新疆自然区划单元土地利用/覆盖分布图谱研究

Under the direction of Geo-informatic Tupu theory, based on comprehensive natural division in Xinjiang and 1:100000 land use and land cover vector data in 2000 from resource and environment database of CAS, the paper gave out some distribution Tupu of land resource types in different regions of Xinjiang. GIS tools such as ARCTOOLS and ARCV1EW were used to clip the unit of each natural division. Some useful conclusions were established. Then the lower reaches of Tarim River were selected as typical area to analyze the ecological environment evolvement from 2000 to 2004 since the beginning of ecological water delivering. The comprehensive space-time analysis provided a method to monitor the effect dynamically. The main contents of the thesis are listed as follows: (1) Similarities and differences between North Xinjiang and South Xinjiang, 6 second-classified regions and 37 third-classified regions. The conclusion of each region emphasized the percentage of area of main land types, characteristic description and distribution of cultivated land > woodlands grassland-, water area^ urban and rural land and unused land. (2) Thematic Tupu of each region. It concluded artificial oasis Tupu, the proportion between dense-grass% moderate-grass and sparse-grass, pattern of land resources and the land use degree. The artificial oasis mean cultivated land^ woodland^ urban & rural land and other construction land. The proportion of grassland disclosed the quality of all grassland and showed the development of them. Pattern of land resources and the land use degree gave out the detailed development direction and development degree of each region. (3) Ecological environment evolvement of the lower reaches of Tarim River. The effects of each ecological water delivering were compared.

Espécies florestais para produção de energia: resultados preliminares.

A Embrapa Amazônia Ocidental possui 7,5 hectares de plantios para teste das espécies Acacia mangium, Acacia auriculiformis, Sclerobium paniculatum (taxi-branco) e Bambusa vulgaris var. vitatta (bambu), que, em experimentos preliminares, mostram-se promissoras para produção de energia.

The impacts of past land-use on the ecology of an ancient woodland in south-west Ireland

A multi-disciplinary study was conducted to compare stands of ancient and secondary origin within a single wood, the Gearagh woodland, County Cork. These sites were compared with adjacent areas of grassland, which provided a reference for the former land-use (pasture) of the secondary woodland. A historical study confirmed that while the core of the Gearagh has been subject to minimal human interference, other sections have been cleared in the past for agricultural purposes. Investigations into soil structure and composition showed that soil properties in these secondary woodland areas were significantly altered by this past woodland clearance and conversion to agriculture, while the soil of the ancient woodland showed little signs of disturbance. The vegetation community also differed between the two woodland areas, partly due to altered environmental conditions. Many of the ancient woodland plant species were unable to form a persistent seed bank, while there was increased representation of species associated with more open-habitat conditions in the seed bank of the secondary woodland. While germination of woodland species was low in all sites, overall, seeds tended to germinate more successfully in the ancient woodland. The ancient woodland also provided a suitable habitat for many soil and ground detritivores, most notably enchytraeids, although earthworms were not abundant. Past agricultural use, however, changed the decomposer community considerably, with increased representation of earthworm species and a decline in the abundance of enchytraeids in the secondary stands. In conclusion, the legacies of historical agricultural activities can continue to significantly affect the structure and composition of present-day woodlands so that they may differ considerably from undisturbed ancient woodland stands, even within the same woodland. A greater understanding of the origin, development and ecological functioning of ancient woodlands should aid in determining future conservation and management requirements.

