Critical role of multidimensional biodiversity in contributing to ecosystem sustainability under global change

The 21st century has seen an acceleration of global change,including climate change,elevated carbon dioxide,nitrogen deposition,and land-use intensification,which poses a significant threat to ecosystem functioning.Nev-ertheless,studies on the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning(BEF)have consistently demonstrated that biodiversity enhances ecosystem functioning and its stability,even in variable environmental conditions.These findings potentially indicate the critical role of biodiversity in promoting sustainable provi-sioning of ecosystem functioning under global change.Our paper provides a comprehensive review of current BEF research and the response of BEF to multiple global change factors.We demonstrate that(1)assessing the effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning requires consideration of multiple dimensions of diversity,such as diversity across multiple trophic levels(plants,animals,and microbes),multiple facets(taxonomy,functional traits,and phylogeny),and multiple spatial scales(local,regional,and landscape scales).(2)The interaction of multiple global change factors may lead to a greater reduction in biodiversity and ecosystem functioning than a single global change factor.(3)Multidimensional biodiversity regulates the response of ecosystem functioning to global change factors,indicating that high levels of multidimensional biodiversity can mitigate the negative impacts of global change on ecosystem functioning.Overall,we emphasize that recognizing the importance of multidimensional biodiversity is critical for sustaining ecosystem functioning.Therefore,prioritizing conserva-tion efforts to maintain and enhance all dimensions of biodiversity is essential to address the challenges of future global change.

How Could Agricultural Land Systems Contribute to Raise Food Production Under Global Change?

To feed the increasing world population, more food needs to be produced from agricultural land systems. Solutions to produce more food with fewer resources while minimizing adverse environmental and ecological consequences require sustainable agricultural land use practices as supplementary to advanced biotechnology and agronomy. This review paper, from a land system perspective, systematically proposed and analyzed three interactive strategies that could possibly raise future food production under global change. By reviewing the current literatures, we suggest that cropland expansion is less possible amid iferce land competition, and it is likely to do less in increasing food production. Moreover, properly allocating crops in space and time is a practical way to ensure food production. Climate change, dietary shifts, and other socio-economic drivers, which would shape the demand and supply side of food systems, should be taken into consideration during the decision-making on rational land management in respect of sustainable crop choice and allocation. And ifnally, crop-speciifc agricultural intensiifcation would play a bigger role in raising future food production either by increasing the yield per unit area of individual crops or by increasing the number of crops sown on a particular area of land. Yet, only when it is done sustainably is this a much more effective strategy to maximize food production by closing yield and harvest gaps.

Pedosphere and Its Effect on Global Changes

With development of modern geoscience, particularly development of environmental sciences, the contemporary soil science is undergoing great changes in both research contents and scope. Soil is not onlya certain substance or a certain independent natural historical body but also a spheric layer with peculiarstructure and functions in the earth system. From the viewpoint of the geo-biosphere system of earth, soilscience does deal not only with the soil substances per se but also more importantly with the relationshipsamong soil, the other spheres and the human survival environment in view of the "pedosphere". This is thenew orientation of soil science today and will affect profoundly the studies on the human survival environmentand global changes. To throw more light on this subject, the present paper intends to address the conceptionof pedosphere and its role in global changes. Also addressed are series of environmental issues in China andtheir relations to the global changes. Moreover, research orientation and priorities are indicated, includingexploitation and protection of the soil resources, soil fertility and sustainable agricultural development, construction of the ecological environment, and the material cycling in pedosphere and its relation to globalchanges.

Fire cycle of the Canada's boreal region and its potential response to global change

Interactions of fire cycle and plant species＇ reproductive characteristics could determine vegetation distribution pattern of a landscape. In Canada＇s boreal region, fire cycles before the Little Ice Age （c. 1850s） ranged from 30-130 years and 25-234 years afterwards until the settlement period （c. 1930s） when longer fire cycles occurred in response to climatic change and human interference. Analysis indicated that fire cycles were correlated with growing season （April-October） temperature and precipitation departure from the 1961-1990 normal, varying by regions. Assuming that wildfires will respond to future warming similar to the manner during the past century, an assessment using climatic change scenarios CGCMI, CGCM2 and HadCM2 indicates fire cycles would divert to a range of 80-140 years in the west taiga shield, more than 700 years for the east boreal shield and east taiga shield, and 300-400 years for the boreal plains in 2050.

