Life history determines biogeographical patterns of soil bacterial communities over multiple spatial scales

The extent to which the distribution of soil bacteria is controlled by local environment vs. spatial factors (e.g. dispersal, colonization limitation, evolutionary events) is poorly understood and widely debated. Our understanding of biogeographic controls in microbial communities is likely hampered by the enormous environmental variability encountered across spatial scales and the broad diversity of microbial life histories. Here, we constrained environmental factors (soil chemistry, climate, above‐ground plant community) to investigate the specific influence of space, by fitting all other variables first, on bacterial communities in soils over distances from m to 10² km. We found strong evidence for a spatial component to bacterial community structure that varies with scale and organism life history (dispersal and survival ability). Geographic distance had no influence over community structure for organisms known to have survival stages, but the converse was true for organisms thought to be less hardy. Community function (substrate utilization) was also shown to be highly correlated with community structure, but not to abiotic factors, suggesting nonstochastic determinants of community structure are important Our results support the view that bacterial soil communities are constrained by both edaphic factors and geographic distance and further show that the relative importance of such constraints depends critically on the taxonomic resolution used to evaluate spatio‐temporal patterns of microbial diversity, as well as life history of the groups being investigated, much as is the case for macro‐organisms.     

Reducing Biotic and Abiotic Land‐Use Legacies to Restore Invaded,Abandoned Citrus Groves

Land‐use legacies associated with agriculture, such as increased soil fertility and elevated soil pH, promote invasions by non‐native plant species on former agricultural lands. Restoring natural soil conditions (i.e. low fertility and low pH) may be an effective, long‐term method to control and reduce the abundance of non‐native and ruderal species that invade abandoned agricultural lands. In this study, we examined how soil manipulation treatments of lowering soil fertility with carbon additions and lowering soil pH by applying sulfur affect non‐native and ruderal native plant species abundance in two former citrus groves in central Florida. Non‐native plant biomass was removed by one of two methods (tilling or topsoil removal), and was combined with a soil amendment of sulfur, carbon, sulfur + carbon, or none. The biomass removal treatments significantly decreased non‐native abundance, with topsoil removal as the most effective. Carbon additions did not affect soil fertility or vegetation. Sulfur and sulfur + carbon additions significantly decreased soil pH in both groves for at least 1 year post‐treatment; however, we did not see a significant vegetation response. Overall, our results suggest that removing vegetation by tilling and topsoil removal is an effective method for reducing non‐target species cover. Although we did not see a response of vegetation to our treatments, we were able to restore the initial soil characteristics, which can be a first step toward complete restoration.     

Nitrogen Retention by Soil Biota; A Key Role in the Rehabilitation of Natural Grasslands?

Environmental stress is the main cause of the decline of species diversity in low‐productive fen meadows in the Netherlands. Attempts to restore species diverse fen meadows e.g. by sod cutting frequently fail. We supposed that unsuccessful efforts are due to ignoring the impact of environmental stress on the performance of soil biota, which play a key role in N‐immobilization and keeping available‐N for primary production low. We investigated both pristine and degraded natural sites and successfully and unsuccessfully restored sites of poor and rich fen meadows. We determined plant species composition, soil chemical properties, N‐pools in soil biota, N‐mineralization rates, and N‐fluxes. In pristine rich and poor fen meadows, mineral‐N was poorly available for primary production due to a strong N‐immobilization by soil biota. Annual N‐immobilization fluxes exceeded by far the annual N‐harvest by primary production. N‐immobilization in pristine fens was higher than in degraded fens. In successfully restored rich fens, net N‐mineralization was lower and N‐immobilization higher than in the unsuccessful category. From our results, we derived the hypothesis that in degraded or in unsuccessfully restored fens the soils internal N‐balance shifted from N‐immobilization to net N‐mineralization, favoring biomass production but disadvantaging plant species diversity. N‐retention driven by an active N‐immobilizing soil biological community, is likely a decisive process for successful recovery of plant species diversity in low productive fen meadows. We recommend that restoration techniques should stimulate a functionally diverse soil fauna, as this may enhance the storage of available nutrients in the soil food web.     

