Element budgets of pine stands on lignite and pyrite containing mine soils

To analyze the development of pine ecosystems on lignite and pyrite containing mine soils, four pine stands with ages of 3–35 years were investigated in a chronosequence approach. Bulk precipitation, throughfall and soil solution in depths of 20, 40, 70 and 100 cm were studied over a three-year period to determine element fluxes in these forest ecosystems on extreme acidic and saline soils.Element budgets are controlled by the processes induced by pyrite oxidation such as intensive weathering of primary minerals, precipitation and leaching of secondary phases.Despite low water fluxes, element outputs can reach extraordinary high values due to very high concentrations in the soil solution. Although element outputs decrease drastically with stand age, respectively, site age, they exceed those of comparable pine stands on non-mine sites. Nitrogen release from the lignite fraction represents a special characteristic of the examined substrates. Nitrogen losses beneath the rooted zone can be 34 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in 100 cm depth. Element input and output in the examined ecosystems are far from balance. Closed cycling of nutrients seems to be recognizable in the case of potassium.     

Combining European Earth Observation products with Dynamic Global Vegetation Models for estimating Essential Biodiversity Variables

ABSTRACT

Global, fast and accessible monitoring of biodiversity is one of the main pillars of the efforts undertaken in order to revert it loss. The Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO-BON) provided an expert-based definition of the biological properties that should be monitored, the Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs). Initiatives to provide indicators for EBVs rely on global, freely available remote sensing (RS) products in combination with empirical models and field data, and are invaluable for decision making. In this study, we provide alternatives for the expansion and improvement of the EBV indicators, by suggesting current and future data from the European Space Agencýs COPERNICUS and explore the potential of RS-integrated Dynamic Global Vegetation Models (DGVMs) for the estimation of EBVs. Our review found that mainly due to the inclusion of the Sentinel constellation, Copernicus products have similar or superior potential for EBV indicator estimation in relation to their NASA counterparts. DGVMs simulate the ecosystem level EBVs (ecosystem function and structure), and when integrated with remote sensing data have great potential to not only offer improved estimation of current states but to provide projection of ecosystem impacts. We suggest that focus on producing EBV relevant outputs should be a priority within the research community, to support biodiversity preservation efforts.     

农田生态系统温室气体排放研究进展

自1985年起,中国科学院大气物理研究所利用自行设计制造的自动观测仪器系统,历时十六年先后对我国四大类主要水稻产区的甲烷排放规律及其与土壤、气象条件和农业管理措施的关系进行了系统野外观测实验,并对稻田甲烷产生、转化和输送机理进行了理论研究,探讨了控制稻田甲烷排放的实用措施,建立了估算和预测稻田甲烷排放的数值模型.在甲烷排放的时空变化规律和转化率研究方面有一系列新的发现,在稻田甲烷产生率、排放率及其与环境条件的关系方面取得一系列新的成果,以充分证据改变了国际上关于全球和中国稻田甲烷排放总量的估算.在对稻田甲     

CLOBAL CHARM OF THE CHANGJIANG RIVER DELTA

1SPLENDOROFHISTORICALCULTURE InChina,theChangjiang(Yangtze)RiverDelta①gen-erallymeansanadvancedproductivityandculture,whichaffectsdeeplynotonlythewholeChinabutal-sotheAsian-Pacificregion,evenEuropeandAfrica. 1.1CradlefortheCommunicationandPropagationofCivilization ThedevelopmentcourseoftheChangjiangRiverDelta'scultureisdevious,buttheNeolithicHemuduCultureexcavatedinYuyaoCityofZhejiangProvinceindicatestheadvancedpaddyriceculture;MajiabangCulture5000aB.P.andEastBridgeRuin…     

Effect of water stress on ecosystem photosynthesis and respiration of a Leymus chinensis steppe in Inner Mongolia

Many studies on global climate have forecast major changes in the amounts and spatial patterns of precipitation that may significantly affect temperate grasslands in arid and semi-arid regions. As a part of ChinaFLUX, eddy covariance flux measurements were made at a semi-arid Leymus chinensis steppe in Inner Mongolia, China during 2003-2004 to quantify the response of carbon exchange to environmental changes. Results showed that gross ecosystem production (FGEP) and ecosystem respiration (Reco) of the steppe were significantly depressed by water stress due to lack of precipitation during the growing season. Temperature was the dominant factor affecting FGEP and Reco in 2003, whereas soil moisture imposed a significant influence on both Reco and FGEP in 2004. Under wet conditions, Reco showed an exponentially increasing trend with temperature (Q10 = 2.0), but an apparent reduction in the value of Reco and its temperature sensitivity were observed during the periods of water stress (Q10=1.6). Both heat and water stress can cause decrease in FGEP. The sea-sonality of ecosystem carbon exchange was strongly correlated with the variation of precipitation. With less precipitation in 2003, the steppe sequestrated carbon in June and July, and went into a senescence in early August due to water stress. As compared to 2003, the severe drought during the spring of 2004 delayed the growth of the steppe until late June, and the steppe became a CO2 sink from early July until mid-September, with ample precipitation in August. The semi-arid steppe released a total of 9.7 g C·m-2 from May 16 to the end of September 2003, whereas the net carbon budget during the same period in 2004 was close to zero. Long-term measurements over various grasslands are needed to quantify carbon balance in temperate grasslands.     

