Spatial heterogeneity is a very important issue in studying functions and processes of ecological systems at various scales. Semivariogram analysis is an effective technique to summarize spatial data, and quantification of spatial heterogeneity. In this paper, we propose some principles to use semivariograms to characterize and compare spatial heterogeneity of ecological systems and use an example of old growth forests of Korean pine to demonstrate these principles and to discuss its characteristics of spatial heterogeneity.

The hybridization experiment was initiated in 1975, in which the parents ofP. davidiana were collected from Dailing, Heilongjiang Province,P. suaveolens were from Baicheng,P. simonii from Zhaodong of Heilongjiang Province, andP. tremula from Shanxi Province. Clones No 1333 ofP. Alba × P. davidiana and No 1132 ofP. davidiana × (P. alba × P. davidiana F1) had greater genetic variation and heritability in clones tested.

Ecosystems engineering is specially designed for study and management of ecosystems. Its theory and methodology are mainly derived from systems ecology and systems engineering. An ecosystem is a biologically functional entity consisting of organisms, environmental factors and their interactional mechanisms which are naturally or artificially arranged with their appropriate functions in the system and also subordinated to the dynamics of the whole ecosystem. If an ecosystem is broken or disintegrated into independent or isolated parts, its structural and functional entity will be greatly modified or even completely destroyed. Yet without participation of organisms including human beings, a system is not an ecosystem. Within an ecosystem, all life, production and social activities are directly or indirectly related to the energy flow and material exchange. In fact, energy is a driving force for material exchange and material is the carrier of energy flow. Therefore, an ecosystem can be logically recognized as an energy system. Its components, structure, function, production, quality and benefits can be expressed, calculated and modelled in terms of energy. Ecoboundary theory is also used in the discussion of pathways of energy flow. As being applied to agroforestry management, environmental conservation and community social service which are all complicated ecosystems, ecosystem engineering requires a series of programming measures such as investigation, decision-making, planning, simulating, design, establishment, management, evaluation and renovation so that an appropriate ecosystem with stable structure, effective function and high productivity can be established for its expected economic, ecological and social benefits.

White, translucent, and mucilaginous embryogenic callus was initiated in cultured mature zygotic embryo explants of two different seed sources of slash pine(Pinus elliottii) on several culture media containing auxin and cytokinin. Somatic proembryos were induced on media containing 2,4-D and BA. Maturation was successfully achieved on medium supplemented with ABA. Somatic embryos germinated into regeneration plantlets on DCR medium containing activated charcoal. Histological observation and scanning electron microscopic observation showed that proembryos derived from embryonal suspensor mass(ESM) were formed on the surface or the inside of embryogenic callus, and the proliferation of proembryos was mainly from cleavage polyembryos.

The flora of eastern China is the main part of Sino-Japanese floristic region. It shows by the analysis and comparison that the floristic relations of Eastern China with Japan are closer than that of northeast China with Korea. The similarity indices of genera and species of seed plants in the two regions are very high, being 72.6% and 43.3% respectively. The structure and species composition of broad-leaved evergreen forests in the two regions are also similar, in which there exist the corresponding communities, such as the forests ofCastanopsis carlesii, C. Sieboldii.. Many plants in Easter China are nonspecific with those in Japan, e.g.,Cercidiphyllum japonicum, Magolia sieboldii, Nandina domestica etc.. Though the generaGinkgo, Liriodendron, Sassafras etc. existing now in China are extinct from Japan, their fossils have been discovered from the Tertiary Strata in Japan. It seems to indicate that the phytogeographical affinities between Japan and E. China was closer in ancient time than it is now; and both of the forest floras originated from one same flora. The flora in Japan did not evolve independently until it separated from Chinese continent and drifted to northeast in the late period of the Tertiary.

In this paper, the new formulae of tree height curve and volume curve were derived from the theory of column buckling. They were applied to artificial Pine (Pinus sylvestris var.mongolica) and Larch (Larix principis rupprechtii). The results demonstrated that the new formulae were more effective and precise than conventional formulae of height curve and volume curve.

Stone pine forests in Siberia are unique for their origin, area dynamics, comprehensive productivity, and biospherical role. They are mainly mature forests for the most regions. The regeneration has two main tasks: (1) to organize the rational and ecological felling for the Siberian stone pine trees, (2) to increase young growth. In the past, the main aim of the forest management was wood production. The basic elements were mainly technical exploitability and felling ages, traditional cleaning cutting, and “continuous” artificial regeneration, which are not suitable for the Siberian stone pine forests. New practices of the forest management and new theoretical principles have been developed by our Institute, including comprehensive evaluation, selection and growth, and creating new felling technology. Qualitative evaluations of every stand and every tree in the Siberian stone pine forests should be made.

A systematically analysis of nutritional composition ofSchisandra chinensis and appreciation on its value of utilization were made for exploring a new way of utilization. The results showed that the fruit of Schisandra contains rich in kinds of vitamins, amino acids, organic acids and microelements that fit with human body. Its kernal contains the fatty acids with high value of utilization. Linoleic acid accounts for 50.7% of the amount of fatty acids in in kernel. The contents of the trace element Fe, Zn are also higher. Ve's content of Schisandra is 8 times of the orange.

