Spatio-temporal variability and vertical distribution of a low rocky subtidal assemblage in the north-west Mediterranean

Natural assemblages show large variability at multiple scales in space and time as a consequence of several abiotic and biological factors. This study was conducted in conditions of high turbidity of the water and examined the spatio-temporal variability and the vertical distribution at two different depths of a low rocky subtidal assemblage. Algal and invertebrate organisms were sampled at a range of spatial scales extending from meters to a few kilometers, over a period of 21 months. Results indicated that patterns of distribution and abundance of organisms differed between the two depths and at the smallest spatial scales examined. These differences were due to differences in relative abundance rather than differences in composition of taxa. Results showed that assemblages varied largely among dates of sampling, suggesting that temporal variability of these organisms may be more important than previously stated. The patchy distribution and the peculiar life traits of most taxa of these assemblages allowed the concept of metapopulation and metacommunity to be applied to this system. This might have implications for predictions of the responses of subtidal assemblages to environmental changes due to anthropogenic activities.     

Distribution of Benthic Communities on the Tropical Rocky Subtidal of Armação dos Búzios, Southeastern Brazil

Abstract.  Few studies have described the spatial patterns of rocky sublittoral benthic communities in Brazil, where these habitats are almost exclusively located on the southeast and south coastline. The fauna and flora were analyzed using a quadrat method, and the species abundance and distribution were determined along transects down to the bottom sand plain on 10 rocky shores at Armação dos Búzios, Brazil. The 16 most common species accounted for around 97% of the benthos coverage and included cnidarians, algae, poriferans, and echinoderms. Cnidarians and algae were the most important groups, with abundance ranging from 13–66% and 27–68%, respectively. The species distribution indicated a clear depth zonation pattern. The algal community dominated the shallowest depths in sites more exposed to waves and steeper substrate slope, whereas the cnidarian community, divided into the zoanthidean Palythoa caribaeorum and the coral Siderastrea stellata , was more abundant from intermediate to greater (4 m) depths. Different community patterns were found between sites, demonstrating that different spatially discrete factors may be acting on each rocky shore.     

Associational resistance mediates predator--prey interactions in a marine subtidal system

There is a growing awareness of the role that indirect interactions play in influencing food webs and ecosystem structure. In this study, the hypothesis that crustose algal epibionts provide gastropods associational resistance from predation was investigated through field surveys and laboratory feeding assays. In rocky low intertidal/shallow subtidal systems in the northeast Pacific, several species of crustose algae (the red alga Peyssonnelia meridionalis and crustose corallines) can colonize the shells of living Tegula brunnea snails. The growth patterns of these epibiontic crustose algae allow them to cover their host’s surface completely, which may, in turn, protect their hosts from predation. A multi‐site field survey of T. brunnea revealed that >60% of snails were at least 75% covered with one or more species of crustose algae, with 35% fully covered, indicating that this is common in the field. Laboratory feeding assays revealed that sea stars, a primary predator of T. brunnea, distinguished among snails with different shell coverings; Pisaster consumed nearly three times as many bare (i.e. no crustose algae) snails as those covered with Peyssonnelia, while Pycnopodia consumed four times as many bare snails as those covered with crustose corallines. These results suggest that epibiont crustose algae can benefit their hosts via associational resistance; this finding may have implications for the role of associational resistance in trophic interactions.     

土地利用变化对岩溶地下水溶解无机碳及其稳定同位素组成的影响

土地利用变化对岩溶地下水溶解无机碳（DIC）的影响关系到岩溶作用强弱及其相关的全球碳循环的正确评价。对贵州茂兰原始森林内的板寨岩溶地下河流域和普定岩溶石漠化强烈的陈旗、灯盏河泉域三种不同的土地利用下的地下水的DIC及其稳定同位素进行了分析,结果表明,地下水的DIC表现形式主要为HCO3^-。对于缺少土壤覆盖的板寨和灯盏河岩溶地区,雨季主要因为稀释作用,HCO3^-含量出现年内最低值;而对于较多土壤覆盖的陈旗岩溶地区,雨季主要受土壤CO2效应控制。HCO3^-含量出现年内最高值,反映了土壤在岩溶作用及其碳循环中的特殊重要性。此外,夏季由于生物量的增加,δ^13DIC值较冬季偏轻1‰～2‰。而对于不同土地利用而言,石漠化影响下的地下水δ^13DIC较原始森林下的地下水偏重2．5‰-3．0‰,且随着石漠化的发展,土壤的进一步流失,地下水δ^13DIC进一步偏重,反映了石漠化后生物量比例减少和大气成因CO2比例增加对地下水δ^13DIC升高的影响。     

