不同火烧强度迹地林下灌草层物种多样性及其与土壤因子的关系

为揭示胶东丘陵区麻栎黑松混交林过火后林下灌丛群落结构和多样性变化,探究群落物种分布和多样性指数与土壤因子之间的相互关系,该研究以威海仙姑顶中度、轻度、未过火林地为研究对象,对不同火烧强度林地进行土壤的定量分析和植物物种多样性调查,并运用典范对应分析法(CCA)和冗余分析法(RDA)进行排序,以明确影响不同火烧迹地林下灌丛群落物种多样性的关键土壤因子。结果表明:(1)各林地丰富度、多样性、均匀度指数在群落垂直方向上均表现为草本层大于灌木层。灌木层丰富度、多样性、均匀度指数均随火烧强度的增加先升后降,轻度火烧达到最大值,是灌丛群落特征变化的关键转折期;草本层Patrick、Shannon-Wiener和Simpson指数逐渐降低,Margalef指数先降低后微弱上升,均在未过火林地达到最大值,均匀度指数各林地无显著差别(P0.05)。(2)未过火与中度火烧地之间的Morista-Horn指数在灌木层、草本层和灌草层中均为最小,β多样性最高,林下物种组成差别迥异;轻度与中度火烧地在灌木层次上物种异质性较高,未过火与轻度火烧地在草本层次上拥有较高异质性的物种更替。(3)中度和轻度火烧地林下灌丛群落大致均可分为3个类群,未过火林下灌丛植物疏离分散,则未形成类群;中度火烧影响植物物种多样性的正向主要因子为碳氮比(C/N),逆向主要因子为全磷(TP)、全钾(TK);轻度火烧正向因子为氮磷比(N/P),逆向因子为pH;未过火林地物种多样性受多种土壤因子的共同作用。(4)火烧提高了林下灌丛群落物种更替速率,增加了灌木层物种多样性,降低了草本层物种多样性,轻度火烧地的物种丰富度水平较高,火烧迹地影响群落物种多样性的因子既有相似性又存在差异性,TK和TP是火烧迹地物种多样性的共同影响因子,磷(P)是火烧迹地物种多样性的共同限制性元素。     

大兴安岭火烧迹地恢复初期土壤微生物群落特征

对大兴安岭兴安落叶松2003年重度和中度火烧迹地以及未过火样地的土壤微生物群落进行了考察,旨在揭示火烧迹地恢复初期土壤微生物群落变化特征。研究结果表明火烧迹地土壤养分(全氮、全碳、土壤有机质、有效氮)和土壤水分与未过火对照样地存在显著差异;火烧迹地土壤微生物量碳氮、微生物代谢活性以及碳源利用能力均显著高于对照样地;但火烧迹地与对照样地土壤微生物群落结构指标土壤微生物量碳氮比(MBC/MBN)以及多样性指数没有显著差异。相关分析结果表明:土壤微生物量、代谢活性和碳源利用能力与土壤养分指标(全碳、全氮、速效氮、有机质)和土壤水分含量有显著相关性。主成分分析的结果表明火烧与否是火烧样地与对照样地土壤微生物对碳源利用能力差异的原因。所有样地土壤微生物群落真菌比例较高,可能与该地区土壤酸碱度有关(pH=4.12—4.68)。经过6a的恢复,重度和中度火烧迹地的土壤养分和水分、土壤微生物群落的生长、代谢、以及群落多样性仍存在差异,但均不显著,表明此时火烧程度对土壤微生物群落的影响已很微弱。     

