Dynamics and relationships of Ca, Mg, Fe in litter, soil fauna and soil in Pinus koraiensis-broadleaf mixed forest

The Liangshui Natural Reserve in Heilongjiang Province of China was selected as the study area. The authors collected the samples of forest litter （Tilia amurensis, Fraxinus mandshurica, Pinus koraiensis, Acer mono, Betula costata, and mixed litter）, soil in humus horizon （0--5cm） and soil horizon （5-20cm）, and soil macrofauna （Oligochaeta, Geophiloporpha and Juliformia） from 2001 to 2002. The role of soil macrofauna in the material cycle was analyzed through comparing the macro-element contents among various parts of the subsystems and using enrichment index （El）. The results indicate that dynamic changes of various litters are very complicated. The contents of Fe in each kind of litter increase firstly, and then decrease in the study period. The changes of macro-element contents are greater in the broad-leaf litter than in the coniferous litter, and the mixed litter is in the middle level, but the differences among them are not significant. The contents of Mg and Fe in humus are higher than those in soil, but the contents of Ca in soil are higher than that in humus. The dynamic changes of macro-element contents in soil and soil fauna are not consistent with those in litter. The diplopod presented obvious enrichment of Ca and Mg （E1〉1）, but it does not significantly enrich Fe. Earthworm has a stronger enrichment ability of Fe than diplopod and scolopendra, but E1〈1. Soil fauna can make great influences on the material cycle of the subsystems.     

腾格里沙漠东南缘人工固沙植被区表层土壤有机碳矿化对凋落物添加的响应

土壤有机碳矿化是调控土壤碳库时空格局、土壤碳收支平衡和植物养分供应的重要过程,植物残体和凋落物分解释放CO₂直接影响着土壤有机碳矿化。研究了不同类型凋落物对腾格里沙漠东南缘建植于1956年的人工固沙植被区土壤有机碳矿化过程及其对水分和温度的响应特征。结果表明：凋落物添加显著促进了有机碳矿化,添加柠条锦鸡儿（Caragana korshinskii）、油蒿（Artemisia ordosica）、小画眉草（Eragrostis minor）凋落物后,CO₂-C最大矿化速率分别增大了6.94、5.17、3.46倍,0~5 cm层土壤是5~10 cm层土壤的1.09、1.55、1.22倍;CO₂-C累积释放量分别增加了3.73、3.38、2.34倍,0~5 cm层土壤是5~10 cm层土壤的1.17、1.30、1.57倍。凋落物对有机碳矿化的促进作用与温度和水分密切相关,25℃时,CO₂-C平均释放速率、最大释放速率、累积碳释放量分别是10℃的2.21、3.60、2.21倍,而含水量10%时,CO₂-C平均释放速率、最大释放速率和累积碳释放量分别是含水量5%时的1.25、1.20、1.25倍。相关性分析表明,凋落物碳氮含量、碳氮比、木质素比氮和土壤有机碳以及全氮是影响有机碳矿化的主要因子。凋落添加土壤后潜在可矿化碳表现为柠条锦鸡儿>油蒿>小画眉草>对照。凋落物添加显著促进了有机碳矿化过程及碳周转,植被恢复过程中草本植物凋落物的输入更有利于土壤碳固存,凋落物对土壤碳库的调控作用受土壤理化性质和水热等环境因子的共同作用影响。     

科尔沁沙地3种灌木凋落物分解速率及其与关键气象因子的关系

选取科尔沁沙地3种代表性灌木（差不嘎蒿、黄柳、小叶锦鸡儿）作为研究对象,采用网袋法对其凋落物进行研究,每月取样测试,结合试验期间当地气象资料,对凋落物在不同类型沙丘、不同深度的分解率进行相关分析。结果表明,生长季节内,放置在地表的凋落物在固定沙丘上的分解率大于其在流动沙丘上的分解率,而在冬春季节却相反;凋落物在地下10 cm深处的分解普遍快于地表;经过一年的分解,差不嘎蒿的分解率大于另两种植物,以固定沙丘地表放置为例,其最终分解率为53.6%,大于小叶锦鸡儿的28.5%及黄柳的21%;降水对凋落物的分解影响较地温更大。     

