Areas Of Different Land Use Research Articles

Cross-Scale Responses of Biodiversity to Hurricane and Anthropogenic Disturbance in a Tropical Forest

In studies of biodiversity, considerations of scale—the spatial or temporal domain to which data provide inference—are important because of the non-arithmetic manner in which species richness increases with area (and total abundance) and because fine-scale mechanisms (for example, recruitment, growth, and mortality of species) can interact with broad scale patterns (for example, habitat patch configuration) to influence dynamics in space and time. The key to understanding these dynamics is to consider patterns of environmental heterogeneity, including patterns produced by natural and anthropogenic disturbance. We studied how spatial variation in three aspects of biodiversity of terrestrial gastropods (species richness, species diversity, and nestedness) on the 16-ha Luquillo Forest Dynamics Plot (LFDP) in a tropical forest of Puerto Rico was affected by disturbance caused by Hurricanes Hugo and Georges, as well as by patterns of historic land use. Hurricane-induced changes in spatial organization of species richness differed from those for species diversity. The gamma components of species richness changed after the hurricanes and were significantly different between Hurricanes Hugo and Georges. Alpha and two beta components of species richness, one related to turnover among sites within areas of similar land use and one related to variation among areas of different land use, varied randomly over time after both hurricanes. In contrast, gamma components of species diversity decreased in indistinguishable manners after both hurricanes, whereas the rates of change in the alpha component of species diversity differed between hurricanes. Beta components of diversity related to turnover among sites declined after both hurricanes in a consistent fashion. Those related to turnover among areas with different historic land uses varied stochastically. The immediate effect of hurricanes was to reduce nestedness of gastropod assemblages. Thereafter, nestedness increased during post-hurricane secondary succession, and did so in the same way, regardless of patterns of historic land use. The rates of change in degree of nestedness during secondary succession were different after each hurricane as a result of differences in the severity and extent of the hurricane-induced damage. Our analyses quantified temporal changes in the spatial organization of biodiversity of gastropod assemblages during forest recovery from hurricane-induced damage in areas that had experienced different patterns of historic human land use, and documented the dependence of biodiversity on spatial scale. We hypothesize that cross-scale interactions, likely those between the local demographics of species at the fine scale and the landscape configuration of patches at the broad scale, play a dominant role in affecting critical transfer processes, such as dispersal, and its interrelationship with aspects of biodiversity. Cross-scale interactions have significant implications for the conservation of biodiversity, as the greatest threats to biodiversity arise from habitat modification and fragmentation associated with disturbance arising from human activities.

Soil nitrate sources and nitrate leaching losses, Slapton, South Devon

Abstract. Concentrations of soil nitrate were measured in areas of different land use within a small drainage basin. From previous work on nitrate losses from subcatchments, soil nitrate levels were expected in the order arable > grassland > woodland. Although differences were detected, they were not consistent and seasonal variations in soil nitrate for the same land use were greater than those between land uses. Seasonal fluctuations in stream nitrate loads were not strongly related to the seasonal differences in soil nitrate levels but were more closely related to stream discharge and antecedent climatic conditions. Losses of nitrate from the catchment seemed to be transport limited and independent of variations in soil nitrate supply; the implication is that water quality control by land use manipulation will only be successful in supply limited situations when leaching losses are sensitive to variations in soil nitrate supply.

Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins and dibenzofurans in outdoor air of North‐Rhine‐Westphalia, Germany

Measurements of polychlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzofurans (PCDF) in outdoor air of North‐Rhine‐Westphalia were carried out. Fifty‐six samples were taken at different sites in areas of different land use and emission structures. A special filter system allowed analysis of the gas and particle phases separately. It was found that higher chlorinated PCDD/PCDF (7 or 8 chlorine atoms) are collected on glass fiber filter and lower chlorinated PCDD/PCDF (tetra‐ and penta‐CDD/CDF) are absorbed on polyurethane foam. The following isomers were determined: OCDD, OCDF and 11 isomers with chlorine substitution in 2,3,7,8‐position as well as the sum of TCDD, PeCDD, HxCDD, HpCDD, TCDF, PeCDF, HxCDF, HpCDF and the sum of PCDD (4–8) and PCDF (4–8). No 2,3,7,8‐TCDD could be detected but 2,3,7,8‐TCDF was found at 15 sites. Mean concentration in the Rhine‐Ruhr‐District for the sum of PCDD (4–8) and PCDF (4–8) was 3.2pg/m3 and 5.5pg/m3 respectively. Detection limit for TCDD and PCDD/PCDF (5–8) was 0.1–0.2 pg/...

Preliminary survey of the epigaeic invertebrate fauna with particular reference to ants, in areas of different land use at Dwellingup, Western Australia

A pilot pitfall trap sampling programme was performed at Dwellingup, Western Australia in order to compare the epigaeic fauna in unburnt jarrah ( Eucalyptus marginata), burnt jarrah, dieback-infested jarrah, pine plantations, and urban, farmed and mined areas. Analysis of similarity of the ant fauna produced a broad division into two groups. The first group consisted of a rich ant fauna of moderate equitability and was associated with only slightly modified native forest sites. The second group consisted of a less rich and, to some extent, less equitable ant fauna and was associated with sites with highly modified vegetation. The occurrence of individual species in each area is discussed in relation to forest succession and incidence of pioneer species.