Characteristics of three spinifex alliances in Central Australia

Abstract. The three most extensive spinifex alliances in arid Australia are characterised across a spectrum of post-fire successional states by their plant species, soil chemical characteristics and rainfall. Mean annual rainfall and some nutrients are correlated with the distributions of the alliances; the Triodia pungens alliance occurs in the highest rainfall region with the highest nutrient levels, the Plectrachne schinzii alliance in the mid-rainfall region with medium nutrient levels, and the T. basedowii alliance in the lowest rainfall region with a wide range of nutrient levels. This control on distribution can be over-ridden by topographic position. Where the T. pungens alliance occurs in low rainfall areas it is on sites favoured by soil moisture concentrations higher than the surrounding areas. Non-spinifex plant species are weakly associated with these alliances and their distributions relate to mean rainfall. Soil nutrient levels are generally low and, except for carbon, do not differ significantly between alliances. Soil grain sizes do not differ between alliances.     

内陆干旱区典型旱生植物蒸腾耗水量模拟研究

内陆干旱区植物耗水量是生态恢复和水资源管理的重要依据。参照甘肃省民勤县青土湖附近气象条件、干旱区典型植物生理特征以及土壤水力特征参数,采用Tardieu-Davies模型（气孔导度模型）,计算在适宜和极限生态地下水埋深下7种典型植物生长季蒸腾耗水量,并与国内外研究成果对比,得出以下结论：适宜、极限生态地下水埋深下,7种植物生长季内平均蒸腾量分别为793、602 mm。不同植物蒸腾量差异大,适宜生态地下水位埋深下水生植物芦苇（Phragmites australis）、河岸带植被柽柳（Tamarix chinensis）蒸腾量最大,分别为1292、1147 mm;耐旱性强的荒漠植被梭梭（Haloxylon ammodendron）蒸腾量最小,为279 mm;其它植被盐节木（Halocnemum strobilaceum）（940 mm）、罗布麻（Poacynum hendersonii）（913 mm）、白刺（Nitraria tangutorum）（534 mm）、胡杨（Populus euphratica）（448 mm）蒸腾量依次减小。由适宜生态地下水埋深降低至极限生态地下水埋深时,植物蒸腾量平均减少24%。耐旱性强的梭梭、白刺减幅大,分别为53、35%;耐旱性弱的芦苇、柽柳减幅小,分别为19、13%。     

干旱胁迫下胡杨光合光响应过程模拟与模型比较

以塔里木干旱荒漠区2年生胡杨幼苗为试材,盆栽模拟荒漠生境5种水分梯度,利用Li-6400便携式光合作用系统测定胡杨在干旱胁迫下光合作用的光响应过程,并采用4种光响应模型对其进行拟合与比较,以期优选出适用于干旱荒漠环境的光响应模型,阐明胡杨光合作用对干旱胁迫的响应规律与适应机制。结果表明:胡杨净光合速率(P_n)随干旱胁迫加剧呈下降趋势,同一光强(PAR)下P_n降幅增大。中度干旱胁迫以下(土壤相对含水量,RSWC45%)胡杨在高PAR下仍能维持相对较高P_n,光抑制程度轻;直角双曲线、非直角双曲线和指数模型均可较好地模拟P_n-PAR响应过程,但最大净光合速率(P_(nmax))、光饱和点(LSP)拟合值与实测值差异极显著(P0.01)。中度干旱胁迫以上(RSWC45%)胡杨P_n随PAR升高而显著下降,LSP与P_(nmax)极显著降低,光抑制现象明显;仅直角双曲线修正模型拟合的胡杨光响应过程、光响应参数与实际情况较吻合。4种模型模拟效果顺序:直角双曲线修正模型指数模型非直角双曲线模型直角双曲线模型。4种光响应模型对干旱胁迫具有不同的适应性,直角双曲线修正模型适用于各种水分条件,尤其适用于干旱荒漠生境,其它3种模型适用于水分条件较好的生境。光响应特征参数对干旱胁迫的响应阈值不同。随干旱胁迫加剧,胡杨表观量子效率(AQY)、P_n、LSP与P_(nmax)持续降低,严重干旱胁迫下暗呼吸速率(R_d)、LCP反而明显增大。RSWC45%胡杨仍能保持较高的AQY、P_(nmax)、LSP,RSWC45%其P_(nmax)、LSP显著降低,干旱胁迫显著抑制了胡杨光合进程和光强耐受范围,降低了光合效率,严重干旱胁迫严重影响胡杨苗木的正常生长和光合作用。干旱荒漠环境下,胡杨采取缩窄光照生态幅、降低光能利用率和减少呼吸消耗来积极抵御荒漠干旱逆境伤害的生态对策。因此,从极端干旱荒漠区种群保护与植被恢复角度来看,胡杨林土壤水分应维持在RSWC 50%左右,符合干旱缺水地区植物生长和高效用水的管理原则。     

Granivory and microhabitat use in Australian desert rodents: are seeds important?