Invertebrate diversity in Irish and British forests

Ireland and Britain were once covered in natural forest, but extensive anthropogenic deforestation reduced forest cover to less than 1% and 5 %, respectively, by the beginning of the 20th century. Large-scale afforestation has since increased the level of forest cover to 11% in Ireland and 12% in Britain, with the majority of planted forests comprising small monoculture plantations, many of which are of non - native conifer tree species. At present the forest cover of Ireland and Britain generally consists of small areas of remnant semi-natural woodland and pockets of these plantation forests within a predominantly agricultural landscape. Invertebrates comprise a large proportion of the biodiversity found within forested habitats. In particular, spiders and carabid beetles play an important role in food webs as both predators and prey and respond to small-scale changes in habitat structure, meaning they are particularly sensitive to forest management. Hoverflies play an important role in control and pollination and have been successfully used as indicators of habitat disturbance and quality. This research addressed a number of topics pertinent to the forest types present in the contemporary Irish and British landscapes and aimed to investigate the invertebrate diversity of these forests. Spiders and carabid beetles were sampled using pitfall trapping and hoverflies were sampled using Malaise net trapping. Topics included the impacts of afforestation, the importance of open space, the choice of tree species, and the use of indicators for biodiversity assessment, as well as rare native woodlands and the effect of grazing on invertebrate diversity. The results are discussed and evidence-based recommendations are made for forest policy and management to protect and enhance invertebrate biodiversity in order to promote sustainable forest management in Ireland and Britain.

Efectos de la herbivoría doméstica sobre el enriquecimiento leñoso de las sabanas abiertas del centro sur de la Provincia de Corrientes

Los ecosistemas de sabanas se caracterizan por la co - dominancia de un estrato herbáceo continuo y otro leñoso discontinuo. En la región Centro - sur de la Provincia de Corrientes, la creciente lignificación de las sabanas se ha convertido en el principal obstáculo para el desarrollo de la actividad ganadera. En este trabajo examiné algunos factores que podrían controlar el establecimiento de plantas leñosas, especialmente evalué : 1- El efecto de la competencia de la vegetación herbácea sobre el reclutamiento de Acacia caven en diferentes parches de vegetación (pastos cortos y matas de pastos altos). 2- El papel de la vegetación residente sobre la susceptibilidad o resistencia a la herbivoría doméstica de Acacia caven. Una planta de A. caven y cuatro semillas, fueron asignadas a cada tipo de parche y tratamiento (control: sin corte de la vegetación, corte cada 40 y 20 días, y remoción total de la biomasa aérea y subterránea), el experimento se llevó a cabo durante dos estaciones de crecimiento (2007-2008,2008-2009). En ausencia de pastoreo, la remoción total de la vegetación herbácea aumentó la emergencia y supervivencia de Acacia caven mientras que el pastoreo doméstico tuvo el efecto contrario. A escala de micrositio, existió una tendencia a resistencia por asociación cuando las leñosas se reclutaron en la vecindad de una mata de pastos altos mientras que existió una tendencia a susceptibilidad por asociación en la vecindad de los pastos cortos. Los patrones naturales de reclutamiento de leñosas mostraron la misma tendencia. Se concluye que el pastoreo doméstico manejando la carga animal de manera que no lleve al deterioro del recurso forrajero sería una herramienta apropiada para disminuir las probabilidades de reclutamiento de las plantas leñosas jóvenes. Contrariamente, el sobrepastoreo al eliminar la competencia de la vegetación favorecería al establecimiento exitoso de leñosas.

Variabilidad estructural de una comunidad forestal sobre suelos vérticos de la Provincia de Entre Ríos

p.123-130

Theoretical and spatial limits to the value of rural environmental benefits: Evidence from the forestry sector

The valuation of environmental benefits has been well researched in the forestry sector. This is not generally the case in the agriculture sector although schemes to compensate farmers for provision of officially defined environmental benefits are already in place throughout the European Union. This paper draws on empirical findings from forestry and deductions from economic theory to challenge the notion of the universality of such benefits. Empirical findings from forestry suggest recreational use value is location specific rather than widely spread. Household utility theory predicts zero willingness to pay to maintain the status quo level of a previously unpaid for environmental benefit (when provision is not perceived as under risk) but a positive willingness to pay for an increase. Thus, non use values cannot be attributed to the major part of existing commercial forestry area but to spatially restricted schemes such as additional afforestation or preservation of ancient natural woodlands.

