Physical and chemical conditions in an hypersaline spring in the Namib Desert

Hosabes is a small mineralized spring lying in a gypsous crust in the central Namib Desert on the south-western coast of Africa. It is fed by virtually fresh groundwater that wells to the surface at this and other similar fracture lines. The extremely high rates of evaporation and solar radiation result in intense concentration of the salts and the formation of strong salinity and therefore density gradients in the deeper parts of the system. These in turn produce a solar pond effect with a reversed temperature gradient; temperatures reach 50°C within the water column. The deeper parts of the system appear to be monomictic. Although the surrounding crust is largely gypsous, the water in the spring is dominated by NaCl as a result of precipitation of CaS0₄ in the highly concentrated water.     

三种海水生态养殖池塘细菌数量特征及其与环境因子的相关性

为阐明不同生态养殖池塘浮游细菌数量变化规律及其与环境因子间的相关性，以期为多元立体综合养殖模式中的水质安全与生物疾病防控提供科学依据。利用荧光显微镜细菌计数法（Acridine Orange Direct Counting），研究了“参-虾”“蟹-蛏”和“蜇-蛏”三种海水生态养殖池塘的细菌数量特征，使用典范对应分析（Canonical Correspondence Analysis，CCA）探讨细菌数量与环境因子的相互关系。结果表明，“参-虾”“蟹-蛏”和“蜇-蛏”池塘的细菌平均密度分别为（0.49~3.32）×10⁵ cell/mL、（0.52~2.98）×10⁵ cell/mL和（0.47~2.55）×10⁵ cell/mL，细菌数量有明显的时间差异，夏季密度大于春秋季。三种海水生态养殖池塘的水温、溶解氧和pH变化均不明显，且相差不大，而硝态氮均发生显著变化；其中“蟹-蛏”和“蜇-蛏”池塘的硝态氮、亚硝态氮、活性磷、总氮和总磷均高于“参-虾”池塘，透明度、叶绿素a和化学耗氧量则均低于“参-虾”池塘。典范对应分析(CCA)结果显示，三种海水生态养殖池塘细菌数量的主要环境驱动因子不同，细菌数量均与水温呈显著正相关（P<0.05），“蟹-蛏”和“蜇-蛏”池塘细菌数量均与总磷呈显著正相关（P<0.05）；细菌数量的驱动因子有明显的时间差异，但规律不明显。     

不同模式对虾养殖的自身污染及其环境效应

对虾养殖污染主要来源于过量的饵料,对虾排泄物、粪便和生物遗骸溶出或分解产生的N、P营养盐和有机质,以及在养殖过程中所投放的化学或抗生素类药物残留。本文根据有关调查和研究的资料,阐述对虾养殖自身污染的机制,着重分析目前我国南方较为普遍的高位池和低位池对虾养殖模式的特点与自身污染的关系及其环境效应,并提出针对这两种养殖模式的污染防治对策。     

阿拉善荒漠典型植物叶片碳、氮、磷化学计量特征

荒漠植物在水分限制、营养元素相对匮缺的条件下,经过长期的进化适应形成了自身独特的生理生态和生态化学计量特征。在阿拉善荒漠选择52个典型群落类型,分析和研究了54种荒漠植物叶片的碳、氮和磷的化学计量特征。结果表明:荒漠植物叶片的碳(C mg/g)、氮(N mg/g)和磷(P mg/g)含量变幅较大,分别为(379.01±55.42)mg/g、(10.65±7.91)mg/g和(1.04±0.81)mg/g,变异系数分别为0.15、0.74和0.78;C/N、C/P、和N/P分别为66.70±60.81、683.16±561.94、11.53±5.06。元素间相关性分析表明,叶片的C和N不相关(P0.05),C与P显著正相关(P0.05),N和P极显著正相关(P0.01)。从植物功能型的角度分析发现,灌木和1年生草本植物对C的存储能力较低;占整体67%的灌木叶片的N、P含量最低,导致总体N、P含量较低;多年生草本和1年生草本植物叶N含量与灌木植物叶片和整体N含量无差别,而P含量明显高于灌木植物叶片和整体P含量且N/P明显低于灌木植物叶片和总体N/P,导致总体N/P较低。该研究结果与全球和中国尺度的研究相比发现,荒漠植物叶片C、N、P含量和N/P明显偏低,N/P14说明阿拉善荒漠植物在受N、P共同作用的同时更易受N限制。     

