Abstract:Change in first-flowering dates and its correlation with climatic factors was mainly analyzed, and several predicting models for the first-flowering dates were established based on the flowering dates of Japanese Cherry Blossoms (P. yedoensis Mats.) during 1947–2008 on campus of Wuhan University and the climatic data in the same period. The results show that: 1) in 1947–2000, the first-flowering dates advanced with 2.17 d per decade, with an overall trend of 11.72 d in the 54 years, the fading dates were postponed for only 1.83 d in the same period, and the florescence duration increased by 13.55 d; 2) the first-flowering dates have negative correlation with monthly average temperature from December to March. The increasing winter (from December to February) temperature is the main reason for the advancement of the first-flowering dates. Per 1°C increase in average temperature of February and wintertime makes the first-flowering dates advance by 1.66 d and 2.86 d, respectively; 3) some statistical models of the first-flowering dates were built up with average temperature of February and wintertime based on the data during 1947–2000, and they are detected independently during 2001–2008.

Abstract:The present experiment was carried out in Luotong Mountain Natural Reserve in Jilin Province of China in 2007. We recorded and analyzed the echolocation calls of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum in different habitats by using Avisoft Bioacoustics USG 116 and Avisoft-SASLAB PRO (Avisoft Bioacoustics, Berlin, Germany). Our results showed that R. ferrumequinum foraged in diverse habitats in the study area, and their echolocation calls were significantly variable in different habitats (One-Way ANOVA, P < 0.05). Vegetative, climatic and topographical factors were selected by using the principal component analysis and the correlations between the parameters of echolocation calls and these environmental factors were analyzed. The results indicated that although R. ferrumequinum always emitted FM/CF/FM echolocation calls in different habitats, the parameters of echolocation calls varied with variable environmental factors. Significant negative correlation existed between FM1 bandwidth and arbor height (r = -0.948, P < 0.05), FM₂ bandwidth and arbor height (r = -0.825; P < 0.05), FM₁ starting frequency and canopy area (r = -0.967, P < 0.05), FM₂ ending frequency and canopy area (r = -0.958, P < 0.05), FM₁ starting frequency and air relative humidity (r = -0.776, P < 0.05), FM₂ ending frequency and air relative humidity (r = -0.875, P < 0.05), peak frequency and air relative humidity (r = -0.794, P < 0.05), pulse duration and average shrub height (r = -0.911, P < 0.05), and inter-pulse interval and average shrub height (r = -0.990, P < 0.05). Significant positive correlation existed between peak frequency and number of plants (r = 0.756, P < 0.05), and pulse duration and height below the canopy (r = 0.870, P < 0.05). Our results suggested that many kinds of ecological factors (such as vegetation factor, climatic factor and topographical factor) affected the structure of echolocation calls and made them diverse in different habitats, i.e., echolocation calls of bats had phenotypic flexibility and eco-adaptability. These characteristics determined the degree of available habitats and natural resources for R. ferrumequinum.

Abstract:In this study, the BIOME-BGC model, a biogeochemical model, was used and validated to estimate GPP (Gross Primary Productivity) and NPP (Net Primary Productivity) of Pinus elliottii forest in red soil hilly region and their responses to inter-annual climate variability during the period of 1993–2004 and climate change scenarios in the future. Results showed that the average total GPP and NPP were 1941 g C m^-2a^-1 and 695 g C m^-2a^-1, and GPP and NPP showed an increasing trend during the study period. The precipitation was the key factor controlling the GPP and NPP variation. Scenario analysis showed that doubled CO₂ concentration would not benefit for GPP and NPP with less than 1.5% decrease. When CO₂ concentration fixed, GPP responded positively to precipitation change only, and temperature increase by 1.5°C with precipitation increase, while NPP responded positively to precipitation change only. When CO₂ concentration was doubled and climate was changed, GPP and NPP responded positively to precipitation change, and GPP also responded positively to temperature increase by 1.5°C with precipitation change.

