Atmospheric nitrogen deposition affects forest plant and soil system carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus stoichiometric flexibility:A meta-analysis

Background:Nitrogen(N)deposition affects forest stoichiometric flexibility through changing soil nutrient availability to influence plant uptake.However,the effect of N deposition on the flexibility of carbon(C),N,and phosphorus(P)in forest plant-soil-microbe systems remains unclear.Methods:We conducted a meta-analysis based on 751 pairs of observations to evaluate the responses of plant,soil and microbial biomass C,N and P nutrients and stoichiometry to N addition in different N intensity(050,50–100,>100 kg·ha^(-1)·year^(-1)of N),duration(0–5,>5 year),method(understory,canopy),and matter(ammonium N,nitrate N,organic N,mixed N).Results:N addition significantly increased plant N:P(leaf:14.98%,root:13.29%),plant C:P(leaf:6.8%,root:25.44%),soil N:P(13.94%),soil C:P(10.86%),microbial biomass N:P(23.58%),microbial biomass C:P(12.62%),but reduced plant C:N(leaf:6.49%,root:9.02%).Furthermore,plant C:N:P stoichiometry changed significantly under short-term N inputs,while soil and microorganisms changed drastically under high N addition.Canopy N addition primarily affected plant C:N:P stoichiometry through altering plant N content,while understory N inputs altered more by influencing soil C and P content.Organic N significantly influenced plant and soil C:N and C:P,while ammonia N changed plant N:P.Plant C:P and soil C:N were strongly correlated with mean annual precipitation(MAT),and the C:N:P stoichiometric flexibility in soil and plant under N addition connected with soil depth.Besides,N addition decoupled the correlations between soil microorganisms and the plant.Conclusions:N addition significantly increased the C:P and N:P in soil,plant,and microbial biomass,reducing plant C:N,and aggravated forest P limitations.Significantly,these impacts were contingent on climate types,soil layers,and N input forms.The findings enhance our comprehension of the plant-soil system nutrient cycling mechanisms in forest ecosystems and plant strategy responses to N deposition.

Delivering forestry courses online:experiences,lessons learned,and future of forestry online education in the Asia Pacifi c

Innovation in forestry education is needed to address changing contexts of the positionality of forests.This is particularly signifi cant in the Asia–Pacifi c region,where deforestation and degradation are high.However,the accessibility of high-quality forestry education to address changing regional and global contexts is lacking.A series of innovative sustainable forest management(SFM)open education resource(OER)courses were developed and implemented to improve the accessibility of SFM education to enhance teaching quality,curriculum,and research capacity of universities in the Asia-Pacifi c Region.To evaluate the SFM-OER program in terms of student experiences,this study investigated student achievement,perceived success of the pedagogical approach and instructional design,and perceived eff ectiveness of the learning activities in promoting active and transformative learning through the assessment of a 1,191-course feedback survey between 2018 and 2020,including the global pandemic.This study revealed that the program attracted diverse student demographics,including a higher proportion of female students majoring in forestry,ecology,and other environmental studies.Their primary motivation to participate in the courses was to gain international experience,followed by the fl exibility of online learning,mandatory course requirements,and earning course credits.Students were satisfi ed with the Canvas learning management system.Most students spent less than 5 to 10 h of their weekly time in the course and agreed or strongly agreed that the workloads were manageable.Students refl ected positively on various learning activities and assignments,such as watching lecture videos,taking quizzes,reading and summarizing,having discussions,and peer review writing.However,they did not clearly prefer specifi c learning activities,signifying the importance of using diverse learning activities to satisfy diverse individual learning styles in online settings.This analysis contributes to the further development of student-centered pedagogical development for online learning and provides insight into the ways forward for online higher forestry education,while repurposing existing OER courses in a post-Covid-19 era.