大兴安岭重度火烧迹地地表土壤节肢动物群落特征

火是生态系统的主要干扰因子之一,直接影响地表土壤动物群落多样性。为了解大兴安岭火烧迹地地表土壤动物群落恢复状况,于2016年6月和8月,选取松岭区南瓮河国家级自然保护区内2006年落叶松白桦混交林重度火烧迹地为实验样地、未受干扰的混交林为对照样地,采用陷阱法研究地表土壤节肢动物群落组成与多样性。本研究共捕获地表土壤节肢动物17 460只,隶属5纲14目57科85属。其中大型土壤节肢动物隶属4纲11目36科55属,优势类群为铺道蚁属（Tetramorium）;中小型土壤节肢动物隶属2纲3目18科30属,优势类群为球角跳属（Hypogastrura）。整体而言,重度火烧迹地地表土壤节肢动物总个体数多于对照样地,而总类群数低于对照样地,但仅大型地表土壤节肢动物个体数明显低于对照样地（P < 0.05）。研究时段,8月份中小型土壤节肢动物的个体数明显高于6月份（P < 0.05）。群落多样性分析表明,重度火烧迹地与对照样地的地表土壤节肢动物群落多样性指数差异性不显著（P > 0.05）,其中6月份中小型地表土壤节肢动物Shannon-Wiener指数、Pielou均匀度指数与Margalef丰富度指数明显低于8月份（P < 0.01）,而6月份Simpson优势度指数高于8月份（P < 0.01）。火烧迹地与对照样地土壤节肢动物群落相似性系数为0.78,不同月份之间地表土壤节肢动物群落相似性均为0.43,表明地表土壤节肢动物群落总体变化较小,但地表土壤节肢动物群落随时间发生改变。地表土壤节肢动物对研究区域资源的利用存在明显的差异（P < 0.01）,重度火烧迹地可共同利用资源增多,对照样地可共同利用资源少而优势现象明显。重度火烧迹地地表主要土壤动物类群因可利用资源增加而导致生态位重叠指数增加。典型判别分析显示,地表土壤节肢动物群落受火烧干扰影响,且存在明显的季节变化。     

宁夏震湖滩涂湿地盐生植物群落多样性与土壤盐碱度分析

该研究以宁夏西吉震湖滩涂湿地4种典型盐生植物群落作为研究对象,通过野外调查采样,实验室分析,结合经典统计学方法,研究柽柳(Tamarix sp.)、盐角草(Salicornia europaea)、碱蓬(Suaeda glauca)、芦苇(Phragmites australis)(矮生型)等4种盐生植物群落多样性格局,分析4种盐生植物群落及湖滩裸地土壤全盐和pH特征,为湿地自然保护区湖滨湿地的保护与恢复提供依据。结果表明:(1)在4种盐生群落斑块中共发现植物26种,藜科、禾本科、菊科分别占植物总数的23.08%、19.23%和19.23%;柽柳群落为盐生灌丛,物种数繁杂;盐角草群落、碱蓬群落和芦苇群落属于盐生草甸,物种组成单调,大多是单优群落斑块;3种盐生草甸群落中优势种的重要值显著高于盐生灌丛中柽柳的重要值(P0.05)。(2)Margalef丰富度指数、Shannon-wiener指数和Simpson优势度指数均是柽柳群落最大,分别为1.105、1.706和0.552;Pielou均匀度指数为:盐角草群落芦苇群落碱蓬群落柽柳群落,分别为1.166、1.021、0.997和0.813。(3)4种盐生群落类型及湖滩裸地土壤全盐表层(0~10cm)表聚效应显著(P0.05);表层土壤全盐依次为湖滩裸地盐角草群落碱蓬群落柽柳群落芦苇群落,土壤盐度分别在0.44%~0.58%、0.49%~0.53%、0.15%~0.54%、0.27%~0.45%和0.18%~0.39%之间;柽柳群落土壤pH随土层加深依次降低,3种盐生草甸土壤pH随土层加深先迅速增大后基本不变,湖滩裸地pH随土层加深先迅速减小后基本不变。     