The diet and microhabitat use of two species of native Australian desert rodents, the spinifex hoppingmouseNotomys alexis and sandy inland mousePseudomys hermannsburgensis, were studied in the Simpson Desert, south-western Queensland. Contrary to expectation, both species were confirmed from analyses of their stomach contents to be omnivorous. The diets of both species varied through time in a similar manner; seeds were important in summer and especially in winter, but in autumn invertebrates constituted nearly 50% and 60% of the diet ofN. alexis andP. hermannsburgensis, respectively. Other plant material (root, leaf, floral part, stem) was found in appreciable amounts in the stomach contents of both species, and fungi were identified from a small number of individuals. Both species showed a high degree of overlap in the broad types of food they ingested (seed, plant material, invertebrates); however, there was considerably less overlap in the species of seeds eaten. Analysis of microhabitat use suggested that this difference was due to differential foraging between the species; the larger, bipedalN. alexis forages in the open more than the smaller, quadrupedalP. hermannsburgensis, which is found more commonly in or under hummocks of spinifex grass. Although our findings parallel patterns of morphological specialisation and differential foraging on seeds that have been described within communities of North American heteromyid rodents, we found little evidence that the foraging economics ofN. alexis orP. hermannsburgensis should depend solely or primarily on the distribution patterns of seeds. In the absence of dietary information, we suggest that ecological studies of desert rodents which focus solely on granivory, and neglect other important aspects of rodent foraging, can lead to a misinterpretation of species coexistence and community structure.     

地下水埋深和季节性干旱对古尔班通古特沙漠南缘梭梭生理和生长的影响

干旱区因降水稀少,地下水成为荒漠植被重要且稳定的水源。选取古尔班通古特沙漠南缘建群种植物梭梭（Haloxylon ammodendron）为研究对象,通过测量不同地下水埋深（3.45、9.08、10.47、13.27 m和15.91 m）下生长季前期和后期同化枝生理生化指标（黎明水势、正午水势、含水量、氯离子、钠离子、脯氨酸和非结构性碳水化合物）和生长与形态特征（生长速率和胡伯尔值）,旨在认识荒漠植物对地下水埋深增加和季节性干旱的响应特征和调节适应机制。结果表明：（1）梭梭应对地下水埋深变化的生理调节对策,是采取先降低后升高黎明前同化枝水势、降低新枝形成期同化枝生长速率、增大胡伯尔值和积累非结构性碳水化合物的策略;（2）梭梭应对生长季大气干旱的生理调节对策,是通过降低黎明前同化枝水势、维持较高胡伯尔值、积累钠离子和消耗淀粉抵御季节性干旱;（3）在大气干旱与地下水水文干旱交互作用下,梭梭是采取降低正午同化枝水势、维持较高的同化枝含水量和积累可溶性糖的生态策略。综上所述,梭梭在响应地下水水文干旱和季节性大气干旱的生理特征间存在差异。研究结果丰富了水文和大气干旱对梭梭生理和生长影响的认知,可以为基于地下水资源管理的干旱区荒漠植被保育提供参考。     