Evaluation of topsoil inversion in U.K. habitat creation and restoration schemes

Habitat creation and restoration schemes on former agricultural soils can be constrained by high residual soil fertility, a weedy seed bank, and a lack of suitable species in the seed rain. Topsoil inversion has been trialled across the United Kingdom as a novel technique to address these constraints. We investigated 15 topsoil inversion sites ranging in age (time since inversion) from 6 months to 5 years. We assessed surface soil fertility compared to adjacent noninverted soil, and vegetation composition with respect to the species introduced at each site. Soil organic matter, total and extractable N and P were lower in topsoil inversion surface soils, demonstrating that topsoil inversion can successfully reduce surface soil fertility prior to habitat creation and restoration. This reduction was maintained over the timescale of this study (5 years). Cornfield annual nurse crops provided instant visual appeal and gave way to grassland species over time. Sown species varied widely in their establishment success, and sowings were more successful than plug plantings. Grasses colonized naturally following sowing forb‐only seed mixes, allowing introduced forbs to establish early on with reduced competition from the seed bank. Plant communities did not yet resemble seminatural communities, but all were in the early stages of community development. Results indicate that topsoil inversion can successfully lower surface soil fertility and reduce competition between sown species and agricultural weeds.     

Soil moisture's underestimated role in climate change impact modelling in low‐energy systems

Shifts in precipitation regimes are an inherent component of climate change, but in low‐energy systems are often assumed to be less important than changes in temperature. Because soil moisture is the hydrological variable most proximally linked to plant performance during the growing season in arctic‐alpine habitats, it may offer the most useful perspective on the influence of changes in precipitation on vegetation. Here we quantify the influence of soil moisture for multiple vegetation properties at fine spatial scales, to determine the potential importance of soil moisture under changing climatic conditions. A fine‐scale data set, comprising vascular species cover and field‐quantified ecologically relevant environmental parameters, was analysed to determine the influence of soil moisture relative to other key abiotic predictors. Soil moisture was strongly related to community composition, species richness and the occurrence patterns of individual species, having a similar or greater influence than soil temperature, pH and solar radiation. Soil moisture varied considerably over short distances, and this fine‐scale heterogeneity may contribute to offsetting the ecological impacts of changes in precipitation for species not limited to extreme soil moisture conditions. In conclusion, soil moisture is a key driver of vegetation properties, both at the species and community level, even in this low‐energy system. Soil moisture conditions represent an important mechanism through which changing climatic conditions impact vegetation, and advancing our predictive capability will therefore require a better understanding of how soil moisture mediates the effects of climate change on biota.     

Multifunctionality of biocrusts is positively predicted by network topologies consistent with interspecies facilitation

The potential of biodiversity loss to impair the delivery of ecosystem services has motived ecologists to better understand the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Although increasing evidence underlines the collective contribution of different biodiversity components on the simultaneous performance of multiple functions (multifunctionality), we know little about the trade‐offs between individual diversity effects and the extent to which they determine multifunctionality differentially. Here, at a subcontinental scale of 62 dryland sites, we show in phototrophic microbiota of biological soil crusts (biocrusts) that, whereas richness alone is unable to guarantee the maxima of multifunctional performance, interspecies facilitation and compositional identity are particularly stronger but often neglected predictors. The inconsistent effects of different biodiversity components imply that soil multifunctionality can be lost despite certain species remaining present. Moreover, we reveal a significant empirical association between species functional importance and its topological feature in co‐occurrence networks, indicating a functional signal of species interaction. Nevertheless, abundant species tend to isolate and merely interact within small topological structures, but rare species were tightly connected in complicated network modules. Our findings suggest that abundant and rare species of soil phototrophs exhibit distinct functional relevance. These results give a comprehensive view of how soil constructive species drive multifunctionality in biocrusts and ultimately promote a deeper understanding of the consequences of biodiversity loss in real‐world ecosystems.     

