Fluoride Biomonitoring around a Large Aluminium Smelter Using Foliage from Different Tree Species

In order to study the pollution gradient in the vicinity of a large aluminium production facility in Patagonia (Argentina), a passive biomonitoring was performed employing foliage from three tree species. Primary scope was to identify pollution gradients and to select suitable tree species which can be used as biomonitor plants in the study area. Therefore, leaves of Eucalyptus rostrata, Populus hybridus and different needle ages of Pinus radiata were collected at different distances from the industry and the fluoride concentration was analysed in washed and unwashed samples in order to determine the amount of external fluoride. Washing reduced the F‐concentrations by 24, 39 and 51% on average in E. rostrata, P. hybridus and P. radiata, respectively, indicating that species‐specific characteristics determine the accumulation and wash‐off of dust‐associated fluorine. F‐concentrations varied from 6 to 3652 ppm F in unwashed samples indicating a steep pollution gradient in the study area. The influence of F‐emissions was discernible in all samples up to a distance of 3500 m from the smelter. E. rostrata accumulated more fluorine than the other species at equal distance from the emission source. The present study confirms that aluminium smelting results in high F deposition in the study area. Establishing a biomonitor network around large emitters is suitable and feasible to evaluate the efficiency of air control measures.     

Comparison of interception,forest floor evaporation and transpiration in Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus globulus plantations

Studies of evapotranspiration (ET) processes in forests often only measure one component of total ET, most commonly interception. This study examined all three components of annual ET (interception, evaporation from the forest floor and transpiration) and the correlations between them at 18 plantation forest sites in two species. All plantations had closed canopies, and sparse or no understorey. Single‐sided leaf area index averaged 3.5 (standard deviation ±0.5) in Eucalyptus globulus Labill. and 6.1 (±0.8) in Pinus radiata D.Don. Measurements included annual totals of rainfall in the open and under the canopy, stem flow (four sites only), evaporation from the forest floor and transpiration by the overstorey. Interception (I) averaged 19% (±4.9) of annual rainfall in E. globulus compared with 31% (±11.1) in P. radiata. However, higher annual interception in P. radiata did not result in higher total ET because annual evaporation from the forest floor (E) averaged 29% (±4.9) of rainfall in E. globulus but only 15% (±3.5) in P. radiata. Hence, the relative contribution of annual I plus E to ET did not differ significantly between the two species, averaging 48% (±7.3) of annual rainfall in E. globulus compared with 46% (±11.8) in P. radiata. As reported previously, transpiration did not differ significantly between the two species either, but was strongly related to depth‐to‐groundwater. In closed canopy plantations, mean annual ET did not differ between the two species. We conclude that when grown in plantations under similar soil and climatic conditions, conifer and broad‐leaved tree species can have similar annual ET, once the canopy of the plantation has closed. Lower average annual interception in broad‐leaved trees was offset by higher soil evaporation. These results highlight the importance of measuring all components of ET in studies of vegetation water use. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Monoterpene concentrations in and above a forest of scots pine

Diurnal and vertical ambient air measurements of the monoterpenes have been made in and above a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) forest of central Sweden, within the boreal northern coniferous biome. Sampling was done with Tenax TA, and analysis by GC and ion trap detection. Daytime mixing ratios were on the order of tenths of a ppbv from the forest floor to the top of the forest, and a factor of 2 or 3 lower above the forest. Mixing ratios at night were at the ppbv level, highest near the forest floor and the crown, and decreased with height above the forest. The highest total concentration observed was 8 ppbv inside the forest at 3 am (GMT). The average terpene composition was 3-carene 32%, -pinene 29%, limonene 18%, -pinene 10%, -phellandrene 7%, camphene 5%, and sabinene at less than 2%. The 3-carene/-pinene ratio varied with wind direction and speed, relative humidity, and wet/dry vegetation, but not with ozone or NO₂ concentration, solar radiation, or temperature. Variations in the observed terpene composition at the sampling site are mainly caused by the influence of other vegetation in the vicinity of the site. It would seem that wet Scots pine emits more 3-carene relative to -pinene than does dry pine.     

