In many arid ecosystems, vegetation frequently occurs in high-cover patches interspersed in a matrix of low plant cover. However, theoretical explanations for shrub patch pattern dynamics along climate gradients remain unclear on a large scale. This context aimed to assess the variance of the Reaumuria soongorica patch structure along the precipitation gradient and the factors that affect patch structure formation in the middle and lower Heihe River Basin (HRB). Field investigations on vegetation patterns and heterogeneity in soil properties were conducted during 2014 and 2015. The results showed that patch height, size and plant-to-patch distance were smaller in high precipitation habitats than in low precipitation sites. Climate, soil and vegetation explained 82.5% of the variance in patch structure. Spatially, R. soongorica shifted from a clumped to a random pattern on the landscape towards the MAP gradient, and heterogeneity in the surface soil properties (the ratio of biological soil crust (BSC) to bare gravels (BG)) determined the R. soongorica population distribution pattern in the middle and lower HRB. A conceptual model, which integrated water availability and plant facilitation and competition effects, was revealed that R. soongorica changed from a flexible water use strategy in high precipitation regions to a consistent water use strategy in low precipitation areas. Our study provides a comprehensive quantification of the variance in shrub patch structure along a precipitation gradient and may improve our understanding of vegetation pattern dynamics in the Gobi Desert under future climate change.
Abstract. A component analysis of the sugar and lipid fraction in foam layers around kelp beds on the South African west coast showed the following trends: In the residue of foam drainage of both 12 h and 120 h old foam the sugar fraction is represented by mannose (33–41 %), galactose (4–30%), fucose (3–29%) and glucose (19–26%). With the exception of fucose, the same components could be found in foam filtration. In the lipid fraction the main fatty acids are palmitic (23.3–27.3%), oleic (14.0–5.5%) and timnodonic acid (11.2–9.1%). Selacholeinic acid was only found in 12 h old foam while lignoceric acid could not be located in foam filtration. Against expectation mannitol was not identified in quantifiable amounts in foam samples although it is the dominant component of kelp mucilage, whose presence is of major importance for foam formation. Hypotheses explaining the lack of mannitol are forwarded. Component sugar and lipid content for 11 of foam was calculated and estimation of sugar and lipid content in an average foam patch (volume of 30001) is given. The importance of foam formation as a mechanism for binding and transfer of energy in the marine environment is emphasized. 相似文献
Jellyfish patch formation is investigated by conducting a drifter experiment combined with aerial photography of a sustained
patch of the moon jellyfish in Hokezu Bay, Japan. Jellyfish patches are aggregations of individuals that are caused by a combination
of swimming (active influence) and advection by currents (passive influence). The drifter experiment involved the injection
of 49 drifters around a distinct surface patch of jellyfish within an area of approximately 300 m × 300 m. The drifters’ motion,
caused only by the passive influence, was recorded in a series of 38 aerial photographs taken over approximately 1 h. The
ambient uniform current field larger than the patch scale was estimated from the movement of the centroid position of drifters,
while the distribution of horizontal divergence and relative vorticity around the patch was estimated from the time-derivative
in areas of triangles formed by the drifters. The centroid positions of both drifters and patches moved stably toward the
bay head at different speeds. The difference vector between the patch and drifter centroids was directed to the sun, and was
opposite to the ambient current. The distributions of vorticity and divergence around patches exhibited inhomogeneity within
the patch scale, and the drifters in this nonuniform current field aggregated near the convergence area within 1 h. The results
suggest that horizontal patch formation is predominantly influenced by passive factors at the surface of Hokezu Bay. Furthermore,
the upward swimming against downwelling may make sustained patch in surface layer. 相似文献
High-altitude platforms (HAPs) are a flexible and attractive technology for providing innovative wireless services. These
aerial platforms can be successfully employed for mobile or broadband communications and for disaster monitoring or response.
However, one of the open issues is whether HAP stations can provide reliable services without temporal outages owing to stratospheric
winds that can cause positional and attitude instabilities thus affecting the communication system operation. To counteract
this issue, one possible solution is to use reconfigurable antennas whose pointing direction can be adjusted depending on
the platform spatial orientation. However, this would require real-time three-axial attitude data. As a possible solution,
this paper will review the potential of GNSS-based attitude determination systems with reference to HAP stations. In particular,
it will be shown how the use of a particular class of low multipath and lightweight antennas can provide a high degree of
accuracy without altering the avionic ballast. 相似文献
