应用生态学报最新文献

Under the background of the transformation of territorial space governance system, how to scientifically delineate ecological restoration zones, promote regional ecological restoration and protection in a differentiated way, and realize the fine allocation of restoration resources has become the core issue of current ecological planning and governance. The available methods mainly rely on environmental background and resource endowment as the basis for zoning, and generally have the problem of insufficient characterization of the supply and demand relationship, service flow characteristics and transmission path of ecosystem services. Therefore, based on the context of 'supply and demand relationship measurement-flow intensity quantification-flow path characterization-repair zoning', we took Xi'an, a typical mountainous-plain transitional city, as an example to construct a territorial spatial ecological restoration zoning framework based on the characteristics of 'source-flow-sink' of ecosystem service. Starting from the three dimensions of service supply source area, process conduction area and function convergence area, we systematically identified the three areas of ecosystem service supply-demand-flow, and supports the zoning governance strategy of 'source control-flow adjustment-strong sink'. The results showed that there were 28 ecosystem service supply areas in Xi'an, mainly distributed in the northern foot of Qinling Mountains, with a total area of 4589.96 km². A total of 110 ecosystem service demand areas were concentrated in the six districts of the city and the eastern Lintong District, with a total area of 3954.23 km². There were 30 ecological service flow areas, which were mainly distributed in the transitional zone of the central mountainous plain and the northeastern plain, with a total area of 1541.01 km². The framework constructed here could effectively describe the flow direction, intensity, and transmission range of ecosystem services, provide scientific basis for the spatial matching of ecological restoration strategies, and provide different ideas and practical paths for the construction of land space governance model oriented by ecosystem service process.

Clarifying the essence of regional ecological and environmental problems is the key to scientifically promote ecological construction in the agro-pastoral ecotone on the Loess Plateau. We summarized the latest progress of relevant research, and combined over 30 years of observation and research at the Shaanxi Shenmu Erosion and Environment National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, proposed that water scarcity and unreasonable vegetation restoration were the main problems facing ecological construction in the agro-pastoral ecotone of the Loess Plateau. There are two forms of soil erosion in this area, water erosion and wind erosion. In terms of water erosion, we should restore grassland according to the vegetation zone and engineering measures should be transferred slopes to terraced fields to achieve soil and water conservation and water source conservation functions. In terms of wind erosion, vegetation restoration should focus on shrubs and grasses with low water consumption. Coarse soil remediation should be used in the engineering measures to control desertification, and the sandy land could be completely changed through combining the construction of new energy bases and modern agriculture. The agro-pastoral ecotone of the Loess Plateau should be classified and managed according to the geomorphology and water-soil resource characteristics of the loess and aeolian sand areas, with the focus of management directed at addressing the root causes, to achieve high-quality development of the regional ecological environment.

To examine the distribution characteristics of Pyrus ussuriensis in Northeast China and its response patterns in the context of climate change, we analyzed the main factors influencing the distribution of P. ussuriensis and simulated its distribution in the Northeast China during different periods, with the maximum entropy model (MaxEnt) and the distribution data of P. ussuriensis in Northeast China (Heilongjiang Province, Jilin Province, Liaoning Province), and environmental data for the current period (1970-2000), the 2030s (2021-2040), and the 2050s (2041-2060) (including climate factors, topographic factors and soil factors). The results showed that the model passed the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) test, with the average area under the ROC for the training set being 0.925, showing high reliability in predicting the climatic suitability of P. ussuriensis. Out of 50 factors, 17 factors were identified as dominant factors, including climate, terrain, and soil factors. The contribution rate of climate factor was the most significant, accounting for 78.5% of the total. Under the current climate scenario, the highly suitable growth area of P. ussuriensis was distributed in central Anshan, central Liaoyang, eastern Yingkou, central Jinzhou, Chaoyang, Huludao, Fuxin in Liaoning, and the area of the highly suitable area was 0.78×10⁴ km². Under the future climate scenarios (2030s and 2050s), the suitable distribution area showed a trend of expansion and northward migration, with the area of highly suitable area reaching its peak in the 2050s at 7.9×10⁴ km².

The ecological restoration zoning of territorial space plays a crucial role in improving habitat quality, ensuring regional ecological security, and promoting regional sustainable development. Scientifically classifying ecolo-gical restoration zones and implementing differentiated strategies are the focal points of current ecological restoration research. Previous studies mostly focus on single-factor or static analysis, with insufficient research on zoning from the perspective of the coupling of spatial optimization and ecosystem service function improvement. Based on the "spatial optimization-functional improvement" framework, by evaluating the spatio-temporal evolution of spatial conflicts and ecosystem service functions from 2000 to 2023, we analyzed spatial optimization zones and ecosystem service function improvement zones in Tarim River Basin. Combined with the dominant functions of regional ecosystem services, we classified the primary and secondary zones for ecological restoration zoning of territorial space. The results showed that the spatial pattern of the Tarim River Basin remained relatively stable between 2000 and 2010, while the demand for spatial optimization grew from 2010 to 2023. The ecosystem service functions in the Tarim River Basin exhibited distinct distribution features. The improvement zones where water conservation, soil conservation, and habitat quality were primarily clustered in the central-southern desert core area and the northeastern part, and the improvement zone for windbreak and sand fixation were distributed in the marginal transition zone. Based on the "spatial optimization-functional improvement" framework, the ecological restoration of the Tarim River Basin could be divided into four primary zones, namely the key ecological restoration zone, the ecosystem service function improvement zone, the ecological autonomous restoration zone, and the ecosystem service function retention zone, and 19 secondary zones. The restoration directions and engineering measures of each zone were different. This research would enrich the methods for the ecological restoration zoning of territorial space and provide a scientific basis for the layout and precise policy implementation of ecological restoration projects in the Tarim River Basin.