浑善达克沙地小毛足鼠的生物学习性

小毛足鼠 (Ｐｈｏｄｏｐｕｓｒｏｂｏｒｏｖｓｋｉｉ)为内蒙古沙地生境中主要鼠种之一 ,在固定沙丘、半固定沙丘、流动沙丘上均有分布[2～ 4 ] 。小毛足鼠主要取食植物种子和昆虫 ,对沙丘植被的恢复与更新起重要作用 ,是沙地生态系统重要组成成员[1] 。近年来 ,位于内蒙古自治区锡林郭勒境内的浑善达克沙地已成为京津地区沙尘暴灾害的重要沙源地之一 ,各级政府及诸多研究人员日渐重视该地区的生态恢复与重建研究 ,有关浑善达克沙地植被重建与恢复过程中的鼠害防治问题开始引起人们的普遍关注。由于研究该地区小毛足鼠的生物学特性 ,对于进一…     

The ants of the southern Sonoran desert: community structure and the role of trees

In contrast to other North American deserts, the southern Sonoran desert is dominated by trees that provide shaded microhabitats necessary for the establishment and survival of several plant species. Near the southern limit of the Sonoran desert in Sonora, Mexico, we evaluated the role that tree microhabitats may play in structuring ant communities. We recorded 39 species and 21 genera of ants from a 9.7-ha area. Total species richness was estimated to be between 47 and 49 species, a much greater species richness than that reported for other North American arid-zone habitats. Although species richness did not differ between open ground and tree-shaded microhabitats, species composition did. Opportunistic species, Camponotus species, Pheidole sciophila and P. titanis were more common near trees, whereas Pheidole sp. A and granivorous species were more active in open areas. The imperilment of trees in the Sonoran desert due to commercial cutting and the spread of buffelgrass Pennisetum ciliare may alter the existing composition of ant communities.     

双峰驼不同生态环境条件下组织中微量元素的分布研究

对砾石和沙质两种不同的荒漠区双峰驼组织中６种微量元素的含量及分布规律进行了研究。结果表明,Ｃｕ、Ｍｎ、Ｆｅ、Ｍｏ的丰度在肝脏最高,Ｓｅ和Ｚｎ则分别在肾脏和肌肉组织中最高。由于砾石荒漠区土壤和牧草中Ｆｅ、Ｃｕ、Ｍｏ含量极显著高于沙质荒漠区（Ｐ〈０．０１）,导致两地双峰驼肝脏和肾脏Ｃｕ含量差异极显著（Ｐ〈０．０１）．同时发现,上述两地区双峰驼组织中Ｍｎ含量显著低于其他反刍动物。     

The contrasting effects of short‐ and long‐term habitat drainage on the population dynamics of freshwater turtles in a human‐dominated landscape

相似文献   

荒漠短命植物不同生长期化学计量特征与生境土壤因子关系分析

深入了解荒漠短命植物的化学计量特征,有助于更好地理解生境土壤因子与植物生存策略的关系。以古尔班通古特沙漠广泛分布的尖喙牻牛儿苗（Erodium oxyrrhynchum）、假狼紫草（Nonea caspica）、琉苞菊（Hyalea pulchella）、飘带果（Lactuca undulata）为植物材料,测定不同深度（0~5、5~10、10~15 cm）的土壤理化性质,野外原位多时段采样比较分析4种植物化学计量特征与土壤因子的动态变化及其耦合关系。结果表明：①4种短命植物碳（C）、氮（N）、磷（P）含量普遍较低,化学计量特征存在物种间差异,但在不同生长期内变化规律大致相似。N、P含量从幼苗期到结实期逐渐减少,而C含量则长期趋于稳定。整个生长期内,P、C∶P的变异幅度较大,相反,C、N∶P的变异幅度较小。4种植物在不同生长期的化学计量特征差异与生长期、植物种类存在显著相关性。②0~5 cm土层有机碳（SOC）、总氮（TN）、总磷（TP）含量最高,且随土层的加深逐渐减少。随着植物的生长,0~5 cm土层中SOC和TN含量呈明显增加的趋势,而TP含量却呈现抛物线状变化趋势。在植物不同生长期内,土壤TP含量稳定性最强,SOC、TN的变异性较强,较低的N含量及TN∶TP比显示出该区域土壤属于N素缺乏类型。3个土层土壤在不同生长期的化学计量特征差异受土层、生长期的影响显著。③4种植物与各层次土壤化学计量特征的相关性无一致规律。植物化学计量指标仅与0~10 cm土层SOC、SOC∶TP相关性较强,而大部分化学计量特征间未显示出相关性。上述结果说明植物化学计量特征并非全部由土壤养分特征直接决定,其明显的种间差异显示了植物自身遗传特性在土壤—植物计量特征耦合关系的重要性。     

