Compared with the traditional techniques of forest fire detection, a wireless sensor network paradigm based on a ZigBee technique was proposed. The proposed technique is in real time, given the exigencies of forest fires. The architecture of a wireless sensor network for forest fire detection is described. The hardware circuitry of the network node is designed based on a CC2430 chip. The process of data transmission is discussed in detail. Environmental parameters such as temperature and humidity in the forest region can be monitored in real time. From the information collected by the system, decisions for fire fighting or fire prevention can be made more quickly by the relevant government departments.

In this study, the contact angles of four different reference liquids (including distilled water, diiodomethane, formadide and glycerol) formed on the surfaces of wood, treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) and two other emerging copper-based water-borne systems (commercial names: NW and NS) were measured with sessile drop method. Based on the contact angle data, the surface energy was obtained from the acid-base approach. The total surface energy consisted of Lifshiz-van der Waals parameter and acid-base parameter. Results showed that the NW and CCA treatments made the wood surface more hydrophobic while the NS treatment had the reverse effect on the wood surface mainly owing to the increased penetration of earlywood. By using three liquids, diiodomethane, formamide and distilled water, the total surface energy obtained for untreated earlywood, untreated latewood, CCA-treated earlywood, CCA-treated latewood, NW-treated earlywood, NW-treated latewood, NS-treated earlywood and NS-treated latewood were 43.1, 44.5, 43.4, 45.1, 49.4, 40.6, 46.0 and 40.9 mJ/m², respectively. The surface energy of CCA-treated wood was almost the same as untreated wood. After NW and NS treatments, the surface energy of both earlywood and latewood changed a little. However, the change was not so obvious as to draw any further conclusion concerning the influence of NW and NS treatments on the surface energy of wood.

Bamboo fiber dissolution and hydrolysis in formic acid were studied. After hydrolysis, formic acid can be recovered in a clean state and reused. Solid water-soluble sugars were obtained. After being dipped into the formic acid solution for 30 min, the bamboo fibers started to swell. After one hour, the bamboo fibers gradually started to dissolve in the formic acid solution. The color of the liquor/solution turned green and dark. In the end, the bamboo fibers became thoroughly dissolved in the liquor after four hours. There was a clear hierarchical tissue structure on the fiber surface, as observed by AFM before treatment. The differential structure disappeared after 30 min of treatment. The fiber surface became plump and glossy. After six hours reaction at 60°C, the solid sugar mixture recovered contained glucose, cellobiose, cellotriose, cellotetrose, cellopentose and cellohexaose. A significant fraction of the sugar products consisted of monomeric glucose. More than 54.5% of the bamboo fiber mass had been transformed into monomeric glucose.

There are two ways for Symplocos laurina to propagate: clonal reproduction and sexual reproduction. S. laurina adopted different ways to propagate and occupy space in different environments: under conditions with abundant water, nutrient resources, and lower light such as in an evergreen broad-leaved or a bamboo forest; survival rates and the ability of both clonal and sexual seedlings to occupy space, were relatively high. But clonal ramets took advantage both in terms of number and space. Therefore, clonal propagation predominated in such an environment. However, in habitats lacking sufficient nutrition and with higher light intensity, survival rates and space-occupying ability of two kinds of seedlings (sexual and asexual produced) were low and the space would be preempted by grown-up plantlets. A bottleneck in sexual propagation appeared at the stage from seed to seedling, while in clonal propagation it appeared during the period from an asexual plantlet to a ramet. The way S. laurina invaded space was like that of a plantlet settled in a place and then occupied the space rapidly by clonal growth under conditions of abundant water and nutrient resources and lower light such as in an evergreen broad-leaved forest or a bamboo forest. Clonal seedlings showed a great advantage in the initial stages, but this advantage disappeared after 15 years.

In May 12, 2008, a strong earthquake occurred in Wenchuan County in the northern Sichuan Province of China. It registered 8.0 on the Richter scale with an 11-degree quake intensity, killing a large number of people, and causing extensive damage to the local environment. Wolong National Nature Reserve is about 30 km away from the epicenter and is one of the most important giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) habitats in China. Based on the impacts of the Wenchuan 512 earthquake and those of other strong earthquakes in the world, this paper reviews and discusses effects of strong earthquakes on geomorphology, soil chemical and physical properties, forests, bamboo growth, biodiversity, and giant panda habitat. This information may be useful for scientists when undertaking research projects on natural geography, ecological restoration, and habitat restoration in the Reserve and the disaster area.