火烧强度对兴安落叶松群落叶片功能性状及功能多样性的影响

林火是北方针叶林的重要生态因子,直接影响火烧迹地物种多样性及功能多样性,进而影响森林群落的演替.以牙克石地区火后自然恢复12年的兴安落叶松群落为研究对象,在群落尺度上分析火烧迹地土壤养分含量、叶片功能性状、物种多样性和功能多样性在不同火烧强度(轻、中和重度火烧)下的变化规律.结果表明: 火烧显著降低了土壤全氮含量,对土壤全磷含量无显著影响.轻、中度火烧有助于维持群落较高的物种多样性和功能多样性;中度火烧显著增加了群落的物种多样性,物种丰富度指数、Shannon指数、Simpson指数和Pielou均匀度指数均在中度火烧时有最大值;火烧降低了群落的功能丰富度和功能离散度指数,二者分别在中、轻度火烧时最大(除未过火外),而群落的功能均匀度和二次熵指数在林火干扰后增加,轻度火烧后最大.随火烧强度增加,叶干物质含量、叶组织密度和叶磷含量总体呈显著增大趋势,而比叶面积、叶含水量、叶氮含量和叶N∶P则表现出未过火>中度火烧>轻度火烧>重度火烧的规律,叶片厚度呈先增大后减小的变化规律.火烧强度对森林群落的叶片功能性状和功能多样性均有显著影响,且适度的火干扰对森林群落的恢复具有促进作用.     

衡阳紫色土丘陵坡地植被恢复对土壤微生物功能多样性的影响

以典型湖南省衡阳紫色土丘陵坡地不同植被恢复阶段为研究对象,采用空间代替时间序列的方法,选用立地条件基本相似的草本(狗尾草,GS)、灌草(紫薇-狗尾草,FG)、灌丛(牡荆+剌槐,FX)和乔灌(枫香+苦楝-牡荆,AF)群落阶段,运用Biolog-ECO微平板技术,对4个不同恢复阶段0～10和10～20 cm土层的土壤微生物功能多样性进行研究,探讨植被恢复对土壤微生物功能多样性的影响.结果表明: 植被恢复后土壤微生物群落代谢活性显著升高,同一土层不同恢复阶段AWCD值的大小顺序为乔灌群落＞灌丛群落＞灌草群落＞草本群落,相同恢复阶段不同土层的AWCD值的大小顺序为0～10 cm＞10～20 cm;主成分分析(PCA)表明,灌草群落与灌丛群落具有相似的土壤微生物C源利用方式及代谢功能,而草本群落、乔灌群落具有不同的C源利用方式及代谢功能,在主成分分离中起主要贡献作用的C源是糖类、氨基酸类以及代谢中间产物和次生代谢物;土壤微生物的Shannon物种丰富度指数(H)、Shannon均匀度指数(E)、Simpson优势度指数(D)和McIntosh指数(U)均以乔灌群落最高,灌草群落和灌丛群落次之,草本群落最低;相关分析表明,土壤含水量(SWC)、土壤总有机碳(STOC)、全氮(TN)、全磷(TP)和速效磷(AP)对土壤微生物代谢功能及功能多样性指数有重要影响,脲酶(URE)、磷酸酶(APE)、蔗糖酶(INV)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性与土壤微生物代谢功能及功能多样性指数存在显著相关关系.表明植被恢复可使土壤微生物代谢功能增强,土壤微生物繁殖加快、数量增大,从而促进土壤微生物对土壤C源的利用强度.     

热带次生林、旱稻种植地和火烧迹地土壤节肢动物群落结构特征及季节变化

通过模拟刀耕火种过程 ,对刀耕火种前后的次生林、旱稻地 (第 2年 )和火烧迹地 (火烧后直接撂荒地第 2年 )土壤节肢动物群落结构特征及季节变化进行了调查研究。结果显示 :3块样地土壤节肢动物群落的优势类群组成相同 ,均为蜱螨目、膜翅目和弹尾目 ,但不同生境样地中各优势类群所占群落总数的比例不同 ,并且 3样地常见和稀有类群的组成差异较大 ;土壤节肢动物类群数、个体数和 DG多样性指数表现为次生林高于其它 2块样地 ,而旱稻地和火烧迹地则无较大差异 ,但一些类群在旱稻地、火烧迹地的数量分布与次生林具有差异 ,且在土壤层的表现较为突出 ;3块样地土壤节肢动物群落具有较好相似性 ,其中旱稻地与火烧迹地达到极相似水平 (D、DS>0 .9)。3种不同类型生境土壤节肢动物群落在类群数、个体数和多样性指数的季节变化总体呈现出雨量少的干季或雨季初末期高于雨量最大的雨季中期 ,与当地降雨量和气温变化有密切关系 ,同时各样地土壤节肢动物群落因生境条件不同及人为活动干扰强弱而形成各自的季节消长特点。研究表明刀耕火种后的旱稻种植对土壤节肢动物群落的恢复和发展在一定限制条件 (面积、周围次生林和坡度 )下无破坏性影响 ,但植被改变、农事活动等对直接撂荒地和旱稻地土壤节肢动物群落的季节消长产生     

