion equation(RWEQ) model to simulate wind erosion intensity. The results showed that an area of approximately 47.8 × 10~4 km^2 experienced wind erosion in 2010, 23.2% of this erosion could be rated as severe, and 46.0% as moderate. Both the area and the intensity of wind erosion had decreased from 2001 to 2010, the wind erosion area reduced 10.1%, and wind erosion intensity decreased by 29.4%. Precipitation, wind speed, population size and urbanization in rural areas, and gross domestic product of primary industry(GDP1) were the main factors influencing wind erosion. Overall, these factors accounted for 88.8% of the wind erosion. These results indicated that the decrease in wind erosion over the past decade related to the increase in precipitation and the decrease in the number of windy days, while modest urban development and optimization of the economic structure might partially reduced the level of ecological pressure, highlighting the importance of human activities in controlling wind erosion.展开更多
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.40930528)State Forestry Administration of China (No.201004058)
文摘Landscape ecology provides new theoretical frameworks and methodologies for understanding complex ecological phenomena at multiple scales.Studies of landscape ecology focus on understanding the dynamics of eco-logical patterns and processes,and highlight the integration of multiple disciplines.In this paper,we discussed the problems and challenges that landscape ecology is currently facing,emphasizing the limitations of current methods used to describe dynamic landscape patterns and processes.We suggested that the focus should be on the integration of ground-based observation,mobile monitoring,transect survey,and remote-sensing monitoring,as well as improved coupling of experimental and model simulations.In addition,we outlined the research frontiers in landscape ecology,including scaling,integrated pattern and process modeling,and regional synthesis.Lastly,a brief review of pat-tern-process-scale coupling studies in China was provided.We concluded by pointing out that pattern-process-scale interactions,correlations between natural,economic,and social processes,and the coupling of human and natural systems will be major research areas in landscape ecology in the future.
基金under the auspices of Chinese Academy of Science Services Network Program(No.KFJ-STS-ZDTP-010)Michigan Ag Bio Research Program
文摘Since the industrial revolution, human activities have both expanded and intensified across the globe resulting in accelerated land use change. Land use change driven by China’s development has put pressure on the limited arable land resources, which has affected grain production. Competing land use interests are a potential threat to food security in China. Therefore, studying arable land use changes is critical for ensuring future food security and maintaining the sustainable development of arable land. Based on data from several major sources, we analyzed the spatio-temporal differences of arable land among different agricultural regions in China from 2000 to 2010 and identified the drivers of arable land expansion and loss. The results revealed that arable land decreased by 5.92 million ha or 3.31%. Arable land increased in the north and decreased in the south of China. Urbanization and ecological restoration programs were the main drivers of arable land loss, while the reclamation of other land cover types(e.g., forest, grassland, and wetland) was the primary source of the increased arable land. The majority of arable land expansion occurred in the Northwest, but the centroid for grain production moved to northeast, which indicated that new arable land was of poor quality and did not significantly contribute to the grain production capacity. When combined with the current ‘Red Line of Arable Land Policy’(RAL) and ‘Ecological Redline Policy’(EPR), this study can provide effective information for arable land policymaking and help guide the sustainable development of arable land.
基金Under the auspices of Supporting Program of the 'Eleventh Five-year Plan' for Science and Technology Research of China (No. 2009BAC61B02)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation Funded Project (No. 20100470561)
文摘Three-River Headwaters(TRH) region involved in this paper refers to the source region of the Changjiang(Yangtze) River,the Huanghe(Yellow) River and the Lancang River in China.Taking the TRH region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as a case,the annual evapotranspiration(ET) model developed by Zhang et al.(2001) was applied to evaluate mean annual ET in the alpine area,and the response of annual ET to land use change was analyzed.The plant-available water coefficient(w) of Zhang's model was revised by using vegetation-temperature condition index(VTCI) before annual ET was calculated in alpine area.The future land use scenario,an input of ET model,was spatially simulated by using the conversion of land use and its effects at small regional extent(CLUE-S) to study the response of ET to land use change.Results show that the relative errors between the simulated ET and that calculated by using water balance equation were 3.81% and the index of agreement was 0.69.This indicates that Zhang's ET model based on revised plant-available water coefficient is a scientific and practical tool to estimate the annual ET in the alpine area.The annual ET in 2000 in the study area was 221.2 mm,11.6 mm more than that in 1980.Average annual ET decreased from southeast to northwest,but the change of annual ET between 1980 and 2000 increased from southeast to northwest.As a vast and sparsely populated area,the population in the TRH region was extremely unbalanced and land use change was concentrated in very small regions.Thus,land use change had little effect on total annual ET in the study area but a great impact on its spatial distribution,and the effect of land use change on ET decreased with increasing precipitation.ET was most sensitive to the interconversion between forest and unused land,and was least sensitive to the interconversion between cropland and low-covered grassland.