Former Botanical Garden of ORSTOM(Côte d’Ivoire):What Remain after Thirty Years of Abandonment and Forest Restoration

Botanical gardens represent important places for ex situ conservation.One of these botanical gardens has been abandoned in Côte d’Ivoire for 30 years.This is the former botanical garden of ORSTOM.This study was conducted to determine the level of diversity of this former garden in order to assess the opportunity for its rehabilitation.The authors carried out inventories in 18 quadrats of 500 m2 through the vegetation to collect woody species.Dendrometric measurements(height,diameter)were also recorded to assess the structure of the site.A total of 190 species have been identified.They belong to 141 genera and 47 families.This former botanical garden contains important species because of their origin,status or particularity(threatened,endemic,rarity,etc.).A total of 19 threatened species including 2 endangered and west African endemic(Chrysophyllum azaguieanum J.Miège,Placodiscus pseudostipularis)were found at the site.Also,Chrysophyllum azaguieanum is declared extinct from Côte d’Ivoire.Four species are rare in the flora of Côte d’Ivoire:Balanites wilsoniana,Chrysophyllum azaguieanum,Gilletiodendron kisantuense and Loesenera kalantha.The most abundant species is Hopea odorata.Although this introduced species is considered globally vulnerable,it presents a risk of invasion in the forest of Côte d’Ivoire.The diameter and height structures show that all the stages of development are presented indicating a good regeneration on the site.Ultimately,this botanical garden deserves to be rehabilitated and especially urgent management of Hopea odorata is needed to prevent an invasion of this species.

天坑森林植物叶-凋落物-土壤C、N、P生态化学计量特征

为探究广西乐业大石围天坑森林群落的C、N、P养分循环特征,比较了天坑内外森林群落的植物叶片-凋落物-土壤C、N、P含量及其化学计量比,采用相关性分析和冗余分析等统计方法研究其内在联系和相互影响。结果表明,与天坑外部森林相比,天坑内部森林植物叶片和凋落物呈现出C低N、P高,土壤为C、N低P高的格局。植物叶片C:N、C:P与凋落物C、N:P显著正相关,植物叶片C与土壤P显著负相关;天坑外部森林的植物叶片N、N:P与土壤N:P显著负相关,植物叶片C:N与土壤C、C:N显著正相关,说明天坑森林内部凋落物的C、P养分可能主要来源于植物叶片,而天坑外部森林的植物叶片C、N主要来自土壤。土壤C:N:P对植物叶、凋落物的C:N:P变化的解释率分别为90.7%和50.6%,其中土壤P对植物叶和凋落物的C:N:P计量特征变化的解释度最高,坑内生境植物对P含量变化更为敏感、坑外植物对于N含量变化更为敏感,表明天坑内部森林可能是P素受限位点、天坑外部森林是N素受限位点。喀斯特天坑内部森林和外部森林植物叶-凋落物-土壤的C:N:P的差异和联系,体现了天坑内外森林群落的养分循环特征和植物群落的适应性。

基于随机森林模型的长江流域分区多源融合降水模拟方法研究

基于3种卫星降水产品,提出了一种基于随机森林模型的长江流域分区多源融合降水模拟算法(FCM-RF算法)。采用模糊C均值算法,结合地面观测站点资料对长江流域进行降水区域划分,引入降水比降刻画降水空间性,进一步通过普通克里金插值法优化融合结果,得到一套长江流域空间分辨率为0.25°×0.25°的多源融合降水产品,并对其进行了评估。结果表明:FCM-RF算法在长江流域具有良好的表现,可以有效提高原始卫星降水产品对于降水事件的捕捉能力,在验证站点模拟降水量与实测降水量的相关系数可达到0.76;FCM-RF算法在年际上具有相似变化特征,对于春秋季降水的敏感性较高,在夏季由于强降水影响表现欠佳,冬季由于雨量稀少、存在固态降水,呈现出误差小、相关系数较低的特点;FCM-RF算法在东南地区具有较强的降水捕捉能力,在青藏高原地区的准确性较低。

基于“C-POTE”模型的高中生物学跨学科主题学习实践

以“探寻厦门红树林”主题为例,阐述“C-POTE”模型在高中生物学跨学科主题学习中的实践。具体教学实践涵盖5个环节,通过融合生物学、地理、化学和语文等多学科的知识与思维开展学习任务,以培养学生解决现实问题的能力,促进学生全面发展。