In order to make clear the relationships between photosynthesis and leaf N, leaf P and SLA of tropical trees, and test the differences in the relationships among life-form groups (trees, shrub-like trees and shrubs), seedlings and saplings of 101 species from a tropical montane rain forest, located in the Diaoluo Mountain of Hainan Island, were selected. The net photosynthesis based on area and mass (A_area and A_mass), leaf nitrogen content based on area and mass (N_area and N_mass), leaf phosphorus content based on area and mass (P_area and P_mass) and specific leaf area (SLA) were measured and/or calculated. The results showed that A_area and A_mass tended to follow the order of shrubs>trees>shrub-like trees. One-way ANOVA showed that the difference in A_area between shrubs and shrub-like trees was significant (p<0.05), and for A_mass there were significant differences between shrubs and shrub-like trees and between shrubs and tree species (p<0.05). The relationships between A_area and N_mass were highly significant in all three life-form groups and for all species (p<0.0001). The correlation between A_area and P_mass was highly significant in shrubs (p=0.0038), shrub-like trees (p=0.0002) and for all species (p<0.0001), but not significant in trees (p>0.05). The relationship between A_area and SLA was highly significant in shrubs (p=0.0006), trees (p<0.0001) and for all species (p<0.0001), however this relation was not significant in shrub-like trees (p>0.05). The relationships between A_mass and leaf N and SLA were highly significant in all three life-form groups and for all species (p<0.0001). For A_mass and leaf P, there were significant correlations in tree groups (p=0.0377) and highly significant correlations in shrub groups (p=0.0004), shrub-like tree groups (p=0.0018) and for all species (p<0.0001). Stepwise regression showed that predicted A_mass values were closer to the observed values than those for predicted A_area values. Thus, it can be concluded that the relationships obtained from seedling and sapling measurements are close to those from mature individuals; correlations between photosynthesis and N_mass, P_mass and SLA traits are significant and the relationships are stronger and more stable for A_mass than for A_area.

With the aid of canonical correlation analysis, the relations among soil nutrients, soil microorganisms, and soil enzyme activities were studied in vegetation restoration areas of degraded and eroded soils in the Nverzhai watershed in northwestern Hunan. The main results were as follows: the key factors in soil nutrients, microorganisms, and enzyme activities were N and P elements, number of bacteria, carbon and nitrogen in soil microbial biomass and the activities of urease, polyphenol oxidase, phosphatase, and invertase. The activities of urease and polyphenol oxidase are related to the inversion of N and P elements that had important impact on the accumulation of carbon and nitrogen in soil microbial biomass. Moreover, the activities of urease, polyphenol oxidase, and phosphatase could promote carbon accumulation in microbial biomass; however, invertase activities inhibited the accumulation of microbial biomass nitrogen. On the other hand, urease activities were beneficial to the N element content in soils but unfavorable for P elements. There is a negative relation between polyphenol oxidase activity and N element content. For every canonical variable group, the tendencies of soil nutrients, microorganisms, and enzyme activities to accumulate in different soil layers in different vegetation restoration communities could offer some scientific basis for the diagnosis of the health of the soil and the site type division in the process of vegetation restoration.

Mosses cover most of the forest floor of subalpine forests at the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, the origin of many important rivers in China. They play a crucial role in preventing soil erosion and conserving large amounts of water thereby regulating the water budget of local ecosystems. This area has a harsh climate due to low temperatures and low air pressure at high elevations. But the temperature varies considerably during the growing season, which does not favor the regeneration of spruce seedlings on clear-cuts after logging. Leaves of mosses have a single layer of cells and are thus sensitive to environmental changes. This attribute may be useful for monitoring environmental conditions and guide artificial regeneration. The growth of mosses has never been studied in this area and the variables indicating their growth in the subalpine forest ecosystems still needs investigation.Growth rates of mosses have been rarely studied worldwide because the methods are time consuming and often inaccurate. A more simple and accurate method for measuring moss growth would help and encourage relevant research. We have found a method that will promote the efficiency in field measurements. Because of the special growth properties of mosses, the apical cell of branches initiates growth and the preceding leaves will stay where they were as the tips grow. Once mosses are marked with red oil at the tip of branches surrounded by young leaves, that portion of the branch above the marked leaves represents growth after labeling.Two plots, one in an old-growth spruce forest and another in a nearby clear-cut, were selected to label mosses in a subalpine area of western Sichuan Province during the growing season in 2001. The labeling was done on May 7 and measurements were made on August 7. Microclimate measurements on both sites were simultaneously carried out.Of the six mosses, five species were present in both the forest and on the clear-cut. One species, Entodon conncinus, was found only on the clear-cut. The growth rates of mosses varied among species and habitats. Hylocomium splendens grew the fastest while Dicranum assamicum had the slowest growth rate. Habitat conditions have a distinct effect on the growth of Hylocomium splendens, Dicranum assamicum and Thuidium lepidoziaceum and their growth rates were higher in forests than on clear-cuts. The growth rates of these mosses increased as their habitat approached the forest. Actinothuidium hookeri and Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus have moderate growth rates and is almost entirely independent of the type of habitat. The mosses can therefore be classified into habitat-sensitive and habitat-insensitive types. Analysis of microclimate characteristics shows that from May to July, the solar radiation level is lower and the environment is drier in the forest than those on the clear-cut. But a vapor pressure deficit (VPD) regime shows that the VPD in the morning is almost always lower in the forest than that on the clear-cut. With lower radiation and VPD, forests are more favorable to moss growth. For habitat-insensitive species, favorable micro-topographic factors might have offset the effect of habitat type.VPD is strongly correlated with the growth of mosses. Eco-physiological characteristics, such as poikilohydry, play an important role in the survival and growth of mosses under harsh climatic conditions. Temperature and humidity are two factors critical for seedling establishment in artificial regeneration processes in the subalpine areas of western Sichuan. Since the growth of mosses is a function of the two factors, moss growth rates can be used to indicate the more favorable habitats. Therefore, the status of moss growth can be used to indicate habitats potentially favorable to the growth of tree seedlings.

