Exploring the influence of environmental factors in partitioning evapotranspiration along an elevation gradient on Mount Gongga,eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Platea,China

Evapotranspiration(ET) is a crucial part of the global hydrological cycle, and quantifying ET components is significant for understanding the global water cycle and energy balance. However, there is no consensus on the value of ET components, especially in topographic abrupt change zone, such as eastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Platea, where values of ET changes along the altitudinal gradients. Our aim is to explore the influencing factors in partitioning evapotranspiration and how ET components change with increasing elevations. A novel approach was proposed to estimate ET components by adding net solar radiation(Rn) instead of the vapor pressure deficit(VPD) into the underlying water use efficiency(u WUE) model based on one-year continuous measurements of flux data along the elevation gradient on Mount Gongga. Correlation analysis shows that the u WUE model's performance can be improved significantly by considering Rn instead of VPD, with correlation coefficients increasing by 35%-64%. The ratios of transpiration(T) to ET(T/ET) were 0.47, 0.48, 0.50 and 0.35 for the deciduous broadleaf forest(BF), mixed coniferous and deciduous broadleaf forest(MF), evergreen needle forest(ENF) and shrub land(SL), respectively. Leaf area index(LAI) and air temperature(Ta) were the two main controlling factors in determining T/ET during the growing season and at an annual scale, while Rn and Ta played more important roles during the dormant season. This study highlights the importance of incorporating Rn in partitioning evapotranspiration by using the water use efficiency(WUE) method in a humid mountainous region, which can improve the estimation of T/ET on a global scale.     

Omni-directional distribution patterns of montane coniferous forest in the Helan Mountains of China

Slope aspect has significant effect on the development and distribution of montane forest,especially in arid and semiarid regions.This paper,using SPOT5 images and 1:50,000 DEM,digitally extracts and analyzes the spatial information of montane coniferous forest(mainly Qinghai spruce),and thereby explores how the upper and lower limits and the altitudinal range of coniferous forest vary and how the area of coniferous forest is related with annual insolation with all aspects in the Helan Mountains.The results show that: 1) In the eastern flank,the lower limit of coniferous forest is between 1,600 m and 2,000 m a.s.l.,and the upper limit between 2,800 m and 3,000 m a.s.l.;in the western flank,the lower limit of coniferous forest is between 2,000 m and 2,300 m a.s.l.,and the upper limit between 2,800 m and 3,100 m a.s.l.2) The altitudinal ranges of coniferous forest are 806~1,435 m,438~1,140 m for eastern flank and western flank,respectively.3) The area of coniferous forest takes on a normal distribution with aspect,and it has a close relationship with annual insolation.This distribution model developed in this paper quantitatively reveals the significant effect of slope aspect on the distribution of coniferous forest in arid and semi-arid land.     

京津冀地区植被时空动态及定量归因

作为气候变化的敏感指示器,植被的物候、生长、空间分布格局等特征及其动态变化主要取决于气候环境中的水热条件,因此在气候变化背景下,气候-植被关系成为了全球变化研究的前沿和热点问题。本文综合平均温度、降水、水汽压、湿度、日照时数、SPEI等气候因子,坡度、坡向海拔等地形因子及人为活动因子,应用地理探测器方法针对2006-2015年京津冀地区不同季节NDVI、不同地貌类型区、不同植被类型区生长季NDVI的定量归因研究,揭示了过去10年间植被时空分布格局,及植被对气候、非气候因素响应的季节差异与区域差异,以期为生态工程的建设与修复提供参考意义。趋势分析表明：①2006-2015年京津冀地区NDVI呈现增加趋势,但存在显著的空间差异,如山地生长季NDVI的增长速率大于平原、台地、丘陵等地;②基于地理探测器的定量归因结果表明,降水是年尺度上NDVI空间分布的主导因子（解释力39.4%）,土地利用与降水的交互作用对NDVI的影响最为明显（q=58.2%）;③NDVI对气候因子的响应存在季节性及区域性差异,水汽压是春季NDVI空间分布的主导因子,湿度是夏、秋两季的主导因子,土地利用是冬季的主导因子;④影响因子对生长季NDVI的解释力因不同地貌类型区、不同植被类型区而差异显著。     