基于SSA-RF的SAR图像变化检测方法

为了提高合成孔径雷达(Synthetic Aperture Radar, SAR)图像变化检测精度,提出一种基于麻雀搜索算法优化随机森林(Sparrow Search Algorithm-Random Forest, SSA-RF)的SAR图像变化检测方法。该方法首先通过对数比值法得到两时相SAR图像的差异图,然后在差异图预处理后进行层次模糊C均值(Fuzzy C-means, FCM)聚类预检测,生成有效标签。最后,利用标签训练随机森林二次检测模型,并采用麻雀搜索算法对随机森林进行参数优化构建性能稳定的分类器,得到差异图变化类与不变化类的分类结果,从而实现SAR图像的变化检测。实验结果表明,该方法较好地保留了变化区域信息,有效提高了SAR图像的变化检测精度。

Concentrations and seasonal dynamics of dissolved organic carbon in forest floors of two plantations （Castanopsis kawakamii and Cunninghamia lanceolata） in subtropical China

The concentrations and seasonal dynamics of DOC in forest floors of monoculture plantations of Castanopsis kawakamii and Chinese fir （Cunninghamia lanceolata） were assessed in Sanming, Fujian, China （26°11′30″N, 117°26′00″E）. Forest floor samples were taken in January, April, July and October in 2002 and divided into undecomposed material （horizon Oi）, partially decomposed organic material （horizon Oe）, and fully decomposed organic material （horizon Oa）. Upon collection. DOC concentrations of samples were analyzed by a High Temperature TOC. The results showed that the annual average DOC concentration of Chinese fir （1341.7 mg·kg^-1） in the forest floor was higher than that of Castanopsis kawakamii （ 1178.9 mg·kg^-1）. Difference in DOC concentrations was observed among three horizons of the forest floor. DOC concentration of forest floor in the two forests was the highest in horizon Oe. Seasonal trends of DOC concentrations in different horizons of forest floors were similar and the maximal value occurred in autumn （or winter）. The concentration and temporal change of DOC in studied forests were probably related to the variation in moisture, temperature, biological activity and quantity of organic matter in the forest floor.

Carbon Return and Dynamics of Litterfall in Natural Forest and Monoculture Plantation of Castanopsis kawakamii in Subtropical China

The amount of carbon returned through litterfall and its seasonal pattern were studied in a natural forest of Castanopsis kawakamii (NF) and adjacent monoculture plantations of C. kawakamii (CK) and Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) (CF) in Sanming, Fujian Province, China. Mean annual carbon return through total litterfall over 3 years (from 1999 to 2001) was 5.097 t穐m2 in the NF, 4.337 t穐m2 in the CK and 2.502 t穐m2 in the CF respectively. Of the total carbon return in the three forests, leaf contribution accounted for 58.96%, 68.53% and 56.12% and twig 24.41%, 22.34% and 26.18%, respectively. The seasonal patterns of carbon return from total litterfall and leaf-litter were quite similar among the three forests. A peak of carbon input from litterfall in the NF and the CK occurred in spring except for the highest annual C return through branch litter of the NF in summer, while the CF showed the maximum C return in summer. The results of this study demonstrate that the natural forest has a greater C return through litterfall than monoculture plantations, which is beneficial to the increase of soil organic matter storage and the maintenance of soil fertility.

Abundance and Dynamics of Soil Labile Carbon Pools Under Different Types of Forest Vegetation

Soil organic matter (SOM) in forest ecosystems is not only important to global carbon (C) storage but also to sustainable management of forestland with vegetation types, being a critical factor in controlling the quantity and dynamics of SOM. In this field experiment soil plots with three replicates were selected from three forest vegetation types: broadleaf, Masson pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.), and Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata Hook.). Soil total organic C (TOC), two easily oxidizable C levels (EOC1 and EOC2, which were oxidized by 66.7 mmol L-1 K_2Cr_2O_7 at 130-140℃and 333 mmol L-1 KMnO4 at 25℃, respectively), microbial biomass C (MBC), and water-soluble organic C (WSOC) were analyzed for soil samples. Soil under the broadleaf forest stored significantly higher TOC (P (?) 0.05). Because of its significantly larger total soil C storage, the soil under the broadleaf forest usually had significantly higher levels (P (?) 0.05) of the different labile organic carbons, EOC1, EOC2, MBC, and WSOC; but when calculated as a percentage of TOC each labile C fraction of the broadleaf forest was significantly lower (P (?)0.05) than one of the other two forests. Under all the three vegetation types temperature as well as quality and season of litter input generally affected the dynamics of different organic C fractions in soils, with EOC1, EOC2, and MBC increasing closely following increase in temperature, whereas WSOC showed an opposite trend.