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31600376,41571053,71533005)
文摘Urban plants provide various ecosystem services and biodiversity for human well-being. It is necessary to examine the plant species and functional traits composition and the influencing factors. In this study, a field survey was conducted using the tessellation-randomized plot method to assess the plant species and functional traits variability in greenspaces across eight land use types(LUTs) in the built-up areas of Beijing, China. Results showed that the woody plants in the built-up areas of Beijing comprised 85 non-native species(57%), 21 pollen-allergenic species(14%), and 99 resistant species(67%). Residential areas, community parks and institutional areas had higher woody plant species richness than other LUTs. Native and extralimital native species were more widespread than exotic species. Proportions of species with resistances were low except for cold-and drought-resistance; consequently, a high intensity of management and maintenance is essential for survival of plants in this urban area. Caution should be exerted in selecting plant species with resistance to harsh conditions in different LUTs. Housing prices, distances from the urban center, years since the establishment of LUTs and greening rate were strongly correlated with the plant functional traits and species diversity. Urban forest managers should consider plant functional traits and LUT-specific strategies to maximize both forest and human health.
基金Under the auspices of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41590841)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2016YFC0503000)the Research Funds of the Chinese Academy of Sciences the Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS)-the World Academy of Sciences(TWAS)President’s Fellowship。
文摘The climate has an impact on the urban thermal environment,and the magnitude of the surface urban heat island(SUHI)and urban cool island(UCI)vary across the world’s climatic zones.This literature review investigated:1)the variations in the SUHI and UCI intensity under different climatic backgrounds,and 2)the effect of vegetation types,landscape composition,urban configuration,and water bodies on the SUHI.The SUHI had a higher intensity in tropical(Af(tropical rainy climate,Köppen climate classification),Am(tropical monsoon climate),subtropical(Cfa,subtropical humid climate),and humid continental(Dwa,semi-humid and semi-arid monsoon climate)climate zones.The magnitude of the UCI was low compared to the SUHI across the climate zones.The cool and dry Mediterranean(Cfb,temperate marine climate;Csb,temperate mediterranean climate;Cfa)and tropical climate(Af)areas had a higher cooling intensity.For cities with a desert climate(BWh,tropical desert climate),a reverse pattern was found.The difference in the SUHI in the night-time was greater than in the daytime for most cities across the climate zones.The extent of green space cooling was related to city size,the adjacent impervious surface,and the local climate.Additionally,the composition of urban landscape elements was more significant than their configuration for sustaining the urban thermal environment.Finally,we identified future research gaps for possible solutions in the context of sustainable urbanization in different climate zones.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31861133018,41830751,42107320)the Hainan University Startup Fund,China(KYQD(ZR)-20098).
