Five forest landscapes in the maps of forest distribution in Heilongjiang Province in 1896 and 1986 were digitized and analyzed through GIS software. The results show that during the 90 years the total patch areas for Picea and Abies forest, Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica Litvin forest and Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc. forest had decreased about 87%, 40% and 84%, respectively. However, the total patch areas for broad leaved forest at the north of 51°N area had increased about 500%. The north frontier of broad leaved forest had moved towards northwest about 290 km. The fractal dimensions of Picea and Abies forest and mixed coniferous and broad leaved forest in 1986 were less than theirs in 1896, respectively. However, the fractal dimension of Pinus synvestris forest, Pinus koraiensis and broad leaved forest were more than theirs in 1896, respectively. Picea and Abies forest, Pinus synvestris forest, Pinus koraiensis and broad leaved forest became more fragmented. The transition percentages of Pinus sylvestris forest, Picea and Abies forest, Pinus koraiensis forest to themselves were less than the percentages to the mixed coniferous and broad leaved forest, respectively.
The short-time eco-physiological response to dust was measured for the leaves of 22 local popular plant species including roadside trees, fruit trees, forest trees and crop species in Beijing. The dust did affect the eco-physiology of leaves of these species. After being covered by dust the instant net photosynthetic rates of most plant species changed insignificantly, but it decreased by more than 35% for 5 species, and it increased by-more than 57% for Ginkgo biloba L. The respiration rates of 12 plant species increased significantly, but it decreased significantly for Malus pumila Mill. (M. communis D C.) and Cotinus coggygria (L.) Scop., and it changed insignificantly for the other 8 species. The transpiration rates of 5 plant species increased significantly, however, they decreased for 9 species, and changed insignificantly for the other 8 species. Platanus occidentalis L. had highest dust carrying capacity. After 2 h the physiological indices did not change significantly for Diospyros kaki L. f., G. biloba and Populus tomentosa Carr. The implications of the research are that Ulmus laevis Pall., M. pumila (M. communis), D. kaki and G. biloba are suitable for amelioration of dust storm damage and increase in local economical development near the sources of dust storms in western China. And in the cities, such as Beijing and other dust areas, the plants have high dust-carrying capacity can be planted for air cleaning.