荒漠河岸林植物木质部导水与栓塞特征及其对干旱胁迫的响应

 以同处于干旱区的塔里木河下游(铁干里克)和黑河下游(乌兰图格)断面为研究区, 比较了荒漠河岸林主要建群种胡杨(Populus euphratica)、柽柳(Tamarix spp.)、疏叶骆驼刺(Alhagi sparsifolia)和花花柴(Karelinia caspia)在长期遭受不同干旱胁迫下的根、枝条木质部导水力和栓塞化程度的变化特征, 并分析了木质部导水对干旱胁迫的响应及适应策略。结果表明: 1) 黑河下游荒漠河岸林植物的导水能力显著高于塔里木河下游, 其中柽柳、胡杨、疏叶骆驼刺和花花柴根木质部的初始比导率(K_s0)分别高11.97、6.74、7.10和3.73倍, 枝条的K_s0分别高9.48、3.65、2.07和1.88倍, 地下水埋深导致的干旱胁迫程度不同是诱发荒漠植物导水能力差异的根本原因; 2)柽柳耐干旱能力最强, 适应范围较宽, 而花花柴、疏叶骆驼刺的耐旱性相对较弱, 适生范围较窄, 这可能与植物的根系分布有关; 3)干旱胁迫较轻时, 枝条木质部是荒漠河岸林植物水分传输的主要阻力部位, 干旱胁迫严重时, 根木质部是限制植株水流的最大阻碍部位; 4)荒漠河岸林植物主要通过调节枝条木质部的水流阻力来适应干旱胁迫, 且其适应策略与干旱胁迫程度有关, 干旱胁迫轻时, 植物通过限制枝条木质部水流来协调整株植物的均匀生长; 干旱胁迫严重时, 植物通过牺牲劣势枝条、增强优势枝条水流来提高植株整体生存的机会。     

Photosynthesis and growth reduction with warming are driven by nonstomatal limitations in a Mediterranean semi‐arid shrub

Whereas warming enhances plant nutrient status and photosynthesis in most terrestrial ecosystems, dryland vegetation is vulnerable to the likely increases in evapotranspiration and reductions in soil moisture caused by elevated temperatures. Any warming‐induced declines in plant primary production and cover in drylands would increase erosion, land degradation, and desertification. We conducted a four‐year manipulative experiment in a semi‐arid Mediterranean ecosystem to evaluate the impacts of a ~2°C warming on the photosynthesis, transpiration, leaf nutrient status, chlorophyll content, isotopic composition, biomass growth, and postsummer survival of the native shrub Helianthemum squamatum. We predicted that warmed plants would show reduced photosynthetic activity and growth, primarily due to the greater stomatal limitation imposed by faster and more severe soil drying under warming. On average, warming reduced net photosynthetic rates by 36% across the study period. Despite this strong response, warming did not affect stomatal conductance and transpiration. The reduction of peak photosynthetic rates with warming was more pronounced in a drought year than in years with near‐average rainfall (75% and 25–40% reductions relative to controls, respectively), with no indications of photosynthetic acclimation to warming through time. Warmed plants had lower leaf N and P contents, δ¹³C, and sparser and smaller leaves than control plants. Warming reduced shoot dry mass production by 31%. However, warmed plants were able to cope with large reductions in net photosynthesis, leaf area, and shoot biomass production without changes in postsummer survival rates. Our findings highlight the key role of nonstomatal factors (biochemical and/or nutritional) in reducing net carbon assimilation rates and growth under warming, which has important implications for projections of plant carbon balance under the warmer and drier climatic scenario predicted for drylands worldwide. Projected climate warming over the coming decades could reduce net primary production by about one‐third in semi‐arid gypsum shrublands dominated by H. squamatum.     

Location of long‐term communal burrows of a threatened arid‐zone lizard in relation to soil and vegetation

The great desert skink (Liopholis kintorei) of the Egerniinae subfamily (Reptilia: Scincidae) is a communal burrowing lizard that inhabits arid spinifex grasslands in central Australia. Great desert skink activity is centred in and around the burrows which are inhabited for many years. However, it is not known whether skinks select burrow sites with specific attributes or how continuing occupancy of burrows is influenced by the surrounding habitat; especially post‐fire, when plant cover is reduced. Here, we test whether great desert skink burrows in areas burnt 2 years previously and in longer unburnt areas are associated with particular habitat attributes, and whether there are differences between occupied and recently abandoned burrow sites. Vegetation composition, cover and soil surface characteristics at 56 established great desert skink burrows, including occupied and recently unoccupied burrows, were compared with 56 random nearby non‐burrow control sites. Burrow sites had higher plant cover compared with the surrounding landscape in both recently burnt and longer unburnt areas and were more likely to be associated with the presence of shrubs. Soil stability and infiltration were also higher at burrow sites. However, we found no evidence that burrows with lower cover were more likely to be abandoned. Our results suggest that great desert skinks may actively select high cover areas for burrow construction, although differences between burrow and control sites may also partly reflect local changes to plant cover and composition and soil properties resulting from burrow construction and long‐term habitation of a site. Further research should determine if burrows with shrubs or higher plant cover provide greater protection from predators, more structural stability for burrow construction, increased prey abundance or other benefits. We recommend that maintenance of areas with relatively higher plant cover be prioritized when managing great desert skink habitat.     

Fungal endophytes intrinsically associated with micropropagated plants regenerated from native <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bouteloua eriopoda</Emphasis> Torr. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Atriplex canescens</Emphasis> (Pursh) Nutt.