杉木与固氮和非固氮树种混交对林地土壤质量和土壤水化学的影响

第 1代人工杉木林皆伐后 ,3种不同的经营模式 ,即连载杉木纯林、杉木与固 N阔叶树混交林和杉木与非固 N阔叶树混交林 ,对林地土壤质量和土壤水化学的影响进行了比较。结果表明 ,在杉树与阔叶树混交经营模式下 ,土壤养分含量增加 ,物理性状改善 ,土壤生物活性提高 ,微生物商 (Cmic:Corg)上升 ,代谢商 (q CO2 )稍有下降 ,但杉木与固 N树种的混交对土壤质量的改善效果比杉木与非固 N树种混交好 ;相反 ,杉木连载只能导致林地土壤质量的逐渐恶化 ;土壤溶液中 ,主要来自于大气中的一些离子浓度 ,如 SO2 - 4,Cl- ,Na 和 Mg2 ,在杉木纯林中显著高于混交林 ,而主要受系统内影响较大的一些离子 ,如 K 和NH 4,NO- 3,在经营模式间变异较小 ;H 和 Al3 浓度也是杉木纯林比混交林高。另外 ,研究结果还表明 ,总有机 C、CEC和微生物 C与其它土壤理化性质与生物学性质之间存在着较好的相关性 ,所以可以将总有机 C、CEC和微生物 C作为红黄壤地区亚热带人工林土壤质量的指示指标     

Effects of smoke,heat and charred wood on the germination of dormant soil‐stored seeds from a Eucalyptus baxteri heathy‐woodland in Victoria,SE Australia

The effects of dry heat, wet heat, charred wood and smoke on the germination of dormant soil‐stored seeds from a Eucalyptus woodland in western Victoria were tested by using a glasshouse seed‐bank germination experiment. Seedling density, species richness and species composition were compared between replicated treated and control samples. A total of 5922 seedlings, comprising 59 plant species, was recorded from the soil samples over a period of 150 days. While a few species dominated (including Centrolepis strigosa, Wahlenbergia gracilenta and Ixodia achillaeoides), 26 species were represented by fewer than five seedlings and 18 species were restricted to single treatment types. With the exception of charred wood, all treatments led to a significant increase in seed germination relative to the control. The highest number of germinants was obtained for the smoke treatment, with a mean (± SE) of 12 547 ± 449 seedlings m^–2. Heat treatments yielded intermediate densities, with means (± SE) varying between 7445 ± 234 and 9133 ± 445 seedlings m^–2. In comparison with the estimates of seed‐bank sizes from other fire‐prone ecosystems, these densities are high. Species richness differed significantly among treatments. Highest mean richness was recorded in the smoke treatment and lowest for the control and charred wood treatments. There were significant differences in seed‐bank species composition between treatment types based on analysis of similarity (Anosim) using Bray–Curtis similarity. While heat was a specific requirement for triggering germination in hard‐seeded species (e.g. Fabaceae), smoke was the most effective trigger for species from a broad range of other families. The potentially confounding effect of physical and chemical mechanisms of germination stimulation in heated bulk soil samples is raised as an issue requiring further investigation in relation to the role of smoke as a germination trigger.     

土壤肥力和物种属性决定亚高寒草甸实验群落的生产力

生物多样性与生态系统功能之间的关系及其形成的内在机制还存在很多争议。为了揭示植物群落生产力形成的生态学机制, 采用盆栽方法探讨了物种多样性、物种属性以及施肥水平与植物群落生产力之间的关系。研究结果显示: 在不施肥和每盆施5.0 g磷酸二铵的条件下, 随着物种多样性的增加, 地上生物量增加不显著; 在每盆施10.0 g磷酸二铵的条件下, 随着物种多样性的增加, 地上生物量显著增加。相对于中华羊茅(Festuca sinensis)而言, 垂穗披碱草(Elymus nutans)和垂穗鹅观草(Roegneria nutans)对群落生产力的贡献较大, 但在不同施肥水平和播种密度下, 其影响不完全相同。这表明物种多样性对群落生产力的影响随着土壤肥力的变化而变化; 并且植物群落生产力受组成群落的物种属性影响较大, 而物种属性又与特定时间和特定生境下资源的利用方式相联系。在高肥力水平下, 物种多样性之所以对群落生产力具有正效应, 可能是因为高肥力水平增加了可利用的生态位空间, 最终仍体现在物种组合上。因此, 植物群落的生产力与物种多样性之间没有必然的联系, 而与土壤肥力和土壤肥力决定的物种属性有关。     

