Response to climate change of different tree species and NDVI variation since 1923 in the middle arid region of Ningxia, China

The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is used extensively to describe vegetation cover and ecological environment change. The purpose of this study was to contrast the response of different tree species growing in the same habitat to climate change and retrieve past NDVI using tree-ring width data from tree cores collected from the transitional zone of Pinus tabulaeformis and Picea crassifolia in the Luoshan Mountains in the middle arid region of Ningxia. Correlation analysis indicated that radial growth of P. tabulaeformis is more sensitive to precipitation and temperature change than that of P. crassifolia. Natural factors such as water availability and heat at this elevation are more suited to the growth of P. crassifolia, and are more advantageous to its renewal and succession. P. crassifolia is probably the better of the two species for protecting the forest ecosystem and conserving water in the Luoshan desertification area. Ring width of P. crassifolia correlates significantly with average NDVI for April–May (r =0.641, p <0.01), and both of them are influenced positively by precipitation in April–May. The reconstructed NDVI for 1923–2007 shows the relatively low vegetation cover occurred in the 1920s–1930s, the 1960s–1970s, and the early 21st century. The reconstructed NDVI better reflected the drought climate in the study area.     

Climatic response of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica tree-ring width and precipitation reconstruction for the northern Greater Higgnan Mountains, China, since 1720

August-June precipitation has been reconstructed back to AD 1720 for the northern Greater Higgnan Mountains, China, by use ofPinus sylvestris var. mongolica tree-ring width. The reconstruction explains the variance of 39% in observed precipitation from 1973 to 2008. Some extremely dry/wet signals in historical documents and other precipitation reconstructions in previous studies are precisely captured in our reconstruction. Wet periods occurred during the periods of 1730 to 1746, 1789 to 1812, 1844 to 1903, 1920 to 1930, 1942 to 1961, and 1985 to 1998; while periods of 1747 to 1788, 1813 to 1843, 1904 to 1919, 1931 to 1941, and 1962 to 1984 were relatively dry. Power spectral and wavelet analyses demon- strated the existence of significant 24-year, 12-year, and 2-year cycles of variability.     

Climatic response of thick leaf spruce (Picea crassifolia) tree-ring width at different elevations over Qilian Mountains, northwestern China

Tree-ring cores of thick leaf spruce (Picea crassifolia) taken from four sites at different elevations, in the middle of the Qilian Mountains, in the arid and semi-arid region of northwestern China, were used to develop four tree-ring width chronologies using standard dendrochronological methods. Results indicate that with increasing altitude the chronologies’ year-to-year variations decreased. Hence, the sensitivity of the tree-ring chronologies to climate decreases with altitude. Further analysis showed that the significant limiting factor on tree growth is spring precipitation. Measurements of stomata density and leaf dry weight suggest the species’ ecological adaptation strategy changes with elevation. At high elevation the metabolic rate of thick leaf spruce decreases, thus showing the effect of the climate.     

Foliar carbohydrate differs between Picea crassifolia and Sabina przewalskii with the altitudinal variation of Qilian Mountains, China