Using the PMS pressure chamber and isotope mass spectrometer (MAT-252), the leaf juice of Acacia mangium was obtained, and the carbon isotope discrimination (D) representing the most recently fixed carbon in the juice was determined. At the same time, the water-use efficiency of A. mangium was estimated. The results indicated that the carbon isotope ratio in the air of forest canopy (d_a), 10 m high above ground averaged -7.57±1.41‰ in cloudy days, and -8.54±0.67‰ in sunny days, respectively. The diurnal change of the carbon isotope ratio in the photosynthetic products of the leaf juice (d_p) was of saddle type in cloudy days, but dropped down from morning to later afternoon in sunny days. A strong negative correlation between d_p and leaf-to-air vapor pressure deficit (D) was observed in sunny days, but a slight change in d_p was found in cloudy days. The d_p also decreased with decreasing leaf water potential (Ψ), reflecting that water stress could cause the decrease of d_p. The carbon isotope discrimination of the leaf juice was positively correlated with the ratio between intercellular (P_i) and atmospheric (P_a) partial pressure of CO₂. For A. mangium, the isotope effect on diffusion of atmospheric CO₂ via stomata was denoted by a = 4.6‰, and that in net C₃ diffusion with respect to P_i was indicated by b = 28.2‰. The results were in reasonable accord with the theoretically diffusive and biochemical fractionation of carbon isotope. It was defined that carbon isotope discrimination of photosynthetic products in A. mangium leaf juice was in proportion to that from photosynthetic products in dry material. The water-use efficiency estimated by the carbon isotope discrimination in leaf juice, fit well with that measured by gas exchange system (R² = 0.86, p< 0.0001). The application of leaf juice in measuring the stable carbon isotope discrimination would reduce the effects of fluctuating environmental factors during the synthesis of dry matter, and improve the eco-physiological studies on carbon and water balance when scaling from the plant to canopy in the fields.

We tested the dynamics of nine enzymes during leaf litter decomposition in Xishuangbanna tropical rainforest both in the field and laboratory to explore the response of enzyme dynamics to decomposition under different food-web structures. We used coarse and fine (1 mm and 100 μm mesh size, respectively) litterbags in the field to create different food-web structures during litter decomposition. Most soil macrofauna such as nematodes could access only the coarse mesh litterbags, leaving only microbiota, such as mites, in the fine mesh litterbags. In the laboratory, sterilization and inoculation were adopted to investigate different enzyme dynamics with nematodes or only microbiota participating in litter decomposition. Invertase and amylase increased more for shorter food webs at the early stages of decomposition, while activities of endocellulase, β-glucosidase, xylanase and polyphenoloxydase increased to their maximum at the later stages, but greater increase occurred with extended food webs. Invertase and amylase had negative relationships and endocellulase, β-glucosidase, xylanase and polyphenoloxydase had positive relationships with litter decomposition (mass loss). The activities of enzymes responded to the process of litter decomposition. Invertase and amylase played key roles for microbiota utilizing the substrates at early stages of decomposition, while endocellulase, β-glucosidase, xylanase and polyphenoloxydase worked on the further decay of recalcitrant compounds at later stages. All enzymes related to carbon decay acted as effective indicators of litter decomposition. The decomposition of plant organic matter was essentially an enzymatic process.