Obstacles in the albic layer of albic soil, such as hardening and acidification, are key factors restricting crop yield in albic soil areas. In this study, we conducted a field manipulative microplot experiment, included lime alone (900 kg·hm^-2, C), and combinations of lime with 4.5 t·hm^-2(B1) and 9 t·hm^-2 biochar (B2), control (no amendment, CK), to investigate effects of amendments on soil physical and chemical properties, maize growth characteristics, and yield. The results showed that lime application significantly increased soil pH value of the albic layer, with the three treatments increasing by 0.26-0.69 units compared to CK. Soil bulk density of treatment C increased by 7.6% compared to CK. The addition of biochar could effectively mitigate the risk of increased soil bulk density caused by lime addition, and soil bulk density of B1 and B2 decreased by 4.6% and 3.9% respectively compared to treatment C. Compared to CK, lime application increased soil total calcium content of the albic layer by 4.7%-22.7%, but it led to a decrease in soil organic matter content, which decreased by 17.6% in treatment C compared to CK. However, biochar application effectively reduced the risk of organic matter content decline and increase organic matter content of the albic soil layer by 15.0%-15.3% compared to treatment C. The application of all amendment formulations showed a tendency to increase maize plant height, but had no significant effect on leaf chlorophyll content. Compared to CK, grain yield of treatment C increased by 9%, but the difference was not significant, while that of B1 and B2 significantly increased by 19.3% and 18.0% respectively. There was no significant difference between B1 and B2. Mantel test analysis showed that grain yield was mainly regulated by soil pH of albic layer. In conclusion, the combined application of 4.5 t·hm^-2 and 9 t·hm^-2 biochar with 900 kg·hm^-2 lime could effectively alleviate the acidification of albic layer and significantly increase maize yield. Among them, the combined application of 4.5 t·hm^-2 biochar and 900 kg·hm^-2 lime demonstrates the highest application value.

The rapid development of the photovoltaic (PV) industry is boosting the energy transition, while exerting profound impacts on fragile ecosystems such as deserts and saline-alkali lands in northwestern China. We reviewed the effects of photovoltaic projects on microclimates, soils, vegetation, and biological soil crusts (BSCs). PV projects could improve the local environment through shading, humidification, and windbreak effects, and thus facilitate vegetation restoration and BSCs development, while it could improve potentially the heat island effects, which might further alter biotic community structures. These ecological responses exhibit spatiotemporal variations. The restoration process of ecosystems exert feedbacks on efficiency and operational stability of photovoltaic power generation, collectively forming a coupled system of "PV-climate-soil-organism". Currently, long-term monitoring and in-depth mechanistic analysis studies are rather scarce. Future research should prioritize cross-scale and interdisciplinary investigations to provide scientific basis for the coordinated development of PV base construction and ecological conservation in fragile arid and semi-arid regions.

Lakes are crucial for the global carbon cycle. The impacts of aquaculture and "pen removal and lake ecological restoration" on lake carbon source and sink functions remain unclear. We continuously monitored CO₂ fluxes in the aquaculture zones of East Lake Taihu during the aquaculture period (2018) and the ecological restoration period (2019-2020), to assess the effects of restoration on lake CO₂ flux and its driving factors. The results showed that, regardless of the aquaculture or restoration stage, seasonal variations of CO₂ fluxes followed a consistent pattern: net CO₂ uptake during the growing season (May-October) and near-zero fluxes during the non-growing season (December-March). Diurnal CO₂ flux patterns characterized by daytime uptake and nighttime release, which became more pronounced after restoration, with a significant increase in daytime uptake and a slight rise in nighttime emission. The reduction in external organic carbon input and the shift in dominant macrophyte communities from submerged plants to floating-leaf plants after restoration substantially enhanced net CO₂ uptake of East Lake Taihu, with growing-season CO₂ uptake increasing from 182.03 g CO₂·m^-2·a ^-1 in 2018 (aquaculture stage) to 384.17 and 629.19 g CO₂·m^-2·a ^-1 in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The diurnal CO₂ flux dynamics were primarily driven by solar radiation. Both light-use efficiency and photosynthetic capacity of aquatic plants improved after restoration. At the daily scale, CO₂ fluxes during the aquaculture period were regulated by temperature, solar radiation, and wind speed. After restoration, the effect of wind speed became insignificant, the temperature sensitivity (Q₁₀) of daytime uptake increased from 2.44 in 2018 to 3.16 in 2019 and 3.03 in 2020; and the Q₁₀ of nighttime emission declined from 10.20 in 2018 to 1.17 in 2019 and 5.14 in 2020. On the monthly scale, during the aquaculture phase, total nitrogen concentration was the primary controlling factor for lake CO₂ flux, while the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was the primary controlling factor for diurnal lake CO₂ flux. After the cessation of aquaculture and the restoration of the lake, solar radiation and temperature became the primary controlling factors for lake CO₂ flux, and the sensitivity of diurnal lake CO₂ flux to changes in NDVI increased.