Nonstructural carbohydrates(NSC) and nitrogen metabolism strongly influence growth and development in plants. The biosynthesis of cellulose and lignin(structural carbohydrates, SC) depends largely on the supply of NSC. We desire to examine which hypothesis, carbon limitation or growth limitation, best fits the alpine plant response between NSC, SC, carbon(C), nitrogen(N) and altitude. We compared the foliar concentrations of carbohydrates, C and N between the leaves of Picea crassifolia(lower-elevation tree-line species) and Sabina przewalskii(high-elevation tree-line species) in their response to changing elevation. Our site was located in the mid-northern area of Qilian Mountains, China. We found that foliar soluble sugar(SG) concentrations were significantly higher in P. crassifolia than in S. przewalskii at the 2,700–3,400 m level. Foliar NSC levels in P. crassifolia increased at the 2,700–3,100 m level, indicating that growth was limited gradually resulting in a surplus of NSC(to conform to GLH), subsequently decreasing at the 3,100–3,400 m level, the assimilation declined leading to C deficit(to conform to CLH). SC(SC metabolism disorders at 3,100–3,400 m), C, N and starch were significantly lower in P. crassifolia than in S. przewalskii. Conversely, foliar SG concentration shows a fall-rise trend with increasing elevation for S. przewalskii. SC concentration in S. przewalskii leaves decreased with an increase of elevation and has a significantly positive correlation to N concentration marking the assimilation of plants. Therefore, the high-elevation tree-line species(S. przewalskii) utilize or store more foliar SG leading to a decrease of SG concentration for survival and growth/regrowth in an adverse environment, higher total C, N, SC, starch contents and lower NSC level. Also, their change trends along the elevational gradient in leaves of S. przewalskii indicate better assimilation strategies for SG use under environmental stress compared to P. crassifolia. This indicates that foliar C metabolism along the elevation follows the principle of the growth-limitation hypothesis(GLH) or carbon limitation hypothesis(CLH), which depends on the acclimation of different alpine life-forms to the environment.     

Climatic response of Picea crassifolia tree-ring parameters and precipitation reconstruction in the western Qilian Mountains, China

Cores of thick leaf spruce from the western Qilian Mountains were subjected to densitometric analysis to obtain data for seven tree-ring parameters (tree-ring width, earlywood width, latewood width, maximum density, minimum density, mean earlywood density and mean latewood density). The chronologies were analyzed individually and then compared with each other. Most of these variables show moderately high values of common variance and mean interseries correlation except latewood and maximum densities. The relationships between the different tree-ring parameters and climate data are also presented. The growth/climate response analyses reveal that the radial growth of thick leaf spruce is the mainly controlled by total annual precipitation (July-June). Herein the residual ring width chronology was used to reconstruct annual (July-June) precipitation of Jiuquan for the period 1768-2009 A.D., and it accounted for 45.0% of the precipitation variance. Multi-taper spectral analysis reveals the existence of significant 11.1-year, 4.9-year, and 2.0- to 3.4-year periods of variability. Spatial analysis shows that the precipitation of Jiuquan has strong common signals for the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau and Hexi Corridor. Drought events in our reconstruction are compared to the historical archives and other moisture-sensitive tree ring width series in the Hexi Corridor. The results reveal common climatic extremes over much of the Hexi Corridor. Many of these events have had profound impacts on the peoples of the Hexi Corridor over the past several centuries.     

黄土高原不同生态类型NDVI时空变化及其对气候变化响应

了解植被的时空变化及其气候主控因子可为植被保护和恢复提供重要的理论依据。基于MOD13A1和气象数据,分析了黄土高原Normalized Difference Vegetation Index （NDVI）时空变化特征,探讨了NDVI对水热条件在不同时间尺度的响应特征。结果表明：黄土高原植被覆盖状态正在不断的改善,气候呈暖湿的发展趋势;83.77%的植被退化区（退化区面积占研究区总面积的5.79%）海拔<2000 m且退化类型以不显著减少为主,不同覆被类型的退化区海拔分布及退化比例差异明显,湿地的退化面积比最高（23.91%）、其次耕地（11.88%）。年尺度上,NDVI与降水呈正相关的面积高于气温,约75.06%的区域受水分条件控制;灌木地（海拔分布<2200 m）、耕地（<3000 m）、草地（<3000 m）和裸地（600~3700 m）等植被生长受水分条件影响;森林（<1000 m、1700~3700 m）和湿地（>2500 m）的植被生长受热量影响。月尺度上,黄土高原植被NDVI对热量响应以滞后1个月为主,不同植被对水热响应的滞后性差异明显,草地、湿地、耕地和裸地对热量响应以滞后1个月为主;森林和灌木地则表现水热同期的特征。伴随滞后时间的推移,水分主控面积逐渐降低,热量成为影响植被生长的主要因素,水热主控及响应滞后性分布受海拔影响明显。     