文摘The inhibition of nitrification by mixing nitrification inhibitors(NI)with fertilizers is emerging as an effective method to reduce fertilizer-induced nitrous oxide(N_(2)O)emissions.The additive 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate(DMPP)apparently inhibits ammonia oxidizing bacteria(AOB)more than ammonia oxidizing archaea(AOA),which dominate the nitrification in alkaline and acid soil,respectively.However,the efficacy of DMPP in terms of nitrogen sources interacting with soil properties remains unclear.We therefore conducted a microcosm experiment using three typical Chinese agricultural soils with contrasting pH values(fluvo-aquic soil,black soil and red soil),which were fertilized with either digestate or urea in conjunction with a range of DMPP concentrations.In the alkaline fluvo-aquic soil,fertilization with either urea or digestate induced a peak in N_(2)O emission(60μg N kg^(-1)d^(-1))coinciding with the rapid nitrification within 3 d following fertilization.DMPP almost eliminated this peak in N_(2)O emission,reducing it by nearly 90%,despite the fact that the nitrification rate was only reduced by 50%.In the acid black soil,only the digestate induced an N_(2)O emission that increased gradually,reaching its maximum(20μg N kg^(-1)d^(-1))after 5–7 d.The nitrification rate and N_(2)O emission were both marginally reduced by DMPP in the black soil,and the N_(2)O yield(N_(2)O-N per NO2–+NO3–-N produced)was exceptionally high at 3.5%,suggesting that the digestate induced heterotrophic denitrification.In the acid red soil,the N_(2)O emission spiked in the digestate and urea treatments at 50 and 10μg N kg^(-1)d^(-1),respectively,and DMPP reduced the rates substantially by nearly 70%.Compared with 0.5%DMPP,the higher concentrations of DMPP(1.0 to 1.5%)did not exert a significantly(P<0.05)better inhibition effect on the N_(2)O emissions in these soils(either with digestate or urea).This study highlights the importance of matching the nitrogen sources,soil properties and NIs to achieve a high efficiency of N_(2)O emission reduction.
基金This research was jointly supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grants No.U21A2011,41991233 and 41971129)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.SQ2022YFF1300053)the Distinguished Membership Project of the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sci-ences(Grant No.Y201812).
文摘Land use/cover change(LUCC)plays a key role in altering surface hydrology and water balance,finally affect-ing the security and availability of water resources.However,mechanisms underlying LUCC determination of water-balance processes at the basin scale remain unclear.In this study,the Soil and Water Assessment Tool(SWAT)model and partial least squares regression were used to detect the effects of LUCC on hydrology and water components in the Zuli River Basin(ZRB),a typical watershed of the Yellow River Basin.In general,three recommended coefficients(R^(2)and E ns greater than 0.5,and P bias less than 20%)indicated that the output results of the SWAT model were reliable and that the model was effective for the ZRB.Then,several key findings were obtained.First,LUCC in the ZRB was characterized by a significant increase in forest(21.61%)and settlement(23.52%)and a slight reduction in cropland(-1.35%),resulting in a 4.93%increase in evapotranspiration and a clear decline in surface runoffand water yield by 15.68%and 2.95%at the whole basin scale,respectively.Second,at the sub-basin scale,surface runoffand water yield increased by 14.26%-36.15%and 5.13%-15.55%,respectively,mainly due to settlement increases.Last,partial least squares regression indicated that urbanization was the most significant contributor to runoffchange,and evapotranspiration change was mainly driven by forest expansion.These conclusions are significant for understanding the relationship between LUCC and water balance,which can provide meaningful information for managing water resources and the long-term sustainability of such watersheds.
基金Under the auspices of Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.XDA05060100)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41105117)
文摘Although a crucial objective of ecosystem management should be the avoidance of degradation at the beginning,an unfortunate truth is that ecosystems have been substantially exploited,degraded and destroyed in the last century as a result of the global increase in economic and societal prosperity(Suding,2011).More than 60%of ecosystems have been converted for human use or degraded through unsustainable harvest,pollution,
基金National Key Technologies R&D Program(No.2012BAD22B04)Talent Introduction Project of Jilin Province
文摘Urbanization in modern times led to a series of development strategies that brought new opportunities in China. Rapid urbanization caused severe stress to the ecosystems and the environment. Using the center-of-gravity(COG) method and parameters such as population, economy, and land, we studied the urbanization pattern in Songhua River Basin and its southern source sub-basin from 1990 to 2010. Urbanization was analyzed based on the COG position, eccentric distance, movement direction of COG, and distance of COG movement. Various characteristics of urbanization in the southern source sub-basin of the Songhua River were explained in relation to the whole Songhua River Basin. Urbanization in the southern source sub-basin of the Songhua River is balanced, relatively advanced, and stable compared to the whole Songhua River Basin. The average eccentric distance between the urbanization COGs in the Songhua River′s south source basin indicated rapid expansion of land urbanization during the span of this study. A basic pattern of urbanization COG in the whole Songhua Basin was observed, but there existed differences among the three aspects of urbanization process. Land urbanization is still in its active stage, so future studies should focus on analysis of such urbanization trends.
