半干旱草原牧区村庄的农田扩张机制

半干旱草原是陆地生态系统的主要类型，对社会经济的可持续发展至关重要，已有研究表明农田扩张是半干旱草原面积缩减的主要原因之一。村庄作为基层单元，既是大尺度要素作用的承受者又是土地利用变化的直接执行者，其社会、经济、文化和自然资源特征对土地利用方式往往起决定作用，然而，尚未见从村庄层面上探讨中国半干旱草原牧区农田扩张机制的研究报道。村庄是一个内部有序的等级体系，其中所存在的数据自相关既能造成分析结果的不准确性又能用于土地利用变化预测。因此，本论文以位于科尔沁草原50多年经历了大面积草地开垦的乌兰敖都村为研究对象，以多层线性模型、空间插值技术和贝叶斯推理为分析手段，通过引入田块、单户和村庄3个尺度， 综合考虑自然和社会经济要素，揭示了半干旱草原牧区村庄的农田扩张机制，提出了处理土地利用变化研究中的数据自相关的方法，为半干旱草原的有效保护和管理提供了科学依据。 本研究表明： 1）草地开垦主要发生在甸子地，所有住户都倾向于在优质土地上开荒种粮，而且劳动力数量多、文化程度高和收入更大程度上依赖于农牧业生产的住户更易开荒种粮，但当牲畜数量较多时，住户开荒种地的倾向性降低，这与农牧交错带典型偏农区的研究结果相反。所开土地的90%用于种植玉米和水稻，其中玉米耕种面积主要受价格因素影响，而水稻的种植面积主要受土地条件影响。 2）离居民点近的草地比离居民点远的草地更易被开垦为农田，打草场比放牧场更易被开垦为农田。 3）多层线性模型将驱动因子置于不同尺度，通过引入随机方差成分避免统计谬误，因此可用于处理驱动力研究中的数据自相关。空间自相关不仅可用于预测土地利用变化趋势，也为深入了解土地利用变化过程提供了新视角。 4）在中小学中加强草地保护教育、在牧民中开展草地保护宣传、转移剩余劳动力、制定强有力措施保护居民点周围的草场是控制开荒种粮的有效措施。

长白山次生杨桦林样地:物种组成与群落结构

长白山次生杨桦林是该地区阔叶红松林经皆伐和火烧等破坏后恢复形成的主要次生林类型之一,是阔叶红松林次生演替系列中的重要阶段。参照巴拿马巴洛科罗拉多岛(Barro Colorado Island,BCI)50hm2热带雨林样地的技术规范,于2005年在长白山北坡的自然保护区内建立了一块5hm2的次生杨桦林长期监测样地,对样地内所有胸径≥1cm的木本植物进行了详细的定位调查。对样地的物种组成与群落结构的分析表明:次生杨桦林样地物种组成丰富,共包括16科28属44种;区系特征明显,北温带成分占主要部分;样地内被监测的树木个体数为20101,不包括分枝的独立个体数为16565;优势树种明显,从个体数、平均胸径、胸高断面积和重要值等分析来看,演替先锋树种白桦(Betula platyphylla)和山杨(Populus davidiana)在群落中占有绝对优势地位,但从径级结构来看,它们的更新却非常差,随着演替的进展,这些先锋树种将逐渐走向衰亡;阔叶红松林中的主要树种如红松(Pinusko-raiensis)和紫椴(Tilia amurensis)等已经在次生杨桦林中占有了一定的比例,林下更新良好,逐渐进入林冠层并最终取代杨桦等成为该森林的优势种;从物种的空间分布格局来看,演替先锋树种和阔叶红松林中的主要树种并没有表现出明显的聚集性分布格局,而其它的小乔木和灌木树种则表现出明显的聚集性分布格局,但与地形并没有表现出明显的相关性,相关结论还需要进一步分析。

长白山阔叶红松林样地(CBS):群落组成与结构

阔叶红松(Pinus koraiensis)林是中国东北地区的地带性植被,长白山区是阔叶红松林的核心分布区。参照巴拿马Barro Colorado Island (BCI) 50hm2热带雨林样地的技术规范,于2004年在长白山自然保护区的阔叶红松林内建立了一块25hm2的固定样地(简称CBS),这是目前中国科学院生物多样性委员会中国森林多样性动态研究网络中最北端的一块,也是全球温带地区最大的一块森林样地。2004年夏的第一次调查结果表明,样地内胸径≥1cm的木本植物有52种,隶属于18科32属。总的独立个体数为38902,包括分枝的总个体数为59121。植物组成上属典型的长白山植物区系,同时混有一些亚热带和亚寒带成分。群落优势种明显,个体数最多的前3个种的个体数占到总个体数的60%,前14个种占到95%,而其余38个种只占到5%。从物种多度、胸高断面积、平均胸径和重要值来看,群落成层现象显著,具有比较明显的优势种。主要树种的径级结构近似于正态分布或双峰分布,而次林层和林下层树种则表现出倒"J"形或"L"形。红松、紫椴(Tilia amurensis)、蒙古栎(Quercus mongolica)、水曲柳(Fraxinus mandshurica)、色木槭(Acermono)和春榆(Ulmus japonica)几个主要树种的空间分布随物种、径级的变化表现出不同的分布格局,其它一些树种的分布格局也表现出一定的空间异质性。