Using modified Soil Conservation Service curve number method to simulate the role of forest in flood control in the upper reach of the Tingjiang River in China

To improve flood control efficiency and increase urban resilience to flooding, the impacts of forest type change on flood control in the upper reach of the Tingjiang River (URTR) were evaluated by a modified model based on the Soil Conservation Service curve number (SCS-CN) method. Parameters of the model were selected and determined according to the comprehensive analysis of model evaluation indexes. The first simulation of forest reconstruction scenario, namely a coniferous forest covering 59.35 km² is replaced by a broad-leaved forest showed no significant impact on the flood reduction in the URTR. The second simulation was added with 61.75 km² bamboo forest replaced by broad-leaved forest, the reduction of flood peak discharge and flood volume could be improved significantly. Specifically, flood peak discharge of 10-year return period event was reduced to 7-year event, and the reduction rate of small flood was 21%-28%. Moreover, the flood volume was reduced by 9%-14% and 18%-35% for moderate floods and small floods, respectively. The results suggest that the bamboo forest reconstruction is an effective control solution for small to moderate flood in the URTR, the effect of forest conversion on flood volume is increasingly reduced as the rainfall amount increases to more extreme magnitude. Using a hydrological model with scenarios analysis is an effective simulation approach in investigating the relationship between forest type change and flood control. This method would provide reliable support for flood control and disaster mitigation in mountainous cities.     

Effect of climate change on seasonal water use efficiency in subalpine Abies fabri

Abies fabri is a typical subalpine dark coniferous forest in southwestern China. Air temperature increases more at high elevation areas than that at low elevation areas in mountainous regions,and climate change ratio is also uneven in different seasons. Carbon gain and the response of water use efficiency(WUE) to annual and seasonal increases in temperature with or without CO_2 fertilization were simulated in Abies fabri using the atmospheric-vegetation interaction model(AVIM2). Four future climate scenarios(RCP2.6,RCP4.5,RCP6.0 and RCP8.5) from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5(CMIP5) were selectively investigated. The results showed that warmer temperatures have negative effects on gross primary production(GPP) and net primary production(NPP) in growing seasons and positive effects in dormant seasons due to the variation in the leaf area index. Warmer temperatures tend to generate lower canopy WUE and higher ecosystem WUE in Abies fabri. However,warmer temperature together with rising CO_2 concentrations significantlyincrease the GPP and NPP in both growing and dormant seasons and enhance WUE in annual and dormant seasons because of the higher leaf area index(LAI) and soil temperature. The comparison of the simulated results with and without CO_2 fertilization shows that CO_2 has the potential to partially alleviate the adverse effects of climate warming on carbon gain and WUE in subalpine coniferous forests.     

Effect of spot burning of logging residues on the properties of mountain forest soils and the occurrence of ground beetles(Coleoptera,Carabidae)

We investigated the relationships between dehydrogenase activity and the physicochemical properties of mountain soils over three and five years from Norway spruce(Picea abies L. Karst) logging residue spot burning and the occurrence of epigeic carabid beetles. Six study sites were utilised, including18 study plots(nine plots in a mixed coniferous mountain forest site and nine plots in a mixed broadleaf mountain forest site), with five replicate pitfall traps at each site located in southern Poland.Soil samples from the organic horizon were taken for p H, organic carbon, nitrogen, base cation content,acidity and dehydrogenase activity determination.Carabid beetles were monitored in weekly intervals during the period of July to August 2016. The burning of logging residues led to modified soil properties,especially the dehydrogenase activity. In all the tested variants, the activity was higher in soil samples after the burning in comparison to the control variants. We show no positive correlation between dehydrogenase activity and the number of carabid specimens. The preferences of dominant predatory hygrophilous carabids to acid habitats with weakly decomposed organic matter were proven. Simultaneously, the soil organic matter content was positively related to the carabid abundance. The significant impact of forest site conditions and the date of logging residue burning on the number of caught specimens were confirmed. In contrast, no relationships between the species richness, species diversity, mean individual biomass and spot burning effect were found. This work supports the recommendation of spruce fine woody debris utilisation by spot burning on mountain regions with rich habitats presenting moderate wet conditions and small land falls.     

