Two Ultraviolet Radiation Datasets that Cover China

Ultraviolet（UV） radiation has significant effects on ecosystems, environments, and human health, as well as atmospheric processes and climate change. Two ultraviolet radiation datasets are described in this paper. One contains hourly observations of UV radiation measured at 40 Chinese Ecosystem Research Network stations from 2005 to 2015. CUV3 broadband radiometers were used to observe the UV radiation, with an accuracy of 5%, which meets the World Meteorology Organization＇s measurement standards. The extremum method was used to control the quality of the measured datasets. The other dataset contains daily cumulative UV radiation estimates that were calculated using an all-sky estimation model combined with a hybrid model. The reconstructed daily UV radiation data span from 1961 to 2014. The mean absolute bias error and root-mean-square error are smaller than 30% at most stations, and most of the mean bias error values are negative, which indicates underestimation of the UV radiation intensity. These datasets can improve our basic knowledge of the spatial and temporal variations in UV radiation. Additionally, these datasets can be used in studies of potential ozone formation and atmospheric oxidation, as well as simulations of ecological processes.

Global multifaceted biodiversity patterns,centers,and conservation needs in angiosperms

The Convention on Biological Diversity seeks to conserve at least 30%of global land and water areas by 2030,which is a challenge but also an opportunity to better preserve biodiversity,including flowering plants(angiosperms).Herein,we compiled a large database on distributions of over 300,000 angiosperm species and the key functional traits of 67,024 species.Using this database,we constructed biodiversity-environment models to predict global patterns of taxonomic,phylogenetic,and functional diversity in terrestrial angiosperms and provide a comprehensive mapping of the three diversity facets.We further evaluated the current protection status of the biodiversity centers of these diversity facets.Our results showed that geographical patterns of the three facets of plant diversity exhibited substantial spatial mismatches and nonoverlapping conservation priorities.Idiosyncratic centers of functional diversity,particularly of herbaceous species,were primarily distributed in temperate regions and under weaker protection compared with other biodiversity centers of taxonomic and phylogenetic facets.Our global assessment of multifaceted biodiversity patterns and centers highlights the insufficiency and unbalanced conservation among the three diversity facets and the two growth forms(woody vs.herbaceous),thus providing directions for guiding the future conservation of global plant diversity.

西双版纳热带雨林林窗空间分布格局及其特征指数与林窗下植物多样性的相关性

林窗作为森林群落中一种重要的干扰方式,对林下物种构成有着重要的影响。开展林窗空间格局及其特征指数与林下植物多样性关系研究对于探讨林窗对林下生物多样性的影响有重要意义,有助于进一步了解群落动态,在物种多样性保护方面也具有指导作用。本研究在西双版纳热带雨林地区随机选取3块大小为1 ha的热带雨林为研究样地,采用轻小型六旋翼无人机搭载Sony ILCE-A7r可见光传感器,分别获取各个样地的高清数字影像,结合数字表面高程模型以及各个样地的地形数据用以确定各样区的林窗分布格局,并进一步提取出各林窗的景观格局指数。结合地面样方基础调查数据,对各样地各林窗下植物多样性情况进行统计,旨在分析热带雨林林窗空间分布格局以及林窗下植物多样性对各林窗空间格局特征的响应情况。研究表明,西双版纳州热带雨林林窗呈大而分散的空间分布,林窗空间格局特征指数如林窗形状复杂性指数、林窗面积都与林下植物多样性呈显著正相关关系。在面积小的林窗下,较之林窗形状复杂性因子,林窗面积大小对林下植物多样性影响更显著;在面积达到一定程度后,相对于面积因子,林窗形状复杂性指数对林下植物多样性影响更显著,各样地林窗皆趋于向各自所处样地顶极群落发展。

Functional traits of tree species with phylogenetic signal co-vary with environmental niches in two large forest dynamics plots

Aims While using phylogenetic and functional approaches to test the mechanisms of community assembly,functional traits often act as the proxy of niches.However,there is little detailed knowledge regarding the correlation between functional traits of tree species and their niches in local communities.We suggest that the co-varying correlation between functional traits and niches should be the premise for using phylogenetic and functional approaches to test mechanisms of community assembly.Using functional traits,phylogenetic and environmental data,this study aims to answer the questions:(i)within local communities,do functional traits of co-occurring species covary with their environmental niches at the species level?and(ii)what is the key ecological process underlying community assembly in Xishuangbanna and Ailaoshan forest dynamic plots(FDPs)?Methods We measured seven functional traits of 229 and 36 common species in Xishuangbanna and Ailaoshan FDPs in tropical and subtropical China,respectively.We also quantified the environmental niches for these species based on conditional probability.We then analyzed the correlations between functional traits and environmental niches using phylogenetic independent contrasts.After examining phylogenetic signals of functional traits using Pagel’sλ,we quantified the phylogenetic and functional dispersion along environmental gradients within local tree communities.Important Findings For target species,functional traits do co-vary with environmental niches at the species level in both of the FDPs,supporting that functional traits can be used as a proxy for local-scale environmental niches.Functional traits show significant phylogenetic signals in both of the FDPs.We found that the phylogenetic and functional dispersion were significantly clustered along topographical gradients in the Ailaoshan FDP but overdispersion in the Xishuangbanna FDP.These patterns of phylogenetic and functional dispersion suggest that environmental filtering plays a key role in structuring local tree assemblages in Ailaoshan FDP,while competition exclusion plays a key role in Xishuangbanna FDP.

Contrasting effects of space and environment on functional and phylogenetic dissimilarity in a tropical forest

Aims The evolutionary history and functional traits of species can illumi-nate ecological processes supporting coexistence in diverse forest communities.However,little has been done in decoupling the rela-tive importance of these mechanisms on the turnover of phylogenetic and functional characteristics across life stages and spatial scales.Therefore,this study aims to estimate the contribution of environment and dispersal on the turnover of phylogenetic and functional diversity across life stages and spatial scales,in order to build a coherent pic-ture of the processes responsible for species coexistence.Methods We conducted the study in Xishuangbanna Forest Dynamics Plot in Yunnan Province,southwest China.We used four different spatial point process models to estimate the relative importance of disper-sal limitation and environmental filtering.The functional traits and phylogenetic relationships of all individual trees were incorporated in the analyses to generate measures of dissimilarity in terms of pair-wise and nearest-neighbor phylogenetic and functional characteris-tics across life stages and spatial scales.Important Findings We found non-random patterns of phylogenetic and functional turnover across life stages and spatial scales.Environmental filtering structured pairwise phylogenetic and functional beta diversity across spatial scales,while dispersal limitation alone,and in combination with environment filtering,shaped nearest neighbor phylogenetic and functional beta diversity.The relative importance of dispersal limitation and environmental filtering appeared to change with life stage but not with spatial scale.Our findings suggest that phylogenetic and functional beta diversity help to reveal the ecological processes responsible for evolu-tionary and functional assembly and highlight the importance of using a range of different metrics to gain full insights into these processes.