Behavioural context of multi-scale species distribution models assessed by radio-tracking

Incorporating ecological processes and animal behaviour into Species Distribution Models (SDMs) is difficult. In species with a central resting or breeding place, there can be conflict between the environmental requirements of the 'central place' and foraging habitat. We apply a multi-scale SDM to examine habitat trade-offs between the central place, roost sites, and foraging habitat in . Myotis nattereri. We validate these derived associations using habitat selection from behavioural observations of radio-tracked bats. A Generalised Linear Model (GLM) of roost occurrence using land cover variables with mixed spatial scales indicated roost occurrence was positively associated with woodland on a fine scale and pasture on a broad scale. Habitat selection of radio-tracked bats mirrored the SDM with bats selecting for woodland in the immediate vicinity of individual roosts but avoiding this habitat in foraging areas, whilst pasture was significantly positively selected for in foraging areas. Using habitat selection derived from radio-tracking enables a multi-scale SDM to be interpreted in a behavioural context. We suggest that the multi-scale SDM of . M. nattereri describes a trade-off between the central place and foraging habitat. Multi-scale methods provide a greater understanding of the ecological processes which determine where species occur and allow integration of behavioural processes into SDMs. The findings have implications when assessing the resource use of a species at a single point in time. Doing so could lead to misinterpretation of habitat requirements as these can change within a short time period depending on specific behaviour, particularly if detectability changes depending on behaviour. © 2011 Gesellschaft für ökologie.

Lack of genetic structure and evidence for long-distance dispersal in ash (Fraxinus excelsior) populations under threat from an emergent fungal pathogen: implications for restorative planting

Genetic analysis on populations of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) throughout Ireland was carried out to determine the levels and patterns of genetic diversity in naturally seeded trees in ash woodlands and hedgerows, with the aim of informing conservation and replanting strategies in the face of potential loss of trees as a result of ash dieback. Samples from 33 sites across Northern Ireland and three sites in the Republic of Ireland were genotyped for eight nuclear and ten chloroplast microsatellites. Levels of diversity were high (mean A R = 10.53; mean H O = 0.709; mean H E = 0.765) and were similar to those in Great Britain and continental Europe, whilst levels of population genetic differentiation based on nuclear microsatellites were extremely low (Φ ST = 0.0131). Levels of inbreeding (mean F IS = 0.067) were significantly lower than those reported for populations from Great Britain. Fine-scale analysis of seed dispersal indicated potential for dispersal over hundreds of metres. Our results suggest that ash woodlands across Ireland could be treated as a single management unit, and thus native material from anywhere in Ireland could be used as a source for replanting. In addition, high potential for dispersal has implications for recolonization processes post-ash dieback (Chalara fraxinea) infection, and could aid in our assessment of the capacity of ash to shift its range in response to global climate change.

Genetic provenance and best practice woodland management: a case study in native alder (Alnus glutinosa)

In recent years, the native woodlands of Europe, including those of Britain and Ireland, have increasingly come under threat from a range of biotic and abiotic factors, and are therefore a conservation priority demanding careful management in order to realise their inherent ecological and cultural benefits. Because the distribution of genetic variation across populations and regions is increasingly considered an important component of woodland management, we carried out a population genetic analysis on black alder (Alnus glutinosa) across Northern Ireland in order to inform “best practice” strategies. Our findings suggest that populations harbour high levels of genetic diversity, with very little differentiation between populations. Significant F IS values were observed in over half of the populations analysed, however, which could reflect inbreeding as a result of the patchy occurrence of alder in Northern Ireland, with scattered, favourable damp habitats being largely isolated from each other by extensive tracts of farmland. Although there is no genetic evidence to support the broad-scale implementation of tree seed zones along the lines of those proposed for native woodlands in Great Britain, we suggest that the localised occurrence of rare chloroplast haplotypes should be taken into account on a case-by-case basis. This, coupled with the identification of populations containing high genetic diversity and that are broadly representative of the region as a whole, will provide a sound genetic basis for woodland management, both in alder and more generally for species that exhibit low levels of genetic differentiation.