Distribution and density of maguey plants in the arid Zacatecas Plateau, Mexico

The distribution and density of Agave salmiana ssp. crassispina within the state of Zacatecas, Mexico in the period from May 2001 to October 2002 is reported here for the first time. A field sampling was conducted based on a stratified random design. The resulting sample size was 154 plots, which were distributed randomly in three strata: high, medium, and low density. In each plot the following parameters were determined; latitude, longitude and number of agave plants that were classified into the following stages: juvenile; pre-reproductive; reproductive; and mature. The spatial data analysed using GIS showed that Agave salmiana ssp. crassispina is distributed over approximately 59,905 ha. Out of this total area, about 1142 ha were classified as high density, 51,529 ha as medium density, and 7234 ha as low density. The estimated density of agave plants in high-density strata was an average of 3125 individuals per hectare in comparison with 788 and 652 individuals per hectare for medium, and low density, respectively. It is recommended to protect the areas with higher density and to establish plantations in those with low density, but with the necessary conditions for the development and sustainability of this specie.     

Response of vegetation restoration to climate change and human activities in Shaanxi-Gansu- Ningxia Region

The “Grain for Green Project” initiated by the governments since 1999 were the dominant contributors to the vegetation restoration in the agro-pastoral transitional zone of northern China. Climate change and human activities are responsible for the improvement and degradation to a certain degree. In order to monitor the vegetation variations and clarify the causes of rehabilitation in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Region, this paper, based on the MODIS-NDVI and climate data during the period of 2000-2009, analyzes the main characteristics, spatial-temporal distribution and reasons of vegetation restoration, using methods of linear regression, the Hurst Exponent, standard deviation and other methods. Results are shown as follows. (1) From 2000 to 2009, the NDVI of the study area was improved progressively, with a linear tendency being 0.032/10a, faster than the growth of the Three-North Shelter Forest Program (0.007/10a) from 1982 to 2006. (2) The vegetation restoration is characterized by two fast-growing periods, with an “S-shaped” increasing curve. (3) The largest proportion of the contribution to vegetation restoration was observed in the slightly improved area, followed by the moderate and the significantly improved area; the degraded area is distributed sporadically over southern part of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region as well as eastern Dingbian of Shaanxi province, Huanxian and Zhengyuan of Gansu province. (4) Climate change and human activities are two driving forces in vegetation restoration; moreover anthropogenic factors such as “Grain for Green Project” were the main causes leading to an increasing trend of NDVI on local scale. However, its influencing mechanism remains to be further investigated. (5) The Hurst Exponent of NDVI time series shows that the vegetation restoration was sustainable. It is expected that improvement in vegetation cover will expand to the most parts of the region.     

五个中国特有针叶树种树轮宽度对气候变化的敏感性

本文对采自四川西部的鳞皮冷杉、铁杉、红豆杉、高山松和青海东部的青海云杉等5个中国特有针叶树种树轮宽度对气候变化的敏感性进行了研究。这五5个针叶树种的年轮纹印清晰,伪年轮和丢年轮较少(麦秀云杉0.247%,飞水崖红豆杉0.202%),便于确定年代和量测宽度,用COFECHA程序对定年结果进行检验,证明交叉定年的结果是可靠的。统计分析结果显示,这5个中国特有种差值年表包含丰富的气候信息。相关分析显示,树轮宽度数据和气象数据有着显著的相关关系。5个树种对气候因子较为敏感的响应表明,它们是适于进行树轮气候学分析的树种;在树轮气候学的研究中具有很大的潜力和应用前景。     

Response of tree-ring growth to climate at treeline ecotones in the Qilian Mountains, northwestern China