Landslides, which develop in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, are related to many factors. Lithology is one of the indispensable internal factors, besides relative height differences, slope gradients and slope profiles. We used an information value model with geographical information system (GIS) technology to study how lithology contributes to the development of landslides from the Yunyang to Wushan segment in the Three Gorges Reservoir area and we quantify the relationship between lithology and development of landslides. Via an investigation of 205 examples of past landslides, we found that the lithology of J_3s, J_3p and T_2b contributes most. Our research results can provide a valid basis for future construction in the Three Gorges Reservoir area.

In this paper, we discuss the effects of a nanometer silicon dioxide (nano-SiO₂) coupling agent, dispersal methods and the amount of nano-SiO₂/urea formaldehyde resin. The results of our study indicate that when nano-SiO₂, using KH-550 silane as a coupling agent, was added to UF resin by discontinuous ultrasonic vibration, its properties improved effectively. When the content of nano-SiO₂ was below 1.5%, the amount of free formaldehyde decreased, and the viscosity and bonding strength of resin increased with an increase in the added nano-SiO₂, which did not prolong the curing time. The performance indices of plywood, particleboard and medium density fiberboard (MDF), hot-pressed by nano-SiO₂ (1%)/UF resin (F/U molar ratio=1.2), exceeded the requirements of the National Standard. Their free formaldehyde emission reached E1 grade. Finally, we analyzed the mechanism of the strengthening effects of nano-SiO₂ on UF resin by means of infrared spectrum analysis and X-ray photoelectronic spectrum (XPS).

Preferential flow is a runoff mechanism intermediate between matrix flow and surface flow, transmitting water at high velocity through the subsurface zone. To assess the effect of preferential flow on soil-water flow and surface runoff in a forested watershed, precipitation and volumes of preferential flow, matrix flow and surface runoff were measured over a period of four years in a forested watershed in the Three Gorges area of southern China. Results show that preferential-flow hydrographs have gentler rises and steeper recessions than those for matrix flow and surface runoff. Preferential flow as a percentage of soil-water flow ranged from 2.40% to 8.72% and the maximum preferential-flow velocity exceeded as much as 5600 times that of matrix flow. This shows that preferential flow plays an important role in the movement of soil water. Preferential flow has a significant effect on peak surface runoff by increasing the surface runoff rate and accelerating the appearance of peak surface runoff. Preferential flow can also prolong the duration of surface runoff. Surface runoff was observed to be positively correlated with preferential flow. The greater the sum of rainfall amount and antecedent precipitation is, the greater the effect of preferential flow on surface runoff is.

The temperature coefficient, Q₁₀ (fractional change in rate with a 10vH increase in temperature) describes the temperature sensitivity of soils, roots, and stems, as well as their possible performance in global warming processes. It is also a necessary parameter for the estimation of total CO₂ efflux from each element. A number of studies have focused on Q₁₀ values to date; however, their conclusions are not universal and do not always agree. A review of these reported Q₁₀ values therefore becomes necessary and important for a global understanding of the temperature sensitivity of different forest types and elements. The aims of our present paper are, first, to find the frequency distribution pattern of soils, roots, and stems (branches) and compare their temperature sensitivity; then, to find the Q₁₀ differences between conifer and deciduous tree species and the effect of methodology on Q₁₀ values; finally we want to give a perspective on future Q₁₀-related studies. We found that most Q₁₀ values of each element were concentrated in a relatively narrow range despite a total data distribution over quite a wide range. For soil respiration, the median Q₁₀ value was 2.74 and the center of the frequency distribution was between 2.0 and 2.5 with a percentage of 23%. Most of the data (>80%) were within the range from 1.0 to 4.0. The median Q₁₀ value for root respiration was 2.40 and the center of the frequency distribution was from 2.5 to 3.0 with a percentage of 33%. Most of the results (>80%) ranged from 1.0 to 3.0. For stem respiration, the median Q₁₀ value was 1.91 and the frequency distribution was concentrated between 1.5 and 2.0. Over 90% of the data ranged from 1.0 to 3.0. Obvious differences in Q₁₀ value were found between different elements, stem < root < soil including root < soil excluding root. The differences between woody organisms of stems, roots, and soils excluding roots were statistically significant (p<0.05), indicating that heterotrophic respiration from microorganism activity may be more sensitive to global warming. The duration of the period with leaves slightly affects the temperature sensitivity of woody organisms since the Q₁₀ values for root and stem of coniferous evergreen trees did not differ significantly from deciduous trees (p>0.10). CO₂ analytical methods (soda lime absorption method, IRGA (Infra-read gas analysis), and chromatograph analysis) and root separation methods (excised root and trenched box) slightly affected theQ₁₀ values of soil and root respiration (p>0.10), but an in vitro measurement of stem respiration yielded a significantly higher Q₁₀value than an in vivo method (p<0.05). In general, although the Q₁₀ values of non-photosynthetic organisms stayed within a relatively conservative range, considerable variation between and within elements were still detectable. Accordingly, attention should be paid to the quantitative estimation of total CO₂ efflux by Q₁₀-related models. In future studies, the biochemical factors and the environmental and biological factors controlling respiration should be emphasized for precise estimation of total CO₂ efflux. The difficulty is how to clarify the underlying mechanism for fluctuations of Q₁₀ values for one specific habitat and element (e.g. temperature acclimation or adaptation of Q₁₀ values) and then allow the Q₁₀ values to be more conservative for representation of temperature sensitivity in global warming processes.

