在沒有強烈外力干擾的條件下,，隨著時間的推移,，同一地段上的森林會依次出現(xiàn)不同的群落類型的演變，此即為森林演替,。森林演替研究是森林生態(tài)學(xué)理論研究的核心問題之一,，在實踐上掌握森林的演替規(guī)律可以更好地管理森林并發(fā)揮森林最大的經(jīng)濟效益和生態(tài)效益。生態(tài)記憶是指生態(tài)系統(tǒng)受到干擾破壞后，系統(tǒng)殘余資源所包含信息的綜合,，它既呈現(xiàn)了系統(tǒng)過去所受的干擾,，也反映出系統(tǒng)的目前狀態(tài)及其未來走向。目前尚無將兩者聯(lián)系起來的相關(guān)研究,。
中科院華南植物園植被與景觀生態(tài)學(xué)研究組博士生孫中宇在導(dǎo)師任海研究員的指導(dǎo)下,，以廣東鼎湖山自然保護區(qū)內(nèi)的南亞熱帶森林的草坡-針葉林-針闊葉混交林-季風(fēng)常綠闊葉林的自然演替系列群落為對象，選取地表植被,、土壤微生物,、土壤動物、土壤種子庫,、鳥類,、土壤孢粉、土壤表觀年齡,、土壤礦質(zhì)元素分布,、群落光環(huán)境等九類指標(biāo)，提出一套生態(tài)記憶的整合量化方法并建立生態(tài)記憶評價體系,。
根據(jù)該體系評估發(fā)現(xiàn)：森林的生態(tài)記憶隨演替過程呈非線性增長,，不同演替階段所積累的主要生態(tài)記憶組分不同；除針闊葉混交林外,，所有演替階段均處于正向演替狀態(tài),。在此研究過程中，他們還提出了森林演替過程中長/短時記憶和前瞻/回顧記憶的概念,，完善了生態(tài)記憶的概念模型,。
該研究結(jié)果近期在線發(fā)表在國際環(huán)境科學(xué)期刊Ecological Indicators上。（生物谷Bioon.com）
Ecological Indicators doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2013.05.010
Quantifying ecological memory during forest succession: A case study from lower subtropical forest ecosystems in South China
Zhongyu Suna, b,Hai Rena, Valentin Schaeferc,Hongfang Lua,Jun Wanga,Linjun Lia, d,Nan Liua
The concept of ecological memory provides a new perspective for research on forest succession by including historical factors and the initial state of ecological processes. However, there are still significant gaps between the concept and its application. We selected nine proxy indicators (plant species, soil seed banks, soil microbes, soil animals, birds, soil age, soil pollen, soil mineral distribution, and light environment) and developed a method to quantify ecological memory and succession in a subtropical forest succession in South China. Taking the climax-monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest as the reference ecosystem, we found that ecological memory increased nonlinearly and accumulated following a specific assembly rule during succession. Memory concerning major soil microbes and soil animals, which improve the soil substrate, mainly accumulated from the initial to the early successional stage. Memory concerning the number of bird species and the availability of light, which ensure a source of regenerative seeds and the survival of understory seedlings, mainly accumulated from the early to middle successional stages. Memory concerning vegetation and soil seed banks mainly accumulated late in succession, guaranteeing that the ecosystem would reach the regional climax stage. Prospective memory was greater than retrospective memory in every successional stage except the late stage, which indicated that all stages but the late stage were undergoing progressive succession. Our study demonstrates that the concept of ecological memory and the proposed evaluation framework are useful for guiding research on succession and restoration, and especially for assessing how “far” a restored ecosystem is from a reference ecosystem or how far a restored ecosystem has deviated from its natural succession trajectory.