Spatial Patterns of LULC and Driving Forces in the Transnational Area of Tumen River: A Comparative Analysis of the Sub-regions of China,the DPRK,and Russia

Understanding the spatial patterns of land-use and land-cover(LULC) and their driving forces in transnational areas is important for the sustainable development of these regions. However, the spatial patterns of LULC and their driving forces across multiple scales are poorly understood in transnational areas. In this study, we analyzed the spatial patterns of LULC and driving forces in the transnational area of Tumen River(TATR) in 2016 across two scales: the entire region and the sub-regions of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea(DPRK), and Russia. Results showed that the LULC was dominated by broadleaf forest and dry farmland in the TATR in 2016, which accounted for 66.86% and 13.60% of the entire region, respectively. Meanwhile, the LULC in the three sub-regions exhibited noticeable differences. In the Chinese and the DPRK's sub-regions, the area of broadleaf forest was greater than those for the other LULC types, while the Russian sub-region was dominated by broadleaf forest and grassland. The spatial patterns of LULC were mainly influenced by topography, climate, soil properties, and human activities. In addition, the driving forces of the spatial patterns of LULC in the TATR had an obvious scaling effect. Therefore, we suggest that effective policies and regulations with cooperation among China, the DPRK, and Russia are needed to plan the spatial patterns of LULC and improve the sustainable development of the TATR.     

Mushroom production as an alternative for rural development in a forested mountainous area

Wild mushrooms are recognized as important non-wood forest products in mountainous ecosystems, but their real potential for generating rural economies has not been fully evaluated due to the difficulties in obtaining reliable productivity data, minimizing their true potential as contributor to rural economies. Mushroom yield models based on large data series from Pinus forest ecosystems in the region of Catalonia(Spain), combined with data from the Spanish National Forest Inventory allow us to estimate the potential mushroom productivity by forest ecosystems. The results of 24,500 tons/yr of mushrooms of which 16,300 tons are classified as edible and 7,900 tons are commonly marketed demonstrate the importance of mushroom productions in Catalonian pine forests, mostly located in mountainous areas where the development of agricultural activities is limited. Economic mushroom value is estimated at 48 million € for the edible mushroom and 32 million € for those corresponding to marketable yields, confirming the potential of this non-wood forest product. These production results and corresponding economic values provide a basis for the incorporation of wild mushrooms as significant non-wood forest products in the development of forest policies in mountainous areas.     

Study on vegetation and climate changes in Beijing region since late pleistocene

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Evaluation on the two filling functions for the recovery of forest information in mountainous shadows on Landsat ETM + Image

In general,topographic shadow may reduce performance of forest mapping over mountainous regions in remotely sensed images.In this paper,information in shadow was synthesized by using two filling techniques,namely,roifill and imfill,in order to improve the accuracy of forest mapping over mountainous regions.These two methods were applied to Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM +) multispectral image from Dong Yang County,Zhejiang Province,China.The performance of these methods was compared with two conventi...     

Examining Forest Net Primary Productivity Dynamics and Driving Forces in Northeastern China During 1982–2010

Forest net primary productivity （NPP） is a key parameter for forest monitoring and management. In this study, monthly and annual forest NPP in the northeastern China from 1982 to 2010 were simulated by using Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach （CASA） model with normalized difference vegetation index （NDVI） sequences derived from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer （AVHRR） Global Invento y Modeling and Mapping Studies （GIMMS） and Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer （MODIS） products. To address the problem of data inconsistency between AVHRR and MODIS data, a per-pixel unary linear regres- sion model based on least ~;quares method was developed to derive the monthly NDVI sequences. Results suggest that estimated forest NPP has mean relative error of 18.97% compared to observed NPP from forest inventory. Forest NPP in the northeastern China in- creased significantly during the twenty-nine years. The results of seasonal dynamic show that more clear increasing trend of forest NPP occurred in spring and awmnn. This study also examined the relationship between forest NPP and its driving forces including the climatic and anthropogenic factors. In spring and winter, temperature played the most pivotal role in forest NPR In autumn, precipitation acted as the most importanl factor affecting forest NPP, while solar radiation played the most important role in the summer. Evaportran- spiration had a close correlation with NPP for coniferous forest, mixed coniferous broadleaved forest, and broadleaved deciduous forest. Spatially, forest NPP in the Da Hinggan Mountains was more sensitive to climatic changes than in the other ecological functional re- gions. In addition to climalie change, the degradation and improvement of forests had important effects on forest NPP. Results in this study are helpful for understanding the regional carbon sequestration and can enrich the cases for the monitoring of vegetation during long time series.     

