Rapid vegetation change during the early Holocene in the Faroe Islands detected in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems

High‐resolution pollen, plant macrofossil and sedimentary analyses from early Holocene lacustrine sediments on the Faroe Islands have detected a significant vegetation perturbation suggesting a rapid change in climate between ca. 10 380 cal. yr BP and the Saksunarvatn ash (10 240±60 cal. yr BP). This episode may be synchronous with the decline in δ¹⁸O values in the Greenland ice‐cores. It also correlates with a short, cold event detected in marine cores from the North Atlantic that has been ascribed to a weakening of thermohaline circulation associated with the sudden drainage of Lake Agassiz into the northwest Atlantic, or, alternatively, a period with distinctly decreased solar forcing. The vegetation sequence begins at ca. 10 500 cal. yr BP with a succession from tundra to shrub‐tundra and increasing lake productivity. Rapid population increases of aquatic plants suggest high summer temperatures between 10 450 and 10 380 cal. yr BP. High pollen percentages, concentrations and influx of Betula, Juniperus and Salix together with macrofossil leaves indicate shrub growth around the site during the initial phases of vegetation colonisation. Unstable conditions followed ca. 10 380 cal. yr BP that changed both the upland vegetation and the aquatic plant communities. A decrease in percentage values of shrub pollen is recorded, with replacement of both aquatics and herbaceous plants by pioneer plant communities. An increase in total pollen accumulation rates not seen in the concentration data suggests increased sediment delivery. The catchment changes are consistent with less seasonal, moister conditions. Subsequent climatic amelioration reinitiated a warmth‐driven succession and catchment stabilisation, but retained high precipitation levels influencing the composition of the post‐event communities. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Low recruitment above treeline indicates treeline stability under changing climate in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve,Western Nepal

A treeline can respond to climate change by shifting position, infilling, increasing recruitment, and increasing radial growth. More studies from understudied areas and their associated species are needed to understand treeline structure and dynamics. We established two transects of 20 m width and 120 m length (100 m above and 20 m below the forestline) in the Betula utilis subalpine forest of the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve in Western Nepal. All individuals of B. utilis within the transects were classified into three height classes – trees (>2 m), saplings (0.5–2 m), and seedlings (<0.5 m) – and measured for morphometric features. Tree-ring cores were collected for age structure analysis. B. utilis forms an abrupt treeline in the region, and the mean forestline and treeline elevations were 3893 and 3898 m, respectively. The average age (57 yr) of trees at the treeline ecotone suggests a young stand. Poor regeneration was observed above the forestline in both transects when compared to below the forestline. Low regeneration at the treeline ecotone suggests site-specific biotic and abiotic controlling factors. Seedling and sapling establishment above the forestline is limited by a lack of moisture, absence of suitable microsites, and presence of herbivores.     

神农架红桦林的孢粉学研究

本文是在鄂西神农架山区的红桦林中,进行的孢粉组合与植被关系,及其森林植被历史的实验研究。在孢粉统计中、计算了各种类成分的百分频度、浓度、“R”值及其置信区间。论证了由华山松林——红桦林的植被变化过程,各种植物成分间的生态关系。实验证明,研究当地现代花粉与植物间数量关系,以校正化石花粉数值,对于用孢粉学方法研究历史时期的植被与环境,是至关重要的。     

长白山岳桦林化学元素生物地球化学分析

从化学元素生物学和地球化学分类的角度,分析了大量营养元素,必需微量元素,可能必需元素,非必需元素和有毒元素在岳桦体内的含量特征和变化规律,结果表明,大量营养元素在岳桦体内的含量高于其它元素的含量;在新陈代谢旺盛的叶片中各类型元素含量均高于其它器官;化学性质和地球化学性质相近、生物学功能相似的大量营养元素和必需微量元素在岳桦不同器官中的含量变化具有相似的规律;其它三种类型的元素变化无规律可循,表明植     

浙东中新世Betula mioluminifera Hu et Chaney的发现及古气候重建

随着古气候和古环境研究的日渐深入,“特有种气候分析法”成为新生代定量重建古气候研究的重要方法之一。使用这一方法分析了浙江东部天台中新统下南山组的古亮叶桦（Betula mioluminifera Hu et Chaney）压型化石,研究了其叶结构特征及表皮微细构造,定量推论浙江天台中新世时年平均温度为12.5～22.1℃,春季平均温度为13.0～23.1℃,较现在温暖。我国内蒙、吉林、山东、云南等地的新近系发现过古亮叶桦,分布的北界为42°N。其现存最近亲缘种亮叶桦（Betula luminifera）生活在101～119°E,23～34°N之间,海拔500～1800 m的山区,是我国特有树种。亮叶桦分布范围的缩小显示中新世一段时期我国气候逐渐变冷的趋势。     

Holocene vegetation and climate dynamics of the boreal alpine ecotone of northwestern Fennoscandia

