Application of topo-edaphic factors and remotely sensed vegetation indices to enhance biomass estimation in a heterogeneous landscape in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania

Estimating tropical biomass is critical for establishment of conservation inventories and landscape monitoring. However, monitoring biomass in a complex and dynamic environment using traditional methods is challenging. Recently, biomass estimates based on remotely sensed data and ecological variables have shown great potential. The present study explored the utility of remotely sensed data and topo-edaphic factors to improve biomass estimation in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania. Twenty-nine vegetation indices were calculated from RapidEye data, while topo-edaphic factors were taken from field measurements. Results showed that using topo-edaphic variables or vegetation indices, biomass could be predicted with an R² of 0.4. A combination of topo-edaphic variables and vegetation indices improved the prediction accuracy to an R² of 0.6. Results further showed a decrease in biomass estimates from 1162 ton ha^?1 in 1980 to 285.38 ton ha^?1 in 2012. This study demonstrates the value of combining remotely sensed data with topo-edaphic variables in biomass estimation.     

Satellite-measured atmospheric aerosol content in Korea: anthropogenic signals from decadal records

Spatiotemporal characteristics and anthropogenic signals of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) distributions over Korea are investigated in this study using AOT time-series data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). AOT observations, a quantitative measure of the atmospheric quality, had significant geographical variations during the study period (2000–2010). Comparing metro cities or counties with similar populations, western regions showed higher AOT values than eastern regions. Particular matter with a diameter < 10 µm (PM₁₀), including aeolian dust or yellow dust, is the primary component of atmospheric aerosols, and their transport into the region has shown a strong seasonal pattern with its peak from March to April and lows from July to September. These seasonal dust patterns, however, did not correspond well to temporal AOT records, which typically reached the maximum level in June nationwide. Rather, widespread regional fire events and humidity showed significant correlations with AOT time-series. This correlation rapidly increased as the range of fire occurrence was extended to the west as far as 115°E. The relative humidity also had a significant correlation with AOT during the month of June. In addition to urban emission of anthropogenic aerosols, regional biomass burning and secondary growth of hygroscopic aerosols are considered important contributors to the degradation of the atmospheric environment during the non-Asian Dust season over the Korean Peninsula.     

基于SPOT6遥感影像的滩涂湿地入侵种互花米草植株高度的反演研究

本文以SPOT6 高空间分辨率遥感影像为数据源,通过植被覆盖度和地上生物量两个参数进行滩涂湿地入侵种互花米草植株高度的估算研究。结果表明,三沙湾滩涂湿地互花米草植株高度平均值为2.04 m,以1~2 m和2~3 m植株为主要分布高度,分布面积分别为6.83 km2和10.31 km2,占研究区互花米草总面积的33.83%和51.06%,小于1 m和大于3 m的互花米草仅占9.26%和5.84%。估算值与真实值之间的均方根误差为0.204,绝对误差为0.04~0.37 m。该方法是对高空间分辨率光学影像应用研究的重要尝试,其反演方法具有较好的可行性,可较为准确的获取滩涂湿地植株高度信息。     

不同培养条件对三角褐指藻生长及其生物活性成分积累的影响

以三角褐指藻(Phaeodactylum tricornutum)为研究材料,比较了Na NO3、NH4HCO3和CO(NH2)2为氮源的两种培养基(m L1和ASW培养基)对其生长和生物活性成分(岩藻黄素、金藻昆布糖和二十碳五烯酸(C20:5,EPA))时相积累的影响,同时分析了脂肪酸组成和总脂含量的变化。结果表明:以m L1培养基培养时,三角褐指藻的生物质质量浓度明显高于ASW培养基培养时的生物质质量质量浓度,尿素优于其他两种氮源,最大生物质质量质量浓度为3.7 g/L。不同培养条件下岩藻黄素含量的时相变化规律一致,均随着培养时间的延长呈现先增加后减少的趋势,其最高积累量分别为:13.27 mg/g(Na NO3)、13.23 mg/g(CO(NH2)2)和13.89 mg/g(NH4HCO3)(m L1);13.2 mg/g(Na NO3)、14.92 mg/g(CO(NH2)2)和13.6 mg/g(NH4HCO3)(ASW),由此可知氮源对岩藻黄素积累量影响不大。金藻昆布糖含量随着培养时间延长逐渐增加,其最大积累量分别为9.82 mg/g(NH4HCO3)(m L1)和8.59 mg/g(Na NO3)(ASW)。不同培养条件下其总脂含量变化不显著,均在培养末期达到最大值,分别为24.18%(NH4HCO3)(m L1)和23.79%(Na NO3)(ASW);其主要脂肪酸组成为:豆蔻酸(C14:0)、棕榈酸(C16:0)、棕榈油酸(C16:1)、硬脂酸(C18:0)、油酸(C18:1)、亚油酸(C18:2)、花生一烯酸(C20:1)、木焦油酸(C24:0)和EPA,其中,EPA含量随着培养时间延长逐渐下降,尿素最有利于EPA的积累。     

Effects of heavy metal (Pb) concentration on some growth parameters of plants grown in lead polluted soil under organic fertilizer amendment

