Dataset Information

The Relationship between Secondary Forest and Environmental Factors in the Southern Taihang Mountains.

ABSTRACT: It is important to understand the effects of environmental factors on secondary forest assembly for effective afforestation and vegetation restoration. We studied 24 20?m?×?20?m quadrats of natural secondary forest in the southern Taihang Mountains. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and two-way indicator hydrocarbon analysis were used to analyse the relationship between community vegetation and environmental factors. The CCA showed that 13 terrain and soil variables shared 68.17% of the total variance. The principal environmental variables, based on the most parsimonious CCA model, were (in order) elevation, soil total N, soil gravel content, slope, soil electrical conductivity, and pH. Samples were clustered into four forest types, with forest diversity affected by elevation, nutrients, and water gradients. Topographical variables affected forest assembly more than soil variables. Species diversity was evaluated using the Shannon-Wiener, Simpson's diversity, and Pielou's evenness indexes. The environmental factors that affected species distribution had different effects on species diversity. The vegetation-environment relationship in the southern region was different than the central region of the Taihang Mountains, and vegetation restoration was at an early stage. The terrain of the southern region, especially elevation and slope, should be considered for vegetation restoration and conservation.

SUBMITTER: Zhao H

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5703897 | biostudies-other | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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The Relationship between Secondary Forest and Environmental Factors in the Southern Taihang Mountains.

Zhao Hui H Wang Qi-Rui QR Fan Wei W Song Guo-Hua GH

Scientific reports 20171127 1

It is important to understand the effects of environmental factors on secondary forest assembly for effective afforestation and vegetation restoration. We studied 24 20 m × 20 m quadrats of natural secondary forest in the southern Taihang Mountains. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and two-way indicator hydrocarbon analysis were used to analyse the relationship between community vegetation and environmental factors. The CCA showed that 13 terrain and soil variables shared 68.17% of the to ...[more]

PMID: 29180781

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Project description:ObjectiveResponsive behaviours (eg, wandering, resisting care and verbal abuse) are a continuing issue for staff and individuals living in long-term care (LTC) homes. The LTC environment can influence responsive behaviours and is a factor in determining the quality of life for those living there. The ways in which the quality of the environment might influence responsive behaviours has not been investigated yet. We hypothesised that better quality environments would be associated with reduced rates of responsive behaviours. We used a tool that simultaneously encompasses human and structural elements of the environment, a novel approach in this field of research.DesignCross-sectional study, using data collected from September 2014 to May 2015 as part of the Translating Research in Elder Care research programme.SettingA representative, stratified (size, owner-operator model and health region) random sample of 76 LTC homes in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba.Participants13 224 individuals (67.3% females) living in participating LTC homes.Outcome measuresQuality of care unit work environment was assessed using the observable indicators of quality (OIQ) tool. Responsive behaviours were assessed using routinely collected Resident Assessment Instrument-Minimum Data Set V.2.0 data.ResultsAdjusted regression coefficients of overall Aggressive Behaviour Scale score and interpersonal communication were 0.02 (95% CI -0.011 to 0.045), grooming 0.06 (95% CI -0.032 to 0.157), environment-basics 0.067 (95% CI 0.024 to 0.110), odour -0.066 (95% CI -0.137 to -0.004), care delivery -0.007 (95% CI -0.033 to 0.019), environment-access -0.027 (95% CI -0.062 to 0.007), environment-homelike -0.034 (95% CI -0.065 to -0.002) and total OIQ score 0.003 (95% CI -0.004 to 0.010).ConclusionsWe found small associations between the environmental quality and responsive behaviours in Western Canadian LTC homes. Higher scores on homelikeness were associated with decreased responsive behaviours. Higher scores on basic environmental quality were associated with increased responsive behaviours.

Project description:This study investigates the composition of organic particulate matter in PM2.5 in a remote montane forest in the southeastern US, focusing on the role of organic nitrogen (N) in sulfur-containing secondary organic aerosol (nitrooxy-organosulfates) and aerosols associated with biomass burning (nitro-aromatics). Bulk water-soluble organic N (WSON) represented ~ 14% w/w of water-soluble total N (WSTN) in PM2.5 on average across seasonal measurement campaigns conducted in the spring, summer, and fall of 2015. The largest contributions of WSON to WSTN were observed in spring (~ 18% w/w) and the lowest in the fall (~ 10% w/w). On average, identified nitro-aromatic and nitrooxy-organosulfate compounds accounted for a small fraction of WSON, ranging from ~ 1% in spring to ~ 4% in fall, though were observed to contribute as much as 28% w/w of WSON in individual samples that were impacted by local biomass burning. The highest concentrations of oxidized organic N species occurred during summer (average of 0.65 ng N m-3) along with a greater relative abundance of higher-generation oxygenated terpenoic acids, indicating an association with more aged aerosol. The highest concentrations of nitro-aromatics (e.g., nitrocatechol and methyl-nitrocatechol), levoglucosan, and aged SOA tracers were observed during fall, associated with aged biomass burning plumes. Nighttime nitrate radical chemistry is the most likely formation pathway for nitrooxy-organosulfates observed at this low NO x site (generally < 1 ppb). Isoprene-derived organosulfate (MW216, 2-methyltetrol derived), which is formed from isoprene epoxydiols (IEPOX) under low NO x conditions, was the most abundant individual organosulfate. Concentration-weighted average WSON / WSOC ratios for nitro-aromatics + organosulfates + terpenoic acids were 1 order of magnitude lower than the overall aerosol WSON / WSOC ratio, indicating the presence of other uncharacterized higher-N-content species. Although nitrooxy-organosulfates and nitro-aromatics contributed a small fraction of WSON, our results provide new insight into the atmospheric formation processes and sources of these largely uncharacterized components of atmospheric organic N, which also helps to advance the atmospheric models to better understand the chemistry and deposition of reactive N.

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Dataset Information

The Relationship between Secondary Forest and Environmental Factors in the Southern Taihang Mountains.

Publications

The Relationship between Secondary Forest and Environmental Factors in the Southern Taihang Mountains.

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