柽柳(Tamarix spp.)和梭梭(Haloxylonammodendron)的"肥岛"效应

灌丛"肥岛"是全球干旱生态系统中的普遍现象,其发生和发展对干旱灌木、草原生态系统的结构和功能都具有重要影响,但其物种效应容易得到忽视.对准噶尔盆地南缘柽柳(Tamarix spp.)和梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)这两种不同地表形态灌木的冠下、冠缘和灌丛间地3种生境的土壤进行了采样、分析,结果表明:(1)柽柳和梭梭都存在"肥岛"现象,主要表现在土壤表层,其土壤性状与"岛"外土壤的差异随土壤深度增加而减弱;(2)生物性限制土壤养分由"岛"内向外梯度递减,而非生物性限制土壤要素可能高于、也可能低于"岛"外土壤,或者两者无显著差异;(3)从"肥岛"的空间尺度来看,柽柳"肥岛"的水平范围可能超出了本身冠幅覆盖区,而梭梭"肥岛"要小于本身冠幅覆盖区,其深度亦小于柽柳"肥岛";(4)相对于不同土壤要素而言,即使是同一物种,其"肥岛"也具有不同的空间范围.总的来看,研究区灌丛"肥岛"的发育具有明显的物种效应,相对梭梭而言,柽柳"肥岛"发育更广、更深,养分聚集更明显,其原因主要是柽柳的半球型树冠更利于保护和捕获凋落物,而较多的凋落物输入与土壤结构和土壤养分间的正反馈机制使柽柳冠下加速的生物地球化学循环能达到更广、更深的范围.灌丛"肥岛"的发育是干旱景观中生物过程与物理过程交互作用的产物,全面揭示其形成机理,探讨其对干旱生态系统结构、功能与动态的影响,需要更系统的研究.     

干旱风沙区柠条枯落物对土壤节肢动物群落的影响

在干旱风沙区宁夏盐池县,选择柠条(Caragana korshinskii)枯落物,采用网孔分解袋法,研究了不同大小灌丛(极小型、小型、中型、大型)微生境柠条枯落物分解中土壤节肢动物群落分布特征。结果表明:灌丛增大导致枯落物残留量、磷(P)含量、钾(K)含量和土壤电导率显著升高(P0.05),而纤维素含量、木质素含量和土壤p H在不同大小灌丛间均无显著差异;调查共获得土壤节肢动物10目18科,其中优势类群为镰螯螨科、腾岛螨科、甲螨亚目和球角跳科,其个体数占总个体数的67.4%;常见类群4类,其个体数占总个体数的27.3%;其余10类为稀有类群,其个体数占总个体数的4.9%。在不同大小灌丛中,柠条枯落物土壤节肢动物群落组成差异较大,反映了土壤节肢动物对枯落物微生境变化的敏感性和适应性;灌丛增大导致土壤节肢动物优势度指数显著升高(P0.05),但土壤节肢动物个体数、类群数、香农指数、均匀度指数和丰富度指数在不同大小灌丛间均无显著差异;土壤节肢动物个体数、类群数和多样性指数均与土壤电导率、枯落物残留量、木质素、纤维素、P和K含量密切相关。研究表明,不同大小灌丛下,枯落物残留量及质量差异导致土壤节肢动物群落组成变化较大。干旱区灌丛增大促进枯落物中某些类群聚集而导致土壤节肢动物,其优势度指数显著升高,但对土壤节肢动物类群数和多样性指数影响较小。     