Summary Black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda) and fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens) are important grass and shrub species in arid rangelands of the northern Chihuahuan Desert. They are naturally colonized by dark septate endophytic fungi that cannot be eliminated by seed disinfestation. Plants were regenerated from both species and appeared to be fungus-free in axenic cultures. Analysis of callus and regenerated plants of both species using dual staining with light and scanning electron microscopy revealed fungal endophytes intrinsically associated with cells, roots and leaves of regenerated plants that are also associated with native plants. Fungal layers and biofilms prevent direct exposure of callus, root or leaf tissues to the external environment. Micropropagation is a valuable tool for identifying key fungal endophytes that enhance drought tolerance in native desert plants.     

The Genus Nomocharis

Background: Ziziphus lotus, wild jujube, is a xerophytic shrub of the Rhamnaceae family widely distributed in arid and semi-arid regions of Tunisia, where it occupies most soil types. Phenological patterns of desert plants are strongly affected by the seasonality of water availability and phreatophytes represent a particularly interesting case for studying such relationships.

Aim: This study aims to investigate the relationship between phenological traits and water potential patterns of the wild jujube as a tool for understanding how plants cope with extreme drought.

Methods: Phenophases and predawn (Ψ_pd) and midday (Ψ_md) xylem water potentials of wild jujube were studied monthly (Nov 2007–Oct 2008) at Samaâliate and Oued El Hallouf in southern Tunisia. These sites receive164 mm and 191 mm of annual rainfall, respectively, and differ in slope and soil type.

Results: The Ψ_md decreased progressively and concomitantly with increasing seasonal drought, reaching the lowest values in late summer (down to –3.9 MPa for both sites). Seasonality of Ψ_pd was less pronounced for plants established in Oued El Hallouf (–2.09 MPa) than in Samaâliate (–2.63 MPa) at the end of the dry season. Wild jujube is dormant from October through to March and mature plants flower in May and produce fruits in August.

Conclusions: Our results clearly demonstrate that wild jujube is a drought tolerant species reaching low water potentials during the driest months of summer.     

The influence of climate on patterns of termite eating in Australian mammals and lizards

Abstract The present paper examines patterns of termite eating in Australian mammals and lizards (total numbers of species, volume percentage of diet) relative to climate (arid, semi-arid, temperate-mesic). Most termite eaters in arid and semi-arid Australia are lizards. Termite consumptio as a proportion of total lizard diet decreases from arid to mesic climates. More mammal species are relatively termite specialized (>50%) in arid than in semi-arid and mesic regions. Termite consumption in echidnas resembles that of the lizards: relatively high in the arid and relatively low in the mesic zone. For the Dasyuridae, termites comprise only a minor fraction (< 10%) in their diet, irrespective of climate. It is argued that the climatic peculiarities of inland Australia (scant and variable rainfall) cause marked seasonality in termite availability, supporting specialized termite eaters in only the most energy-frugal forms (lizards, echidnas). Areas of future research are identified.     

Alien plant assemblages near roads in arid and semi-arid South Africa

Herbaceous and woody alien plants visible from a moving vehicle were recorded along 1 km roadside transects at 5 km intervals over a distance of 5869 km in the semi-arid and arid Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, Nama Karoo and Arid Savanna (Kalahari) biomes in South Africa. Each 1 km transect was classified by biome and vegetation type, mean annual rainfall, rainfall seasonality, soil surface type and landuse adjoining the roadside. Although travelling speed affected the range and frequency of plant species observed, the method was repeatable at a speed of 100 km h^?1. Alien plants occurred in 98% of 119 Fynbos, 81% of 204 Succulent Karoo, 72% of 661 Nama Karoo, 47% of 171 Arid Savanna and 100% of seventeen Grassland transects. Alien species richness per site was correlated with mean annual rainfall, but in all regions, sites adjacent to cultivation had significantly more alien species than sites adjoining rangeland. The alien plant assemblage of the arid winter-rainfall Succulent Karoo included species from mesic winter-rainfall lowland Fynbos and the arid Nama Karoo receives unseasonal rainfall. The frequencies of Prosopis spp., Atriplex spp. and Opuntia ficus-indica were not significantly greater near cultivation, and these perennial plants, all of which are dispersed by indigenous and domestic animals, can invade natural rangeland in arid and semi-arid southern Africa.     