Effect of climate change on seasonal water use efficiency in subalpine <Emphasis Type="Italic">Abies fabri</Emphasis>

Abies fabri is a typical subalpine dark coniferous forest in southwestern China. Air temperature increases more at high elevation areas than that at low elevation areas in mountainous regions, and climate change ratio is also uneven in different seasons. Carbon gain and the response of water use efficiency (WUE) to annual and seasonal increases in temperature with or without CO₂ fertilization were simulated in Abies fabri using the atmospheric-vegetation interaction model (AVIM2). Four future climate scenarios (RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP6.0 and RCP8.5) from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) were selectively investigated. The results showed that warmer temperatures have negative effects on gross primary production (GPP) and net primary production (NPP) in growing seasons and positive effects in dormant seasons due to the variation in the leaf area index. Warmer temperatures tend to generate lower canopy WUE and higher ecosystem WUE in Abies fabri. However, warmer temperature together with rising CO₂ concentrations significantly increase the GPP and NPP in both growing and dormant seasons and enhance WUE in annual and dormant seasons because of the higher leaf area index (LAI) and soil temperature. The comparison of the simulated results with and without CO₂ fertilization shows that CO₂ has the potential to partially alleviate the adverse effects of climate warming on carbon gain and WUE in subalpine coniferous forests.     

Spatial assessment of forest cover and land-use changes in the Hindu-Kush mountain ranges of northern Pakistan

Anthropogenic activities and natural processes are continuously altering the mountainous environment through deforestation, forest degradation and other land-use changes. It is highly important to assess, monitor and forecast forest cover and other land-use changes for the protection and conservation of mountainous environment. The present study deals with the assessment of forest cover and other land-use changes in the mountain ranges of Dir Kohistan in northern Pakistan, using high resolution multi-temporal SPOT-5 satellite images. The SPOT-5 satellite images of years 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2013 were acquired and classified into land-cover units. In addition, forest cover and land-use change detection map was developed using the classified maps of 2004 and 2013. The classified maps were verified through random field samples and Google Earth imagery (Quick birds and SPOT-5). The results showed that during the period 2004 to 2013 the area of forest land decreased by 6.4%, however, area of range land and agriculture land have increased by 22.1% and 2.9%, respectively. Similarly, barren land increased by 1.1%, whereas, area of snow cover/glacier is significantly decreased by 21.3%. The findings from the study will be useful for forestry and landscape planning and can be utilized by the local, provincial and national forest departments; and REDD+ policy makers in Pakistan.     

Tree Planting:How Fast Can It Accelerate Post-fire Forest Restoration?——A Case Study in Northern Da Hinggan Mountains,China

In 1987,a catastrophic fire burned over 1330000 ha in the densely forested area of the Da Hinggan Mountains in the northeastern China.After the fire,intensive management including burned trunk harvesting and coniferous tree planting had been conducted to accelerate forest restoration.To study the long term effect of these activities on forest recovery,we used a simulation modeling approach to study long-term(300 years) forest dynamics under current planting and natural regeneration scenarios.Results indicat...     