Effect of Simulated Acid Rain on Potential Carbon and Nitrogen Mineralization in Forest Soils

Acid rain is a serious environmental problem worldwide. In this study, a pot experiment using forest soils planted with the seedlings of four woody species was performed with weekly treatments of pH 4.40, 4.00, 3.52, and 3.05 simulated acid rain (SAR) for 42 months compared to a control of pH 5.00 lake water. The cumulative amounts of C and N mineralization in the five treated soils were determined after incubation at 25 ℃ for 65 d to examine the effects of SAR treatments. For all five treatments, cumulative CO2-C production ranged from 20.24 to 27.81 mg kg-1 dry soil, net production of available N from 17.37 to 48.95 mg kg-1 dry soil, and net production of NO-3 -N from 9.09 to 46.23 mg kg-1 dry soil. SAR treatments generally enhanced the emission of CO2-C from the soils; however, SAR with pH 3.05 inhibited the emission. SAR treatments decreased the net production of available N and NO3-N. The cumulative CH4 and N2O productions from the soils increased with increasing amount of simulated acid rain. The cumulative CO2-C production and the net production of available N of the soil under Acmena acuminatissima were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) than those under Schima superba and Cryptocarya concinna. The mineralization of soil organic C was related to the contents of soil organic C and N, but was not related to soil pH. However, the overall effect of acid rain on the storage of soil organic matter and the cycling of important nutrients depended on the amount of acid deposition and the types of forests.

Reduced turnover rate of topsoil organic carbon in old-growth forests:a case study in subtropical China

Background:Old-growth forests are irreplaceable with respect to climate change mitigation and have considerable carbon(C)sink potential in soils.However,the relationship between the soil organic carbon(SOC)turnover rate and forest development is poorly understood,which hinders our ability to assess the C sequestration capacity of soil in old-growth forests.Methods:In this study,we evaluated the SOC turnover rate by calculating the isotopic enrichment factor β(defined as the slope of the regression between ^(13)C natural abundance and log-transformed C concentrations)along 0-30 cm soil profiles in three successional forests in subtropical China.A lower β(steeper slope)is associated with a higher turnover rate.The three forests were a 60-year-old P.massoniana forest(PF),a 100-year-old coniferous and broadleaved mixed forest(MF),and a 400-year-old monsoon evergreen broadleaved forest(BF).We also analyzed the soil physicochemical properties in these forests to examine the dynamics of SOC turnover during forest succession and the main regulators.Results:The β value for the upper 30-cm soils in the BF was significantly(p<0.05)higher than that in the PF,in addition to the SOC stock,although there were nonsignificant differences between the BF and MF.The β value was significantly(p<0.05)positively correlated with the soil recalcitrance index,total nitrogen,and available nitrogen contents but was significantly(p<0.01)negatively correlated with soil pH.Conclusions:Our results demonstrate that SOC has lower turnover rates in old-growth forests,accompanied by higher soil chemical recalcitrance,nitrogen status,and lower soil pH.This finding helps to elucidate the mechanism underlying C sequestration in old-growth forest soils,and emphasizes the important value of old-growth forests among global C sinks.

