Contribution of Herbaceous Plants and Their Status and Role in Soil and Water Ecosystem

In this paper,the contemporary understanding process of herbaceous plants and their contributions are elaborated.The systematic idea of"mountain,river,forest,field,lake,and grass are a community of life"has led the grass to enter a new era of development.Broadly speaking,vegetation includes grassland,forest,crop,garden,etc.,while herbaceous vegetation is the most widely distributed on earth.From the macro and micro perspectives of soil and water ecology,this paper discusses the position and role of herbaceous vegetation in the earth's soil and water ecosystem,especially the fundamental position in mountain,river,forest,field,lake,grass and sand.Starting from the concept of soil and water ecology,the integrated protection and systematic management of mountain,river,forest,field,lake,grassland,and sand is proposed.Essentially,it is the protection and management of soil and water ecology,which summarizes various ecological systems on earth.The successful application of herbaceous plants in ecological restoration projects of mine has further enriched and developed the theory of soil and water ecology.

Value Evaluation of Water Ecosystem Services——A Case Study of Changshu City

[ Objective] The study aimed to quantitatively assess the values of water ecosystem services. [ Method] Combining the market value, travel cost and restoration cost method, the ecological services and their economic values of the lake Taodangmian were assessed from aspects of water supply, recreation and tourism, water purification and biodiversity maintenance. [ Resultl For the lake Taodangmian, its freshwater supply and tourism played more positive roles in the society than the others, while the functions of water purification and biodiversity maintenance brought negative effects, which shows that the ecological environment of Taodangmian has become increasingly worse and needs to be controlled and and protected further. [ Conclusion] The research could provide scientific references for the reasonable exploitation and utilization of water resources.

Ecological service assessment of human-dominated freshwater ecosystem with a case study in Yangzhou Prefecture, China

Freshwater ecosystems provide a host of services to humanity. These services are now rapidly being lost, not least because of the inability of making the impacts measurable. To overcome this obstacle, assessment frameworks for freshwater ecosystem services are needed. A simple water equivalent framework to assess the ecological services provided by freshwater ecosystems was developed in this study. It translated the occupation of freshwater ecosystem services into biologically freshwater volumes and then compares this consumption to the freshwater throughput, that is, the ecological capacity available in this region. In this way, we use the example of Yangzhou Prefecture, to account the main categories of human occupation of water ecosystem services. The result showed that there is a huge gap between the consumption and the supply of freshwater ecosystem services. This must encourage local government to make land-use and water management decisions both economically rational and environmentally sound.

Effects of Mountain Rivers Cascade Hydropower Stations on Water Ecosystems

China is rich in hydropower resources,and mountain rivers have abundant water resources and huge development potential,which have a profound impact on the pattern of water resources allocation in China.As the main way of water resources and hydropower development,the construction of cascade hydropower stations,while meeting the requirements of water resources utilization for social development,has also brought adverse effects on river ecosystems.Therefore,the impact of the construction of cascade hydropower stations on mountainous river ecosystems,where the minimum ecological flow of rivers must be ensured and reviewed.In addition,this paper proposed the deficiencies and outlooks for cascade hydropower stations based on previous research results.

Quality Evaluation and Its Application to Surface Water Ecosystem Based on Maximum Flux Principle

Based on the maximum flux principle(MFP),a water quality evaluation model for surface water ecosystem is presented by using self-organization map(SOM) neural network simulation algorithm from the aspect of systematic structural evolution.This evaluation model is applied to the case of surface water ecosystem in Xindu District of Chengdu City in China.The values reflecting the water quality of five cross-sections of the system at different developing stages are obtained,with stable values of 1.438,2.952,1.869,2.443 and 2.479,respectively.The simulation also indicates that the larger the value,the more serious the water pollution.Furthermore,a classification graph is given to reflect the evolution of structural pattern.The combination of MFP and SOM neural network reveals the formation of different structural patterns in the system during the interaction of internal components.It is shown that a dominant pattern is finally reserved,which starts from a variety of combination patterns for a time period.The results agree with those from traditional evaluation methods,which indicates that the proposed model has high accuracy.This model embodies the evolutionary dynamic mechanisms and characteristics of temporal and spatial changes,which helps to guide the prediction of water quality status of surface water ecosystem.