Relationship between stand characteristics and soil properties of two typical forest plantations in the mountainous area of Western Sichuan,China

There is uncertainty and limited knowledge regarding stand characteristics and soil properties of middle-aged pure forest plantations in the mountainous area of Western Sichuan. Plantation forests are almost exclusively planted as monocultures in the Pengzhou forest farm in the western mountainous area of Sichuan Province. This study aimed to assess the spatial and ecological characteristics of middle-aged Cunninghamia lanceolata(Lamb.) Hook. and Cryptomeria fortunei Hooibr. in the Pengzhou forest farm. The relationships and differences between stand growth characteristics and forest soil composition were assessed on the two forests planted simultaneously within the same area and exposed to the same environmental conditions. Cr. fortunei grew sparse, and slower than Cun. lanceolata. Principal component analysis indicated that the soil properties in the Cr. fortunei plantation were better than those in the Cun. lanceolata plantation. Redundancy analysis revealed that the differences in stand structure were affected significantly by the total nitrogen content and pH value. Thus, we propose that Cr. fortunei is planted for priority consideration in the subtropical high mountain area. Further, tending operations and application of fertilizers need to be conducted in Cun. lanceolata forests. Based on theoretical and experimental data, the present study explains why local farmers are more willing to plant Cr. fortunei, and thus provides a useful theoretical reference for the development of sustainable plantations in the future.     

Carbon sequestration in forest vegetation of Beijing at sublot level

Based on forest inventory data (FID) at sublot level,we estimated the carbon sequestration in forest vegetation of Beijing,China in 2009.In this study,the carbon sequestration in forest vegetation at sublot level was calculated based on net biomass production (ΔB) which was estimated with biomass of each sublot and function relationships between ΔB and biomass.The biomass of forested land was calculated with biomass expansion factors (BEFs) method,while those of shrub land and other forest land types were estimated with biomass,coverage and height of referred shrubs and shrub coverage and height of each sublot.As one of special forested land types,the biomass of economic tree land was calculated with biomass per tree and tree number.The variation of carbon sequestration in forest vegetation with altitude,species and stand age was also investigated in this study.The results indicate that the carbon sequestration in forest vegetation in Beijing is 4.12 × 106 tC/yr,with the average rate of 3.94 tC/(ha·yr).About 56.91% of the total carbon sequestration in forest vegetation is supported by the forest in the plain with an altitude of < 60 m and the low mountainous areas with an altitude from 400 m to 800 m.The carbon sequestration rate in forest vegetation is the highest in the plain area with an altitude of < 60 m and decreased significantly in the transitional area from the low plain to the low mountainous area with an altitude ranging from 200 m to 400 m due to intensive human disturbance.The carbon sequestration of Populus spp.forest and Quercus spp.forest are relatively higher than those of other plant species,accounting for 25.33% of the total.The carbon sequestration in vegetation by the forest of < 40 years amounts to 45.38% of the total.The carbon sequestration rate in forest vegetation peaks at the stand age of 30–40 years.Therefore,it would be crucial for enhancing the capability of carbon sequestration in forest vegetation to protect the forest in Beijing,to limit human disturbance in the transitional area from the plain to the low mountain area,and to foster the newly established open forest.     

Rebirth after death: forest succession dynamics in response to climate change on Gongga Mountain,Southwest China

Global climate change is having long-term impacts on the geographic distribution of forest species. However, the response of vertical belts of mountain forests to climate change is still little known. The vertical distribution of forest vegetation(vertical vegetation belt) on Gongga Mountain in Southwest China has been monitored for 30 years. The forest alternation of the vertical vegetation belt under different climate conditions was simulated by using a mathematical model GFSM(the Gongga Forest Succession Model). Three possible Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) climate scenarios(increase of air temperature and precipitation by 1.8℃/5%, 2.8℃/10% and 3.4℃/15% for B_1, A_1B and A_2 scenarios, respectively) were chosen to reflect lower, medium and higher changes of global climate. The vertical belts of mountainous vegetation will shift upward by approximately 300 m, 500 m and 600 m in the B_1, A_1B and A_2 scenarios, respectively, according to the simulated results. Thus, the alpine tree-line will move to a higher altitude. The simulation also demonstrated that, in a changing climate, the shift in the vegetation community will be a slow and extended process characterized by two main phases. During the initial phase, trees of the forest community degrade or die, owing to an inability to adapt to a warmer climate. This results in modest environment for the introduction of opportunistic species, consequently, the vegetation with new dominant tree species becomes predominant in the space vacated by the dead trees at the expense of previously dominated original trees as the succession succeed and climate change advance. Hence, the global climate change would dramatically change forest communities and tree species in mountainous regions because that the new forest community can grow only through the death of the original tree. Results indicated that climate change will cause the change of distribution and composition of forest communities on Gongga Mountain, and this change may enhance as the intensity of climate change increases. As a result, the alternation of death and rebirth would finally result in intensive landscape changes, and may strongly affect the eco-environment of mountainous regions.     

