名古屋大学年代測定総合研究センターシンポジウム報告

The Brenton Blue butterfly, Orachrysops niobe (Trimen) is currently only known to be extant at one locality in the southern Cape (the Brenton Blue Butterfly Reserve = BBBR), and currently globally Red Listed as "Critically Endangered". This research investigates the life history and ecological interactions of o. niobe and recommends management techniques for the BBBR. Adult nectar sources and female oviposition behaviour are described. The first two larval instars feed on the leaflets of the host plant Indigofera erecta Thunb., and the 3rd and 4th instar larvae feed on this plant's woody rootstock, attended by ants Camponotus baynei Arnold. Cannibalism takes place in the early larval stages. Adults emerge from late October - early December, from late January to early March, and occasionally there is a third brood in April. Morphological and behavioural features of the larvae are described, and larval growth patterns are compared to other polyommatines. The nature of the myrmecophilous behaviour is assessed and the phylogenetic relationships between Orachrysops, Euchrysops, Lepidochrysops, and other polyommatine genera are discussed. Ant assemblages at the BBBR are described from pitfall trap sampling and field observations of interactions between O. niobe larvae and ants. The ant assemblages at the BBBR, Nature's Valley Fynbos Reserve (NVFR) and Uitzicht 216/ 40 are compared. The potential impact of the Argentine ant at the BBBR is discussed. Adult and egg counts are used to study the population dynamics of O. niobe, leading to an estimate of the adult butterfly population and its fluctuations. A population dynamics model is constructed, and several factors impacting fecundity and mortality are assessed. Population studies on other polyommatines are compared and discussed. The morphology, reproductive biology and autoecology of the papilionoid legume I. erecta are described. An explanation is offered why the larvae of O. niobe are monophagous on this plant. Microhabitat variations cause changes in its vegetative morphology and this further explains the restricted range of O. niobe. The population dynamics of I. erecta is investigated and the effects of biotic and abiotic factors (including fire) assessed. Braun Blanquet methodology is used to sample and classify the vegetation communities at the BBBR. Ordination techniques are used to confirm the classification and to diagnose for environmental gradients. Hypotheses are generated about the ecological processes functioning at the site, and the environmental niche occupied by I. erecta. Correlations between the occurrence xxii of vegetation types and other plant species and I. erecta are sought and a strong association with Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus is demonstrated. Three study sites are described and the ecological history of the region is reconstructed. Ecosystems are no longer fully functional because natural fire regimes and megaherbivores are absent. It is suggested that O. niobe currently inhabits an interglacial refugium under stress from the current global warming trend. The remaining suitable habitat is threatened by coastal property development and environmental degradation. An increased population of o. niobe at the BBBR, and establishment of new populations is essential to avoid extinction. Management techniques are evaluated and a management strategy for the BBBR is proposed. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Environmental Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

This thesis considers some of the main issues surrounding the quantitative models that have been developed to reconstruct vegetation from pollen assemblages. Conducted within a pine dominated woodland, a palynologically difficult landscape, to determine vegetation changes over the late Holocene the results highlight the complexities of undertaking such studies in these contexts. Pollen productivity estimates were calculated from moss samples over the woodland using complete sets and derived subsets to detect influences of sampling design on resultant model output. Differences in the PPE sets were compared using reconstructions from simulation models in comparison to observed vegetation patterns. The results indicate that both parameter calculation and model reconstructions were influenced by the landscape form and composition. Sensitivity of the models to such small variations in parameter values heightens the need for robust data generation and increased investigation to controlling factors on pollen productivity. Performance of the reconstruction models experienced variation with respect to deposition basin size and site specific characteristics. Overall, the regional reconstructions proved to generate more confident estimates of vegetation cover whilst local scale reconstructions were subject to greater variability. Comparison of the quantitative modelling to standard interpretation and the modern analogue approach shows contrasts between the results obtained with respect to limitations associated with each method and the time frames, recent (ca. 100 years) and longer (ca. 3000 years), over which they were applied. Consequently, no one quantitative approach could be identified as being superior as site specific variations were recognised in relation to the most suitable approach. In response, a hierarchical technique is proposed to utilise the benefits of each technique and to obtain detailed information to strengthen interpretations. However, it is stressed study specific constrains that determine the available resources will influence the ability to fully apply this composite approach.