Net ecosystem CO_2 exchange and controlling factors in a steppe——Kobresia meadow on the Tibetan Plateau

Knowledge of seasonal variation of net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) and its biotic and abiotic controllers will further our understanding of carbon cycling process, mechanism and large-scale modelling. Eddy covariance technique was used to measure NEE, biotic and abiotic factors for nearly 3 years in the hinterland alpine steppe--Korbresia meadow grassland on the Tibetan Plateau, the present highest fluxnet station in the world. The main objectives are to investigate dynamics of NEE and its components and to determine the major controlling factors. Maximum carbon assimilation took place in August and maximum carbon loss occurred in November. In June, rainfall amount due to monsoon climate played a great role in grass greening and consequently influenced interannual variation of ecosystem carbon gain. From July through September, monthly NEE presented net carbon assimilation. In other months, ecosystem exhibited carbon loss. In growing season, daytime NEE was mainly controlled by photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). In addition, leaf area index (LAI) interacted with PAR and together modulated NEE rates. Ecosystem respiration was controlled mainly by soil temperature and simultaneously by soil moisture. Q10 was negatively correlated with soil temperature but positively correlated with soil moisture. Large daily range of air temperature is not necessary to enhance carbon gain. Standard respiration rate at referenced 10℃(R10) was positively correlated with soil moisture, soil temperature, LAI and aboveground biomass. Rainfall patterns in growing season markedly influenced soil moisture and therefore soil moisture controlled seasonal change of ecosystem respiration. Pulse rainfall in the beginning and at the end of growing season induced great ecosystem respiration and consequently a great amount of carbon was lost. Short growing season and relative low temperature restrained alpine grass vegetation development. The results suggested that LAI be usually in a low level and carbon uptake be relatively low. Rainfall patterns in the growing season and pulse rainfall in the beginning and at end of growing season control ecosystem respiration and consequently influence carbon balance of ecosystem.     

洞庭湖镉迁移转化的马尔可夫模型评价

讨论了在现时泥沙、水体、鱼类、藻类的含镉状态下洞庭湖的输入输出通量；并以其为例，在简要介绍马尔可夫链数学方法的基础上，建立了湖泊生态系统中镉迁移转化的马尔可夫链数学模型，初步评价了当洞庭湖不断有镉加入、系统到达状态稳定时各种介质中的镉总量及镉的迁移转化趋势。     

Indigenous knowledge of landscape–ecological zones among traditional herbalists: a case study in Keiyo District, Kenya

Object of study is the insight of traditional herbalists in the landscape-ecological factors wich control the growth of the plants they use for healing their patients. The extent of this insight determines their capacity to adapt to environmental changes such as deforestation and soil degradation. This paper deals with the landscape-ecological perception of herbalists who live in an area with sharp landscape contrasts and drastic changes in landuse: the Keiyo Escarpment in the Rift which links the cool and humid Uasin Gishu Plateau at a level of more than 2600 m above sea level, with the warm and semi-arid Kerio Valley at 1250 m. The landuse changes of the last 50 years are caused by growing population density, loss of traditional attitudes towards the value of the land, and changes in forest cover. Data on local knowledge are acquired through interviews and field visits. The corresponding western knowledge is derived from aerial photographs and existing reports and maps. Six landscape-ecological zones are recognized. They are named after topography (wareng, mosop, soin), vegetation (teguming, korget) or landuse (tumdo). These zones coincide with the units of the agro-climatic map of Kenya. Apart from geology, all the factors of the hierarchical model used in western-based landscape ecology (climate, geology, relief, water, soil, vegetation and fauna) are included in the indigenous perception of the landscape, but the hierarchical order is not necessarily the same: e.g. the herbalists assume that rock grows in the soil instead of the other way around, and that forests attract rain. From the herbalists' point of view, deforestation and the establishment of small-holder agriculture is less serious for their trade than the replacement of indigenous trees by plantations with exotic species. They adapt to the loss of the forest by travelling to areas with comparable landscape-ecological conditions or, especially in the case of women and older male herbalists, by planting the required species in the garden. According to the herbalists, good climate and fertile soil stimulate species diversity, but best medicinal performance give plants on soils which are periodically dry.     

First international payment for marine ecosystem services: The case of the Banc d’Arguin National Park,Mauritania

This article investigates whether the European Union-Mauritania fisheries agreement, which allocates part of the Europe's financial contribution to the conservation of marine ecosystems located within the Banc d’Arguin National Park, can be regarded as a payment for ecosystem service. A framework for qualification as such payment scheme was established based on an extensive literature review. The criteria identified for the qualification as a payment to ecosystem service pertain to: (1) the definition of the ecosystem service(s) involved; (2) the mechanism involved by the payment; and (3) the nature of the transaction. Interviews with local beneficiaries and subsequent data analysis led to the conclusion that this mechanism could be regarded as a payment to ecosystem service and so, through the European Union-Mauritania Fisheries agreement, the European Union were investing to protect local fish resources that could be exploited by its fishing fleet. This agreement, involving the first International Payment to Ecosystem Service of this kind, marks an important step towards better consideration of marine conservation in international public policy and foreign fishing policy in particular. However, this payment is small when compared to revenues generated through the exploitation of developing countries’ fishing grounds by fishing countries. Nevertheless it opens the door for more detailed applications of payment to ecosystem service schemes to other ecosystems contexts, and can provide a useful alternative source of financing of marine biodiversity conservation.     

Impacts of anthropogenic activities on the Changjiang(Yangtze)estuarine ecosystem(1998–2012)

Estuarine ecosystem has greatly changed in the recent decades due to anthropogenic perturbations in the Changjiang Estuary. Change patterns and impact factors were analyzed based on the continuous data...