阿拉善高原荒漠植被组成分布特征及其环境解释:Ⅱ.C_4植物组成、分布特征与环境的关系

研究了阿拉善典型干旱荒漠植被区C4植物的组成特征、空间分布及其与环境因子的相关性。发现C4植物主要集中在藜科(Chenopodiaceae)和禾本科(Gramineae),生活型以一、二年生草本为主,占到70%以上;旱生和旱中生C4植物所占比例较大,达到48.89%,其区系成分以世界成分、亚洲中部成分和古地中海成分为主。C4植物分布特征表现出不同的规律性:在垂直地带分布上与温度呈正相关关系、与降雨呈负相关关系;在水平经度地带分布上主要与降水呈正相关关系,与温度无显著相关,尤其是在极端高温、干旱(主要是额济纳戈壁荒漠区)地区,C4植物的生存受到了限制。这一结果对于揭示阿拉善地区C4植物的水分利用效率,及其与降水资源的空间分布之间的关系提供了一定的理论解释。     

Implementation of reconstructed geomorphologic units in landslide susceptibility mapping: the Melen Gorge (NW Turkey)

In the international literature, although considerable amount of publications on the landslide susceptibility mapping exist, geomorphology as a conditioning factor is still used in limited number of studies. Considering this factor, the purpose of this article paper is to implement the geomorphologic parameters derived by reconstructed topography in landslide susceptibility mapping. According to the method employed in this study, terrain is generalized by the contours passed through the convex slopes of the valleys that were formed by fluvial erosion. Therefore, slope conditions before landsliding can be obtained. The reconstructed morphometric and geomorphologic units are taken into account as a conditioning parameter when assessing landslide susceptibility. Two different data, one of which is obtained from the reconstructed DEM, have been employed to produce two landslide susceptibility maps. The binary logistic regression is used to develop landslide susceptibility maps for the Melen Gorge in the Northwestern part of Turkey. Due to the high correct classification percentages and spatial effectiveness of the maps, the landslide susceptibility map comprised the reconstructed morphometric parameters exhibits a better performance than the other. Five different datasets are selected randomly to apply proper sampling strategy for training. As a consequence of the analyses, the most proper outcomes are obtained from the dataset of the reconstructed topographical parameters and geomorphologic units, and lithological variables that are implemented together. Correct classification percentage and root mean square error (RMSE) values of the validation dataset are calculated as 86.28% and 0.35, respectively. Prediction capacity of the different datasets reveal that the landslide susceptibility map obtained from the reconstructed parameters has a higher prediction capacity than the other. Moreover, the landslide susceptibility map obtained from the reconstructed parameters produces logical results.     

Cyclotella-taxa (Bacillariophyceae) in lakes of the Alpine region and their relationship to environmental variables

Surface sediment diatom assemblages for 86 Alpine lakes were analysed focusing on the dominant genusCyclotella and corresponding environmental data. The range of morphological variability of theCyclotella bodanica/radiosa, C. distinguenda, C. ocellata, C. comensis andC. stelligera complexes was documented. Significance tests included in the canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) indicated that total phosphorus, conductivity and surface water temperature were significantly correlated withCyclotella taxa assemblage distribution. Numerical species optima and tolerances were calculated in respect to these significant variables using weighted averaging (WA) regression and calibration. CCA and WA were able to provide information about the environmental preferences of the various morphotypes observed.     

On the use of X-ray and γ-ray telescopes for identifying the origin of electrons and positrons observed by ATIC, Fermi, and PAMELA