关于黄土丘陵典型地区植被建设中有关问题的研究Ⅰ、土壤水分状况及植被建设区划

根据植被调查和土壤水分调查资料 ,讨论了黄土丘陵典型地区的造林的水分条件和植被地带的划分。水分不足是造林的限制因子 ,在现有天然林及人工林中普遍存在土壤干层 ,所以 ,延安研究区南部应属干旱森林区 ,北部属森林草原区。并根据土壤水分现状和植被现状 ,进行了植被建设区划 ,其划分两个一级区和两个二级区

云雾山封育草原对表土持水性的影响

应用离心机法测定土壤水分特征,研究黄土高原典型草原带退耕地植被恢复演替过程中土壤持水性能的变化特点及趋势。结果表明:土壤含水量与土壤水吸力之间符合幂函数θ=aSb,参数a的变化随着植被的演替呈增加趋势;由于植被的影响,在同一吸力范围内的土壤含水量不同,植被为顶级长芒草(Stipabungeana)群落时,土壤在各吸力段的含水量最高,坡耕地最低;其它群落土壤含水量随着水吸力的增加变化趋于一致;退耕地植被在演替过程中通过提高土壤有机质含量改善结构,降低容重并增加毛管孔隙度,对土壤的储水和持水性能产生作用。

Grassland degradation in the

Supported by MSS images in the mid and late 1970s, TM images in the early 1990s and TM/ETM images in 2004, grassland degradation in the "Three-River Headwaters" region (TRH region) was interpreted through analysis on IRS images in two time series, then the spatial and temporal characteristics of grassland degradation in the TRH region were analyzed since the 1970s. The results showed that grassland degradation in the TRH region was a continuous change process which had large affected area and long time scale, and rapidly strengthen phenomenon did not exist in the 1990s as a whole. Grassland degradation pattern in the TRH region took shape initially in the mid and late 1970s. Since the 1970s, this degradation process has taken place continuously, obviously characterizing different rules in different regions. In humid and semi-humid meadow region, grassland firstly fragmentized, then vegetation coverage decreased continuously, and finally "black-soil-patch" degraded grassland was formed. But in semi-arid and and steppe region, the vegetation coverage decreased continuously, and finally desertification was formed. Because grassland degradation had obviously regional differences in the TRH region, it could be regionalized into 7 zones, and each zone had different characteristics in type, grade, scale and time process of grassland degradation.

Estimation of wind erosion rates by using Cs-137 tracing technique: A case study in Tariat-Xilin Gol transect, Mongolian Plateau

Wind erosion is one of the major environmental problems in semi-arid and arid regions. Here we established the Tariat-Xilin Gol transect from northwest to southeast across the Mongolian Plateau, and selected seven sampling sites along the transect. We then estimated the soil wind erosion rates by using the Cs-137 tracing technique and examined their spatial dynamics. Our results showed that the Cs-137 inventories of sampling sites ranged from 265.63 +/- 44.91 to 1279.54 +/- 166.53 Bq.m(-2), and the wind erosion rates varied from 64.58 to 419.63 t.km(-2).a(-1) accordingly. In the Mongolia section of the transect (from Tariat to Sainshand), the wind erosion rate increased gradually with vegetation type and climatic regimes; the wind erosion process was controlled by physical factors such as annual precipitation and vegetation coverage, etc., and the impact of human activities was negligible. While in the China section of the transect (Inner Mongolia), the wind erosion rates of Xilin Hot and Zhengxiangbai Banner were thrice as much as those of Bayannur of Mongolia, although these three sites were all dominated by typical steppe. Besides the physical factors, higher population density and livestock carrying level should be responsible for the higher wind erosion rates in these two regions of Inner Mongolia.