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41001111,41030528)
文摘The altitudinal pattern of vegetation is usually identified by field surveys,however,these can only provide discrete data on a local mountain.Few studies identifying and analyzing the altitudinal vegetation pattern on a regional scale are available.This study selected central Inner Mongolia as the study area,presented a method for extracting vegetation patterns in altitudinal and horizontal directions.The data included a vegetation map at a 1∶1 000 000 scale and a digital elevation model at a 1∶250 000 scale.The three-dimensional vegetation pattern indicated the distribution probability for each vegetation type and the transition zones between different vegetation landscapes.From low to high elevations,there were five vegetation types in the southern mountain flanks,including the montane steppe,broad-leaved forest,coniferous mixed forest,montane dwarf-scrub and sub-alpine shrub-meadow.Correspondingly,only four vegetation types were found in the northern flanks,except for the montane steppe.This study could provide a general model for understanding the complexity and diversity of mountain environment and landscape.
基金Under the auspices of National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2016YFC0501601)Key Science and Technology Project of Yan’an Municipality(No.2016CGZH-14-03)。
文摘Vegetation maps are fundamental for regional-scale ecological research. However, information is often not sufficiently up to date for such research. The Loess Plateau is a key area for vegetation restoration projects and a suitable area for regional ecological research. To carry out regional vegetation mapping based on the principles of hierarchical classification, object-oriented methods, visual interpretation, and accuracy assessment, this study integrated land cover, high-resolution remote sensing images, background environmental data, bioclimate zoning data, and field survey data from the Loess Plateau. To further clarify the implications of vegetation mapping, we compared the deviation of the 2015 vegetation map of the Loess Plateau(VMLP) and the widely used vegetation map of China(VMC)(1 : 1 000 000) for the expressed vegetation information and the evaluation of ecosystem services. The results indicated that 1) the vegetation of the Loess Plateau could be divided into 9 vegetation type groups and 18 vegetation types with classification accuracies of 87.76% and 83.97%, respectively;2) the distribution of vegetation had obvious zonal regularity;3) a deviation of 29.56 × 10^4 km^2 occurred when the vegetation coverage area was quantified with the VMC;4) the vegetation classification accuracy affected the ecosystem service assessment, the total water yield of the Loess Plateau calculated by the VMC and other required parameters was overestimated by 2.2 × 10^6 mm in 2015. Because vegetation mapping is a basic and important activity, that requires greater attention, this study provides supporting data for subsequent multivariate vegetation mapping and vegetation management for conservation and restoration.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.31870369)China Biodiversity Observation Networks(Sino BON)。
文摘Background:The Swan Goose(Anser cygnoides)breeds across Mongolia and adjacent China and Russia and winters exclusively in China.It is globally threatened,showing long-term major range contractions and declining abundance,linked to habitat loss and degradation.We remain ignorant about the biogeographical subpopulation structure of the species and potential differences in their migration timing,stopovers and schedules,information that could be vital to effective conservation of different elements of the species population,which we address here with results from a telemetry study.Methods:In 2017-2018,we attached GPS/GSM telemetry devices to 238 Swan Geese on moulting sites in three discrete parts of their summering area(Dauria International Protected Area,Central Mongolia and Western Mongolia),generating 104 complete spring and autumn migration episodes to compare migration speed and nature between birds of different summer provenances.Results:Birds from all three breeding areas used almost completely separate migration routes to winter sympatrically in the Yangtze River floodplain.Although many features of the spring and autumn migrations of the three groups were similar,despite the significantly longer migration routes taken by Western Mongolian tagged birds,birds from Dauria Region arrived significantly later in winter due to prolonged staging in coastal areas and took longer to reach their breeding areas in spring.Among birds of all breeding provenances,spring migration was approximately twice as fast as autumn migration.Areas used by staging Swan Geese(mainly wetlands)in autumn and spring almost never fell within national level protected areas,suggesting major site safeguard is necessary to protect these critical areas.Conclusions:This study showed the discreteness of migration routes taken by birds of different summer provenances and differences in their migratory patterns,highlighting key staging areas(Yalu River Estuary in China/North Korea for Dauria Region breeding birds,Daihai Lake for Central Mongolian and Ordos Basin for Western Mongolian birds).Based on this new knowledge of the biogeographical subpopulation structure of the Swan Goose,we need to combine data on subpopulation size,their distribution throughout the annual life cycle and conservation status,to develop more effective conservation strategies and measures to reverse population decline throughout the range.