Wolong Nature Reserve is the largest reserve for protecting the endangered wild giant panda. Due to historical factors, even in many sections of the core protection area, the forests have been seriously destroyed and natural forests are poorly restored. However, the relative importance of the determinants for recruitment of communities under disturbance is rarely explored. In our study the endogenous and exterior factors in a forest gap that affect the conifer-broad-leaved mixed forest regeneration were investigated near Wuyipeng, one of the observation stations at Wolong, to explore which determinant had the greatest effect on gap regeneration and to discover the recruitment of seedling establishment in forest gaps. With a linear sampling method, environmental factors, gap characteristics and recruitment of new individuals were measured and examined in every forest gap along three sampling lines. Data of environmental factors in the gaps were collected for a Pearson correlation analysis in order to explore the disturbance and preprocessed characteristics of the gaps, using principal component analysis in SPSS. Correlation analysis was applied to further explore the relationship between changes in the gaps and the response of the regenerating seedlings. The results show that a range of natural and human disturbances affected the pattern and characteristics of the forest gaps in this area. The richness in the composition of the seedlings was higher than that of gap makers, but the order of dominance of the composition was different between seedlings and gap makers. The success of dominant species in establishing themselves was affected by different environmental factors. For instance, the establishment of Betula spp. was correlated significantly with topographic factors, while that of Abies faxoniana was affected by soil characteristics and that of Rhododendron spp. correlated significantly with topographic factors and characteristics of gap makers. Moreover, all the biodiversity indices of regenerating seedlings were significantly correlated with environmental principle components mostly reflecting soil properties. From this we can infer that soil characteristics are the most important factors affecting the regeneration of dominant species and seedling diversity under gap disturbances.

Biomass, carbon content, carbon storage and spatial distribution in the 32-year-old Phoebe bournei artificial forest were measured. The mean biomass of the forest stand was 174.33 t/hm², among which the arbor layer was 166.73 t/hm², which accounted for 95.6%. Carbon contents of stems, barks, branches, leaves, root, shrub layer, herb layer, lichen layer and litter layer were 0.5769 g C/g, 0.4654 g C/g, 0.5232 g C/g, 0.4958 g C/g, 0.4931 g C/g, 0.4989 g C/g, 0.4733 g C/g, 0.4143 g C/g, 0.3882 g C/g, respectively. The mean carbon content of soil was 0.0139 g C/g, which reduced gradually along with soil depth. Total carbon storage of the P. bournei stand ecosystem was 227.59 t/hm², among which the arbor layer accounted for 40.13% (91.33 t/hm²), the shrub layer accounted for 0.17% (0.38 t/hm²), the herb layer accounted for 0.76% (1.71 t/hm²), the lichen layer accounted for 0.28% (0.63 t/hm²), and the litter layer accounted for 0.29% (0.66 t/hm²). Carbon content (0-80 cm) of the forest soil was 58.40% (132.88 t/hm²). Spatial distribution ranking of carbon storage was: soil layer (0-80 cm)>arbor layer>herb layer>litter layer>lichen layer>shrub layer. Net production of the forest stand was 8.5706 t/(hm²·a), in which the arbor layer was 6.6691 t/(hm²·a), and it accounted for 77.82%. Net annual carbon sequestration of the P. bournei stand was 4.2536 t/(hm²·a), and the arbor layer was 3.5736 t/(hm²·a), which accounted for 84.01%.

The collection of information on bamboo forests plays a crucial role in the calculation of carbon content reserves, and the acquisition of high-precision information will be good for reducing estimation errors. High precision is obtained with the adoption of a back propagation (BP) neural network to extract information on bamboo forests from Enhanced Thematic Mapper+ (ETM+) remote sensing images with the assistance of neural network modules provided by Matlab. We obtained a production precision of 84.04% and a user precision of 98.75%. We also conducted a comparison of classification differences of three training functions, i.e., the, Levenberg-Marquardt BP algorithm function (Trainlm), a gradient decreasing function of adaptive learning rate BP (Traingda), and a gradient lowering momentum BP algorithm function (Traingdm). Our analysis suggests that Traingda had the highest precision while Trainlm function required the shortest training time.