干旱半干旱地区人工固沙灌木林生态系统演变特征

应用实验生态学方法分析了沙坡头地区栽植于1956、1964、1981、1987年的无灌溉人工植被固沙群落浅层土壤分形特征、植被盖度、物种特征、生物量、土壤水分、土壤微生物,以及群落土壤物理和土壤养分特征,并与流动沙丘进行比较。结果表明,在干旱半干旱的草原化荒漠地区,首先利用半隐蔽式草方格沙障对流动沙丘进行固定,然后栽植灌木柠条、花棒等和半灌木油蒿,经过40多年的稳定演变,该区域逐渐形成由矮灌木与草本植物覆盖,以及隐花植物与微生物土壤结皮复合的固定沙丘景观。在人工植被固沙防护体系稳定演变过程中,浅表层土壤的细粒化和养分富集化特征,微生物土壤结皮与亚表层土壤厚度,以及浅表层土壤体积含水率均随固沙年限的延长趋于显著增加。而土壤微生物数量、植被盖度、植物种数等生物群落学属性在固沙年限达40a左右时,已趋于最大,尔后呈缓慢下降趋势。随着固沙年限的增加,灌木树种不断衰退减少,当固沙年限逾17a之后,群落生物量增至峰值后略有下降。土壤分形维数与土壤粘粒含量呈显著正相关关系,流动沙丘被人工植被固定年代越久远,浅表层(0~3cm)土壤粘粒含量(4.50%)越高,其分形维数越大(D=2.4083),表明人工植被固沙防护体系浅表层土壤结构变得越紧实,流动沙丘(D=2.0484)在人工植被的固定作用下,发生逆转的趋势越显著,沙丘日趋固定。     

Impact of overgrazing on seed predation by rodents in the Thar desert,northwestern India

We compared the vegetation structure, rodent density and seed loss rate between protected and disturbed sites affected from grazing by cattle, goats and sheep, in the Thar desert of India. A perennial tussocky grassLasiurus sindicus Hent. was largely dominant in the protected site, whileL. sindicus was rare and replaced by undershrub speciesAerva pseudotomentosa Blatt. & Halb. andCrotalaria burbira Buch.-Ham. in the overgrazed site. In the grazed site, plant coverage was low, but the density of rodent burrows and the frequency of rodent captures were significantly high as compared to the protected site. Corresponding with the density of desert rodents, seed predation was significantly higher in the grazed site than in the protected site. These results suggest that overgrazing by large mammals has strong effects on plant succession by altering not only the species composition and abundance of plant community, but also the habitat suitability for seed-eating rodents.     

Bryophyte production and decomposition in tundra ecosystems

Bryophytes attain maximum relative importance in terms of biomass and production in the tundra biome. They contribute an average of 30% to the vegetation cover across a broad range of tundra sites, but often reach 100% cover in wetter and more protected situations. Figures for bryophyte phytomass span several orders of magnitude depending on severity of habitat conditions. Very high standing crops reflect organic matter accumulation due to low decomposition rates at the wettest sites. Initial annual loss rates are commonly below 10% in bryophyte-dominated habitats throughout the tundra. Bryophyte production ranges from less than 1 g m^-2 yr^-1 in polar desert, to more than 1000gm^-2yr^-l at wetter sites in the sub-Antarctic where a long growing season prevails.
However, many published values for tundra bryophyte production are based on suspect methodology and cannot be accurately compared between sites. The new generation of lightweight field-portable equipment for measuring gas exchange and microclimatic variables provides the potential for improving our knowledge of bryophyte productivity in relation to environmental factors in the tundra biome.
It is unfortunate, therefore, that the emphasis has shifted away from bryophyte autecological studies at important northern sites where increasing human impact is threatening this fragile biome type.     

Seasonal effect of three desert halophytes on soil microbial functional diversity

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of some plant ecophysiological adaptations on soil microbial functional diversity in a Negev Desert ecosystem.Soil samples from the upper 0-10cm layer were collected at the study site under three species of halophyte shrubs,Zygophyllum dumosum,Hammada scoparia,and Reaumuria negevensis.These halophytes represent the most typical cover of the Negev Desert and each of them develops complex strategies that enable greater adaptation and hence,survival.The microhabitat of the shrubs showed differences in trends and magnitude of organic matter content,electrical conductivity,total soluble nitrogen,microbial functional diversity,and C compound utilization.The trends are assumed to be driven by various mechanisms of shrub adaptation in order to be able to survive the harsh desert environment.This study provides evidence that ecophysiological strategies developed by halophytes force microbial communities (from the point of view of activity,composition,and substrate utilization) to adapt to a beneficial plant-microorganism relationship.     