Positional‐Species Composition of Diacylglycerol Acetates from Mature Euonymus Seeds

The positional‐species composition (PSC) of 3‐acetyl‐1,2‐diacyl‐sn‐glycerols (AcDAGs) from the seeds of mature fruits of 14 species of the genus Euonymus L. was established. The residues of six major fatty acids (FAs), palmitic ( P ), stearic ( St ), hexadecenoic ( H ), octadecenoic ( O ), linoleic ( L ), and linolenic ( Ln ), were present in the AcDAGs. Here, we demonstrated that the profile of PSC of AcDAGs could serve as chemotaxonomic factor to divide euonymus species studied here into groups which completely correlate with the present day systematic of the genus. In particular, the Euonymus section greatly exceeded other sections of the Euonymus subgenus as well as the Kalonymus one in the total levels of AcDAGs positional species having one and two O residues and was characterized by significantly lesser concentrations of species with one and two L residues. Moreover, in seed, AcDAGs of almost all Euonymus species EF_L values were slightly higher than EF_O ones, but all EF_L and EF_O values were higher than 1.0, and therefore, it can be concluded that both FAs mainly esterified sn‐2‐position of the glycerol moiety and saturated FAs residues were always virtually absent in the sn‐2 position of Euonymus seed AcDAGs, as it is also the case in nearly all TAGs molecules of plant origin.     

辽宁省土壤中暗色丝孢菌初查

从辽宁省不同生态环境中采集土壤样品28份,采用土壤平板法和稀释平板法,从中分离出45个暗色丝孢菌分离物。经鉴定分属于18属,26种。其中,海芋平脐蠕孢Bipolaris alocasiae、长梗腐质霉Humicola longistipes为新种;其他24种为国内已知种。研究过的标本（干制培养物）及活菌种保存在山东农业大学植物病理学标本室（HSAUP）,等模式标本保存在中国科学院真菌标本馆（HMAS）。     

牧草种类与耕作时间对拉萨牧草种植地土壤不同组分有机碳的影响

以中国科学院拉萨高原生态试验站附近天然灌丛草原与站内的牧草种植地为研究对象,分析牧草种类与耕作时间对牧草种植地土壤有机碳的影响。种植地的5种牧草种类为:耕作10a的鸭茅(Dactylis glomerata L.)、耕作4a与10a的垂穗披碱草(Elymus nutans Griseb.)、耕作3a与10a的苜蓿(Medicago sativa Linn.),同时以该区域原生植被天然灌丛草原生长地作为对照。结果表明:与天然灌丛土壤全土有机碳(Total Organic Carbon,TOC)含量相比,耕作10a的鸭茅增加了土层0—5 cm与10—30 cm TOC含量、耕作10a的苜蓿与垂穗披碱草分别显著增加与降低了土层0—5 cm TOC含量。主要因为耕作不同牧草使种植地土壤不同组分有机碳含量发生变化,耕作10a的鸭茅和苜蓿分别使土层0—5 cm与10—30 cm、土层0—5 cm与10—20 cm的砂粒级(50—2000μm)颗粒有机碳(POC)含量降低,粉粒与黏粒级(50μm)矿物结合态有机碳(MOC)含量升高;耕作10a的垂穗披碱草则使土壤表层0—5 cm砂粒级POC含量显著降低,MOC无显著变化。与耕作4a的垂穗披碱草相比,耕作10a显著降低了土层10—20 cm TOC含量,主要体现在粗砂粒(250—2000μm)POC含量与粉粒(2—50μm)MOC含量的降低;与耕作3a的苜蓿相比,耕作10a的苜蓿显著降低了土层5—30 cm TOC含量,主要因为各土层砂粒级POC含量、粉粒与细黏粒MOC含量均有所降低。说明短期耕作更有利于牧草种植地土壤有机碳库的累积。     