An intumescent waterborne amino-resin fire-retardant coating for wood (C) was synthesized and its fire-retardant and smoke-suppressant properties were investigated. The main film-builder of C was urea-formaldehyde resin blended with polyvinyl acetate resin. The intumescent fire-retardant system of C consisted of guanylurea phosphate (GUP), ammonium polyphosphate (APP), pentaerythritol (PER) and melamine (MEL). Specimens of plywood painted, respectively, with a commercial intumescent fire-retardant coating (A), a synthesized coating (C), and the main film-builder of coating C (B), as well as an unpainted plywood (S-JHB), were analyzed by cone calorimetry (CONE). The results show a marked decrease in the heat release rate (HRR) and the total heat release (THR), an increased mass of residual char (Mass), a marked postponement in time to ignition (TTI) and a reduced carbon monoxide production rate (P_CO). The smoke production rate (SPR) and total smoke production (TSP) of the plywood painted with coating C were observed with the CONE test. The overall fire-retardant and smoke-suppressant performance of the synthesized coating C was much better than that of the commercial coating A. The thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) results of coating C and its film-builder B indicated that the thermal degradation process of B was slowed down by the addition of the intumescent fire-retardant system; the increase in the amount of charring of coating C was considerable.

In order to describe and compare intuitively the impact of different kinds of ground cover on temporal and spatial variation of soil moisture, an experiment was carried out by continuous observations to obtain soil potential data of different treatments. Based on the data, isogram maps were drawn by a regression isogram method. The results indicate that the isogram of treatment A (Paspalum notatum Flugge-covered) is the most complicated among the three treatments with its significant transverse levels, while the isograms of treatment B (mulching of P. notatum Flugge) and C (bare slope) are relatively simple but have clear vertical levels. The variation of soil moisture 30 cm deep in the A treatment is the largest, while that at 60 cm is the second largest and that of 90 cm is the smallest. The variation of soil moisture at all levels of B is fairly small, while that at 30 and 60 cm of C is greater than that 90 cm deep.

In order to improve wood properties of triploid clones of Populus tomentosa, urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin was compounded with nano-SiO₂, coupling agents and flame retardants in different ways to prepare five kinds of modifiers. The poplar wood samples were impregnated with the modifiers and heated to prepare UF-SiO₂-wood composites. The antiswelling efficiency, resistance of water absorption, oxygen index and hardness of the composites were measured. Results show that all of the modifiers reduced water absorption of poplar wood and enhanced flame resistance and hardness. Nano-SiO₂ showed a marked effect in improving the hardness of wood. In addition, all of the modifiers, except UF-C-SiO₂-polymer, improved the dimensional stability of poplar wood. The UF resin and nano-SiO₂ compound improved general properties of poplar wood.

The effects of soil water and meteorological factors affecting transpiration of Pinus tabulaeformis were studied under different levels of soil water content to offer a scientific basis for increasing efforts in afforestation survival and management of soil water in forested land. Under artificial control methods for soil water and potting experiments, the transpiration rate (T_r) of P. tabulaeformis and environmental factors were measured using a portable steady porometer (Li-1600) and a speedy weight method (BP-3400) during a representative fine day in the growing season of 2004. The results indicated that the diurnal course of T_r and R_st of P. tabulaeformis displayed a double-peaked curve and a “W” curve under different levels of soil water content. Given a representative fine day, the T_r could be represented as a cubic relation with soil water content (SWC). The SWC which caused maximum T_r values of P. tabulaeformis was 17.7%, 19.8%, and 17.5% in July, August and October respectively. T_r was affected not only by physiological characteristics, but also by SWC and meteorological factors. T_r was significantly correlated with meteorological factors when the soil water was sufficient, but this correlation would decrease under conditions of serious water stress. Under such stress conditions, air temperature was the primary factor to affect T_r in July and August and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) was the primary factor in October. When soil water is sufficient, the main factors affecting T_r were relative humidity (RH), air temperature (T_a) and leaf temperature (T_l) in July, August and October respectively.