Payment for Water-Related Ecosystem Services as a Strategic Watershed Management Approach

Payments for ecosystem services (PES) have been created worldwide to assist watershed management and improve or maintain water quality. Considering their importance, we conducted a holistic review of payment for water-related ecosystem services to understand how this instrument has been applied in watershed management worldwide. First, we identified the watershed management actions considered by the PES programs and the challenges of implementing water-related PES. After we identified the methods and criteria used to define priority areas for water-related PES. Our review considered articles published on the Web of Science from 2011 to 2022. We found 236 articles relating PES to water resources, highlighting the main water conservation strategies: native vegetation conservation, native vegetation restoration, and implementing best agricultural practices. The method most frequent was interview, followed by the use of technologies, document analysis, and hydrological models. Another significant result was that priority areas for receiving PES are mainly riparian zones, areas near or with native vegetation cover, areas with higher erosion potential, steep areas, and areas with socially vulnerable communities. This review was crucial to identify efficient water resource conservation strategies and potential challenges in the implementation and development of PES programs.

Study of coastal water zone ecosystem health in Zhejiang Province based on remote sensing data and GIS

The coastal ecosystem health assessment is a field of increasing importance.In this paper,a preliminary assessment of ecosystem health in Zhejiang coastal water zone was made,mainly based on remote sensing data and GIS technique.Its spatial and quantitative evaluation was facilitated by the progress of remote sensing and GIS technique development.Firstly,human activities,hydrology and ecosystem problems in the study area were discussed and analyzed.Secondly,from 4 aspects of human stress,physical,chemical and biological responses to anthropogenic activities and natural stress,several indicators such as water transparency（Secchi Disk Depth,SDD）,suspended substance concentration,dissolved inorganic nitrogen,active phosphate,chlorophyll,harmful algae bloom,as well as distribution of sewage,sea lanes and port were employed.Thirdly,the Analytic Hierarchical Process was used for indicator weight calculation,and the ecosystem health criteria were established according to the integrative analysis of national water quality criteria,similar coastal ecosystem health research in other places or data inherent properties.The results indicated that from 2005 to 2007 the coastal water ecosystem health value in Zhejiang Province was unhealthy and needs ecological restoration by human intervention.

Regional differences of water conservation in Beijing’s forest ecosystem

The water conservation capacities of main forests in Beijing,China were estimated through the quantitative analysis.Various methods developed in published papers on forest hydrology were employed.The forests in Huairou,Yanqing,Miyun,Mentougou and Fangshan districts are the main contributors to water conservation（the cumulative ratio reaches 65%）,and the forests in Tongzhou,Chaoyang,Shunyi and Daxing districts have the highest water conservation capacity（3000 m3/ha）.Altitude and slope are the key factors to affect the water conservation capacity.The forests located in Plain Area,Hilly Area,Low Mountain,and Middle Mountain contributes 27%,28%,24% and 21% of the conserved water,respectively.The water conservation capacity of forests in Plain Area（2 948 m3/ha）,is superior to the forests in other regions.And the forests situated on Flat Slope,Moderate Slope and Gentle Slope constitute the largest proportion（nearly 93%） of water conservation,while the forests on Flat Slope has the highest water conservation capacity（2 797 m3/ha）,and the forest on Steep slope has the lowest water conservation capacity（948 m3/ha）.

Transdisciplinary research for supporting the integration of ecosystem services into land and water management in the Tarim River Basin,Xinjiang,China

There is a growing need for both science and practice domains to collaboratively and systematically seek knowledge-based strategies for sustainable development. In recent years, transdisciplinary research has emerged as a new approach that enables joint problem solving among scientists and stakeholders in various fields. In this paper, we aim to introduce transdisciplinary research for supporting the integration of the concept of eco- system services into land and water management in the Tarim River Basin, Xinjiang, Northwest China. While a large number of ecosystem service studies have helped to raise the awareness for the value of nature in China, a number of challenges remain, including an improved understanding of the relationships between ecosystem structure, functions and services, and the interaction of the various ecosystem services. A meaningful valuation of ecosystem services also requires the consideration of their strong spatial heterogeneity. In addition, ways to introduce the con- cept of ecosystem services into decision-making in China need to be explored. Thus, successful integration of the concept of ecosystem services into actual land and water management requires a broad knowledge base that only a number of scientific disciplines and stakeholders can provide jointly, via a transdisciplinary research process. We regard transdisciplinary research as a recursive process to support adaptive management that includes joint knowledge generation and integration among scientists and stakeholders. System, target, and transformation knowledge are generated and integrated during the process of （1） problem （re）definition, （2） problem analysis and strategy development, and （3） evaluation of the impact of the derived strategy. Methods to support transdisciplinary research comprise participatory modelling （actor-based modelling and Bayesian Networks modelling） and partici- patory scenario development. Actor-based modelling is a semi-quantitative method that is based on the analysis of problem perspectives of individual stakeholders as depicted in perception graphs. With Bayesian Networks, com- plex problem fields are modelled probabilistically in a simplified manner, using both quantitative data and qualitative expert judgments. These participatory methods serve to integrate diverse scientific and stakeholder knowledge and to support the generation of actually implementable management strategies for sustainable development. For the purpose of integrating ecosystem services in land and water management in the Tarim River Basin through trans- disciplinary research, collaboration among scientists and institutional stakeholders from different sectors including water, agriculture, forestry, and nature conservation is required. The challenge is to adapt methods of transdisci- plinary research to socio-cultural conditions in China, particularly regarding ways of communication and deci- sion-making.