Replicability of data collected for empirical estimation of relative pollen productivity

The effects of repeated survey and fieldwork timing on data derived from a recently proposed standard field methodology for empirical estimation of Relative Pollen Productivity have been tested. Seasonal variations in vegetation and associated pollen assemblages were studied in three contrasting cultural habitat types; semi-natural ancient woodlands, lowland heaths, and unimproved, traditionally managed hay meadows. Results show that in woodlands and heathlands the standard method generates vegetation data with a reasonable degree of similarity throughout the field season, though in some instances additional recording of woodland canopy cover should be undertaken, and differences were greater for woodland understorey taxa than for arboreal taxa. Large differences in vegetation cover were observed over the field season in the grassland community, and matching the phenological timing of surveys within and between studies is clearly important if RPP estimates from these sites are to be comparable. Pollen assemblages from closely co-located moss polsters collected on different visits are shown to be variable in all communities, to a greater degree than can be explained by the sampling error associated with pollen counting, and further study of moss polsters as pollen traps is recommended.

Back-trajectories Show Export of Airborne Fungal Spores (Ganoderma sp.) From Forests to Agricultural and Urban Areas in England

We propose here the hypothesis that all of United Kingdom (UK) is likely to be affected by Ganoderma sp. spores, an important plant pathogen. We suggest that the main sources of this pathogen, which acts as a bioaerosol, are the widely scattered woodlands in the country, although remote sources must not be neglected. The hypothesis is based on related studies on bioaerosols and supported by new observations from a non-forest site and model calculations to support our hypothesis. Hourly concentrations of Ganoderma sp. spores were measured from 2006 to 2010 using a 7-day volumetric spore trap at the city of Worcester. The concentrations peak during the night and early in the morning. This suggests that the main spore sources are located a few hours away with respect to air masses transport and reach urban areas thanks to air masses transport. The back-trajectory analysis was applied to determine the location of Ganoderma sp. spore sources. The analysis of back-trajectories demonstrated that 78% of the air masses reached Worcester from a 180° arc direction from the East to West. Three episodes were selected for detailed investigation and they revealed that during the episodes air masses always passed main UK woodlands before the arrival in Worcester, independently of their origin, but the long distance transport under certain conditions might be possible. Our studies suggest that the sources of UK Ganoderma sp. spores are mainly to be found in UK. Hence our studies suggest that research and mitigation strategies in UK should give their main attention to national sources, without neglecting the contribution from long distance transport.

Lessons Learnt From Ragweed and Birch Studies

Here we review some of the most important aspects of recent work on Ragweed (Ambrosia) and birch (Betula) concerning: 1) sources, 2) trends & phenology and 3) dispersion and transformation. Sources: At Northern latitudes the birch fraction in forests usually exceeds 50% of all broadleaved trees and the abundance of birch decreases with latitude from 5%-20% in many mid-latitude regions and down to 0%-2% in more southern areas. Birches are also commonly found in small woodlands or planted as ornamental trees in urban areas. Ragweeds are herbaceous weed species that are associated with areas of disturbance. Ragweed is native to North America, but considered an invasive species in Europe, Australia and China. In Europe, the four main centres are: The Pannonian Plain, Ukraine, The Po Valley (Italy) and the Rhone Valley (France). Trends & Phenology: Birch pollen seasons have started earlier during the last decades. This trend appears have decreased during recent years despite increasing spring temperatures. Ragweed tends to experience less change in flowering date as ragweed flowering depends on photoperiod. Ragweed is increasing its distribution in Europe, but airborne concentrations of ragweed pollen are not universally increasing, e.g. due to control measures or pest attacks. Dispersion & transformation: The beginning of the birch pollen season is often heralded by episodes of Long Distance Transport (LDT) from the south. Similar LDT episodes are intermittently seen for ragweed, which can reach as far north as Scandinavia. Humidity and air pollution can modify pollen grains during atmospheric transport. This can cause a change in allergenic potential of the pollen grain and is a direction for future research including the effect of co-exposure of air pollution and the transformation of aeroallergens.