Dispersal for distance? Acacia ligulata seeds and meat ants Iridomyrmex viridiaeneus

Abstract Ant seed dispersal distances are typically small, averaging less than 1 m in published studies. Here, a new record (180 m) for ant seed dispersal distance is reported, and preliminary observations are made on the interaction between meat ants Iridomyrmex viridiaeneus Viehmeyer (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and diaspores of the sandhill wattle, Acacia ligulata A. Cunn. ex Benth. (Fabaceae) in Kinchega National Park, New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Iridomyrmex viridiaeneus moved diaspores over distances of 7–180 m (mean 93.9 m) from the source trees to their nests, removed the arils underground and discarded the seeds over a 3000‐m² area surrounding the nest. A germination trial determined that the viability of discarded seeds was 40%, with 80% of the viable seeds in a dormant condition. Although the cumulative effects of I. viridiaeneus on A. ligulata recruitment require further investigation, this study and others raise the possibility that myrmecochorous systems in the Australian arid zone may be characterized by longer dispersal distances than those in other parts of the world. Long‐distance seed movement by ants lends credence to the hypothesis that distance dispersal (in contrast to directed dispersal) could be of benefit to myrmecochorous plants.     

Gene flow in the green mirid,Creontiades dilutus (Hemiptera: Miridae), across arid and agricultural environments with different host plant species

Creontiades dilutus (Stål), the green mirid, is a polyphagous herbivorous insect endemic to Australia. Although common in the arid interior of Australia and found on several native host plants that are spatially and temporally ephemeral, green mirids also reach pest levels on several crops in eastern Australia. These host‐associated dynamics, distributed across a large geographic area, raise questions as to whether (1) seasonal fluctuations in population size result in genetic bottlenecks and drift, (2) arid and agricultural populations are genetically isolated, and (3) the use of different host plants results in genetic differentiation. We sequenced a mitochondrial COI fragment from individuals collected over 24 years and screened microsatellite variation from 32 populations across two seasons. The predominance of a single COI haplotype and negative Tajima D in samples from 2006/2007 fit with a population expansion model. In the older collections (1983 and 1993), a different haplotype is most prevalent, consistent with successive population contractions and expansions. Microsatellite data indicates recent migration between inland sites and coastal crops and admixture in several populations. Altogether, the data suggest that long‐distance dispersal occurs between arid and agricultural regions, and this, together with fluctuations in population size, leads to temporally dynamic patterns of genetic differentiation. Host‐associated differentiation is evident between mirids sampled from plants in the genus Cullen (Fabaceae), the primary host, and alternative host plant species growing nearby in arid regions. Our results highlight the importance of jointly assessing natural and agricultural environments in understanding the ecology of pest insects.     

Photosynthetic response of two shrubs to rainfall pulses in desert regions of northwestern China

Pulses of rainfall are particularly pivotal in controlling plant physiological processes in ecosystems controlled by limited water, and the response of desert plants to rainfall is a key to understanding the responses of desert ecosystems to global climatic change. We used a portable photosynthesis system to measure the responses of the diurnal course of photosynthesis, light-response curves, and CO₂-response curves of two desert shrubs (Nitraria sphaerocarpa Maxim. and Calligonum mongolicum Turcz) to a rainfall pulse in a desert-oasis ecotone in northwestern China. The photosynthetic parameters, light- and CO₂-response curves differed significantly before and after the rainfall pulse. Their maximum net photosynthetic rate (P _N) values were 23.27 and 32.92 μmol(CO₂) m⁻² s⁻¹ for N. sphaerocarpa and C. mongolicum, respectively, with corresponding maximum stomatal conductance (g _s) values of 0.47 and 0.39 mol(H₂O) m⁻² s⁻¹. The P _N of N. sphaerocarpa after the rainfall was 1.65 to 1.75 times the value before rainfall, whereas those of C. mongolicum increased to approximately 2 times the prerainfall value, demonstrating the importance of the desert plants response by improving their assimilation rate to precipitation patterns under a future climate.     