不同水淹环境下河口感潮湿地枯落物分解及营养动态

采用分解袋法,以我国东南沿海典型的感潮河口--闽江河口最大的鳝鱼滩湿地为研究区域,选取2个潮水水淹环境差异显著的地段(一个为近潮沟地段,另一个为远潮沟地段)为研究样地,对闽江河口主要的本地种芦苇、短叶茳芏及外来人侵种互花米草枯落物分解过程及影响因素进行研究,结果表明:(1)经常性的潮汐水淹对3种植物枯落物分解速率的影响不显著;(2)经常性的潮汐水淹促进了短叶茳芏和互花米草枯落物N、P元素的损失,但对芦苇的影响不大;(3)在2种不同的水淹环境,3种植物枯落物分解速率由快到慢的顺序均是短叶茳芏>互花米草>和芦苇,分解速率在0.003166～0.005280 d-1之间,95%干物质分解需要的时间在1.56～2.61 a之间;(4)C浓度基本稳定,N浓度呈上升趋势,总N在研究末期表现为净损失,P浓度呈较大的波动,总P在研究末期也表现为净损失;(5)具有最低C/P的短叶茳芏枯落物分解速率最快.     

Anthropogenic debris on beaches in the SE Pacific (Chile): Results from a national survey supported by volunteers

Anthropogenic marine debris (AMD) is an ubiquitous problem, which has motivated public participation in activities such as beach surveys and clean-up campaigns. While it is known that beaches in the SE Pacific are also affected by this problem, the quantities and types of AMD remain largely unknown. In the context of an outreach project, volunteers (1500 high-school students) participated in a nation-wide survey of AMD on 43 beaches distributed randomly along the entire Chilean coast (18°S to 53°S). The mean density of AMD was 1.8 items m⁻² and the major types were plastics, cigarette butts and glass. Densities in central Chile were lower than in northern and southern Chile, which could be due to different attitudes of beach users or to intense beach cleaning in central regions. We suggest that public participation in surveys and cleaning activities will raise awareness and thereby contribute to an improvement of the situation.     

Comparative assessment of the relationship of satellite data with the above ground biomass of Sal trees (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Shorea robusta</Emphasis>) determined from phenologically different time periods

The Above Ground Biomass(AGB) estimates of vegetation comprise both the bole biomass determined through a volumetric equation and litter biomass collected from the ground.For mature trees,the AGB estimated in phenologically different time periods is directly affected by the litter biomass since the Diameter at Breast Height(DBH) and height(H) of such trees that are used in the estimation of bole biomass would remain unchanged over a reasonable time period.In the present study,we have determined the AGB of Sal trees(Shorea robusta) in two contrasting seasons:the peak green period in October being devoid of lit-ter on the ground and the leaf shedding period in February with abundant amount of litter present on the ground.Estimation of AGB for the month of February included the litter biomass.In contrast,the AGB for October represented only the bole biomass.AGB was estimated for ten different plots selected in the study area.The AGB estimated from ten sampling plots for each time period was re-gressed with the individual tree parameters such as the average DBH and height of trees measured from the corresponding plots.The regression analysis exhibited a significantly stronger relationship between the AGB and DBH for the month of October as compared to February.Furthermore,the correlation between the remotely sensed derived data and AGB was also found to be significantly higher for the month of October than February.This observation indicates that inclusion of the litter biomass in AGB will tend to decrease the re-gression relationship between AGB and DBH and also between the remotely sensed data and AGB.Therefore,these conclusions invite careful consideration while estimating AGB from satellite data in phenologically different time periods.     