Arthur A. Schmon fonds

Arthur Albert Schmon was born in 1895 in Newark, New Jersey. During his studies at Barringer High School in Newark, he met Eleanore Celeste Reynolds who was to become his wife in August of 1919. Mr. Schmon studied English literature at Princeton and graduated with honours in 1917. That same year, Mr. Schmon joined the United States Army where he served under Colonel McCormick as an adjutant in field artillery in World War I. In 1919, he was discharged as a captain. Colonel McCormick (editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune) offered Schmon a job in his Shelter Bay pulpwood operations. Mr. Schmon accepted the challenge of working at this lonely outpost on the lower St. Lawrence River. Schmon was promoted to Woodlands Manager in 1923. In 1930, he became the General Manager. This was expected to be a seasonal operation but the construction of the mill led to the building of a town (Baie Comeau) and its power development. All of this was accomplished under Schmon’s leadership. In 1933, he was elected the President and General Manager of the Ontario Paper Company. He later became the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Arthur Schmon made his home in St. Catharines where he played an active role in the community. Schmon was a member of the Founders’ Committee at Brock University and he was a primary force behind the establishment of a University in the Niagara Region. The Brock University Tower is named after him. He also served as Chairman of the St. Catharines Hospital Board of Governors for over 15 years, and was responsible for guiding the hospital through a 3 million dollar expansion program. He was a Governor of Ridley College and an Honorary Governor of McMaster University in Hamilton. Mr. Schmon died of lung cancer on March 18, 1964. He had been named as the St. Catharines’ citizen of the year just one week earlier. Mr. Schmon had 2 sons Robert McCormick Schmon, who was chairman of the Ontario Paper Co. Ltd., St. Catharines, Canada, and the Q.N.S. Paper Co., Baie-Comeau, Canada. He was also director of a Chicago Tribune Co. He died at the age of 61. Another son, Richard R. Schmon, was a second lieutenant in the 313th Field Artillery Battalion, 80th Infantry Division in World War II. He was listed as missing in action on November 5, 1944.

L’intégration du milieu naturel dans l’aménagement de quartiers de banlieue : le cas du Faubourg de la Pointe-aux-Prairies, Montréal

Les nombreux exemples réussis où l’aménagement du territoire intègre des milieux naturels nous ont amenée à nous questionner sur les techniques d’intégration des milieux naturels et les outils de planification disponibles au Québec. La présente recherche porte sur le volet environnemental du projet résidentiel le Faubourg de la Pointe-aux-Prairies à Montréal (FPP) situé dans l’Arrondissement Pointe-aux-Trembles/Rivière-des-Prairies/Montréal est. Un premier objectif relié aux résultats nous a permis d’analyser le taux de succès du quartier FPP à intégrer efficacement des préoccupations environnementales concernant la mise en valeur des milieux naturels. En nous basant sur le taux de conservation, l’intégrité écologique et les témoignages des intervenants de la Ville de Montréal, nous avons déterminé que le plan d’aménagement du projet présente un bilan environnemental mitigé. Un second objectif relié aux processus nous a permis de déterminer si les outils sollicités pendant la conception et la mise en œuvre du projet ont facilité l’intégration des milieux naturels. En nous basant sur les outils d’encadrement et proactifs utilisés tout au long de la mise en oeuvre, nous avons déterminé que ceux-ci sont inadaptés à certaines situations. La non intégration des milieux protégés dans les outils de planification, la destruction des milieux aquatiques avec l’accord du Ministère de l’environnement (MDDEP), le manque de vérification des ententes lors de l’attribution des certificats d’autorisation, l'absence de protection des milieux naturels terrestres et la difficulté d’évaluer les bénéfices économiques de l’intégration de la nature ont été les défis majeurs observés.