种植阔叶树种和毛竹对土壤有机碳矿化与微生物群落结构的影响

为探明种植阔叶树种和毛竹对土壤有机碳矿化与微生物群落特征的影响,本研究通过盆栽试验和室内培养法比较分析种植香樟、木荷、青冈等阔叶树种与毛竹的土壤有机碳矿化速率和累计矿化量,并结合末端限制性片段长度多态性(T-RFLP)以及荧光定量PCR技术,分析土壤细菌、真菌群落组分与数量特征.结果表明:与种植阔叶树种的土壤相比,种植...     

两种土壤类型草本植物根系丛枝菌根真菌多样性

将分属12个科的17种宿主植物分别种植于石灰土和紫色土上,120 d后收获取样,通过CTAB法提取共生菌根内AM真菌的DNA,用特异引物U1/U2扩增编码核糖体28S大亚基的rDNA部分序列,并利用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(PAGE)和银染显影技术显色, 比较了石灰土和紫色土上草本植物根系内丛枝菌根真菌群落的物种多样性.结果表明：生长于石灰土上的17种宿主植物根系内共发现AM真菌条带29种,平均每种宿主植物内8.29种;生长于紫色土上的17种宿主植物根系内发现条带24种,平均每种宿主植物内9.47种.根系内的AM真菌条带包括特异条带和共有条带.经聚类分析发现,AM真菌对宿主植物的侵染有一定的科属专一性,且受土壤环境等外在条件的影响.同时探讨了AM真菌应用于石灰岩地区生态恢复的可能性.     

Effects of tree species on soil organic carbon density: A common garden experiment of five temperate tree species

Aims Forest trees alter litter inputs, turnover and rhizospheric activities, modify soil physical, chemical and biological properties, and consequently affect soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and carbon sink strength. That how to select appropriate tree species in afforestation, reforestation and management practices is critical to enhancing forest carbon sequestration. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of tree species on SOC density and vertical distributions.Methods A common garden experiment with the same climate, soil, and management history was established in Maoershan Forest Ecosystem Station, Northeast China, in 2004. The experimental design was a completely randomized arrangement with twenty 25 m × 25 m plots, consisting of monocultures of five tree species, including white birch (Betula platyphylla), Manchurian walnut (Juglans mandshurica), Manchurian ash (Fraxinus mandshurica), Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii), and Mongolian pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica), each with four replicated plots. A decade after the establishment (2013-2014), we measured carbon density and related factors (i.e., bulk density, total nitrogen concentration, microbial biomass carbon, microbial biomass nitrogen, pH value) in soils of the 0-40 cm depth for these monocultures. Important findings Results showed that tree species significantly influenced the SOC density in the 0-40 cm depth (p < 0.05). SOC density in the 0-10 cm depth varied from 2.79 to 3.08 kg·m^-2, in the order of walnut > ash> birch > larch > pine, in the 10-20 cm depth from 1.56 to 2.19 kg·m^-2, in the order of pine > walnut > ash > birch > larch, in the 20-30 cm depth from 1.17 to 2.10 kg·m^-2, and in the 20-40 cm depth from 0.84 to 1.43 kg·m^-2. The greatest SOC density occurred in the birch stands in the 20-40 cm depth. The vertical distributions of SOC density varied with tree species. The percentage of SOC in the 0-10 cm depth over the total SOC in the soil profile was significantly higher in the walnut and larch stands than in others, while the percentage of SOC in the 20-40 cm depth over the total SOC was highest in the birch stands. SOC concentration and soil bulk density differed significantly among the stands of different tree species, and were negatively correlated. SOC density was positively correlated with soil microbial biomass and soil pH in the walnut, ash, and larch stands, and with total nitrogen density in all the stands. We conclude that tree species modifies soil properties and microbial activity, thereby influencing SOC density, and that different patterns of vertical distributions of SOC density among monocultures of different tree species may be attributed to varying SOC controls at each soil depth.