沙漠化问题研究综述

沙漠化是当今世界干旱、半干旱地区面临的严重的生态、社会和经济问题之一。在查阅大量文献的基础上,详细评述了沙漠化的概念及其在时间、空间、内容、景观、发展趋势、结果上等的内涵;总结了国内外沙漠化的监测评价指标体系、分级及其在世界上的分布;在沙漠化问题争论焦点之一的沙漠化成因上,综合了各家的观点,归纳为干旱气候和大风的自然原因及不合理的“六滥”人为原因;同时对全球变暖和沙漠化之间的相互关系也做了概述;最后对沙漠化的防治方法、根本途径等方面问题进行了系统的总结。     

塔里木盆地的环境格局与绿洲演化

塔里木盆地是中国最大的内陆盆地,它经过长期海陆变迁和盆山耦合作用形成。从元古代到晚二叠纪,一直处于海洋环境,几经海侵海退,有大量海相沉积。从二叠纪末开始,全区抬升,海水退出,盆地进入陆地发展阶段,以湖相和河流相沉积为主,仅在西部边缘有泻湖相沉积;至渐新世,印度板块与欧亚板块在帕米尔地区碰撞拼合,盆地彻底与古特提斯海分离,形成统一的内陆盆地。盆地的气候环境从晚白垩世就已向干热发展,形成了广泛的红色沉积和膏盐;上新世以来,青藏高原及其他山地快速隆升,对盆地的环境格局产生重大影响,盆地腹地出现荒漠化,风成沙堆积面积扩大;第四纪时,干旱化气候进一步加剧,塔克拉玛干沙漠逐渐形成;一些天然绿洲在盆地周围和河流流域相伴而生,从而奠定了今天塔里木盆地的环境格局。古时绿洲大部分是丝绸之路的连接点和集结地,在距今约2000年前的汉朝还比较繁荣,后来变成了废墟和荒漠,塔克拉玛干沙漠的南缘向南推进约100～150km,而注入盆地(沙漠)的河流向上游收缩几百公里。     

干旱半干旱地区土地沙漠化信息系统的设计与应用

“数字地球”战略的提出得到各界人士的广泛关注,并从各自专业角度献计献策。但“数字地球”战略的实施必须以区域或专题为切入点。本文从我国干旱半干旱地区沙漠化比较严峻及西部大开发以生态环境建设为目标的背景出发,结合研究区的自然、人文特征,设计干旱半干旱地区沙漠化信息系统的总体结构、功能、模型,系统包括数据库管理子系统、土地沙漠化信息查询子系统、模型库管理子系统等。系统设计的同时选择典型示范区进行了实践。结果表明,系统在其数据项相关性方面已满足本专题GIS系统的功能和模型的要求,本系统可为生态环境恶化、土地沙漠化预测与评估以及决策部门及时采取防治措施和对策。提供迅速、动态的信息和技术支撑。     

柴达木盆地耕地荒漠化及其防治

在阐述柴达木盆地耕地面临的荒漠化(沙漠化和盐渍化)问题及分析其自然和人文原因的基础上,提出了耕地荒漠化防治应该坚持的基本观点以及主要技术措施。认为耕地沙漠化防治的关键是处理好耕地与其生态环境之间的关系,以生物技术措施为主,最终建立完善的耕地防风固沙林草体系;耕地盐渍化防治的关键是处理好耕地与水资源之间的关系,以水利工程措施为主,利用区域治理模式降低土壤含盐量及地下水位。     

我国半干旱地区现代沙漠化驱动因素的定量辩识

现代沙漠化的成因是目前沙漠化研究中争论较大的问题之一,其根源在于对现代沙漠化驱动因素的辨识不清,难以确定现代沙漠化过程中的主要驱动因素。本文对位于我国半干旱地区的主要沙漠化地区科尔沁、浑善达克、乌盟后山、共和盆地、藏北高原和藏南河谷地区内各选择一个典型区,分别是白音他拉、那日图、西井子、共和盆地、那曲地区和扎囊县,利用主成分分析和相关分析等定量方法,分析了6个典型区现代沙漠化过程中多种影响因素的作用,找出了现代沙漠化过程中的主要驱动因素。研究结果,6个典型研究区现代沙漠化的驱动因素具有综合性、地域性和主导因素的差异性,说明在我国半干旱地区的现代沙漠化是一个自然与人为因素共同作用的综合过程,其驱动因素有着较大的地域性和差异性。推广之,对我国沙漠化驱动力或成因的认识也不能一概而论,现代沙漠化的成因应具有一定的地域性。     

不同强度等级石漠化土地植被恢复技术初步研究——以贵州花江试验示范区查尔岩试验小区为例

分析了贵州花江试验示范区查尔岩试验小区中不同强度等级石漠化土地所表现出的缺土、缺水、植被覆盖度低、土地总体生产力水平低下等特征,提出了不同强度等级石漠化土地的植被恢复途径与对策,以及不同强度石漠化土地植被恢复过程中的主要造林植草技术。