马尾松人工林火烧迹地不同恢复阶段中小型土壤节肢动物多样性

为探明喀斯特地区马尾松人工林火烧迹地不同恢复阶段中小型土壤节肢动物多样性,2011年10月(秋季)和2012年2月(冬季)对火烧后恢复1.5个月(RS1)、1.5年(RS2)的马尾松人工林迹地和马尾松人工林(CK)各进行了两次调查.共获得中小型土壤节肢动物15704只,隶属7纲13目89科134类.研究结果表明,马尾松人工林迹地中小型土壤节肢动物类群数、个体密度、多样性和相似性均随恢复时间的增加而增加;类群数和个体密度与全钾显著相关;在季节变化上,RS1个体密度冬季显著高于秋季,RS2和CK类群数、个体密度和多样性冬季显著高于秋季.结果说明,随着恢复时间的增加,喀斯特马尾松人工林火烧迹地中小型土壤节肢动物群落结构发生明显改变,趋于复杂,稳定性提高,季节敏感性增加.     

Canopy effects of the invasive shrub Pyracantha angustifolia on seed bank composition,richness and density in a montane shrubland (Córdoba,Argentina)

Abstract Invasive woody species frequently change the composition of the established vegetation and the properties of the soil under their canopies. Accordingly, invasion may well affect regenerative phases of the community, especially at the seed bank level, likely influencing community restoration. Pyracantha angustifolia (Rosaceae) is an invasive shrub in central Argentina that affects woody recruitment, particularly enhancing the recruitment of other exotic woody species. There is though no information regarding its effect on the soil seed bank within the invaded community. The present study was set up to gain further insight into the canopy effects of P. angustifolia. We aimed to assess whether the invasive shrub affects seed bank composition, richness and seed density as compared with the dominant native shrub Condalia montana (Rhamnaceae), and to relate the observed seed bank patterns with those of the established vegetation. We evaluated the composition of the germinable seed bank and the established vegetation under the canopy of 16 shrubs of P. angustifolia, 16 shrubs of C. montana, and in 16 control plots (10 m²) without shrub cover. The floristic composition of the seed bank differed among canopy treatments. However, seed bank richness did not differ significantly. There was an overall high seed density of exotic species throughout the study site, though exotic forbs showed significantly lower seed densities under the invasive shrub. Pyracantha angustifolia would not promote the incorporation of new species into the seed bank of the invaded community but rather favour the establishment of woody species that do not depend on seed banks. The absence of dominant woody species in the seed bank, the dominance of exotic forbs, and the high similarity between established exotic species and those present in the seed bank may surely affect community restoration following the main disturbances events observed in the region.     

Legacy microsite effect on the survival of bitterbrush outplantings after prescribed fire: capitalizing on spatial variability to improve restoration

Restoration of shrubs in arid and semi‐arid rangelands is hampered by low success rates. Planting shrub seedlings is a method used to improve success in these rangelands; however, it is expensive and labor intensive. The efficiency of shrub restoration could be improved by identifying microsites where shrub survival is greater. Bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata Pursh DC) is an important shrub to wildlife that has declined because of conifer encroachment, excessive defoliation, wildfires, and low recruitment. We investigated planting bitterbrush seedlings in western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis ssp. occidentalis Hook) encroached shrublands after prescribed fire was used to control trees. Bitterbrush seedlings were planted in under (canopy) and between (interspace) former juniper canopies at five blocks and evaluated for three growing seasons. Bitterbrush survival was greater than 50% in the former canopy, but only 5% in the interspace microsite by the third growing season. Growth of bitterbrush was also greater in the former canopy compared with the interspace, potentially due to markedly less perennial vegetation in this microsite. Exotic annual grasses and annual forbs became prevalent in the former canopy in the second and third growing season, suggesting that soil resource availability was greater in this microsite. These results suggest that restoration success will vary by specific locations within a burned landscape and that this variability can be used to improve restoration efficiency. In this situation, bitterbrush restoration can be improved by planting seedlings in former canopy compared with interspace microsites.     