To reveal the effects of geographical isolation and human activities on the genetic pattern of Populus euphratica in northwestern China, we analyzed the genetic diversity and population genetic structure of six natural populations (sample size=159) distributed across Qinghai, Gansu, Xinjiang, and Inner Mongolia by using 12 highly polymorphic SSR primers. The results showed that P. euphratica populations maintained a high level of gene-tic diversity (expected heterozygosity=0.62). There were significant genetic differentiations among populations (genetic differentiation index=0.38), forming three relatively independent genetic lineages: the Qinghai lineage, Dunhuang lineage, and mixed lineage. The geographical barriers of the Kunlun Mountains and Qilian Mountains shaped the distinct Qinghai and Dunhuang lineages, respectively, while P. euphratica populations along the ancient Silk Road have formed a mixed lineage spanning large geographical distances due to human-mediated gene flow. The three major lineages identified here should be regarded as independent management units. Our results would provide key genetic evidence for formulating targeted conservation and management strategies for P. euphratica resources.

Over the past decade, initiatives such as the Shan-Shui Initiative, the "Three-North" Project, and the construction of nature reserve system, have accumulated valuable experience of ecological governance for the ecological conservation and restoration, thereby establishing a solid foundation for achieving deeper "holism", including full-factor integration and full-cycle monitoring. To promote theoretical advancement and model optimisation of holistic ecological conservation and restoration, we applied a three-in-one analytical framework of "problem, theory, and pathway" to develop a collaborative governance logic system, alongside a five-in-one implementation pathway based on the induction of practical challenges. The results showed that holistic ecological conservation and restoration is confronted with structural gaps that urgently need to be addressed in terms of objective transmission, organizational collaboration, and process control. By coupling theories from fields such as ecological environmental science, management, geography, systems theory, and cybernetics, a governance logic system comprised of "objective collaboration, organizational collaboration, and process collaboration" can be established for holistic ecological conservation and restoration. The governance form of holistic ecological conservation and restoration is expected to evolve from "physical combination" to "organic fusion", wherein the implementation pathway encompassing "strategy, planning, design, implementation, and management" serves as the pivotal mechanism for translating theory into practice. Collectively, the proposed governance logic and implementation pathway contribute to the establishment and improvement of a governance model characterized by "unified understanding, unified implementation, and unified management", thereby providing systematic theoretical guidance and structured model references for the in-depth development for practical activities of holistic ecological conservation and restoration.

We investigated the spatial distribution of throughfall in Artemisia ordosica, a typical sand-binding shrub species commonly planted in desert steppe. Based on field observations during the growing seasons of 2021 and 2022, we examined throughfall, vegetation characteristics, meteorological variables, and shallow soil moisture (0-60 cm soil layer) within and outside the shrub canopy, aiming to elucidate the spatial heterogeneity of throughfall in shrublands and assess its influence on soil moisture replenishment. We further quantified the relative contributions of key biotic and abiotic factors influencing throughfall by using boosted regression tree (BRT) model. The results showed that 31 effective rainfall events occurred over the study period, with a cumulative precipitation of 333.15 mm. The mean throughfall amount per event was 8.03 mm, corresponding to an average throughfall rate of 69.9%. The minimum rainfall threshold required to generate measurable throughfall was 0.69 mm. Spatially, throughfall exhibited a heterogeneous pattern characterized by a "rain peak" at the shrub periphery and a "drought center" near the shrub core. The BRT analysis revealed that abiotic factors played a dominant role in regulating throughfall, with rainfall amount contributing the most (89.8%), followed by relative humidity and wind speed. In contrast, the contribution of biotic factors was minor (<3%). The average shallow soil moisture recharge under the shrub canopy (2.88 mm, with a recharge rate of 3.6%·h^-1) was slightly higher than that in the area outside the canopy (2.69 mm and 3.3%·h^-1), with respective increases of 6.6% and 9.1%. However, these differences were not statistically significant. The findings suggested that rainfall under the canopy of A. ordosica provided relatively more effective moisture replenishment to shallow soil layers. Rainfall amount and throughfall amount were the two most critical factors influencing shallow soil moisture recharge.