In order to accurately estimate the size of the carbon pool and the capacity of the carbon sink in the forested areas of Xiaolong Mountain in Gansu Province, we have established regression equations of organ biomass of eight tree species. We measured and investigated the biomass of different forest stand types based on data from 1259 standard sample plots and 836 standard sample trees. The results show that stand biomass, expressed in t·hm^-2 for eight types of forest stands on Xiaolong Mountain, are as follows: Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata 84.05, Pinus tabulaeformis 62.44, Quercus variabilis 81.77, Populus sp. and Betula sp. combined 77.44, Larix sp. 69.00, Pinus armandii 70.07, Picea sp. 96.49 and Abies sp. 98.72. We also looked at other broad-leaved mixed forests. Our study shows that the biomass of a single tree of each tree species is closely related to the diameter at breast height (DBH) and to tree height. The biomass of single trees as well as stand volumes is closely related to average DBH, average tree height and to stand density.

Dynamic changes of soil erosion affected by conversion of farmland to forest or grassland in the Yanhe River Basin were analyzed based on the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE). The RUSLE variables were selected and calculated reasonably using the GIS technique. Results show that: 1) After the conversion of farmland to forest or grassland, soil erosion decreased greatly. Compared with soil erosion in period of 1986 to 1997, the soil erosion amount had been reduced on the average by 30.6% by 2000; 2) Of the different land uses, slope farmland, especially the steep slope land had the greatest impact on soil erosion. The conversion of forest or grassland was the main driving force for the reduction of soil erosion; 3) In the short term, soil erosion was mainly controlled by C-factor, implying that the adjustment of land use structure might be an effective approach to reduce soil erosion.

The dynamic change of soil water as a function of leaf area index and the soil water deficit value, prerequisites for assuring the survival of plants, were simulated. We established a dynamic soil water model based on a theory of water balance, the characteristics of the environment, and the physiological ecology of the plants in the Ulan Buh Desert, northwestern China. We estimated the soil water carrying capacity of the vegetation in our study area of the desert. The results showed that the proportion of soil evaporation in the total amount of precipitation was greater than 60% in the wandering and semifixed sands and 44.8% in the fixed sand. When the leaf area index was less than 1.7 m²/m², the soil water deficit was maintained at a low level, but when the leaf area index continued to increase, the soil water deficit increased rapidly as well. In consequence, we come to the conclusion that the leaf area index of the soil water carrying capacity of the vegetation is 1.7 m²/m² in our study area.

The structure, distribution and patterns of resin ducts in processes of its initiation and development were studied with the methods of thin section and ultrathin section. This paper emphasized the ultrastructural changes during canal development by a ring of the live epithelial cells, and the epithelial cells were usually surrounded with one or two layered sheath cells, which were normal parenchyma cells in some primary resin ducts and became dead cells with thick walls in other primary and secondary resin ducts. The resin ducts were found to occur in almost all organs, except in cotyledon. The resin ducts were formed by schizogeny and their development can be divided into three stages (e.g., initial stage, formation stage and mature stage). At the initial stage, the initial cells had many plastids without integral membrane structures, which contain one or two starch grains in them, and there are a few black osmiophilic droplets on the endoplasmic reticulum and membranes. A small number of osmiophilic droplets were present in the plastids. At the formation stage, the number of plastids, mitochondria and Golgi bodies in epithelial cells increased. The plastids were commonly surrounded by endoplasmic reticulum sheath. The larger osmiophilic droplets in cytoplasm and the smaller osmiophilic droplets on the plastids envelope, mitochondrion envelope and Golgi vesicles obviously increased in number during canal developing. At the mature stage, the cytoplasm of epithelial cells became thin with small nucleus. The number of mitochondria and Golgi body decreased, but numerous plastids still existed. Osmiophilic droplets were abundant in epithelial cells as in previous status. Taken together, the structures of plastids in epithelial cells gradually became well developed and the synthesis of resin was remarkably enhanced during resin duct formation and plastids should be the main site for resin synthesis.

We studied the distribution of soil nutrients, the number of soil microorganisms, soil enzyme activities, and their relationships in pure and mixed plantations. Soil enzyme activities, the number of soil microorganisms, and soil nutrients were measured in plantations of Chinese pine (Pinustabulaeformis), larch (Larix kaempferi), sharp tooth oak (Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata), Manchurian catalpa (Catalpa fargesii), and mixed plantations in the Qinling Mountains, China. Compared with pure plantations, the conifer-broad-leaved broadleaf mixed plantations increased total N, available N, total P, available K, and organic matter in the forest soil; promoted the activities of invertase and urease by 16.7% and 53.8%; and increased the total amount of soil microorganisms by 95.9% and the number of bacteria by 104.5% (p&lt;0.05). The correlations between soil enzymes, number of microorganisms, and soil nutrients were significant (p&lt;0.05), and the correlations between the number of soil bacteria and basic nutrient prosperities (total N, available N, available K, and organic matter (OM)) were significant or highly significant. The correlations between the number of soil actinomycetes, and soil total N, available N, OM, and pH were also significant or highly significant. A suitable mixture of planted conifers and broad-leaved species improves the quality and amount of soil nutrients, increases the number of soil microorganisms and changes their redistribution. The change of soil enzymes and the number of soil microorganisms are indications of the change tendency of soil nutrients.