NDVI spatial pattern and its differentiation on the Mongolian Plateau

GIMMS NDVI database and geo-statistics were used to depict the spatial distribution and temporal stability of NDVI on the Mongolian Plateau. The results demonstrated that: (1) Regions of interest with high NDVI indices were distributed primarily in forested mountainous regions of the east and the north, areas with low NDVI indices were primarily distributed in the Gobi desert regions of the west and the southwest, and areas with moderate NDVI values were mainly distributed in a middle steppe strap from northwest to southeast. (2) The maximum NDVI values maintained for the past 22 years showed little variation. The average NDVI variance coefficient for the 22-year period was 15.2%. (3) NDVI distribution and vegetation cover showed spatial autocorrelations on a global scale. NDVI patterns from the vegetation cover also demonstrated anisotropy; a higher positive spatial correlation was indicated in a NW-SE direction, which suggested that vegetation cover in a NW-SE direction maintained increased integrity, and vegetation assemblage was mainly distributed in the same specific direction. (4) The NDVI spatial distribution was mainly controlled by structural factors, 88.7% of the total spatial variation was influenced by structural and 11.3% by random factors. And the global autocorrelation distance was 1178 km, and the average vegetation patch length (NW-SE) to width (NE-SW) ratio was approximately 2.4:1.0.

Drivers of soil net nitrogen mineralization in the temperate grasslands in Inner Mongolia, China

Soil net nitrogen mineralization (NNM) of four grasslands across the elevation and precipitation gradients was studied in situ in the upper 0-10 cm soil layer using the resin-core technique in Xilin River basin, Inner Mongolia, China during the growing season of 2006. The primary objectives were to examine variations of NNM among grassland types and the main influencing factors. These grasslands included Stipa baicalensis (SB), Aneulolepidum Chinense (AC), Stipa grandis (SG), and Stipa krylovii (SK) grassland. The results showed that the seasonal variation patterns of NNM were similar among the four grasslands, the rates of NNM and nitrification were highest from June to August, and lowest in September and October during the growing season. The rates of NNM and nitrification were affected significantly by the incubation time, and they were positively correlated with soil organic carbon content, total soil nitrogen (TN) content, soil temperature, and soil water content, but the rates of NNM and nitrification were negatively correlated with available N, and weakly correlated with soil pH and C:N ratio. The sequences of the daily mean rates of NNM and nitrification in the four grasslands during the growing season were AC > SG > SB > SK, and TN content maybe the main affecting factors which can be attributed to the land use type.

Effects of inoculated Microcoleus vaginatus on the structure and function of biological soil crusts of desert

Microcoleus vaginatus Gom., the dominant species in biological soil crusts (BSCs) in desert regions, plays a significant role in maintaining the BSC structure and function. The BSC quality is commonly assessed by the chlorophyll a content, thickness, and compressive strength. Here, we have studied the effect of different proportions of M. vaginatus, collected from the Gurbantunggut Desert in northwestern China, on the BSC structure and function under laboratory conditions. We found that when M. vaginatus was absent in the BSC, the BSC coverage, quantified by the percentage of BSC area to total land surface area, was low with a chlorophyll a content of 4.77 x 10(-2) mg g(-1) dry soil, a thickness of 0.86 mm, and a compressive strength of 12.21 Pa. By increasing the percentage of M. vaginatus in the BSC, the BSC coverage, chlorophyll a content, crust thickness, and compressive strength all significantly increased (P < 0.01). The maximum chlorophyll a content (13.12 mg g(-1)dry soil), the highest crust thickness, and the compressive strength (1.48 mm and 36.60 Pa, respectively) occurred when the percentage of inoculated M. vaginatus reached 80% with a complex network of filaments under scanning electron microscope. The BSC quality indicated by the above variables, however, declined when the BSC was composed of pure M. vaginatus (monoculture). In addition, we found that secretion of filaments and polymer, which stick sands together in the BSC, increased remarkably with the increase of the dominant species until the percentage of M. vaginatus reached 80%. Our results suggest that not only the dominant species but also the accompanying taxa are critical for maintaining the structure and functions of the BSC and thus the stability of the BSC ecosystems.

Spatial and temporal relationships between precipitation and ANPP of four types of grasslands in northern China

Precipitation is considered to be the primary resource limiting terrestrial biological activity in water-limited regions. Its overriding effect on the production of grassland is complex. In this paper, field data of 48 sites (including temperate meadow steppe,temperate steppe, temperate desert steppe and alpine meadow) were gathered from 31 published papers and monographs to analyze the relationship between above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) and precipitation by the method of regression analysis. The results indicated that there was a great difference between spatial pattern and temporal pattern by which precipitation influenced grassland ANPP. Mean annual precipitation (MAP) was the main factor determining spatial distribution of grassland ANPP (r~2 = 0.61,P ＜ 0.01); while temporally, no significant relationship was found between the variance of AN PP and inter-annual precipitation for the four types of grassland. However, after dividing annual precipitation into monthly value and taking time lag effect into account, the study found significant relationships between ANPP and precipitation. For the temperate meadow steppe, the key variable determining inter-annual change of ANPP was last August-May precipitation (r~2= 0.47, P = 0.01); for the temperate steppe, the key variable was July precipitation (r~2 = 0.36, P = 0.02); for the temperate desert steppe, the key variable was April-June precipitation (r~2 = 0.51, P ＜0.01); for the alpine meadow, the key variable was last September-May precipitation (r~2 = 0.29, P ＜ 0.05). In comparison with analogous research, the study demonstrated that the key factor determining inter-annual changes of grassland ANPP was the cumulative precipitation in certain periods of that year or the previous year.

