In the present study, the aboveground biomass of the understorey vegetation of boreal coniferous forests was modelled according to the percentage cover. A total of 224 observations from 22 stands in upland forests and 195 observations from 14 different studies in peatland forests were utilized for the present analyses. The relationships between biomass and percentage cover can be used in ecosys...

Most studies on similar coexisting species enumerate ecological differences which presumably reduce the demand for common resources and allow coexistence (MacArthur 1958, Root 1967, Stallcup 1968). As Schoener (1974) pointed out, however, these differences alone do not demonstrate the role of competition in structuring avian communities. Even if niches were arranged randomly with respect to one...

Ecosystem properties of surficial (0–10 cm) soils in remnant herbaceous patches were compared to those of contrasting woody plant patch types (upland discrete cluster, upland grove, and lowland woodland) where shifting land cover is known to have occurred over the past 50–77 yr. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and quantify the biogeochemical consequences and subsequent developmental r...

Oil palm and rubber plantations extend over large areas and encompass heterogeneous site conditions. In periods of high rainfall, plants in valleys and at riparian sites are more prone to flooding than plants at elevated topographic positions. We asked to what extent topographic position and flooding affect oil palm and rubber tree water use patterns and thereby influence spatial and temporal h...

Reclaimed coastal areas were mostly used for agricultural purposes in the past, while land-use conversion was initiated recent decades eastern China. Elucidation of effects on soil properties and stoichiometry is essential addressing climate change ecological conservation. In this study, five types a reclaimed area chosen to compare differences stoichiometry, which comprised paddy, upland, upla...

Riparian zones are vital components of the landscape. Much attention has been focused on the question of how wide a buffer is needed to protect the original riparian environment. We sampled five streams 2–4 m wide and associated riparian ecosystems before and after clearcutting in western Washington. Buffers ranging from 17 to 72 m wide were left intact at all sites when harvesting. Our objecti...

Information on heritability and predicted gains from selection for increased biomass yield for ethanol production in switchgrass is limited and may vary among breeding populations. The purpose of this study was to estimate heritability and predicted gains from selection for higher biomass yield within a lowland ecotype switchgrass population, Southern Lowland 93 (SL-93), and two upland ecotype ...

Meteorological data from stations around and within the Kaimai Ranges and data from temporary sites are used to characterise the climate of the ranges. Lowland climate is warm temperate with ample rainfall but the upland region is cooler, wetter and frequently enveloped in fog. Frequent fog plays an important part in the climate of upland regions. By modifying light, moisture and temperature re...