天柱山黄山松群落特征及其环境功能评价

应用样方法,通过野外实地调查、数理统计,分析了天柱山黄山松群落特征和物种多样性;采用因子分析法、专家评价法和模糊评价方法,评价了天柱山黄山松群落环境功能及价值。结果表明:天柱山黄山松群落物种组成较复杂,科属分散,共有52科105属,区系成分多样,覆盖了9个种子植物科的分布区类型,具有明显的从北亚热带常绿阔叶林向暖温带落叶阔叶林过渡的特点;物种多样,乔木层、灌木层、草本层的Shannon-Wiener指数分别为1.9814、2.3175、2.1077,但由于人类活动的影响,乔木层黄山松的相对密度和优势度较大,多样性指数相对较低;群落顺行演替,环境服务功能多样,保护价值较重要。     

科尔沁沙地人工林下结皮发育对表土特性影响的研究

通过野外取样和室内分析相结合,对科尔沁沙地不同生长年限人工林下土壤结皮的理化性质及结皮发育对表层土壤特性的影响进行了初步研究。结果表明,3 a、15 a生杨树林下分别发育了物理结皮、地衣结皮和苔藓结皮,15 a、25 a生樟子松林下均发育了苔藓结皮,结皮的厚度、紧实度、水分、粘粉粒含量及全效、速效养分等随物理结皮向苔藓结皮的发育依次增加。同时,结皮的存在增加了其下层土壤颗粒组成中的极细沙和粘粉粒含量,富集了结皮下土壤的有机质、全N、全P、速效N、速效P等养分,而且结皮对下层土壤的这些影响作用从物理结皮、地衣结皮到苔藓结皮呈逐渐增长的趋势。同一结皮下土壤粘粉粒含量、养分含量在0—5 cm范围内由表及里呈递减趋势,但均高于对照无结皮层相对应的值。25 a生樟子松林下发育的苔藓结皮及其下层土壤的理化状况明显优于其他人工林下结皮的情况。     

福建三明马尾松树轮宽度对气候变化的响应

运用树木年代学的基本原理和方法,研究三明地区马尾松(Pinus massiniana)径向生长对气候要素的响应。结果表明:夏季温度限制着马尾松的径向生长,年轮宽度与上一年和当年7—8月平均气温均呈显著负相关(P0.01);马尾松的径向生长受到降水和湿度的影响较大,与上一年1—3月降水量和2—3月平均相对湿度显著负相关(P0.01),与当年6—11月平均降水量和7—8月相对湿度显著正相关(P0.01);同时宽度年表与上一年2—3月太阳日照时数显著正相关(P0.01);另外,宽度年表与6—11月PDSI显著正相关(P0.05),生长季的干旱胁迫抑制了马尾松的生长。研究说明本地区限制马尾松树木生长的因素较多,1年中不同时期限制马尾松径向生长的气候因子不同。     

Response to climate change of different tree species and NDVI variation since 1923 in the middle arid region of Ningxia, China

The normalized difference vegetation index （NDVI） is used extensively to describe vegetation cover and ecological environ- ment change. The purpose of this study was to contrast the response of different tree species growing in the same habitat to climate change and retrieve past NDVI using tree-ring width data from tree cores collected from the transitional zone of Pinus tabulaeformis and Picea crassifolia in the Luoshan Mountains in the middle arid region of Ningxia. Correlation analysis indi- cated that radial growth ofP tabulaeJbrmis is more sensitive to precipitation and temperature change than that ofP crassifolia. Natural factors such as water availability and heat at this elevation are more suited to the growth ofP crassifolia, and are more advantageous to its renewal and succession. P. crassifolia is probably the better of the two species for protecting the forest ecosystem and conserving water in the Luoshan desertification area. Ring width of P. crassifolia correlates significantly with average NDVI for April-May （r =0.641, p 〈0.01）, and both of them are influenced positively by precipitation in April-May. The reconstructed NDVI for 1923-2007 shows the relatively low vegetation cover occurred in the 1920s-1930s, the 1960s-1970s, and the early 21 st century. The reconstructed NDVI better reflected the drought climate in the study area.     