Application of transition metal isotope tracers in global change research

High-precision isotope composition determinations using multicollector, magnetic-sector induc- tively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) have recently revealed that some transition metal isotopes such as those of Mo, Fe, Cu, Zn etc. can be used as biogeochemical tracers in global change research. The Mo isotope system may be useful in paleoredox investigations indicating that δ97/95Mo in seawater may co-vary with changes in the relative proportions of anoxic and oxic sedimentation in the ocean, and that this variation may be recorded inδ97/95Mo of anoxic sediments. The Mo continental flux into the oceans and the global Mo isotope budget can be estimated fromδ97/95Mo values. The Fe isotope composition in seawater is an important issue because Fe plays a controlling role in biological productivity in the oceans and its abundance in seawater may have substantial effect on climate changes. Iron isotope fractionations could result from bio- and abio-processes and have about 0.1% variation (δ56/54Fe), so Fe isotopes considered alone cannot be used to distinguish the products of abiotic and biotic Fe processing in geological records. Cu and Zn isotopes are also used as biogeochemical tracers, but the researches are relatively less. This review mainly focuses on the methods for preparation, purification and determination of new isotope tracer samples, and on isotope applications in marine environmental changes.

LATE QUATERNARY ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES IN THE ANTARCTIC AND THEIR CORRELATION WITH GLOBAL CHANGE

Two ingressions occurred in the last glacial interstadial (50,00-25,000 a BP) and Holocene optimum (7,500-5,000 a BP) periods in Antercticregion. The grea expansion of Antarcic Ice Sheet appeared at last glacialmaximum (18,000 a BP) when Antarctic sea level was 100- 150 m lower thanthat at presat. Three times of glacial advances and rotreas occurred on thefront of Antarctic Ice Shed since 3,000 a BP. All these phenomena werecoordinated with global changes. In the past decades, records from Antercticice-free areas and ice cores testified that mvironmedl and climatic changesin Antarctic region have been coordinated with global changes since latePlelstocene. In the past decades, Antarctic inland was a little warming up andthe fron of the ice shed was slowly melting and ratreating due to the increaseof CO2 content in the atmosphere. The greenhouse effect will cause AntercticIce Sheet (especially on the ice shelves) to be partly melting away, but can notdestroy it. In this case the amplitude of sea level rise caused by the melting ofAntarctic ice will be less than 0.2 m within the coming five decades.

From Climate to Global Change:Following the Footprint of Prof.Duzheng YE's Research

To commemorate 100 years since the birth of Professor Duzheng YE, this paper reviews the contribution of Ye and his research team to the development from climate to global change science in the past 30 or so years, including：（1） the role of climate change in global change;（2） the critical time scales and predictability of global change;（3） the sensitive regions of global change—transitional zones of climate and ecosystems; and（4） orderly human activities and adaptation to global change, with a focus on the development of a proactive strategy for adaptation to such change.

Some Preliminary Results on Pilot Study of Global Change in China

On the basis of existing data and research results the changes of life supporting environment in China in the history are briefly described. The differences between regional climate variations and climate jump are the very important features and phenomena in estimating the trend of environmental evolution in the future. Finally, it is pointed out that sensitive zone is an ideal place to study global change. Many evidences show that the response of environmental elements in the sensitive zones to global change events is very obvious, so that much attention should be paid to the study of sensitive zone.