锦鸡儿属灌丛化对草原化荒漠区土壤线虫群落组成和代谢足迹的影响

调查了内蒙古草原化荒漠区3种锦鸡儿[垫状锦鸡儿(Caragana tibetica)、荒漠锦鸡儿(C.roborovskyi)和狭叶锦鸡儿(C.stenophylla)]灌丛内、外土壤线虫群落多样性、组成和代谢足迹,以及相关的土壤理化性质和植物群落特征,旨在探讨锦鸡儿属灌丛对土壤线虫群落的影响,并分析这种影响是否具有灌木种间差异,同时从线虫功能团水平上探究灌丛如何通过非生物因素和生物因素影响线虫群落组成。结果表明：锦鸡儿属灌丛对土壤线虫多度、丰富度和多样性无显著影响,但却显著影响土壤线虫群落组成。原因是灌丛对土壤线虫群落具有物种选择性;灌丛可能主要是通过根系分泌物、凋落物质量等因素,而不是通过土壤理化性质和林下植物影响线虫群落组成。土壤线虫组成的变化引起线虫代谢足迹发生明显变化。灌丛内土壤线虫功能代谢足迹大于灌丛外(除狭叶锦鸡儿外),说明灌丛内土壤线虫群落对碳的利用率更高。3种锦鸡儿属灌木中,狭叶锦鸡儿的结构代谢足迹最大,表明狭叶锦鸡儿对捕食杂食类线虫代谢活性的促进作用更强。土壤线虫组成的变化通过线虫代谢足迹导致土壤食物网结构发生显著性变化。狭叶锦鸡儿灌丛土壤干扰程度低,营养富集状况好...     

Restoration of Dry Afromontane Forest Using Pioneer Shrubs as Nurse-Plants for Olea europaea ssp. cuspidata

Shrubs are often considered competitive barriers for seedlings planted in reforestation programs, although they can facilitate tree recruitment, especially in ecosystems under high abiotic stress. An alternative reforestation technique using pioneer shrubs as nurse‐plants for Olea europaea ssp. cuspidata was tested in exclosures in northern Ethiopia. Seedlings were planted in three different microhabitats, and their survival was monitored. The microhabitats were bare soil patches between shrubs, patches under the dominant shrub Acacia etbaica, and patches under Euclea racemosa, an evergreen shrub, which supports the majority of naturally established Olea recruits. The ability of shrubs to offer protection against browsing goats was tested experimentally. Controlled shading was used to determine whether solar irradiation causes seedling mortality in environments without water stress. Data were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, Kruskal–Wallis analysis of variance (ANOVA), and one‐way ANOVA. Olea survival was significantly higher and shoot damage by goats was lower when planted under shrub cover compared to bare soil patches, particularly under Euclea canopies, although high shade levels reduced seedling performance. Reduction of solar radiation by shrub canopies and thus control of soil–water evaporation and seedling transpiration most likely controlled the observed facilitation. Planting under shrubs may increase seedling survival and assist regeneration of dry Afromontane vegetation. Preserving pioneers also reduces soil erosion and conserves biodiversity. Excluding livestock is essential for Olea woodland restoration and allows persistent but morphologically modified Olea shrubs to develop vigorous regrowth. Facilitative processes are guiding principles for assisted forest restoration, but above‐average rains may be critical to restore higher biomass levels in semiarid areas.     