Climate constitutes the main limiting factor for tree-ring growth in high-elevation forests, and the relationship between tree-ring growth and climate is complex. Based on tree-ring chronology and meteorological data, the influence of precipitation, mean temperature and mean minimum temperature at yearly, seasonal and monthly scales on the tree-ring growth of Picea crossifolia was studied at treeline ecotones in the Qilian Mountains, northwestern China. The results show that growing season temperatures of previous and current years are important limiting factors on tree-ring growth, particularly June mean temperature and mean minimum temperature of current year. The precipitations in the previous winter and current spring have a positive correlation, and in the current fall has a negative correlation with tree-ring growth, but these correlations are not significant. Our results suggest that temperature controls tree-ring growth more strongly than precipitation at treeline ecotones in the Qilian Mountains.     

The influence of elevation, shrub species, and biological soil crust on fertile islands in the Mojave Desert, USA

We quantified soil nutrients and biological crust cover (bryophytes and lichens) under the canopies of three species of Mojave Desert shrubs and in interspaces between shrubs at three elevations to determine the effects of shrub species, soil crust, and elevation on islands of soil fertility. Means of pH, organic matter, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, nitrogen mineralization, and gravimetric soil moisture are significantly greater in soils under Ambrosia dumosa (Gray) Payne, Larrea tridentata Cov., and Coleogyne ramosissima Torr. than soils from adjacent interspace microhabitats. Although soil moisture and soil organic matter increase by a factor of 1.5 from the low elevation to the high elevation site, the ratio of shrub to interspace concentrations, or the difference in mean soil variables between shrubs and interspaces, is effectively constant and independent of elevation. Total bryophyte and lichen cover is relatively low (24.5%), however, there are 11 species of bryophytes and two species of lichens distributed across three elevations with the highest species richness and cover at the low-elevation site. Bryophyte and lichen cover is correlated with silt but is not related, consistently, to soil nutrients. Overall, the balance of processes controlling spatial aggregation of soil nutrients under shrubs is remarkably insensitive to potential differences in organic inputs among elevations, shrub species, and soil crust surfaces.     

Thermal acclimation and non-shivering thermogenesis in three species of South American rodents: a comparison between arid and mesic habitats

Non-hibernating mammals that live in seasonal and arid environments change their non-shivering thermogenesis (NST) capacity to maintain homeothermy. Metabolic capabilities of animals, such as NST, are considered adaptive plastic traits because they have a broad range of possible phenotypes with different ambient temperatures (i.e. the reaction norm). Consequently, we determined the reaction norm for NST in Octodon degus (Bennett, 1832; m_b=189 g) andPhyllotis darwini (Waterhouse, 1837; m_b=61 g) from the mesic habitat of central Chile, and inPhyllotis xanthopygus (Waterhouse, 1837; m_b=67 g) from the high Andean plains of northern Chile, an arid and seasonal habitat. Octodon degus showed a 22% increase in NST with thermal acclimation, whereas P. xanthopygus showed a 112% increase, and P. darwini showed a 117% increase in NST, being the largest change observed. These results are in agreement with our hypothesis of evolutionary inertia, which states that observed metabolic plasticity in Phyllotis species is consequence of their high Andean origin, in spite of the fact the actual habitat ofP. darwini is the less seasonal central valley of Chile.     

Amelioration of soil fertility by woody perennials in cropping fields: evaluation of three tree species in the semi-arid zone of Nigeria

Soil was sampled from cropping fields in radial patterns from beneathAcacia albida, Parkia bigloboza(Jacq.) Benth. andEucalyptus camaldulensisDehnh. near Zaria, Nigeria. Results of analysis show a significant coarsening of soil texture and a decrease in organic matter and cation exchange capacity with increasing distance from all three tree species at a depth of 0–15 cm. Concentrations of nitrogen and some exchangeable cations decreased significantly with increasing distance from beneath acacia and parkia, and soil pH decreased with increasing distance from eucalyptus. The implication of the results for land management are discussed in relation to increasing productivity and soil use sustainability.     