Population dynamics of two species of dragon lizards in arid Australia: the effects of rainfall

The population dynamics of two species of agamid (dragon) lizards were studied in the Simpson Desert, central Australia, over a period of 7 years, and modelled in relation to rainfall. Both species have annual life cycles, with adults predominating during the breeding season in spring and summer and juveniles predominating in other seasons. Within years, juvenile abundance in both species in autumn and winter was related most strongly to rainfall in the preceding summer and autumn. This pattern suggests that rainfall enhances survival, growth and possibly clutch size and hatching success. Between years, however, rainfall drove successional change in the dominant plant species in the study area, spinifex Triodia basedowii, causing in turn a shift in the relative abundance of the two species. Thus, the central netted dragon Ctenophorus nuchalis was most numerous in 1990 when vegetation cover was <10%, but declined dramatically in abundance after heavy rainfall at the end of that year. In contrast, the military dragon C. isolepis achieved greatest abundance following heavy rains in the summers of 1990 and 1994, when spinifex cover increased to >20%, and remained numerically dominant for much of the study. We suggest that drought-wet cycles periodically reverse the dominance of the two species of Ctenophorus, and perhaps of other lizard species also, thus enhancing local species diversity over time. Further long-term studies are needed to document the population dynamics of other species, and to identify the factors that influence them. Received: 11 September 1998 / Accepted: 10 February 1999     

Fighting climate change: soil bacteria communities and topography play a role in plant colonization of desert areas

Global warming has exacerbated desertification in arid regions. Exploring the environmental variables and microbial communities that drive the dynamics of geographic patterns of desert crops is important for large-scale standardization of crops that can control desertification. Here, predictions based on future climate data from CMIP6 show that a steady expand in the suitable production areas for three desert plants (Cistanche deserticola, Cynomorium songaricum and Cistanche salsa) under global warming, demonstrating their high adaptability to future climate change. We examined the biogeography of three desert plant soil bacteria communities and assessed the environmental factors affecting the community assembly process. The α-diversity significantly decreased along elevated latitudes, indicating that the soil bacterial communities of the three species have latitude diversity patterns. The neutral community model evaluated 66.6% of the explained variance of the bacterial community in the soil of desert plants and Modified Stochasticity Ratio <0.5, suggesting that deterministic processes dominate the assembly of bacterial communities in three desert plants. Moreover, topography (longitude, elevation) and precipitation as well as key OTUs (OTU4911: Streptomyces eurythermus and OTU4672: Streptomyces flaveus) drive the colonization of three desert plants. This research offers a promising solution for desert management in arid areas under global warming.     

N2 fixation by Acacia species increases under elevated atmospheric CO2

In the present study the effect of elevated CO₂ on growth and nitrogen fixation of seven Australian Acacia species was investigated. Two species from semi‐arid environments in central Australia (Acacia aneura and A. tetragonophylla) and five species from temperate south‐eastern Australia (Acacia irrorata, A. mearnsii, A. dealbata, A. implexa and A. melanoxylon) were grown for up to 148 d in controlled greenhouse conditions at either ambient (350 µmol mol^?1) or elevated (700 µmol mol^?1) CO₂ concentrations. After establishment of nodules, the plants were completely dependent on symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Six out of seven species had greater relative growth rates and lower whole plant nitrogen concentrations under elevated versus normal CO₂. Enhanced growth resulted in an increase in the amount of nitrogen fixed symbiotically for five of the species. In general, this was the consequence of lower whole‐plant nitrogen concentrations, which equate to a larger plant and greater nodule mass for a given amount of nitrogen. Since the average amount of nitrogen fixed per unit nodule mass was unaltered by atmospheric CO₂, more nitrogen could be fixed for a given amount of plant nitrogen. For three of the species, elevated CO₂ increased the rate of nitrogen fixation per unit nodule mass and time, but this was completely offset by a reduction in nodule mass per unit plant mass.     

Elevated atmospheric CO2 modifies responses to water-stress and flowering of Mediterranean desert truffle mycorrhizal shrubs

Predicted increases in atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) coupled with increased temperatures and drought are expected to strongly influence the development of most of the plant species in the world, especially in areas with high risk of desertification like the Mediterranean basin. Helianthemum almeriense is an ecologically important Mediterranean shrub with an added interest because it serves as the host for the Terfezia claveryi mycorrhizal fungus, which is a desert truffle with increasingly commercial interest. Although both plant and fungi are known to be well adapted to dry conditions, it is still uncertain how the increase in atmospheric CO₂ will influence them. In this article we have addressed the physiological responses of H. almeriense × T. claveryi mycorrhizal plants to increases in atmospheric CO₂ coupled with drought and high vapor pressure deficit. This work reports one of the few estimations of mesophyll conductance in a drought deciduous Mediterranean shrub and evaluates its role in photosynthesis limitation. High atmospheric CO₂ concentrations help desert truffle mycorrhizal plants to cope with the adverse effects of progressive drought during Mediterranean springs by improving carbon net assimilation, intrinsic water use efficiency and dispersal of the species through increased flowering events.