Abstract:China is one of the largest countries with huge amount of saline-sodic soil. How to ameliorate these lands is a hotspot in China. Through measurement of soil salinity, pH value and seed germination and growth status of cabbage seedlings, 17 kinds of krilium were added to experimented soil to evaluate their effects on amelioration of heavy saline-sodic soil. Firstly, among these 17 kinds of krilium, 11 (HPMA, gypsum, HEDP, T225, PAPEMP, MA-AA, ATMP, AA/AMPS, PAA, charcoal and BHMTPMPA) were effective agents and could effectively induce seed germination without any germination phenomena in the control saline-sodic soil. HPMA was the best one in ameliorating saline-sodic soil, which has been manifested by various indices of seed germination. Secondly, addition of gypsum together with other organic agents could strongly increase the ameliorative effectiveness if compared with relatively weak agents, while decrease seed germination if compared with the stronger agent of the 2 mixed agents, showing that the synergetic effect between gypsum and other kinds of tested krilium was not evident. Thirdly, optimum dosages for separate addition of HPMA and gypsum were 42.8 L m^-3 and 25 kg m^-3, while mixed-addition of these 2 agents at the same dosages did not cause plus effect in soil improvement. Finally, field application of HPMA could enhance the growth of cabbage seedlings at the first month, but began to wilt thereafter. Thus, instead of one-time addition, several-time addition of HPMA at the suitable dosage in field practice could strengthen the effectiveness of soil amelioration.

Abstract:According to the evolutional relationships among wheat varieties, 21 wheat varieties were chosen as research materials in this experiment to determine the evolutional trends of stomatal and photosynthetic characteristics. The results showed that as ploidy increased, the stomatal length, width, perimeter and area were found to increase. The stomatal density was found to decrease in A, B, D genomes, while no differences were found in stomatal indices among ploidies, indicating that the stomata became larger, but were still less in evolution progress. The Diploidy had the highest Pn, which was less in Tetraploidy, and the least in Hexaploidy. On the contrary, the Hexaploidy had the highest value in Fv/Fm, and the Diploidy had the highest chlorophyll content. The net photosynthetic rate had significant correlation with stomatal conductivity, while no significant relationship was found between stomatal conductivity and any stomatal characteristics, indicating that the stomatal conductivity is one of the factors limiting the photosynthetic rate, while the single stomatal characteristics is not the reason inducing the change in photosynthetic rate. The stomatal density showed significant differences among ploidy materials in A, B, D genomes, and the trend of genotype was in order of 2n > 4n > 6n; the stomatal length, width, perimeter and area showed significant differences among ploidy materials, and the trend of genotype was in order of 6n > 4n > 2n. The results indicated that the low density might induce low conductivity and low photosynthetic ability in Hexaploidy. Furthermore, the Diploidy had higher value in chlorophyll content of flag leaf area among ploidy materials in A, B and D genomes, indicating that higher chlorophyll content might be the reason for higher photosynthetic ability in Diploid wheat species.

Abstract:Landscape pattern indices or landscape metrics, an important means in landscape pattern analysis, has resulted in the prosperity of landscape ecology. However, landscape pattern analysis was criticized recently for its poor correlation with ecological processes. In this paper, the current situation and challenges in landscape pattern analysis was elaborated, and the future of landscape pattern analysis was discussed. We believe that the landscape metrics is still the main method in spatial pattern analysis, and is important for landscape ecology. However, there are 3 challenges in landscape pattern analysis: (1) how to develop new methods by integrating explicit ecological sense in landscape pattern analysis? (2) How to link landscape pattern and ecological processes? (3) How to apply the theory of “matrix-patch-corridor” to practice? In future, 5 issues are to be addressed: (1) to develop a methodology to describe landscape pattern in a dynamic manner; (2) to explore the ecological sense of landscape pattern using a series of landscape metrics; (3) to develop new methods for landscape pattern analysis related to ecological processes; (4) to conduct landscape pattern analysis at multi-dimensions; (5) to explain the relationship between landscape pattern and ecological processes by multi-scale pattern analysis.

Abstract:Humans have altered global and regional cycles of nitrogen (N) more than any other elements. Increasing N emissions to the atmosphere from accelerating industrialization and production and use of fertilizer N now make N deposition significant not only in densely populated regions of Europe and North America, but also in other parts of the world (e.g., Asia and Latin America). Increased atmospheric N deposition is known to be able to reduce biodiversity in natural and semi-natural ecosystems. It is suggested that N deposition will be the third greatest driver of biodiversity loss on the global scale in this century, after land use and climate change. Based on published study results, we reviewed the impacts of N deposition on forest biodiversity by emphasizing 3 aspects: (1) plant diversity, including arborous plants, understory plants and cryptogam plants; (2) soil microorganism diversity; (3) animal diversity, including underground soil fauna and aboveground herbivores. In general, it was found that N deposition could alter species diversity, and excessive N could reduce species diversity, such as richness and abundance, and even lose special species. We also identified specific mechanisms on how excessive N deposition affected forest biodiversity. Finally, we summarized the current status of research on N deposition in China and in other countries, and proposed potential research activities and recommendations.