积雪变化对中国森林凋落物分解影响研究进展

森林凋落物的分解对于维持生态系统物质循环和养分平衡具有重要意义,并受到不同积雪厚度下冻融格局的影响。冻融期（包括冻结过程期、完全冻结期、融化过程期）是冻土区凋落物分解的重要时期,该时期分解的凋落物量约占全年分解总量的一半。积雪减少通常会导致土壤温度降低、冻融循环次数增加,进而影响凋落物分解。通过综述近10年来积雪变化对我国森林凋落物分解影响的研究成果发现,积雪厚度减少在冻融期通常会抑制凋落物质量损失、碳元素释放和纤维素降解,生长季则起到促进作用,从全年来看多数表现为抑制作用。因此,冻融作用造成凋落物的物理破坏,对其分解的促进作用主要发生在后续生长季。积雪厚度减少在冻融期通常抑制氮元素释放,生长季和全年则无明显规律;磷元素和木质素目前研究还存在很大差异。最后,进一步阐述了积雪变化对凋落物分解影响研究存在的问题及未来研究发展方向。     

Determinants of sediment properties and organic matter in beach and dune environments based on boosted regression trees

Grain size properties and the variation of organic matter in coastal beach and dune environments are assumed to be controlled by the intensity of aeolian processes, time and the sediment source. However, assumptions are based on relatively limited empirical studies. In this study, we examined which environmental variables are the main predictors of multiple topsoil properties. To achieve this, we analysed an extensive dataset systematically collected across all beach zones and a large geographical area at the Finnish Baltic Sea coast characterized by post‐glacial land uplift. We included a comprehensive set of predictors in the analysis and applied boosted regression trees, a modern modelling technique particularly suited for analysis without prior assumptions of the data model. The results suggest that mean grain size and sorting are mainly determined by northing and fetch. Northing, disturbance and fetch predicted the variation of soil organic matter while litter cover was strongly related to disturbance. Based on the analyses, we were able to identify the main drivers of multiple topsoil properties on land uplift beaches. Parent material is suggested to determine sediment textural properties, which largely masks the effects of transient processes. Mean grain size and sorting are highly interdependent: grains become finer and sorting improves with increasing shore exposure. The intensity of momentary geomorphic processes controls the accumulation of litter whereas the slower accumulation of organic matter in the soil is influenced also by the static exposure setting. Skewness and kurtosis of the grain size distribution are mainly influenced by unmeasured processes, potentially relating to the geomorphological origin of the sediment. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydraulics of overland flow influenced by litter incorporation under extreme rainfall

Water erosion on hillslopes is a worldwide environmental problem, which is a rainfall‐induced process, especially extreme rainfall. The great intensity of extreme rainfall strongly enhances the power of overland flow to detach soil and transport sediment. Plant litter is one of the most important constituents of ecosystems that often covers the soil surface and can be incorporated into topsoil. However, little attention has been paid to its effect on flow hydraulics owing to the veiled nature. This study aimed to examine the effects of incorporated litter on the hydraulic properties under extreme rainfall condition. To reach this goal, six litter rates of 0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, 0.35, and 0.50 kg m^?2 and four litter types collected from deciduous trees, coniferous trees, shrubs, and herbs were incorporated into topsoil. Then, simulated rainfall experiments were performed on five slope gradients (5°, 10°, 15°, 20°, and 25°) with an extreme rainfall intensity of 80 mm h^?1. The results showed that Froude number and flow velocity of the overland flow decreased, whereas flow resistance increased exponentially with litter incorporation rate. Litter type had an influence on flow hydraulics, which can mainly be attributed to the variations in surface coverage of the exposed litter and the litter morphology. Flow velocity and Darcy–Weisbach coefficient increased markedly with slope gradient. However, the variation of slope gradient did not modify the relationships between flow hydraulics and incorporated litter rate. The random roughness, resulting from heterogeneous erosion due to the uneven protection of surface exposed litter, increased linearly with litter incorporated rate. As rainfall proceeded, flow hydraulics varied with incorporated litter rate and slope gradient complicatedly due to the increases in flow rate and coverage of the exposed litter and the modification of soil surface roughness.