Land cover change and carbon stores in a tropical montane cloud forest in the Sierra Madre Oriental,Mexico

Tropical montane cloud forest is one of the ecosystems with the highest biomass worldwide, representing an important carbon store. Globally its deforestation index is –1.1%, but in Mexico it is higher than –3%. Carbon estimates are scarce globally, particularly in Mexico. The objective of this study was to simulate future land-cover scenarios for the Sierra Madre Oriental in Mexico, by analyzing past forest cover changes. Another objective was to estimate stored carbon in the two study areas. These objectives involve the generation of information that could be useful inputs to anti-deforestation public policy such as the REDD+ strategy. Remote sensing was used to measure land cover change and estimate carbon stocks. Satellite images from 2015, 2000 and 1986 were used, and Dinamica EGO freeware generatedmodels of future projections. Between 1986 and 2015, 5171 ha of forest were converted to pasture. The annual deforestation rates were –1.5% for Tlanchinol and –1.3% for the San Bartolo Tutotepec sites. Distance to roads and marginalization were highly correlated with deforestation. By 2030, an estimated 3608 ha of forest in these sites will have been converted to pasture. Stored carbon was estimated at 16.35 Mg C ha-1 for the Tlanchinol site and 12.7 Mg C ha-1 for the San Bartolo site. In the Sierra Madre Oriental deforestation due to land cover change(–1.4%) is higher than levels reported worldwide. Besides having high values of stored carbon(14.5 Mg C ha-1), these forests have high biodiversity. The models' outputs show that the deforestation process will continue if action is not taken to avoid the expansion of livestock pasturing. This can be done by paying incentives for forest conservation to the owners of the land. The results suggest that REDD+ is currently the most viable strategy for reducing deforestation rates in tropical montane cloud forests in Sierra Madre Oriental.

Development of component geographic information systems applying in forest resources management

The history, current situation, and development trend of GIS (Geographic Information System) applied in the forest resources management were discussed in this paper. On the basis of geographic spatial characteristics of forest resources data, a component geographic information system (ComGIS) was developed for forest resources management. The system embeds a GIS ActiveX control MapObjects (Inc. ESRI) on Visual C++ platform. System design, data organization and achieving way were studied and expatiated by taking Xigangzi Forestry Centre as study object. The system has many useful functions,, such as adding and display of various map layers, zoom of map by wheeling mouse, attribute and spatial data querying, map auto roaming, features rendering based on the spatial trait of data, label controlling through attribute data band with vector graph, as well as output of 'Column chart' for showing the result of statistics. At the same time, parts of source codes are attached.

Carbon and Nitrogen Transformations in Surface Soils Under Ermans Birch and Dark Coniferous Forests

Soil samples were taken from an Ermans birch （Betula ermanii）-dark coniferous forest （Picea jezoensis and Abies nephrolepis） ecotone growing on volcanic ejecta in the northern slope of Changbai Mountains of Northeast China, to compare soil carbon （C） and nitrogen （N） transformations in the two forests. The soil type is Umbri-Gelic Cambosols in Chinese Soil Taxonomy. Soil samples were incubated aerobically at 20℃ and field capacity of 700 g kg^-1 over a period of 27 weeks. The amount of soil microbial biomass and net N mineralization were higher in the Ermans birch than the dark coniferous forest （P 〈 0.05）, whereas the cumulative C mineralization （as CO2 emission） in the dark coniferous forest exceeded that in the Ermans birch （P 〈 0.05）. Release of the cumulative dissolved organic C and dissolved organic N were greater in the Ermans birch than the dark coniferous forest （P 〈 0.05）. The results suggested that differences of forest types could result in considerable change in soil C and N transformations.

Forest gaps regulate seed germination rate and radicle growth of an endangered plant species in a subtropical natural forest