基金Under the auspices of Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. KZCX2-YW-421)National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40621061, 30570319)
文摘Understanding the relationship between landscape patterns and ecological processes has been a central yet challenging research theme in landscape ecology. Over the past decades,many landscape metrics have been proposed but few directly incorporated ecological processes. In this paper,we developed a landscape index,namely,location-weighted landscape index(LWLI) to highlight the role of landscape type in ecological processes,such as nutrient losses and soil erosion. Within the framework of the Lorenz curve theory,we develop this index by integrating landscape pattern and point-based measurements at a watershed scale. The index can be used to characterize the contribution of landscape pattern to ecological processes(e.g. nutrient losses) with respect to a specific monitoring point in a watershed. Through a case study on nutrient losses in an agricultural area in northeastern China,we found that nutrient losses tended to be higher for a watershed with a higher LWLI value,and vice versa. It implied that LWLI can be used to evaluate the potential risk of nutrient losses or soil erosion by comparing their values across watersheds. In addition,this index can be extended to characterize ecological processes,such as the effect of landscape pattern on wildlife inhabitation and urban heat island effect. Finally,we discuss several problems that should be paid attention to when applying this index to a heterogeneous landscape site.
基金Project supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese National Audit Office(No.KSH1-01)the Dutch Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences and Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.04CDP014).
文摘Understanding the process of the changing phytoplankton patterns can be particularly useful in water quality improvement and management decisions.However,it is generally not easy to illustrate the interactions between phytoplankton biomass and related environmental variables given their high spatial and temporal heterogeneity.To elucidate relationships between them,in a eutrophic shallow lake,Taihu Lake,relative long-term data set of biotic and abiotic parameters of water quality in the lake were conducted using multivariate statistical analysis within seasonal periodicity.The results indicate that water temperature and total phosphorus(TP)played governing roles in phytoplankton dynamics in most seasons(i.e.temperature in winter,spring and summer; TP in spring,summer and autumn); COD(chemical oxygen demand)and BOD(biological oxygen demand)presented significant positive relationships with phytoplankton biomass in spring,summer and autumn.However,a complex interplay was found between phytoplankton biomass and nitrogen considering significant positive relationships occurring between them in spring and autumn,and conversely negative ones in summer.As the predatory factor,zooplankton presented significant grazing-pressure on phytoplankton biomass during summer in view of negative relationship between them in the season.Significant feedback effects of phytoplankton development were identified in summer and autumn in view that significant relationships were observed between phytoplankton biomass and pH,Trans(transparency of water)and DO.The results indicate that interactions between phytoplankton biomass and related environmental variables are highly sensitive to seasonal periodicity,which improves understanding of different roles of biotic and abiotic variables upon phytoplankton variability,and hence,advances management methods for eutrophic lakes.