Resource heterogeneity generated by shrubs and topography on coastal sand dunes

In early stages of primary succession, colonizing plants can create resource patches that influence the abundance and distribution of other species. To test whether different colonizing shrubs generate contrasting patches on coastal sand dunes, we compared soil characteristics and light availability under the nitrogen-fixing shrub Lupinus arboreus, under the non-nitrogen-fixing shrub Artemisia pycnocephala, and between shrubs on dunes at a site in northern California. Concentrations of inorganic nitrogen and net nitrogen mineralization rates were generally 1–10 times greater in soil under Lupinus than under Artemisia or between shrubs. Soil water content was mostly lower under shrubs. Mean photon flux density near ground level was reduced by at least 80% at 35 cm inside shrub canopies. Topography appeared to have more effect on soil moisture but less direct effect on nitrogen availability than did Lupinus. However, Lupinus probably increases nitrogen levels more on higher, drier dunes. Microhabitats under and between nitrogen-fixing shrubs constitute a mosaic of individually poor but complementary patches in which high levels of light and moderate levels of soil nitrogen are present but tend not to occur together.     

Multiple effects of shrubs on annual plant communities in arid lands of South Australia

Abstract The presence of shrubs in arid lands creates spatial heterogeneity that affects the distribution and performance of annual plants; several possible mechanisms have been implicated. A preliminary survey in a chenopod shrubland in South Australia showed differences in the distribution of annual plants under canopies of Atriplex vesicaria and Maireana sedifolia (the two dominant shrub species) and open spaces. A series of experiments were conducted to test the potential contribution to these patterns of nutrient enrichment under shrubs, differential seed accumulation, stress reduction by the canopy, competition by shrub roots, and protection against grazing. The germinable soil seed‐bank under A. vesicaria and M. sedifolia was different from that in open spaces, but these differences can only explain a fraction of the differences observed in the growing annual plant community in different microsites. The soil under A. vesicaria had higher total nitrogen content than soil in open spaces, whereas soil under M. sedifolia had lower available phosphorus than open spaces. Although annual plant densities under A. vesicaria were higher than in open spaces, experimental removal of shrubs increased their density, suggesting that shrub canopies inhibit annual plants in this system. Surprisingly, trenching of open areas close to shrubs (severing lateral shrub roots) decreased annual plant density. We suggest that water moves laterally through shrub roots, in a process akin to a hydraulic lift, increasing water availability for the annual plants. Exclusion of vertebrate grazers had a stronger effect on annual plant biomass in open spaces than under M. sedifolia, suggesting that this shrub provides shelter against herbivory. Overall our results show that shrubs can have simultaneously facilitative and inhibitory effects on the annual plant community through different mechanisms, but more importantly that different shrub species have different effects. This is a potential mechanism allowing for species coexistence of annual plants.     

Remnant shrubs in Mediterranean semi-arid steppes: effects of shrub size, abiotic factors and species identity on understorey richness and occurrence

Isolated shrub patches are a key element for community structure and dynamics in semi-arid ecosystems, and may act as “hot spots” of understorey species diversity. Despite its importance, the relationships between shrub patch characteristics and understorey species richness, and the relative importance of these characteristics against other factors driving understorey species richness, are still poorly understood. We studied perennial species richness under the canopy of late-successional shrubs in semi-arid Stipa tenacissima steppes of SE Spain. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between shrub size and understorey richness, and to test if this relationship is modified by species identity. We also aimed to know the relative importance of shrub patch characteristics and abiotic factors as predictors of the distribution of understorey species under shrub canopies. Altitude and geographical co-ordinates were able to significantly explain the patterns of shrub occurrence and abundance in the study area. Understorey species richness was significantly related to the size of individual shrubs according to a simple power relationship for all evaluated species. Slope values of linear regressions with log-transformed data, ranging between 0.22 and 0.37, did not differ between species. Site characteristics, patch characteristics and patch species identity significantly explained the occurrence of species on patches. However, the relative importance of site characteristics was higher than that of patch characteristics and species identity in explaining these patterns. Our results agree with the general expectations of the theory of island biogeography and complement previous studies that emphasise the importance of late-successional shrubs in semi-arid Stipa steppes. Environmental management activities within these steppes should promote the conservation of remnant shrubs, as well as its introduction with restoration activities.     