The survival rate of Castanopsis kawakamii from seed to seedling is relatively low,leading to difficulties in the regeneration of its natural forests.Forest gaps play a vital role in plant regeneration and biodiversity maintenance in forest ecosystems.Unfortunately,our understanding of the effects of gap size and within-gap position on the seed germination and radicle growth of C.kawakamii is still limited.In particular,our knowledge on the relationship between gap size and environmental factors and their influence on seed germination and radicle growth is incomplete.In the present study,we studied the influences of forest gaps and within-gap position on seed regeneration on the germination and radicle growth of an endangered species C.kawakamii in a subtropical natural forest in China.We selected three large gaps(LG,gap size above 200 m^(2)),three medium gaps(MG,gap size 50-100 m^(2)),three small gaps(SG,gap size 30-50 m^(2)),and non-gap(NG),and planted the seeds of C.kawakamii in five positions within each gap.The results showed that(1)the influence of forest gaps on seed germination rate was,from highest to lowest,medium gaps(51%),non-gap(47%),small gaps(40%)and large gaps(17%),and the seed germination rate was the highest in all positions in medium gaps,with the exception of the east position.(2)Radicle length in forest gaps was,from highest to lowest,medium gaps,small gaps,large gaps and non-gap,and it was the highest in the east,south,west and north positions of medium gaps.(3)Canopy openness(gap size)and air temperature were the main factors influencing seed germination and radicle growth of C.kawakamii.We concluded that medium-sized gaps were the most suitable for seed germination and radicle growth of C.kawakamii,and they promote the regeneration of this endangered species in the investigated natural forest.

Changes in soil organic carbon contents and fractionations of forests along a climatic gradient in China

Background: Soil organic carbon(SOC) is a large reservoir of terrestrial carbon(C); it consists of different fractions of varying complexity and stability. Partitioning SOC into different pools of decomposability help better predict the trend of changes in SOC dynamics under climate change. Information on how physical fractions and chemical structures of SOC are related to climate and vegetation types is essential for spatial model ing of SOC processes and responses to global change factors.Method: Soil samples were col ected from multiple representative forest sites of three contrasting climatic zones(i.e. cool temperate, warm temperate, and subtropical) in eastern China. Measurements were made on SOC contents and physical fractions of the 0–20 cm soil layer, and the chemical composition of SOC of the 0–5 cm soil layer, along with measurements and compilation of the basic site and forest stand variables. The long-term effects of temperature, litter inputs, soil characteristics and vegetation type on the SOC contents and factions were examined by means of "space for time substitution" approach and statistical analysis.Result: Mean annual temperature(MAT) varied from 2.1 °C at the cool temperate sites to 20.8 °C at the subtropical sites. Total SOC of the 0–20 cm soil layer decreased with increasing MAT, ranging from 89.2 g·kg^(-1) in cool temperate forests to 57.7 g·kg^(-1) in subtropical forests, at an average rate of 1.87% reduction in SOC with a 1 °C increase in MAT.With increasing MAT, the proportions of aromatic C and phenolic C displayed a tendency of decreases, whereas the proportion of alkyl C and A/O-A value(the ratio of alkyl C to the sum of O-alkyl C and acetal C) displayed a tendency of increases. Overall, there were no significant changes with MAT and forest type in either the physical fractions or the chemical composition. Based on the relationship between the SOC content and MAT, we estimate that SOC in the top 20 soil layer of forests potentially contribute 6.58–26.3 Pg C globally to the atmosphere if global MAT increases by 1 °C–4 °C by the end of the twenty-first century, with nearly half of which(cf. 2.87–11.5 Pg C) occurring in the 0–5 cm mineral soils.Conclusion: Forest topsoil SOC content decreased and became chemical y more recalcitrant with increasing MAT,without apparent changes in the physical fractions of SOC.

Composting Efficiency of Urban Forest Litter and River Sediment at Different Proportions

In order to explore a technology for producing organic fertilizer by composting urban forest litter and river sediment passivated by fly ash, an experiment was conducted to study dynamic changes of several parameters including temperature, pH, organic matter, C/N and germination index （GI） during high-temperature composting of urban forest litter and river sediment at five different proportions （1：1 （Ⅰ）, 1：2 （Ⅱ）, 1：3 （Ⅲ）, 2：1 （Ⅳ） and 3：1 （Ⅴ））. Results showed that the temperature and pH increased first and then decreased; at the proportion of 3：1, the temperature increased rapidly and the high-temperature duration was longest （5 d）; at the end of the composting, all the treatments reached the decomposed status, the pH ranged from 7.47 to 8.87, and the organic matter content was reduced by 36%, 38%, 42%, 33% and 29%, respectively, indicating that increasing the proportion of urban forest litter was conducive to reducing the loss of organic matter. Due to low C/N ratio of river sediment, increasing the proportion of urban forest litter was helpful to improve the efficiency of composting. The GI of treatments I, IV and V reached 80% on day 26, 18 and 19 respectively, but the GI of treatments II and III did not reach this level until the end of composting. Considering the quality of fertilizer and efficiency of composting for large-scale production, the proportion between urban forest litter and river sediment is suitable to be set as 3：1 for production of organic fertilizer.