Simulation of coupled pelagic-benthic ecosystem of the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass

A one-dimensional coupled pelagic-benthic box model for the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (YSCWM) is developed. The model is divided into three boxes vertically according to the depths of thermocline and euphotic layer. It simulates well the oligotrophic shelf ecosystem of the YSCWM considering effects of nu- trients deposition and microbial loop. Main features of vertical structure of various variables in ecosystem of the YSCWM were captured and seasonal variability of the ecosystem was well reconstructed. Calculation shows that the contribution of microbial loop to the zooplankton can reach up to 60%. Besides, input of inorganic nutrients from atmospheric deposition is an important mechanism of production in upper layer of the YSCWM when stratified.

Benefits Evaluation of Water Resources Used for Ecosystem in Shiyang River Basin of Gansu Province

Among the numerous inland river basins in the arid northwest China,Shiyang River basin is known for its most serious water shortage that constrains its social and economic developments and for some of the worst ecological and environmental deterioration in China.The research on the value of water resources used for ecosystem is the basis for reasonable allocation of water resources between users of ecosystem and economic system.In this paper the concept of dynamic value for the ecosystem services is proposed.A modified coefficient for the ecosystem service value per unit area is proposed according to the cover degrees of biomes combined with expert consultation.Based on the developmental stage coefficient and scarcity of ecological resources,a dynamic evaluation method is proposed.The theoretical formula and simple calculation formula of the sharing benefits coefficient and benefits per unit ecological water utilization are proposed.The result shows that the benefit of unit ecological water utilization in the lower reach was greater than that in the upper reach in the Shiyang River basin.

Ecosystem Service Flow Insights into Horizontal Ecological Compensation Standards for Water Resource: A Case Study in Dongjiang Lake Basin, China

Water supply services(WSSs) are critical for the regional water balance and water circulation, but relevant studies have not established the relationship between WSSs and human well-being. This research identifies the scope of areas that benefit from WSSs from an ecosystem service flow perspective. Moreover, the path and quantity of the flow of WSSs are simulated to provide a scientific theoretical basis for ecosystem service management and ecological compensation. The Dongjiang Lake Basin is a national priority river basin in China where ecological compensation pilot programmes concerning water resources are top priorities. Dongjiang Lake Basin experienced an increase and then a decrease in the overall supply of water, with an average net water supply of 1096–1500 mm for the years 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010. The water demand increased each year in service beneficiary areas(SBAs), varying from 387 to 580 mm. Overall, Dongjiang Lake Basin met the net water demands of the actual SBAs in the lower reaches, but a gap in the water supply and demand emerged gradually. This research provides an understanding of the functional mechanisms for the provision, demand and flow of WSSs and provides a scientific theoretical basis for ecosystem service management and ecological compensation.

Water-use efficiency in response to simulated increasing precipitation in a temperate desert ecosystem of Xinjiang, China

Water-use efficiency（WUE） is a key plant functional trait that plays a central role in the global cycles of water and carbon. Although increasing precipitation may cause vegetation changes, few studies have explored the linkage between alteration in vegetation and WUE. Here, we analyzed the responses of leaf WUE, ecosystem carbon and water exchanges, ecosystem WUE, and plant community composition changes under normal conditions and also under extra 15% or 30% increases in annual precipitation in a temperate desert ecosystem of Xinjiang, China. We found that leaf WUE and ecosystem WUE showed inconsistent responses to increasing precipitation. Leaf WUE consistently decreased as precipitation increased. By contrast, the responses of the ecosystem WUE to increasing precipitation are different in different precipitation regimes： increasing by 33.9% in the wet year（i.e., the normal precipitation years）and decreasing by 4.1% in the dry year when the precipitation was about 30% less than that in the wet year.We systematically assessed the herbaceous community dynamics, community composition, and vegetation coverage to explain the responses of ecosystem WUE, and found that the between-year discrepancy in ecosystem WUE was consistent with the extent to which plant biomass was stimulated by the increase in precipitation. Although there was no change in the relative significance of ephemerals in the plant community, its greater overall plant biomass drove an increased ecosystem WUE under the conditions of increasing precipitation in 2011. However, the slight increase in plant biomass exerted no significant effect on ecosystem WUE in 2012. Our findings suggest that an alteration in the dominant species in this plant community can induce a shift in the carbon-and water-based economics of desert ecosystems.