Species and plant community distribution in a Mojave-Great Basin desert transition

Multivariate analyses were used to describe the vegetation characteristics of a transition from lowelevation Mojave desert to higher-elevation Great Basin desert. Vegetation data used were from Plutonium Valley in the Nevada Test Site. Data from forty nine releves were analyzed with two classifications (two-day indicator analysis or TWINSPAN and unweighted paried group cluster analysis or CLUSTER). Three ordinations, reciprocal averaging (RA), detrended reciprocal averaging (DCA) and non-metric multidimensional scaling (MNDS), were also used. A rotational correlation analysis was used to determine the vector direction of environmental gradients that correlate best with ordination results. Only token correspondence was found between multivariate classes generated by TWINSPAN and CLUSTER, and seven classes (plant communities) identified from field reconnaissance. The latter seven communities were based on differences in dominant species. Distribution of the vegetation was related more to beta diversity than alpha diversity. Individual species were much less diagnostic than the amount of plant cover, groups or guilds of species or differences in elevation and steepness of slope. Because of the high beta diversity the NMDS ordination gave results with the greatest ease of interpretation.     

碱蓬浮床对海水养殖尾水中氮磷修复效果研究

海水养殖尾水中总氮、总磷超标是引起沿海水体富营养化的主要原因,为研究碱蓬浮床对海水养殖尾水中氮磷的去除效果,该研究设计加入碱蓬(Suaeda salsa)浮床和不加浮床的两组对比实验,通过比较修复前后碱蓬株高、生物量、含水率、根长以及各部位氮、磷的含量变化,以及水体中总氮(TN)和总磷(TP)的去除效果,探究浮床中碱蓬对总氮和总磷的吸收及其生长特性,验证碱蓬浮床对海水养殖废水中氮、磷等的去除能力。结果表明:浮床中碱蓬株高、鲜重、干重、含水率、根长较修复前均有显著增加,说明浮床中盐生植物碱蓬能够适应含海水养殖尾水水培环境;经碱蓬浮床修复,水体中总氮、总磷均明显下降,其中碱蓬对海水养殖尾水中的总氮总磷去除贡献率分别为16.10%和78.15%,浮床中碱蓬会在叶片和根系中积累氮磷。     

Diet,Food Intake of Phrynocephalus frontalis （Agamidae） and Its Potential Role in Desert Habitat

We examined the dietary diversity and food intake of Phrynocephalus frontalis, compared the difference of insect diversity in the natural habitats with different lizard densities, and discussed the potential role of this lizard in the desert ecosystem. The results show that： （1） arthropodans of the orders Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Hemiptera were major dietary components of P. frontalis; （2） coleoptera larvae always formed the predominant component of lizard diets; （3） dietary diversities of P. frontalis were not significantly different between summer and autumn or between the two sexes; （4） the similarity in trophic niches between seasons was 0.756, whereas the similarity in trophic niches between sexes was 0.994; （5） stomach content weight of lizards varied significantly among different seasons, but there was no significant difference in stomach content weight between sexes; （6） insect diversity differed significantly among the groups of the habitat with different degrees of lizard density, and the habitat with moderate lizards density had the highest insect diversity. We infer that P. frontalis prey mainly on insects and change their diet and food intake with season; males and females consumed similar preys in types and weights. As an important predator, P. frontalis could affect the insect community in the arid ecosystem of Hunshandak Desert on the Mongolian Plateau.     

Fluctuation of deoxyribonuclease activity from late spring to autumn in Tokyo Bay

Deoxyribonuclease (DNase) activity in seawater of Tokyo Bay was determined during 1972 and 1973. The activity was dependent on substrate (deoxyribonucleic acid) concentration within the range from o to io mg/l. During the summer the activity was high in the inner part of the bay and decreased on approaching the mouth of the bay. The intensity of activity was very high compared with the standing crop of particulate deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and this high activity corresponded with rapid decrease of the amount of nucleic acid with increasing depth in the water columns in the bay.During the investigation carried out in 1972 the activity fluctuated, being weak in May and November and high during the summer months. The profiles for activity did not coincide with those for chlorophyll-a, particulate DNA and seston, except in September. These non-parallel relations are discussed in terms of the distribution patterns of phytoplankton and bacteria.