Changes in ecosystem carbon stocks following grassland afforestation of semiarid sandy soil in the southeastern Keerqin Sandy Lands, China

The ecological consequences of grassland afforestation in arid/semiarid sandy regions are not well known with respect to tree species and stand age. The present study quantifies the changes in above- and belowground carbon (C) stocks following afforestation in the southeastern Keerqin Sandy Lands with species of Mongolian pine and poplar. We studied 15-, 24-, and 30-year-old Mongolian pine plantations, 7-, 11-, and 15-year-old poplar plantations, and adjacent grasslands. The results show that total ecosystem C stocks increased following grassland afforestation. Aboveground C stocks increased at a rate of 2.75 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in the poplar plantations, and 1.06 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in the Mongolian pine plantations. Mineral soil C stocks decreased during the early stage of forest establishment, but recovered with increasing stand age. Root C stock increased significantly in the Mongolian pine plantations, but the poplar plantations showed no such increase relative to the grassland. Our results indicate that afforestation of the grassland in the southeastern Keerqin Sandy Lands would sequester more C than would continuous grassland. Tree species selection and stand developmental age should be considered in planning future afforestation projects.     

Hydrogeomorphic control on tree growth responses in the Elton area of the Cheshire Saltfield, UK

Increment cores were sampled from oak (Quercus robur) and ash (Fraxinus excelsior) growing at Elton, an area of the Cheshire Saltfield that has experienced significant subsidence and damage to the natural and built environments in the latter part of the twentieth century. Ring-width measurements for Elton trees permitted the construction of one main site chronology (Elton) and four sub chronologies (Elton A, Elton B, Elton C, Elton ASH). Ring-width difference between these and a control chronology identified periods of sustained growth reduction in oak trees commencing in AD 1859/1861, 1886 and 1934. Growth reductions after 1934 are related to watertable draw down caused by brine pumping from a concentration of nine boreholes at Elton, up to 2 km from tree sampling locations. Growth reductions in 1859/1861 and 1886 are likely to be the result of earlier phases of brine pumping in the Wheelock Valley, up to 5 km to the east of Elton, and these reductions correlate well with historic records of subsidence and pumping activity. Cessation of pumping in 1977 led to a lagged growth recovery in oak trees between 1981 and 1986, indicating that an artificial drought had been imposed on the Elton area for a period in excess off 100-y. This research demonstrates a hydrological separation of surface water and groundwater in an area where salt beds are overlain by till and that ring-width records of Q. robur can be used to reconstruct watertable variability and also the spatial impact of solution mining.     

Comparison of the growth and biomass production of six acacia species in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia after 4 years of irrigated cultivation

The growth and biomass production of six acacia species were studied in the field for 4 years. The species used were Acacia asak, A. negrii, A. seyal, A. karroo, A. ampliceps, and A. stenophylla. The first three species are indigenous while the others are exotic. The results showed both A. ampliceps and A. asak with 100% survival while all A. negrii died. Acacia ampliceps attained the greatest height, diameter, relative growth rate and above-ground biomass while A. asak had the least. Height and diameter growth of acacia species decreased between warm and cold periods of the year.     

20世纪80年代以来西南喀斯特地区植被变化对气候变化的响应

气候变化与植被变化的关系已经在全球和区域尺度上得到了研究证明。在前人研究的基础上,基于AVHRR GIMMS NDVI和AVHRR GloPEM NPP数据集,通过对逐个像元信息的提取和分析,研究了20世纪80年代以来,我国西南喀斯特地区植被变化对气候变化的响应。研究结果显示:(1)20世纪80年代以来,西南喀斯特地区植被覆盖度和净初级生产量总体均呈增加的趋势,但不显著。植被指数的年际变化存在着明显的区域差异;(2)植被指数年际变化与气候因子年际变化的相关系数区域分异比较明显;(3)不同的植被类型对气候变化有着不同的响应特征;在该研究区气温变化对植被变化的影响要高于降水量变化对其影响;(4)植被指数年际变化与气候因子年际变化的相关系数在不同气候条件下分布的规律性比较明显。本研究将会增进对影响喀斯特生态系统稳定性的自然过程的认识,同时也会为喀斯特生态系统的管理提供科学依据。     