A GRADIENT ANALYSIS & MODELING OF THE NECT FOR GLOBAL CHANGE STUDY

The North East China Transect (NECT) is an exemplary region of landmass running along the line of 43°30′ North Latitude and caught between 112° and 130°30′ East Longtitude, and is being sampled by the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP) for today’s study on global change. So far, it has already been listed in the first set of IGBP-sponsored transects, becoming a key theatre and "hot spot" for probing terrestrial ecosystems. In terms of biota, the nearly 1,600-kilometre-long tract is located in a mid-latitude zone, featuring a vegetational transition from a temperate timberland of evergreen coniferous forests and broadleaved deciduous forests to a mild-temperate steppe. According to the norms of biome types, it consists of three subzones: meadow steppe, typical steppe and desert steppe in a continuous east-to-west spatial sequence. There are four ecological stations supported by a great number of permanent samples, long-term plots and an enormous build-up of experimental data along

CHINA'S VEGETATION/ECOSYSTEM RESPONSE TO GLOBAL CHANGE: RESEARCH PROGRESS & PROSPECTS

This paper presents the latest developments in the re search progress on mechanisms by which natural plants and crops respond to the doubled concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere, resultant climatic change and the modeling of vegetation and eco-systems in China. In addition, it points out that the future study on global change and terrestrial ecosystems should stress m(?)iti-disciplinary teamwork and inter-discipline penetration. Finally, the paper emphasizes 10 research realms in the field to be enhanced in the future.

THE IMPACTS OF GLOBAL CHANGE ON DESERTIFICATION IN CHINA

Global change and desertification are the serious environmental problems in the world today and exert great impacts on human existence and social development. Therefore, the United Nations has set up quite a number of relevant organizations to encourage millions upon millions of people to combat this harmful problem. At the same time, since the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification has been signed and this signment of the Convention will powerfully promote the concrete action programs to combat desertification of each affected country and enlarge the exchange and cooperation among the affected countries. According to recent information of UN Organizations, more than 100 countries and their one-fifth world of population are facing the problem of desertification processes and desertification impacts, and are suffering from expansion of desertification. The total areas of arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid zones cover approximately about 6.5 billion ha, occupying 41 percent of the total land area of the earth. There are 3.6 billion ha of arable land and grazing land under the impact of desertification in the world. From 1984 to 1991, the annual increase of land desertification is 3.4 percent. The harmful results of desertification on human existence in terms of environment, societies and economy are serious and called for great attention from the UN Systems. It is concluded that desertification is the most serious environmental problem in the world and its resulting impact is socially and economically surprising.

Special Issue on "Response of Polar Organisms and Natural Environment to Global Changes"

High altitude and high latitude regions on Earth are experiencing rapid changes in climate, with impacts on polar organisms and the environment. The persistent cold and sometimes inhospitable conditions create unique ecosystems and habitats for polar organisms.

Inviting Contributions to a Special Issue on "Response of Polar Organisms and Natural Environment to Global Changes"

Dear Colleagues, We would like to invite you to submit manuscripts to a special issue of the journal Advances in Polar Science （APS） on ＂Response of Polar Organisms and Natural Environment to Global Changes＂.

Project on Interaction between Agro-ecosystems and Global Change Making Progress

A research project on interaction between agroecosystems and global change has been accepted as a Category Ⅰ contribution to IGBP-GCTE (International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme-Global Change & Terrestrial Ecosystems) Core Research, the highest-level support GCTE has offered to an individual research project so far. This was confirmed by Prof. Noble, GCTE Chairman, in a letter to Prof. Peng Shaolin, Principal Investigator of

STATUS OF PACIFIC REGION IN GLOBAL CHANGE——An Analysis of the X VIII Pacific Science Congress

Last June more than one thousand scientists from over 50 countries in the Pacific and other regions of the world gathered in Beijing of China and participated in the ⅩⅤⅢ Pacific Science Congress. This was an international general academic congress which had involved natural science, social science, engineering science,

ICE CORE RESEARCH & GLOBAL CHANGE

The article gives a simplified narration on the ice core research throughout the world today. A important tool for detecting the global change in the past times, the research reveals many clues of vital significance in climatic and environmental evolution on the Earth. In addition, the article envisages the future trend in this special aspect of hydrological research.