The effects of elevated nitrogen deposition on soil microbial biomass carbon (C) and extractable dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in three types of forest of southern China were studied in November, 2004 and June, 2006. Plots were established in a pine forest (PF), a mixed pine and broad-leaved forest (MF) and monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest (MEBF) in the Dinghushan Nature Reserve. Nitrogen treatments included a control (no N addition), low N (50 kg N/(hm²a)), medium N (100 kg N/(hm²·a)) and high N (150 kg N/(hm²·a)). Microbial biomass C and extractable DOC were determined using a chloroform fumigation-extraction method. Results indicate that microbial biomass C and extractable DOC were higher in June, 2006 than in November, 2004 and higher in the MEBF than in the PF or the MF. The response of soil microbial biomass C and extractable DOC to nitrogen deposition varied depending on the forest type and the level of nitrogen treatment. In the PF or MF forests, no significantly different effects of nitrogen addition were found on soil microbial biomass C and extractable DOC. In the MEBF, however, the soil microbial biomass C generally decreased with increased nitrogen levels and high nitrogen addition significantly reduced soil microbial biomass C. The response of soil extractable DOC to added nitrogen in the MEBF shows the opposite trend to soil microbial biomass C. These results suggest that nitrogen deposition may increase the accumulation of soil organic carbon in the MEBF in the study region.

Owing to the irrational use of water resources in the Heihe River, northern China, the eco-environment has deteriorated seriously in its lower reaches. Some ecological problems exist (i.e., lake shrinkage, the decline of the underground water table, vegetation degradation, land desertification, and sandstorm damage). Subareas of ecological protection and restoration in the lower reaches of the river are proposed, considering the course of the river, its ecosystem characteristics, and the range of impact of water resource allocation. Based on a comprehensive decision-making method and GIS technology, the targets of ecological protection and restoration in the lower reaches of the river were determined quantitatively. Using a phreatic evapotranspiration model and a groundwater balance equation, the ecological water requirements of the riparian forest ecosystem, the desert ecosystem, the water area ecosystem, and the underground ecosystem, given various eco-restoration targets in different level years, were calculated and analyzed. The results show that the total ecological water requirements of the Shaomaying section were 548&#8201;million m³ in 2000 to maintain the normal growth of its natural vegetation and a stable groundwater table in the lower reaches of the Heihe River. The total ecological water requirement of the Shaomaying section is expected to be 632&#8201;million m³ in 2010, 635&#8201;million m³ in 2020, and 635&#8201;million m³ in 2030.

Bamboo cellulose, lignin and starch have been molecularly blended to form homogeneous composite films by NMMO-technology. The structural properties of the films were investigated with FTIR, WAXD and AFM technologies, respectively. The results show that bamboo cellulose, lignin and starch have been molecularly blended through NMMO-technology. There was a two-phase system consisting of ternary composite components as one phase and pores as the other on the surface of the composite film. Because of the existence of homogeneous phase structure formed by the rearrangement of the natural polymer molecules, the film shows good properties originating from the mutual supplement of different natural components.

With water-soluble phenol-formaldehyde resin as an intermediate, Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) wood/montmorillonite nanocomposite (WMNC) was prepared through vacuum impregnation and characterized with XRD, SEM, FTIR and TG-DTA analyses. The XRD analysis indicated that the wood crystallinity of WMNC decreased, the MMT exfoliated and some nano silicate layers entered into the non-crystallized microfibrillar region of the wood cell wall. Wood structure is anisotropic and its impregnation is anisotropic. Due to the nonuniformity of the MMT organic modification, PF intercalation and wood impregnation, the MMT configuration and distribution in wood were diverse. The SEM graphs of WMNC showed that some silicate grains were blocked in the wood cell lumen, some silicate layers adhered to the inner surface of the wood cell wall, and some exfoliated MMT layers even penetrated the wood cell wall. The obtained hydroxyl of WMNC increased and its ether linking decreased. It was considered that MMT and wood interacted not only with hydroxyl bonds, but also involved some chemical linking. Compared with untreated wood and the PF-impreg, the pyrolysis process of WMNC changed; its starting decomposing temperature decreased and its pyrolysis weight loss at high temperatures greatly decreased. The WMNC indicated certain nanoeffects of the composition of the inorganic MMT nanolamellae.