Effects of vegetation control on ecosystem water use efficiency within and among four grassland ecosystems in China

Through 2-3-year (2003-2005) continuous eddy covariance measurements of carbon dioxide and water vapor fluxes, we examined the seasonal, inter-annual, and inter-ecosystem variations in the ecosystem-level water use efficiency (WUE, defined as the ratio of gross primary production, GPP, to evapotranspiration, ET) at four Chinese grassland ecosystems in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and North China. Representing the most prevalent grassland types in China, the four ecosystems are an alpine swamp meadow ecosystem, an alpine shrub-meadow ecosystem, an alpine meadow-steppe ecosystem, and a temperate steppe ecosystem, which illustrate a water availability gradient and thus provide us an opportunity to quantify environmental and biological controls on ecosystem WUE at different spatiotemporal scales. Seasonally, WUE tracked closely with GPP at the four ecosystems, being low at the beginning and the end of the growing seasons and high during the active periods of plant growth. Such consistent correspondence between WUE and GPP suggested that photosynthetic processes were the dominant regulator of the seasonal variations in WUE. Further investigation indicated that the regulations were mainly due to the effect of leaf area index (LAI) on carbon assimilation and on the ratio of transpiration to ET (T/ET). Besides, except for the swamp meadow, LAI also controlled the year-to-year and site-to-site variations in WUE in the same way, resulting in the years or sites with high productivity being accompanied by high WUE. The general good correlation between LAI and ecosystem WUE indicates that it may be possible to predict grassland ecosystem WUE simply with LAI. Our results also imply that climate change-induced shifts in vegetation structure, and consequently LAI may have a significant impact on the relationship between ecosystem carbon and water cycles in grasslands.

Competition between Stipa grandis and Cleistogenes squarrosa

Competitive strategy for resources between Cleistogenes squarrosa (Trin.) Keng which is a dominant species of grasslands degraded by moderate-heavy grazing, and Stipa grandis P. Smirnov, which is a dominant species of ungrazed communities, was studied using a replacement series method in a greenhouse. The knowledge would be helpful in managing grasslands and restoring the degraded C. squarrosa grassland. Although there was neither inter- nor intra-specific competition between the two species when no nutrients were added, intra-specific competition of C. squarrosa was observed and increased with increased nutrient availability and more sulfur (S) was allocated to the aboveground partition of the plant. Relative competitive ability of C. squarrosa was greater than that of S. grandis when nutrients were supplied regardless of S. There was no significant difference between shoot and root competition based on dry matter yields. However, root competition was significantly greater than that of shoot based on S uptake under all treatments. A significant interaction was not observed between shoot and root competition. Therefore, nutrients addition benefits the restoration of degraded grassland of C. squarrosa, which may not exclude S. grandis. Also productivity and forage quality of the community will be increased. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Short-term effect of targeted placements of sheep excrement on grassland in inner mongolia on soil and plant parameters

Grazing animal excrement plays an important role in nutrient cycling and redistribution in grazing ecosystems, due to grazing in large areas and return in small areas. To elucidate the changes to the soil and pasture caused by sheep urine, fresh dung, and compost patches, a short- term field experiment using artificially placed pats was set up in the autumn of 2003 in the Inner Mongolian steppe. Urine application significantly increased soil pH during the first 32 days in soil layers at depths of both 0 - 5 cm and 5 - 15 cm. Rapid hydrolysis of urea gave large amounts of urine- nitrogen ( N) as ammonium ( NH4+) in soil extracts and was followed by apparent nitrification from day 2. Higher inorganic N content in the urine- treated soil was found throughout the experiment compared with the control. No significant effects of sheep excrement on soil microbial carbon ( C) and soil microbial N was found, but microbial activities significantly increased compared with the control after application of sheep excrement. Forty- six percent of dung- N and 27% of compost- N were transferred into vegetation after the experiment. The results from this study suggest that large amounts of nutrients have been lost from the returned excrement patches in the degraded grassland of Inner Mongolia, especially from sheep urine- N.