Dynamic carbon-nitrogen coupling under global change

Carbon-nitrogen coupling is a fundamental principle in ecosystem ecology.However,how the coupling responds to global change has not yet been examined.Through a comprehensive and systematic literature review,we assessed how the dynamics of carbon processes change with increasing nitrogen input and how nitrogen processes change with increasing carbon input under global change.Our review shows that nitrogen input to the ecosystem mostly stimulates plant primary productivity but inconsistently decreases microbial activities or increases soil carbon sequestration,with nitrogen leaching and nitrogenous gas emission rapidly increasing.Nitrogen fixation increases and nitrogen leaching decreases to improve soil nitrogen availability and support plant growth and ecosystem carbon sequestration under elevated CO_(2)and temperature or along ecosystem succession.We conclude that soil nitrogen cycle processes continually adjust to change in response to either overload under nitrogen addition or deficiency under CO_(2)enrichment and ecosystem succession to couple with carbon cycling.Indeed,processes of both carbon and nitrogen cycles continually adjust under global change,leading to dynamic coupling in carbon and nitrogen cycles.The dynamic coupling framework reconciles previous debates on the“uncoupling”or“decoupling”of ecosystem carbon and nitrogen cycles under global change.Ecosystem models failing to simulate these dynamic adjustments cannot simulate carbonnitrogen coupling nor predict ecosystem carbon sequestration well.

Global Effect of Climate Change on Seasonal Cycles,Vector Population and Rising Challenges of Communicable Diseases:A Review

This article explains ongoing changes in global climate and their effect on the resurgence of vector and pathogen populations in various parts of the world.Today,major prevailing changes are the elevation of global temperature and accidental torrent rains,floods,droughts,and loss of productivity and food commodities.Due to the increase in water surface area and the longer presence of flood water,the breeding of insect vectors becomes very high;it is responsible for the emergence and re-emergence of so many communicable diseases.Due to the development of resistance to chemicals in insect pests,and pathogens and lack of control measures,communicable zoonotic diseases are remerging with high infectivity and mortality.This condition is becoming more alarming as the climate is favoring pathogen-host interactions and vector populations.Rapid changes seen in meteorology are promoting an unmanageable array of vector-borne infectious diseases,such as malaria,Japanese encephalitis,filarial,dengue,and leishmaniasis.Similarly,due to unhygienic conditions,poor sanitation,and infected ground and surface water outbreak of enteric infections such as cholera,vibriosis,and rotavirus is seen on the rise.In addition,parasitic infection ascariasis,fasciolosis,schistosomiasis,and dysentery cases are increasing.Today climate change is a major issue and challenge that needs timely quick solutions.Climate change is imposing non-adaptive forced human migration territorial conflicts,decreasing ecosystem productivity,disease outbreaks,and impelling unequal resource utilization.Rapid climate changes,parasites,pathogens,and vector populations are on the rise,which is making great threats to global health and the environment.This article highlighted the necessity to develop new strategies and control measures to cut down rising vector and pathogen populations in endemic areas.For finding quick solutions educational awareness,technology up-gradation,new vaccines,and safety measures have to be adopted to break the cycle of dreadful communicable diseases shortly.

The Study on Strategy of Sustainable Development in Coastal Tourism Resources from the Global Change Perspective

Global change is induced by human activities and these changes impact tourism development. The transportation system especial y aviation consumed by tourists and accommodation facilities in coastal destinations release massive greenhouse gases and contribute to global change. The ocean is very important to the society and the economy, and coastal tourism is one of the main human activities in the coastal zone. Coastal tourism resources are rich in China, and coastal tourism plays a decisive role in the marine economy. Here, we analyze problems and chal enges during the development of coastal tourism resources from the global change perspective, and identify key factors for the future and ecologically friendly coastal tourism resource development and management under the framework of sustainable development. Based on our ifndings we recommend changing the pattern and products of coastal tourism to develop low carbon coastal tourism based on the idea of“green thinking”;more attention on developments of creative tourism products such as ecotourism and alternative tourism;changes to coastal tourism resource utilization by developing low carbon coastal tourism, advocating carbon emission reduction, promoting carbon compensation and carbon economy, and encouraging new energy saving technology application. Stakeholders also need to be considered. All these measures should be implemented and optimized during the process of planning-management-monitoring-evaluation in the dynamic model. Due to limited data on coastal tourism resource development and management in the global change perspective, part of our reference data is from whole tourism research results and this is a shortcoming of our approach.