基金the Strategic Priority Research Program-Climate Change:Carbon Budget and Relevant Issues of Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.XDA05060104)
文摘In recent years, with the constant change in the global climate, the effect of climate factors on net primary productivity(NPP) has become a hot research topic. However, two opposing views have been presented in this research area: global NPP increases with global warming, and global NPP decreases with global warming. The main reasons for these two opposite results are the tremendous differences among seasonal and annual climate variables, and the growth of plants in accordance with these climate variables. Therefore, it will fail to fully clarify the relation between vegetation growth and climate changes by research that relies solely on annual data. With seasonal climate variables, we may clarify the relation between vegetation growth and climate changes more accurately. Our research examined the arid and semiarid areas in China(ASAC), which account for one quarter of the total area of China. The ecological environment of these areas is fragile and easily affected by human activities. We analyzed the influence of climate changes, especially the changes in seasonal climate variables, on NPP, with Climatic Research Unit(CRU) climatic data and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS) satellite remote data, for the years 2000–2010. The results indicate that: for annual climatic data, the percentage of the ASAC in which NPP is positively correlated with temperature is 66.11%, and 91.47% of the ASAC demonstrates a positive correlation between NPP and precipitation. Precipitation is more positively correlated with NPP than temperature in the ASAC. For seasonal climatic data, the correlation between NPP and spring temperature shows significant regional differences. Positive correlation areas are concentrated in the eastern portion of the ASAC, while the western section of the ASAC generally shows a negative correlation. However, in summer, most areas in the ASAC show a negative correlation between NPP and temperature. In autumn, precipitation is less important in the west, as opposed to the east, in which it is critically important. Temperatures in winter are a limiting factor for NPP throughout the region. The findings of this research not only underline the importance of seasonal climate variables for vegetation growth, but also suggest that the effects of seasonal climate variables on NPP should be explored further in related research in the future.
基金supported by the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(No. KZCX2-YW-405)the Innovation Group Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.40621061)
文摘Tree species composition was important for carbon storage within the same climate range.To quantify the dynamics of ecosystem carbon allocation as affected by different tree species,we measured the above-and below-ground biomass accumulation in 22 years,as well as the tissue carbon concentrations of trees in Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation and Michelia macclurei plantation.Results indicated that M.macclurei plantation significantly stored more carbon(174.8 tons/hm2) than C.lanceolata plantation(154.3 tons/hm2).Most of the carbon was found in the soil pool(57.1% in M.macclurei plantation,55.2% in C.lanceolata plantation).Tree and soil component of M.macclurei plantation possessed significantly higher carbon storage than that of C.lanceolata plantation(p < 0.05).No significant difference was found in the carbon storage of understory and forest floor.These results suggest that the broadleaved species(M.macclurei) possesses greater carbon sequestration potential than the coniferous species(C.lanceolata) in southern China.
基金Under the auspices of Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.XDA05060100)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41105117)
文摘Numerous studies have focused on vegetation traits and soil properties in grassland, few of which concerned about effects of human utilization patterns on grassland yet. Thus, this study hypothesized that human disturbance(e.g., grazing, mowing and fencing) triggered significant variation of biomass partitioning and carbon reallocation. Besides, there existed some differences of species diversity and soil fertility. To address these hypotheses of grassland with diverse utilization patterns in Hulun Buir City, Inner Mongolia, China, we sampled in situ about aboveground biomass(AGB) and belowground biomass(BGB) to evaluate their biomass allocation. Species diversity and soil properties were also investigated. Subsequently, we discussed the relationship of species diversity with environmental conditions, using data collected from 23 sites during the ecological project period of Returning Grazing Lands to Grasslands(RGLG) program. The results were as follows: 1) both AGB and BGB were lower on grazing regime than those on fencing and mowing, but the ratio of root-to-shoot(R/S) was higher on grazing regime than the other two utilization patterns; 2) neither of evenness and Simpson Index was different significantly among all grassland utilization patterns in desert, typical, and meadow grassland at 0.05. In meadow grassland, species richness of fencing pattern was significantly higher than that of grazing pattern(p < 0.05); 3) both of soil organic carbon content and soil available phosphorous content were increased significantly on fencing pattern than grazing pattern(p < 0.05) in desert grassland, and mowing patterns increased the soil nutrients(soil organic carbon, soil total phosphorous, soil available phosphorous, and soil total nitrogen) significantly compared with grazing patterns(p < 0.05) in typical grassland. However, there were no significant differences among utilization patterns in meadow grassland. In conclusion, both of AGB and BGB were increased significantly by fencing. Moreover, species diversity and soil nutrients can be promoted via mowing and fencing. This study suggested that implementation of Ecological Project played a positive role in sustainable grassland utilization of Hulun Buir City and a strong positive influence on the entire temperate grassland.