Effect of plant species on shrub fertile island at an oasis–desert ecotone in the South Junggar Basin, China

Shrub fertile islands are a common feature in arid ecosystems. To examine the effect of plant species on the spatial patterns of soil chemical and physical properties surrounding individual shrubs, two deciduous shrub species with different morphologies (Tamarix spp. and Haloxylon ammodendron Bge.) were studied at an oasis–desert ecotone in South Junggar Basin. Soil samples were collected under the shrub crown (canopy), at the vertically projected limit of shrub crown margin (periphery), and in the space between shrub crowns (interspace) at two depths, 0–10 and 10–20 cm, to analyze their physical and chemical properties. The results show that the fertile islands of Tamarix spp. are enriched with more soil nutrients (significantly higher, P<0.05; soil organic matter (SOM); total nitrogen (TN) and available nitrogen (AN); to a deeper depth (>20 cm) and in a larger area (beyond the canopied area) compared to that of H. ammodendron (significantly higher, P<0.05, soil nutrients detected only for AN; <20 cm in depth; smaller than the canopied area). Soil texture patterns surrounding the shrubs of the two species are even more different, with more coarse particles under the Tamarix spp. canopies compared to the interspace between shrubs but fewer under the H. ammodendron canopies compared to the interspaces. These variations are attributed to the difference in morphology of the two studied species: the Y-shaped crowns of H. ammodendron are less capable of capturing and maintaining litter under them than the hemispheroidal crowns of Tamarix spp., which leads to the less well developed fertile islands surrounding H. ammodendron shrubs.     

The diet of the Long-eared Owls, Asio otus, in the desert of northwest China

The contents of regurgitated Long-eared Owls (Asio otus) pellets collected in Minqin Desert Experimental Research Station of northwestern China were analysed. A total of 303 individuals representing five species of rodents and one of bird were identified in the pellets. By frequency, the most common species taken by Long-eared Owls was Meriones meridianus, followed by Cricetulus barabensis and Phodopus roborovskii. By biomass, Meriones meridianus was the most important species taken, followed by C. barabensis and Rhombomys opimus. Our results suggest that the Long-eared Owls were nocturnal hunters and fed on a wide range of animals with respect to their habitats.     

The replacement of arborescent cactus species along a climatic gradient in the southern Chihuahuan Desert: competitive hierarchies and response to freezing temperatures

In the southern region of the southern Chihuahuan Desert three common species of arborescent cacti are distributed over a north-west to south-east climatic gradient; Opuntia leucotricha, O. streptacantha, and Myrtillocactus geometrizans. In general, O. leucotricha is more abundant in the colder north-west section; M. geometrizans in the warmer south-east zone, not occurring in the north-west; and O. streptacantha reaches its greatest abundance in the centre of the region. We studied the potential replacement process between the three species due to canopy interference as well as the effect of a disturbance, freezing temperature, on their survivorship. Canopy interference between adjacent individuals of M. geometrizans/O. streptacantha and O. streptacantha/O. leucotricha indicated a potential replacement sequence of O. leucotricha replaced by O. streptacantha which, in turn, is replaced by M. geometrizans. In contrast, the damage caused by an extreme low-temperature event hardly affected O. leucotricha. It did however cause severe damage to individuals of O. streptacantha in the north-west of its distribution with little or no damage to individuals in the more south-eastern populations studied. M. geometrizans had a similar pattern of damage to O. streptacantha over its range in the region but at each site where the two species occurred together, that damage was more severe. Our observations suggest that disturbance in the form of extreme freezing temperatures is the mechanism that limits the distribution of these three arborescent cacti in the southern Chihuahuan Desert and allows their co-existence regionally.