长汀水土流失区生长季马尾松树干液流密度特征

应用热扩散探针测定福建长汀水土流失区生长季马尾松东南西北4个方位的树干液流密度,并比较不同人工治理措施下马尾松树干液流密度的特征,利用自动气象站同步记录环境因子变化,以探讨先锋树种的水分生理生态特征及其对环境变化的响应.研究表明,马尾松4个方位的树干液流密度日变化均呈现单峰型变化规律;南向树干液流密度峰值最高,日变化幅度也最大;东、西、南、北4个方位的液流密度差异显著(P＜0.01),但各方位液流间呈现显著的线性关系;树干4个方位液流的启动时间与太阳辐射之间存在约3个小时的时滞;4个方位液流与环境因子相关性均极显著(P＜0.01),其中与液流密度相关性最强的是空气温度,其次为土壤温度和太阳辐射,4个方位液流受环境因子的影响程度存在差异;不同治理措施下的马尾松液流密度日变化规律相似,但数值差异显著(P＜0.01),经过人工施肥的样地马尾松树干液流密度峰值明显高于未施肥的样地.     

末次冰盛期与全新世青藏高原松属植被分布及其演变

史前人类与其生存环境,特别是与植被之间的相互作用一直是人们关注的焦点。气候变化与人类活动对植被覆盖格局的塑造均有重要影响,厘清植被分布及其植被变化背后的气候或人为因素,有助于更好地认识人类活动对植被环境的影响程度与范围。本研究对青藏高原松属（Pinus spp.）植被适生区分布动态历史进行了物种分布模型模拟,并结合环境考古学、古生态学等多学科方法,探究青藏高原松属植被分布变化历史及其驱动因素。结果表明,基于最大熵（MaxEnt）算法并结合R语言包ENMeval来优化参数设置的模型性能表现良好且稳健,较为准确模拟松属在青藏高原地区不同时期的适生区分布动态。高原上松属适生区在末次冰盛期（LGM）分布最小,仅在东缘的河谷局地;在全新世早、中期分布达到最大值,到全新世晚期部分区域分布缩小,高原东北部高度适生区向2500 m a. s. l.上下的低海拔谷地收缩,整体上与高原气候变化趋势大体一致。结合化石花粉、木炭等证据表明,全新世中晚期以前,人类对高原松属植被影响总体尚不显著;进入全新世晚期,农业技术的进步促使高原东北部人口快速增加,高原上现已发现的古遗址也高度集中在此。结合多项考古证据表明,人类对松属为代表的林木资源规模化开发行为开始显著干扰了当地植被,人类对松属等针叶林木材资源的利用可能是该地区树种向阔叶林树种演替的重要驱动因素之一。

     

A tree-ring based precipitation reconstruction for the Mohe region in the northern Greater Higgnan Mountains,China, since AD 1724

August–July precipitation has been reconstructed back to AD 1724 for the Mohe region in the northern Greater Higgnan Mountains, China, using Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica tree-ring width. The reconstruction explains 39% of the variance in the precipitation observed from AD 1960–2008. Some droughts noted in historical documents are precisely captured in our reconstruction. Wet periods occurred during the periods of AD 1734–1785, AD 1805–1830, AD 1863–1880, AD 1922–1961, and AD 1983–1998; while the periods of AD 1786–1804, AD 1831–1862, AD 1881–1921, and AD 1962–1982 were relatively dry. Power spectral and wavelet analyses demonstrated the existence of significant 24-yr, 12-yr, and 2-yr cycles of variability. The results of the spatial correlations suggest that our reconstruction contains climatic signals for the southern Stanovoy Range and the northern Greater Higgnan Mountains. The positive correlations between the new reconstructed precipitation series and two precipitation reconstructions indicate that our precipitation reconstruction captures broad-scale regional climatic variations. A comparison between the weakening tendency of summer monsoon and the dry period of our reconstruction reveals that the annual precipitation in the Mohe region is partly influenced by the East Asian Summer Monsoon.