X-ray and γ-ray observations can help understand the origin of the electron and positron signals reported by ATIC, PAMELA, PPB-BETS, and Fermi. It remains unclear whether the observed high-energy electrons and positrons are produced by relic particles, or by some astrophysical sources. To distinguish between the two possibilities, one can compare the electron population in the local neighborhood with that in the dwarf spheroidal galaxies, which are not expected to host as many pulsars and other astrophysical sources. This can be accomplished using X-ray and γ-ray observations of dwarf spheroidal galaxies. Assuming the signal detected by Fermi and ATIC comes from dark matter and using the inferred dark matter profile of the Draco dwarf spheroidal galaxy as an example, we calculate the photon spectrum produced by electrons via inverse Compton scattering. Since little is known about the magnetic fields in dwarf spheroidal galaxies, we consider the propagation of charged particles with and without diffusion. Extending the analysis of Fermi collaboration for Draco, we find that for a halo mass ∼10⁹ M_⊙, even in the absence of diffusion, the γ-ray signal would be above the upper limits. This conclusion is subject to uncertainties associated with the halo mass. If dwarf spheroidal galaxies host local magnetic fields, the diffusion of the electrons can result in a signal detectable by future X-ray telescopes.     

A hybrid indirect boundary element—discrete wave number method applied to simulate the seismic response of stratified alluvial valleys

A hybrid indirect boundary element – discrete wavenumber method is presented and applied to model the ground motion on stratified alluvial valleys under incident plane SH waves from an elastic half-space. The method is based on the single-layer integral representation for diffracted waves. Refracted waves in the horizontally stratified region can be expressed as a linear superposition of solutions for a set of discrete wavenumbers. These solutions are obtained in terms of the Thomson–Haskell propagators formalism. Boundary conditions of continuity of displacements and tractions along the common boundary between the half-space and the stratified region lead to a system of equations for the sources strengths and the coefficients of the plane wave expansion. Although the regions share the boundary, the discretization schemes are different for both sides: for the exterior region, it is based on the numerical and analytical integration of exact Green's functions for displacements and tractions whereas for the layered part, a collocation approach is used. In order to validate this approach results are compared for well-known cases studied in the literature. A homogeneous trapezoidal valley and a parabolic stratified valley were studied and excellent agreement with previous computations was found. An example is given for a stratified inclusion model of an alluvial deposit with an irregular interface with the half-space. Results are displayed in both frequency and time domains. These results show the significant influence of lateral heterogeneity and the emergence of locally generated surface waves in the seismic response of alluvial valleys.     

Contamination of marine biogenic habitats and effects upon associated epifauna

Habitat-forming organisms are frequently used as biomonitors in marine environments due to a widespread ability to accumulate toxic contaminants. Few studies, however, have considered the consequences of these accumulated contaminants on the abundant and diverse fauna associated with these habitats. In this review, we summarize research which has investigated the contamination of biogenic habitats (including seagrasses, macroalgae, ascidians, sponges and bivalve reefs) and the impact of this contamination on the habitat use, feeding behaviour and survival of associated epifauna. In many cases, ecological impacts upon epifauna are not simply predicted by levels of contamination in their habitat, but are determined by the foraging, feeding and reproductive behaviours of the inhabiting organisms. Thus, a thorough understanding of these ecological processes is essential in order to understand the effects of contaminants upon epifaunal communities. The scope of biomonitoring studies which assess the contamination of biogenic habitats should be expanded to include an assessment of potential effects upon associated epifauna. When combined with manipulative field experiments such an approach would greatly assist in our understanding of indirect effects of contaminants in these important benthic habitats.     

Assessing cause and effect of multiple stressors on marine systems

An operational framework is developed to serve as a guideline for investigating causal relationships between environmental stressors and effects on marine biota. Because of the complexity and variability of many marine systems, multiple lines of evidence are needed to understand relationships between stressors and effects on marine resources. Within this framework, a weight of evidence approach based on multiple lines of evidence are developed and applied in a sequential manner by (1) characterizing the study system which involves determining if target biota are impaired, assessment of food and habitat availability, and measuring contaminant levels in the environment, (2) assessing direct effects of contaminant exposure on target biota using biomarkers and assessing indirect effects of exposure using suites of bioindicators, and (3) applying standard causal criteria based on epidemiological principles and diagnostic health profiling techniques to assess potential causes. Use of multiple lines of evidence should also reduce the risk of false positives (Type I error or falsely concluding that there is a causal relationship when there is none) and false negatives (Type II error or falsely concluding there is not a causal relationship when there actually is). Understanding causal relationships and the mechanistic processes between environmental stressors and effects on biota is important in the effective management and restoration of impaired marine ecosystems.     