Water cycle investigations in Hungarian forest ecosystems

From the biological point of view the value of autotrophy plant association is determined by the carbon fixation and the carbon cycle. Among the plant associations of Hungary, forest has the largest biological carbon fixation and carbon cycle. In general, the annual water cycle is the key factor in the organic material production of the Hungarian forests. The most intensive water con- sumption and organic material production take place from May till July, which period is named main water consumption and respec- tively main growing period, In Hungary the categories of the forest climate are characterized by main tree species and based on the characteristic meteorological data （Jaro and Tatraaljai, 1985）. In Hungary the forest area covered by stand is 1,650,000 hm2. Beech forest climate covers 8% of the forest area, hornbeam-oak forest climate covers 22%, sessile oak-Turkey oak forest climate covers 48% and forest steppe climate covers 22%. Partly in the frame of ICP-Forests, the Department of Ecology in the Forest Research Institute carries out long term, complex ecophysiological investigations on several sample plots （so-called basic plots） throughout the whole country. The organic material production （growth）, the nutrient and water cycle, the measurements of air pollutants and mete- orological parameters, as well as chemical analyses are all part of the investigations. As a comparison the figure of two basic plots （Sopron Pasp0kladfiny） shows the water cycles of a good growing beech stand in beech climate and a wcak pedunculate oak stand in forest steppe climate in the hydrological year of 2001-2002. In the Hungarian forest 60% 70% of the precipitation is used for inter- ception, evaporation, and in the vegetation season, for the transpiration both in beech and forest steppe climate. From other point of view, only 30%-40% of the open air precipitation infiltrates into the soil and can be utilized by the forest.

The Public Water Supply Protection Value of Forests: A Watershed-Scale Ecosystem Services Analysis Based upon Total Organic Carbon

We developed a cost-based methodology to assess the value of forested watersheds to improve water quality in public water supplies. The developed methodology is applicable to other source watersheds to determine ecosystem services for water quality. We assess the value of forest land for source water mitigation of total organic carbon (TOC) through the use of linked watershed and reservoir simulation models and cost-based valuation economics. Watershed modeling results indicated that expected urbanization will increase TOC loads to Converse Reservoir (Mobile, AL). Reservoir model results indicated that future median TOC concentrations increased by 1.1 mg·L-1 between 1992 and 2020 at the source water intake. Depending upon dynamic reservoir TOC concentrations, additional drinking water treatment with powdered activated carbon (PAC) often is necessary between May and October to comply with Safe Drinking Water Act regulations. The cost for additional treatment was calculated using minimum and maximum volume treated with simulated TOC concentrations at the source water intake. Daily simulated TOC concentrations for the base scenario using 1992 land cover (3% urban) were compared with simulated TOC concentrations following forest to urban land conversion predicted in the watershed by 2020 (22% urban). The daily cost for additional drinking water treatment with PAC was calculated if simulated TOC concentrations exceeded 2.7 mg·L-1. The mean increase in daily treatment costs between base and future scenarios ranged from $91 to $95 per km2 per day for forest land water purification ecosystem services.

Ecosystem health evaluation system of the water-fluctuating zone in the Three Gorges Area

This paper discribes the definition of ecosystem health for the water-level flutuation zone of the Three Gorges Region and puts forward an evaluation system involving indicators in three groups: 1) structural indicators comprise slope, biodiversity, environmental capacity, stability, restoration ability and damage situation; 2) functional indicators including probability of geological hazard, erosion rate, habitat rate, land use intension and days of tourist season; 3) environmental indicatiors made up of population quality, potential intension of human, ground water quality, ambient air quality, wastewater treatment rate, pesticide use rate, fertilizer use rate, environmental management and public participation. In the design of the system, the subject zone is regarded as the type similar to wetland and the impacts of human activities on the zone are attached great importance to.