Distribution Patterns and Associations of Dominant Tree Species in a Mixed Coniferous-Broadleaf Forest in the Changbai Mountains

In 2012 a plot was established with 1-ha area in a mixed coniferous-broadleaf forest in the Changbai Mountains, northeastern China for examining local forest processes, structure and succession. A method of O-ring statistics(paircorrelation function) was applied to analyze the spatial patterns and associations of the dominant species within different vertical layers. After the evaluation by their importance values, six tree species(or group)(i.e. Abies nephrolepis, Picea jezoensis, Pinus koraiensis, Tilia amurensis, and species group of Betula ssp. and species group of Acer ssp.) were determined as dominant trees species. It was found that some of these species exhibited closely clustered distributions at fine distances. As spatial distance increased, a random or even regular distribution gradually appeared with the exception of the upper layers of A. nephrolepis and P. koraiensis, and the lower layers of P. jezoensis, P. koraiensis and Betula ssp., which were substantially randomly distributed. Intra- and inter-species spatial associations varied in accordance with species, tree height and reciprocal distances. Positive associations were observedbetween the lower and upper height classes of trees of the same species(except for that of P. jezoensis) at fine distances. This may be owing to limited seed dispersal and geological heterogeneity. The aggregation intensity declines with increasing distances and this consistent with the predictions of self-thinning. Some coniferous trees(e.g. Pinus koraiensis) in the lower height class were positively associated with T. amurensis and group of Betula ssp. of the upper height class at some distances, suggesting that saplings of coniferous trees occupy a broader niche and can grow well under the canopy of the adult of broad-leaved trees. Negative associations were observed between upper coniferous trees and lower broad-leaved trees and between upper P. jezoensis and lower P. koraiensis, suggesting that a canopy of these trees might not provide suitable environment for the survival, establishment, and growth of lower individuals, corresponding well to Janzen-Connell hypothesis.     

结合Gabor小波和形态学的高分辨率图像树冠提取方法

树冠信息的遥感提取能有效辅助森林参数反演、林分长势监测、树种识别等森林调查活动。随着遥感信息自动化提取的需求不断加强,本文基于高空间分辨率遥感数据,以滁州市皇甫山林场为研究区域,设计了一种结合Gabor小波和形态学的树冠提取方法。该方法首先采用Gabor小波提取出纹理特征,其次结合K-means聚类分析方法,对PCA降维后的纹理特征向量提取出阔叶林区,最后基于形态学理论降低影像噪声,并利用前景后景标记的分水岭方法进行单木树冠提取。经过与人工解译的树冠信息结果对比发现,在郁闭度较高的阔叶林区,该自动化方法提取树冠精度较高,分割准确率A_d为79.59%,F测度达到了79.00%能有效提供精确的单木树冠信息,为林业经济调查技术的发展具有一定的实践意义。     

NORMALIZED DIFFERENCE SNOW INDEX SIMULATION FOR SNOW-COVER MAPPING IN FOREST BY GEOSAIL MODEL

1INTRODUCTION Snow is an important component of the Earth's surface. Up to 50×106km2(34%) ofthe Earth's land surface is sea- sonally snow-covered (VIKHAMAR and SOLBERG, 2002).Comparedtootherlandcovers,snowcoverextent varies dramatically on very short time scales (hours- months). Its presence affects physical, chemical and bio- logical processes at many spatial scales and has impor- tant social impacts. At the global scale, its high albedo strongly influences the Earth's radiation …