Flowing afterglow studies of temperature dependencies for electron dissociative recombination of HCNH, CH3CNH and CH3CH2CNH and their symmetrical proton-bound dimers

A study has been made using a variable temperature flowing afterglow Langmuir probe technique (VT-FALP) to determine the equilibrium temperature dependencies of the dissociative electron-ion recombination of the protonated cyanide ions (RCNH⁺, where R=H, CH₃ and C₂H₅) and their symmetrical proton-bound dimers (RCNH⁺NCR). The power law temperature dependencies of the recombination coefficients, α_e, over the temperature range 180 to 600 K for the protonated ions are α_e(T)(cm³ s⁻¹)=3.5±0.5×10⁻⁷ (300/T)^1.38 for HCNH⁺, α_e(T)=3.4±0.5×10⁻⁷ (300/T)^1.03 for CH₃CNH⁺, and α_e(T)=4.6±0.7×10⁻⁷ (300/T)^0.81 for CH₃CH₂CNH⁺. The equivalent values for the proton-bound dimers are α_e(T)(cm³ s⁻¹)=2.4±0.4×10⁻⁶(300/T)^0.5 for (HCN)₂H⁺ to α_e(T)=2.8±0.4×10⁻⁶(300/T)^0.5 for (CH₃CN)₂H⁺, and α_e(T)=2.3±0.3×10⁻⁶(300/T)^0.5 for (CH₃CH₂CN)₂H⁺. The relevance of these data to molecular synthesis in the interstellar medium and the Titan ionosphere are discussed.     

Chironomids as indicators of climate change: a 100‐lake training set from a subarctic region of northern Sweden (Lapland)

Multivariate numerical analyses (DCA, CCA) were used to study the distribution of chironomids from surface sediments of 100 lakes spanning broad ecoclimatic conditions in northern Swedish Lapland. The study sites range from boreal forest to alpine tundra and are located in a region of relatively low human impact. Of the 19 environmental variables measured, ordination by CCA identified mean July air temperature as one of the most significant variables explaining the distribution and the abundance of chironomids. Lossonignition (LOI), maximum lake depth and mean January air temperature also accounted for significant variation in chironomid assemblages. A quantitative transfer function was created to estimate mean July air temperature from sedimentary chironomid assemblages using weightedaveraging partial least squares regression (WAPLS). The coefficient of determination was relatively high (r² = 0.65) with root mean squared error of prediction (RMSEP, based on jack-knifing) of 1.13 °C and maximum bias of 2.1 °C, indicating that chironomids can provide useful quantitative estimates of past changes in mean July air temperature. The paper focuses mainly on the relationship between chironomid composition and July air temperature, but the relationship to LOI and depth are also discussed.     

水盐梯度下黄河三角洲湿地植被空间分异规律的定量分析

三角洲湿地植被的形成和分布同时受水深、土壤含盐量两个环境因子的作用。采用模糊数学排序方法分析了黄河三角洲湿地植被在水深、土壤含盐量两个环境梯度下的空间分异规律。结果表明,由TWINSPAN划分而得到的8个植被类型在模糊数学排序图中有各自的分布范围,界线明显。以穗状狐尾藻(Myriophyllum spica-tum)等水生植物为优势种的群落分布在排序图的左上部,为黄河三角洲湿地高水深、低盐分地区;以柽柳(Tam-arix chinensis)、翅碱蓬(Suaeda heteroptera)等典型盐生植物为优势种的群落分布在排序图的右下部,为黄河三角洲的低水深、高盐分地区;其他以芦苇(Phragmites australis)、荻(Triarrhena sacchariflora)、旱柳(Salix matsudana)等为优势种的群落分布在排序图的中部。利用Gini-Simpson指数,在模糊数学排序图中分析了植物物种多样性随水深、土壤含盐量梯度的空间变化,结果表明,高水深、低盐分和低水深、高盐分地区植物物种多样性均较低,而二者过渡区域植物物种多样性较高。