Shrubs as ecosystem engineers in a coastal dune: influences on plant populations,communities and ecosystems

Question: How do two shrubs with contrasting life‐history characteristics influence abundance of dominant plant taxa, species richness and aboveground biomass of grasses and forbs, litter accumulation, nitrogen pools and mineralization rates? How are these shrubs – and thus their effects on populations, communities and ecosystems – distributed spatially across the landscape? Location: Coastal hind‐dune system, Bodega Head, northern California. Methods: In each of 4 years, we compared vegetation, leaf litter and soil nitrogen under canopies of two native shrubs –Ericameria ericoides and the nitrogen‐fixing Lupinus chamissonis– with those in adjacent open dunes. Results: At the population level, density and cover of the native forb Claytonia perfoliata and the exotic grass Bromus diandrus were higher under shrubs than in shrub‐free areas, whereas they were lower under shrubs for the exotic grass Vulpia bromoides. In contrast, cover of three native moss species was highest under Ericameria and equally low under Lupinus and shrub‐free areas. At community level, species richness and aboveground biomass of herbaceous dicots was lower beneath shrubs, whereas no pattern emerged for grasses. At ecosystem level, areas beneath shrubs accumulated more leaf litter and had larger pools of soil ammonium and nitrate. Rates of nitrate mineralization were higher under Lupinus, followed by Ericameria and then open dune. At landscape level, the two shrubs – and their distinctive vegetation and soils – frequently had uniform spatial distributions, and the distance separating neighbouring shrubs increased as their combined sizes increased. Conclusions: Collectively, these data suggest that both shrubs serve as ecosystem engineers in this coastal dune, having influences at multiple levels of biological organization. Our data also suggest that intraspecific competition influenced the spatial distributions of these shrubs and thus altered the distribution of their effects throughout the landscape.     

祁连山北坡退化林地植被群落的自然恢复过程及土壤特征变化

采用长期定位观测的方法,研究了祁连山北坡退化林地人工抚育下2001-2008年间植被群落的自然恢复过程和土壤特征变化。结果表明:人为干扰消除后,退化林地群落环境逐渐优化,群落的科、属、种均明显增加,物种成员更替频繁;灌木和乔木物种出现后,群落垂直高度增大,群落结构出现成层现象;群落总体多样性指数呈不断增大的趋势,在空间结构上,Patrick丰富度指数、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数和Simpson优势度指数表现出:草本层>灌木层>乔木层的规律,而Pielou均匀度指数变化相反;土壤含水量、土壤有机碳和全氮含量随植被恢复均不断增加。在实施封育禁牧措施后,退化林地实现了由草本群落-灌木群落-乔木群落方向的快速演替,当恢复到早期的先锋乔灌混交阶段时,群落的物种组成、结构和多样性趋于复杂化,土壤性状也得到一定改善,显示出相对较好的适应性和恢复效果。     

Spatial variation of seedling distribution in an east Mediterranean pine woodland at the beginning of post-fire succession

Most of the area in pine woodlands is occupied by perennial seeders that regenerate from seeds in the first winter after the fire and by annuals. Control of the germination in the regenerating vegetation after wildfire is therefore a primary ecological component of the post-fire succession in this ecosystem. The aim of the study presented here was to determine the distribution of Pinus, Cistus and other plants seeds around burned Pinus halepensis trees, and to measure the conditions related to seed germination in the upper soil layers in the same locations. The study was carried out in a 50-year old planted Pinus halepensis woodland that was burned down by a wildfire in July 1995. The variation of seedbank density was determined by collecting samples under the canopies of burned trees and in a nearby open area. Pine seedbank density decreased and that of Cistus and annuals increased with increasing distance from the burned trunks. Most pine seeds were present in the ash layer while those of the other plants were in the soil. In situ germination experiments showed that seedling density decreased with distance from the burned trunks while the proportion of pines in the seedling population increased. This was a result of seedbank variation and germination inhibition by the high pH conditions caused by the ash. The establishment of sparse pine seedling under the dead tree canopies insured their rapid development without interference by other plants and played a key role in the regeneration and stability of the pine woodland community. The concomitant mass germination of the perennial seeders in the rest of the area prevented invasion by annuals.