Six kinds of extracts drawn fromAjuga multiflora andA. multiflora var.brevispicata and A. multiflora var.serotina using methanol and acetone were used in this experiment to test their killing activity to the second instar larvae ofHyphantria cunea and their influence on its natural enemies. The average death rate caused by those extracts on the second instar larvae was 85.70%. The mortality rate caused by the extracts drawn with methanol was from 88.89% to 96.33%, which was significantly higher than that caused by acetone extracts. Those extracts were safe toTrichogramma dendrolimi, Coccinella septempunctata, the natural enemies ofH. cunea. We did not found any evidence shown that those extracts had any influence the emergence and the development ofT. dendrolimi. Those methanolic extracts gotten fromA. multiflora andA. multiflora var.brevispicata had no significant effects on the mortality of the larvae and adults ofC. septempunctata. Those extracts could be used in the control ofH. cunea safely.

Fixed quadrates were established in different stands. In continued six years, the occurring period, occurring amounts and the relation between epidemic disease and environmental factors were investigated according to spraying laws of spores and accounting measures of disease ranking. The occuring peak period of the disease was from the last ten days of May to the second ten days of June. The epidemic period was from the last ten days of June to the second ten days of July and the initial decease period was from the last ten days of July to the beginning of September. The change of the disease depended on air temperature, relative humidity and precipitation. A multiple linear regression model was established using computer, which can predict the disease index(Y) of 10 days later, with more than 95% reliability

Forest management practices, particularly timber harvesting activities, affect the habitats of a large number of wildlife species found in southwestern ponderosa pine forests of the United States. Timber harvesting activities and other vegetative treatments often change the relative abundances of food and cover. Wildlife habitats for some wildlife species are benefited, while the habitats for other wildlife species are detrimentally impacted. The guidelines presented in this paper should be helpful to foresters, wildlife managers, and other interested in maintaining or increasing wildlife habitat qualities in the forest ecosystems investigated. While the wildlife species considered are indigenous to the southwestern ponderosa pine forests, many of the wildlife management principles implied in the guidelines are likely to have applications in other ecosystems throughout the world.

The accuracy of three methods (pellet group count, inverse line transect method and track count) for estimating the density of ungulate population was assessed, based on a wapiti population with the known size in the enclosure of 500 hm² on Tonghe Hunting Farm, Heilongjiang province, China, during 1992–1993. The estimation of population density using the pellet group count method was the closest to the actual value, whereas the density of the wapiti population was underestimated by the inverse line transect method and overestimated by the track count method. No significant difference existed between the estimated and actual values for the pellet group method and the inverse line transect method, but the significant difference was found for the track count method. Therefore, it is suggested that the pellet group method should be given the priority in the survey of ungulate population abundance in practice.

From 1991 to 1992, we observed behavior of 7 brown bears (5 females, 2 males) in mating season. Results showed that the oestrus of brown bears was mainly from May to July. The oestrus of most individuals occurred at the end of May and the beginning of June. There were some differences in the oestrus among individuals. Average duration of the oestrus was 30.8 days (16–50 days). The mating behavior was mainly observed during 8.00–9.00 a.m., and 15.00–16.00 p.m., Rest and sleep were the next behavior after mating for most bears, especially for male bears. All bears had poor appetite. The pattern and process of a successful mating was that a male bear approached a female, smelled the pudendum of the female, climbed on female hip, mated, parted and rested. Oestrus females approached males sometimes.

Ideal point method is one of the methods to solve multi-objective problem. It is applied to forest harvest regulation, and showed very good results by analyzing changes of quantitative indexes of forest resource structure before and after the regulation. This method can be applied as one of the mathematical tools in forest harvest regulation.

The general situation of the forest resources and supply of timber as well as developing survey of forest products industry in China was introduced. In front of competition of the 21st Century, the developing strategy of sustainable forestry and reasonable utilization of wood resource were formulated by China government. With fast developing of MDF(Middle Density Fiberboard), PB (Particleboard) and Chip production, the better utilization of the residues of logging lumbering and timber processing have been obtained. Meanwhile the developing situat ion of recycled fibers processing was described, Two kinds of recovered paper technology were analyzed and the research trend and development of recycled fibers processing were discussed.

Using the ellips-parabolid log model with the four practical measurable parameters, the exact volume of all the uncut-boards and clabs cut by the multi-bit ripping edger has been measured. The kerf lossing and recovery have been accurately calculated. By the theories, a quite simple NC detecting system of the multi-bit ripping edger will be designed, which makes the numerical control of processing timber industry of small logs realizable.

The collecting robot of conifer cone mainly consists of walking mechanism and manipulator. Manipulator has 5 freedoms. The main technical parameters of this robot are as follows: maximum height of collecting is 14m, maximum radius of collecting is 68m, velocity of collecting is 0.65 m/s, and the maximum force of collecting is 2500N.