Climate change with respect to summer temperature throughout the Holocene is inferred from oscillations in the local Pinus sylvestris, Alnus incana and Betula pubescens forest‐lines, as recorded by fossil pollen and plant macrofossils in lake sediments at four altitudinal levels. Mt Skrubben (848 m a.s.l.), in Dividalen, was deglaciated down to below 280 m a.s.l. during 10 800–10 300 cal. yr BP. Betula pubescens established 10100 cal. yr BP at 280 m a.s.l. and expanded up to near the summit during the next 700 years. Birch woodland prevailed on the mountain plateau until 3300 cal. yr BP. Local Pinus sylvestris stands are recorded up to 400 m a.s.l. at 8450 cal. yr BP and >548 m a.s.l. about 8160 cal. yr BP. Alnus incana expanded from 400 to nearly 790 m a.s.l. during the period 7900–7600 cal. yr BP. The maximum forest distribution lasted until ca. 6000 cal. yr BP. Marked climatic deteriorations caused lowering of the forest‐lines around 4600 and 3000 cal. yr BP. Reconstruction of the summer temperature indicated mean July temperatures at 400 m a.s.l. of 1.5–3°C above the present during the period of maximum forest expansion, whereas >3°C above the present temperature at 548 m a.s.l. This is in accordance with other regional temperature reconstructions from northern Europe. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

ANALYSIS OF BIOLOGICAL GEOCHEMISTRY OFCHEMICAL ELEMENTS IN Betula ermanii FORESTIN CHANGBAI MOUNTAINS,CHINA

匠he 乙hangbal Mountains Nature Reserve Is a al，1982ZHUANGetal，1989；HUANGetal，1982；state－grade nature rese。e，also Is a component part of LIU，1993；LIU，1988； ZHU et al，1991）．Most ofreserve net of International blosphere．its area Is large，their research works focus on the chemical structure andthe natural environment and ecosystem lsprotected material cycling In alpine tundra zone andcompletely．the natural elements and ecological envl－broadleatKorean pine fores…     

Lichenometric dating of Little Ice Age glacier moraines using explicit demographic models of lichen colonization,growth, and survival

Contemporary variants of the lichenometric dating technique depend upon statistical correlations between surface age and maximum lichen sizes, rather than an understanding of lichen biology. To date three terminal moraines of an Alaskan glacier, we used a new lichenometric technique in which surfaces are dated by comparing lichen population distributions with the predictions of ecological demography models with explicit rules for the biological processes that govern lichen populations: colonization, growth, and survival. These rules were inferred from size–frequency distributions of lichens on calibration surfaces, but could be taken directly from biological studies. Working with two lichen taxa, we used multinomial‐based likelihood functions to compare model predictions with measured lichen populations, using only the thalli in the largest 25% of the size distribution. Joint likelihoods that combine the results of both species estimated moraine ages of ad 1938, 1917, and 1816. Ages predicted by Rhizocarpon alone were older than those of P. pubescens. Predicted ages are geologically plausible, and reveal glacier terminus retreat after a Little Ice Age maximum advance around ad 1816, with accelerated retreat starting in the early to mid twentieth century. Importantly, our technique permits calculation of prediction and model uncertainty. We attribute large confidence intervals for some dates to the use of the biologically variable Rhizocarpon subgenus, small sample sizes, and high inferred lichen mortality. We also suggest the need for improvement in demographic models. A primary advantage of our technique is that a process‐based approach to lichenometry will allow direct incorporation of ongoing advances in lichen biology.     

新疆阿尔泰山圆叶桦空间分布对温度变化的响应

阿尔泰山圆叶桦由于生长周期短、对气候变化反应灵敏,具有典型的指示意义.以长时间序列遥感数据为基础,借助GIS技术和分形插值方法,研究近24 a来阿尔泰山圆叶桦的空间分布对温度变化的响应,结果表明：近24 a来阿尔泰山气温上升速率为0.18℃·（10a）^-1,圆叶桦面积增速达7.28%,圆叶桦随随温度上升呈显著增长,且温度上升速率越大,圆叶桦面积增长越快;圆叶桦分布的平均海拔随温度升高呈上升趋势,温度上升不仅促进了圆叶桦面积的扩大,还抬高了圆叶桦分布的平均海拔,且温度变化对海拔较高区域的植被生长影响力较大;各坡向圆叶桦面积随温度的上升均有所增加,温度上升对阳坡圆叶桦影响显著,对阴坡圆叶桦影响微弱.     

长白山北坡林线长白落叶松与岳桦对环境适应的对比分析

以长白山北坡林线长白落叶松（Larix olgensis）和岳桦（Betula ermanii）为研究对象,通过野外样方调查、树轮技术分析,采用趋势线模型拟和、单因素方差等统计方法从各种参数分析长白落叶松和岳桦径向树高生长的对比关系并揭示2个种群动态对环境适应性的对比差异。结果显示：垫状生长形的长白落叶松海拔最高（均值：2 017 m）,其次为旗形树（2 005 m）,正常形态的海拔最低（1 992 m）,所在生境差异显著（p < 0.05）。正常形态的长白落叶松生长速度大于岳桦（树高方程斜率：长白落叶松0.750 9>岳桦0.253 6）,随着旗形树的出现,速度相似（斜率：长白落叶松0.375 4>岳桦0.253 6）,变成垫状后,岳桦占优。长白落叶松受到压制种群扩张速度不如岳桦,长白山林线上侵表现为以岳桦种群为主力,长白落叶松仍是岳桦主要的伴生树种。