This study investigated morphological variation and biomass accumulation that occurred in Sida acuta and Chromolaena odorata plants grown in lead polluted soil under organic fertilizer amendment. The study was carried out in the screen house at the Biological Gardens of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. The experiment was a factorial combination of one heavy metal (Pb) at five levels of concentration (0, 200, 400, 800 and 1,000 mg/kg) in a completely randomized design, and were replicated three times for each of the two plants and two levels (0 g/kg and 9.4 g/kg) of organic fertilizer (OBD-Plus). Each pot was filled with 5 kg of air-dried and sieved soil and placed on a plastic tray for the collection of excess water. Two weeks after planting, seedlings of uniform height were transplanted from the nursery to experimental pots at the rate of one seedling per pot and grown for 10 weeks. The growth parameters of the plants were biomonitored for 7 weeks. After 10 weeks of treatment, the plants were harvested and dried to calculate the biomass accumulation. The two plant species performed better under fertilizer application than without it. For each of the plant species the growth parameters decreased as the levels of Pb concentration increased. Furthermore, the plants' biomass decreased significantly (p<0.05) as the levels of Pb concentration increased. The organic fertilizer helped to improve the plants' performance in lead-polluted soil.     

Inter-annual variability in phytoplankton summer blooms in the freshwater tidal reaches of the Schelde estuary (Belgium)

The inter-annual variability in phytoplankton summer blooms in the upper reaches of the Schelde estuary was investigated between 1996 and 2005 by monthly sampling at 10 stations. The large inter-annual variations of the chlorophyll a concentration in the freshwater tidal reaches were independent from variations in chlorophyll a in the tributary river Schelde. Summer mean chlorophyll a concentrations were significantly negatively correlated with flushing rate (Spearman correlation: r = −0.67, p = 0.05, n = 9) but not with temperature, irradiance and suspended particulate matter or dissolved silica (DSi) concentrations. During dry summers, low flushing rates permitted the development of dense phytoplankton populations in the upper part of the estuary, while during wet summers high flushing rates prevented the development of dense phytoplankton blooms. Flushing rate was also found to be important for the phytoplankton community composition. At low flushing rates, the community was dominated by diatoms that developed within the upper estuary. At high flushing rates, chlorophytes imported from the tributary river Schelde became more important in the phytoplankton community. The position of the chlorophyll a maximum shifted from the head of the estuary when flushing rates were low, to more downstream when flushing rates were high. Although DSi concentrations tended to be lower during years of high phytoplankton (mainly diatom) biomass, the relation with flushing rate was not significant.     

Structure, biomass distribution and trophodynamics of the pelagic ecosystem in the Oyashio region, western subarctic Pacific

Biomass distribution and trophodynamics in the oceanic ecosystem in the Oyashio region are presented and analyzed, combining the seasonal data for plankton and micronekton collected at Site H since 1996 with data for nekton and other animals at higher trophic levels from various sources. The total biomass of biological components including bacteria, phytoplankton, microzooplankton, mesozooplankton, micronekton, fishes/squids and marine birds/mammals was 23 g C m⁻², among which the most dominant component was mesozooplankton (34% of the total), followed by phytoplankton (28%), bacteria (15%) and microzooplankton (protozoans) (14%). The remainder (9%) was largely composed of micronekton and fish/squid. Marine mammals/birds are only a small fraction (0.14%) of the total biomass. Large/medium grazing copepods (Neocalaus spp., Eucalanus bungii and Metridia spp.) accounted for 77% of the mesozooplankton biomass. Based on information about diet composition, predators were assigned broadly into mean trophic level 3–4, and carbon flow through the grazing food chain was established based on the estimated annual production/food consumption balance of each trophic level. From the food chain scheme, ecological efficiencies as high as 24% were calculated for the primary/secondary production and 21% for the secondary/tertiary production. Biomass and production of bacteria were estimated as 1/10 of the respective values for phytoplankton at Site H, but the role of the microbial food chain remains unresolved in the present analysis. As keystone species in the oceanic Oyashio region, Neocalanus spp. are suggested as a vital link between primary production and production of pelagic fishes, mammals and birds.     

Effects of diet and body size on phosphorus utilization of Liza haematocheila T. ＆ S.

A 21-d laboratory experiment was conducted to study, the phosphorus （P） utilization of two different diets by redlip mullet Liza haematocheila T. ＆ S. Sand-filtered water in salinity 30 and temperatare 25℃ was used. Twenty-nine fish individuals were divided into three groups： 11 to group 1 （G1） fed on diet 1, 11 to group 2 （G2） fed on diet 2, and 7 to contrast group. Diet 1 was a commercial feed, more valuable in nutrition than diet 2 that similar to natural detritus. The results show the intake phosphorus （IP） of G1 was significantly higher than that of G2, and both increased linearly with body size at a certain amount of diet. The retention phosphorus （RP） in fish of G1 was lower than G2. The relationship between retention phosphorus and body size was positive and stronger in G2. Significant difference in faecal phosphorus （FP） was found between G1 and G2. Body size significantly impacted the excretion phosphorus （EP） in G1 but G2. The loss of intake phosphorus in G1 was 10.83-20.27 mg per g fish weight gain, higher than that in G2 for 6.63-9.56. Of the phosphorus, about 10% was allocated into growth, 50% in faeces, and the rest lost in excretion. The main part of phosphorus was lost in faeces but excretion. The phosphorus budget of the fish could be described as 100IP = 7.40RP ＋ 47.39FP ＋ 36.63EP （Diet 1） or 100IP = 11.93RP ＋ 56.64FP ＋ 21.76EP （Diet 2）.