This study develops understanding of vegetation change and water, sediment and carbon dynamics in semi-arid environments. Objectives were addressed using an integrated ecohydrological and biogeochemical approach. Fieldwork, over two contrasting grass-woody transitions at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico, USA; quantified vegetation structure, soil structure and the spatial distribution of soil carbon resources. Over both transitions; woody sites showed a lower percentage vegetation cover and a greater heterogeneity in vegetation pattern, soil properties and soil carbon. Soil organic carbon differed in both quantity and source across the sites; with levels higher under vegetation, particularly at the woody sites. Biogeochemical analysis revealed soil organic carbon to be predominantly sourced from grass at the grassland sites. In contrast, at the woody sites soil organic carbon under vegetation patches was predominantly sourced from woody vegetation, whilst inter-patch areas exhibited a strong grass signature. Investigation of function focussed on the hydrological response to intense rainfall events. Rainfall-runoff monitoring showed woody sites to exhibit greater; runoff coefficients, event discharge, eroded sediment and event carbon yields. In contrast to grass sites, biogeochemical analysis showed the loss of organic carbon from woody sites to exhibit a mixed source signal, reflecting the loss of carbon originating from both patch and interpatch areas. To examine the linkages between vegetation structure and hydrological function, a flow length metric was developed to quantify hydrological connectivity; with woody sites shown to have longer mean flow pathways. Furthermore, in addition to rainfall event characteristics, flow pathway lengths were shown to be a significant variable for explaining the variance within fluxes of water, sediment and carbon. Results demonstrating increased event fluxes of sediment and carbon from woody sites have important implications for the quality of semi-arid landscapes and other degrading ecosystems globally. It is thus necessary to translate the understanding of carbon dynamics developed within this study to the landscape scale, so changing fluvial carbon fluxes can be incorporated into carbon budgets, research frameworks and land management strategies at policy-relevant scales.

Le renouvellement des peuplements forestiers irréguliers est envisagé par la création de trouées, afin d’augmenter localement l’éclairement en sous-bois et favoriser la croissance de la régénération d’arbres.Cependant, cette augmentation de lumière favorise aussi la colonisation des trouées par des espèces herbacées et semi-ligneuses compétitrices pour les ressources. Cette thèse s’est focalisée sur les interactions pour la lumière entre de jeunes pins sylvestres (Pinus sylvestris) et une végétation interférente représentée par la callune( Calluna vulgaris), la molinie (Molinia caerulea) et la fougère (Pteridium aquilinum) dans le sous-bois de peuplements mélangés chêne sessile (Quercus petraea)-pin sylvestre.La lumière est le facteur principal limitant la croissance des semis (hauteur<0,30m) et gaules(0,30m<hauteur<6m) de pin sylvestre. Cependant, alors que les semis supportent un ombrage conséquent, les besoins en lumière augmentent avec la dimension des individus.Le développement des trois espèces interférentes a été quantifié en fonction de l’éclairement. A recouvrement égal, la fougère intercepte plus de lumière que la molinie et la callune. La fougère affecte donc plus négativement la croissance des semis de pin, notamment parce qu’elle est aussi capable de développer un couvert dense même pour de très faibles éclairements. Pour les trois espèces, des facteurs autres que la lumière sont cependant impliqués qui pourraient être des phénomènes d’allélopathie, de compétition souterraine ou d’interférence mécanique. Les différents résultats sont intégrés dans un modèle conceptuel de dynamique forestière (RReShar, Regeneration and Resource Sharing). / Irregular forest stands regeneration is considered using gap creation that provokes a light increase in the understorey. The light increase leads to the recruitment of new trees as well as the potential colonization by competitive herbaceous and shrubby species. This study focused on light interactions between Scots pine (Pinussylvestris) seedlings and saplings and competitive vegetation made up of Calluna vulgaris, Molinia caerulea andPteridium aquilinum growing in mixed sessile oak (Quercus petraea)-Scots pine stands in acidic temperateforests in France.The light was the key limiting factor controlling Scots pine seedling and sapling growth. Seedlings are able totolerate a consequent shading, whereas sapling light requirement increases with their size. The growth of C.vulgaris, M. caerulea and P. aquilinum was measured according to light availability. For a given cover,P. aquilinum intercepted more light than M. caerulea and C. vulgaris. P. aquilinum involved a more pronounceddecrease of pine seedling growth as this species was able to reach high cover even in very shaded conditions. For all the three species, processes like allelopathy, belowground competition or mechanical interference were assumed to also impede with pine seedling growth. All those results were integrated in a conceptual forest dynamics model named RReShar (Resource and Regeneration Sharing).