Heavy Metal Fluxes in Tropical Urban Forest Soil in Abidjan District (Côte d’Ivoire)

In Western Africa, the growth of cities has led to natural resource pollution, especially air pollution. Urban forests play a key role in filtering atmospheric particles and pollutants through the canopy before reaching the soil. This study aims to quantify heavy metal fluxes in an urban forest in the district of Abidjan in order to assess its role in the protection of natural resources. A monitoring of wet deposition (throughfall and open field rain) and litterfall was carried out for six months in the urban forest of the National Floristic Center located in Abidjan, C?te d’Ivoire. The results show that the soil of this urban forest is a ferralsol type characterized by a sandy-clay texture and a low load of coarse elements. The annual litterfall is estimated to 12.16 ± 0.71 t·ha-1·yr-1, similar to other tropical forests. Annual quantities of rain and throughfall are in the range of the rainfall recorded in the district of Abidjan (2013 ± 152 and 1773 ± 51 mm). Chemical analyses showed that litter and rainfall contain Mn, Zn, Ni, Cr, Cd and Hg. Manganese and Zn are the most abundant elements and Hg the least abundant in both rainfall and litter. The main source of input of the heavy metals into the urban forest soil is associated with biological recycling through the litter. The litterfall contributes to metal fluxes in soil 109 times greater than metal fluxes carry by wet depositions (open field rain and throughfall). However, a detailed study of rainfall showed that the forest canopy constitutes a barrier for the transfer of heavy metal to urban soil. This is indicated by a decrease in heavy metal content from open field rain to throughfall. Consequently, this study recommends the creation and maintenance of urban forests to increase biomass canopy and improve atmospheric air quality for West African cities undergoing constant change and development.

Spatial and temporal analysis of beta diversity in the Barro Colorado Island forest dynamics plot, Panama

Background: Ecologists are interested in assessing the spatial and temporal variation in ecological surveys repeated over time. This paper compares the 1985 and 2015 surveys of the Barro Colorado Forest Dynamics plot(BCI), Panama,divided into 1250(20 m × 20 m) quadrats.Methods, spatial analysis: Total beta diversity was measured as the total variance of the Hellinger-transformed community data throughout the BCI plot. Total beta was partitioned into contributions of individual sites(LCBD indices), which were tested for significance and mapped.Results, spatial analysis: LCBD indices indicated the sites with exceptional community composition. In 1985,they were mostly found in the swamp habitat. In the 2015 survey, none of the swamp quadrats had significant LCBDs.What happened to the tree community in the interval?Methods, temporal analysis: The dissimilarity in community composition in each quadrat was measured between time 1(1985) and time 2(2015). Temporal Beta Indices(TBI) were computed from abundance and presence-absence data and tested for significance. TBI indices can be decomposed into B = species(or abundances-per-species) losses and C = species(or abundances-per-species) gains. B-C plots were produced; they display visually the relative importance of the loss and gain components, through time, across the sites.Results, temporal analysis: In BCI, quadrats with significant TBI indices were found in the swamp area, which is shrinking in importance due to changes to the local climate. A published habitat classification divided the BCI forest plot into six habitat zones. Graphs of the B and C components were produced for each habitat group. Group 4(the swamp) was dominated by species(and abundances-per-species) gains whereas the five other habitat groups were dominated by losses, some groups more than others.Conclusions: We identified the species that had changed the most in abundances in the swamp between T1 and T2.This analysis supported the hypothesis that the swamp is drying out and is invaded by species from the surrounding area. Analysis of the B and C components of temporal beta diversity bring us to the heart of the mechanisms of community change through time: losses(B) and gains(C) of species, losses and gains of individuals of various species. TBI analysis is especially interesting in species-rich communities where we cannot examine the changes in every species individually.