基金Under the auspices of National Key Technology Research and Development Program of China(No.2011BAC09B08)Special Issue of National Remote Sensing Survey and Assessment of Eco-Environment Change between 2000 and 2010(No.STSN-04-01)
文摘Human activities significantly alter ecosystems and their services; however, quantifying the impact of human activities on ecosystems has been a great challenge in ecosystem management. We used the Universal Soil Loss Equation and county-level socioeconomic data to assess the changes in the ecosystem service of soil conservation between 2000 and 2010, and to analyze its spatial characteristics and driving factors in the southwestern China. The results showed that cropland in the southwestern China decreased by 3.74%, while urban land, forest, and grassland areas increased by 46.78%, 0.86%, and 1.12%, respectively. The soil conservation increased by 1.88 × 10^(11) kg, with deterioration only in some local areas. The improved and the degraded areas accounted for 6.41% and 2.44% of the total land area, respectively. Implementation of the Sloping Land Conversion Program and urbanization explained 57.80% and 23.90% of the variation in the soil conservation change, respectively, and were found to be the main factors enhancing soil conservation. The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake was one of the factors that led to the degradation of soil conservation. Furthermore, industrial adjustment, by increasing shares of Industry and Service and reducing those of Agriculture, has also promoted soil conservation. Our results quantitatively showed and emphasized the contributions to soil conservation improvement made by implementing ecological restoration programs and promoting urbanization. Consequently, these results provide basic information to improve our understanding of the effects of ecological restoration programs, and help guide future sustainable urban development and regional industrial restructuring.
基金financed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences for Strategic Priority Research Program(XDA05050602)the Key Technologies R&D Program of China during the 12th Five-Year Plan period of China(2012BAD14B01-1)
文摘The application of nitrogen(N) fertilizer to increase crop yields has a significant influence on soil methane(CH_4) and nitrous oxide(N_2O) emission/uptake.A meta-analysis was carried out on the effect of N application on(i) CH_4 emissions in rice paddies,(ii) CH_4 uptake in upland fields and(iii) N_2O emissions.The responses of CH_4 emissions to N application in rice paddies were highly variable and overall no effects were found.CH_4 emissions were stimulated at low N application rates(<100 kg N ha^(-1)) but inhibited at high N rates(>200 kg N ha^(-1)) as compared to no N fertilizer(control).The response of CH_4 uptake to N application in upland fields was 15%lower than control,with a mean CH_4 uptake factor of-0.001 kg CH_4-C kg^(-1) N.The mean N_2O emission factors were 1.00 and 0.94%for maize(Zea mays) and wheat(Triticum aestivum),respectively,but significantly lower for the rice(Oryza sativa)(0.51%).Compared with controls,N addition overall increased global warming potential of CH_4 and N_2O emissions by 78%.Our result revealed that response of CH_4 emission to N input might depend on the CH_4concentration in rice paddy.The critical factors that affected CH_4 uptake and N_2O emission were N fertilizer application rate and the controls of CH_4 uptake and N_2O emission.The influences of application times,cropping systems and measurement frequency should all be considered when assessing CH_4 and N_2O emissions/uptake induced by N fertilizer.
基金Under the auspices of National Key Technology Research and Development Program of China(No.2011BAC09B08)Special Issue of National Remote Sensing Survey and Assessment of Eco-Environment Change Between 2000 and 2010(No.STSN-04-01)
文摘Using Geographic Information System(GIS), based on wind speed, precipitation, topographic, soil, vegetation coverage and land use data of Inner Mongolia between 2001 and 2010, we applied the revised wind erosion equation(RWEQ) model to simulate wind erosion intensity. The results showed that an area of approximately 47.8 × 10~4 km^2 experienced wind erosion in 2010, 23.2% of this erosion could be rated as severe, and 46.0% as moderate. Both the area and the intensity of wind erosion had decreased from 2001 to 2010, the wind erosion area reduced 10.1%, and wind erosion intensity decreased by 29.4%. Precipitation, wind speed, population size and urbanization in rural areas, and gross domestic product of primary industry(GDP1) were the main factors influencing wind erosion. Overall, these factors accounted for 88.8% of the wind erosion. These results indicated that the decrease in wind erosion over the past decade related to the increase in precipitation and the decrease in the number of windy days, while modest urban development and optimization of the economic structure might partially reduced the level of ecological pressure, highlighting the importance of human activities in controlling wind erosion.