Vegetation plays an important role in the partitioning, transport and fate of hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) in the environment. This thesis aimed at addressing two key knowledge gaps in our understanding of how plants exchange HOCs with the atmosphere: (1) To improve our understanding of the uptake of HOCs into, and transfer through, leaves of different plant species which can significantly influence the transport and fate of HOCs in the environment; and (2) To evaluate an experimental approach to measure fluxes of HOCs in the field. The methods presented in papers I, II and III contribute to increasing our understanding of the fate and transport of HOCs in leaves by offering straightforward ways of measuring mass transfer coefficients through leaves and partition ratios of HOCs between leaves, leaf lipids and lipid standards and reference materials like water, air and olive oil. The passive dosing study in paper III in particular investigated the role of the composition of the organic matter extracted from leaves in determining the capacity of the leaves to hold chemicals and found no large differences between 7 different plant species, even though literature data on leaf/air partition ratios (Kleaf/air) varies over 1-3 orders of magnitude. In paper IV we demonstrated that the modified Bowen ratio method can be extended to measure fluxes of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) if the fluxes do not change direction over the course of the sampling period and are large enough to be measured. This approach thus makes it possible to measure fluxes of POPs that usually require sampling times of days to weeks to exceed method detection limits. The experimental methods described in this thesis have the potential to support improved parameterization of multimedia models, which can then be evaluated against fluxes measured in the field using the modified Bowen ratio approach. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: Manuscript.</p>

Lenka Soukupová, Zvětrávání arsenopyritu v lesních půdách v acidifikovaném prostředí SUMMARY The weathering of arsenopyrite (FeAsS) has been studied at the experimental site Načetín in the Ore Mountains, Czech Republic. There were chosen three areas with different vegetation (beech, spruce a unforested areas) at this site. The arsenopyrite samples were placed in all soil horizons (litter, horizons A, B and C for forest areas; horizons A, B and C for unforested area), where they were exposed to ambient conditions for one year. After one-year weathering, the newly formed secondary minerals were identified and the rate of surface oxidation was determined, both depending on the environment of oxidation. Although physical-chemical parameters and content of main and trace elements of the studied soils varied, the only detected crystalline secondary mineral of arsenic was scorodite (FeAsO4∙2H2O). Nevertheless, this differences affected amount of formed scorodite. The highest concentrations were determined on the surface of the arsenopyrite grains that oxidized in the beech stand, conversely the lowest concentrations were determined on the arsenopyrite grains from the unforested area.

Tick-borne encephalitis risk assessment based on classification of vegetation from remote sensing data Abstract The main aim of this thesis has been to find out how to classify various categories of forest vegetation with a different risk of exposure to the tick-borne encephalitis based on the Landsat imagery. The legend used here is derived from the one used in the projects by Daniel, Kolář, Zeman (1995) and Daniel, Kolář, Beneš (1999) but has been reduced to only five classses with no overlaps in their definitions (I. coniferous stands, II. mixed stands, III. young deciduous stands and stand ecotones with a highly heterogeneous structure, IV. deciduous stands with a homogeneous structure, V. deciduous stands with a heterogeneous structure). The supervised classification with the Maximum Likelihood Classifier has been used on the Landsat imagery from various seasons. Difficulties concerned with the presence of clouds and varying Sun elevation across the imagery had to be adressed in the course of the work. The training sites and the control points have been defined by the field research and interpretation of the relevant orthophotomaps and Landsat imagery in 5-4-3 RGB composite. The mask of the forest has been created on the ZABAGED data basis. The time horizon of 2006 - 2010 has been the primary focus....

Henslow’s sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) winters in recently burned sites in pine savannas of the Southeastern United States. Previous studies have suggested that factors such as seed abundance and litter depth are important to wintering Henslow’s sparrows. My study asked how habitat variables including vegetation structure, seed abundance, and arthropod abundance predict Henslow’s sparrow site occupancy at Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge. In this study, Henslow’s sparrow more often occupied sites burned one growing season earlier than sites burned two growing seasons earlier, and did not occupy sites burned three or more growing seasons earlier. Data indicated that mass of graminoid seeds borne on stalks in November and minimum total seed mass were higher in occupied sites vs. unoccupied sites while litter density was lower. This suggests that Henslow’s sparrow selects habitats that may maximize foraging efficiency and probability of survival based on information about litter density and seed availability.

Metropolitan New Orleans Neighborhoods were surveyed in order to determine how bird populations responded to distance from the batture, percent canopy cover, stem counts, and understory vegetation. Surveys were conducted in the spring and summer of 2010. It was found that batture birds, urban birds, and pooled birds all had greater species richness and abundance in the spring in areas with more canopy cover, higher stem counts, more understory vegetation, and distances closer to the batture. In the summer, batture birds had greater richness and abundance in areas with more canopy cover, higher stem counts, and more understory cover. This group of birds also had greater richness nearer the batture in the summer, but there were no significant abundance tests. Urban birds showed no preferences for any of the vegetative variables, but showed some tendency to have greater richness further away from the batture. Pooled birds did not significantly respond to any of the variables during the summer. Fifteen individual species of birds were also analyzed to see how they responded to the same variables.