植被不同退化状态下尕海湿地土壤氮含量及酶活性特征

土壤中氮素的吸收、转化及含量的变化是影响植被生长的关键因素。为探讨湿地植被不同退化状态对土壤氮组分含量和相关酶活性的影响，以及土壤氮组分含量与相关酶活性之间的关系，以甘南尕海湿地不同植被退化状态样地（未退化CK、轻度退化SD、中度退化MD和重度退化HD）为研究对象，采用野外采样与室内实验相结合的方法，分析了植被不同退化状态下不同形态氮组分（全氮、铵态氮、硝态氮和微生物量氮）含量的变化特征，以及土壤氮转化酶（蛋白酶、脲酶、硝酸还原酶和亚硝酸还原酶）活性之间的相关关系。结果表明：（1）在植被退化状态下，土壤含水量逐渐减小，土壤温度呈先减小后增大的趋势；（2）随着植被退化程度的加剧，硝态氮含量呈增加趋势，而全氮、铵态氮和微生物量氮含量均随退化程度加剧呈减小趋势；土壤蛋白酶活性随退化程度的加剧而减小，脲酶活性呈先减小后增大的趋势，重度退化活性最高，轻度退化最低；硝酸还原酶活性随退化程度的加剧而增加，亚硝酸还原酶活性表现为"升-降-升"的变化趋势，即轻度退化活性最高，未退化和中度退化较低；（3）土壤蛋白酶活性与全氮、铵态氮和微生物量氮呈极显著正相关关系（P < 0.01），与硝态氮含量呈显著负相关关系（P < 0.05）；硝酸还原酶活性与蛋白酶活性恰好相反；脲酶活性与微生物量氮含量呈极显著正相关关系（P < 0.01），与全氮含量呈显著正相关关系（P < 0.05）；亚硝酸还原酶活性与全氮和铵态氮含量呈极显著正相关关系（P < 0.01），与硝态氮含量呈显著负相关关系（P < 0.05）。综上，在尕海湿地植被退化条件下，土壤氮组分含量增加可以有效提高相关酶活性。     

高寒湿地退化对植物群落特征与土壤特性的影响

以黄河首曲湿地为研究对象,基于野外采样数据和不同退化程度（无明显退化ND;轻度退化LD;中度退化MD;重度退化HD）,分析植物群落、土壤特性及其关系。结果表明,随湿地退化程度增加,禾本科重要值呈减少趋势而毒杂草重要值呈增加趋势,且植物高度、盖度及地上生物量显著降低;重度退化程度下Patrick物种丰富度指数最低,表明植物群落结构由复杂趋向简单。土壤有机碳、全氮随退化程度增加均显著降低,碳氮比与pH值则呈相反变化,表明高寒湿地退化不利于养分的积累,且土壤逐渐呈碱性。pH、有机碳及全氮为高寒湿地响应退化的理化因子;湿地不同退化程度影响植物群落的土壤因子略有不同,且尤以电导率最为明显,这与土壤养分状况相关。湿地退化过程中植物群落的生长、结构发生改变,植物与土壤理化性质相互作用进而影响湿地生态功能。因此,探究植物群落与土壤理化特征可为修复退化湿地提供依据。     

克氏针茅草原群落物种多样性与生物量关系对放牧强度的响应

放牧强度引起的草原植物群落物种多样性与地上生物量变化是近年来草地生态系统研究的热点问题。以内蒙古锡林郭勒克氏针茅草原为研究对象,探究植物群落结构特征、物种多样性与地上生物量之间相互关系及其对不同放牧强度的响应。结果表明：随着放牧强度的增加植物群落结构逐步向退化方向演替;植物群落高度逐渐降低（P<0.05）,密度逐渐增加（P<0.05）,盖度总体呈下降趋势（P<0.05）;植物群落和原有群落优势种地上生物量总体呈下降趋势（P<0.05）,而退化指示物种的地上生物量逐渐增加（P<0.05）;轻度、中度放牧条件下群落物种Margalef指数、Pielou指数、Simpson指数均显著高于重度放牧（P<0.05）;地上生物量与Shannon-Wiener指数、Margalef指数和Pielou指数呈正相关关系,而与Simpson指数呈负相关关系。综上所述,克氏针茅草原植物群落结构和功能在不同放牧强度下产生不同的响应,适度放牧有利于提高群落物种多样性与生物量。     

黄河源区不同退化程度高寒草原群落生产力、物种多样性和土壤特性及其关系研究

近些年来,气候暖干化和过度放牧导致黄河源区高寒草原发生明显退化,严重影响了当地畜牧业和环境的可持续发展。退化后,植被群落生产力、物种多样性和土壤因子之间相互作用、相互影响,使生态系统持续恶化。以往的研究中研究人员对退化后群落生产力和物种多样性关系关注较多,但对退化过程中土壤要素变化的重视程度往往不够。因此,探究不同退化程度下高寒草原群落生产力、物种多样性和土壤特性及其关系对于认识高寒草地退化过程及退化草地恢复具有重要现实意义。在黄河源区采用空间分布代替时间演替的方法,根据植被和土壤特征选取了未退化到严重退化5个退化梯度,探讨不同退化程度下高寒草原群落生产力、物种多样性和土壤特性及其关系。结果表明：1）随着退化程度的加剧,群落地上和地下生物量均呈先稳定后降低的趋势,在轻度退化阶段达到最大值,重度和严重退化阶段显著降低;2）Shannon-Wiener多样性指数在轻度和中度退化阶段显著增加了20%和15%（P=0.025和P=0.039）,均匀度指数从未退化到重度退化变化不明显,严重退化阶段物种多样性指数均显著降低;3）土壤水分、各深度土壤有机碳、全氮、铵态氮和硝态氮均呈先稳定后降低的变化规律,土壤容重随着退化程度的加剧而显著增加;4）群落生物量、物种多样性与土壤养分呈正相关关系,与土壤容重呈负相关关系,冗余分析结果显示土壤容重、硝态氮、有机碳是退化过程中驱动植被因子变化的主要因素。因此,针对不同退化阶段采取不同的恢复治理措施,尤其是改善土壤养分和物理性质,同时对中度和重度退化两个关键阶段应该给予更多的关注。     

北京野鸭湖湿地地表甲虫群落组成与空间分布格局

2007年4–10月在北京野鸭湖湿地两种保存较好的湿地植被类型和3种主要的退化植被类型中设立了32个样地, 采用陷阱法调查地表甲虫群落的组成, 并在科级水平上探讨了湿地退化及植被类型变化对地表甲虫群落组成的影响。整个采样周期共采集甲虫标本42科, 其中步甲科和隐翅虫科为优势科, 蚁形甲科、肖叶甲科和薪甲科为亚优势科。在所研究的5种植被类型中, 湿地景观保存较好的芦苇(Phragmites communis)带与球穗莎草(Cyperus glomeratus)带的甲虫群落活动密度、科丰富度和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数(H’)均无显著差异, 而上述两种植被类型的甲虫活动密度以及球穗莎草带的甲虫科丰富度均显著高于3种退化的植被类型。对地表甲虫群落组成与9个环境因子进行的典范对应分析(CCA)表明, 32个样地在CCA排序图中的分布与植被类型之间存在明显的对应关系, 土壤含水量、植物盖度、植物生物量和枯落物盖度是影响地表甲虫群落组成及空间分布的主要环境因子。相关和回归分析结果也显示, 甲虫群落的活动密度与土壤含水量、植物生物量和植物盖度均极显著或显著正相关, 科丰富度与植物生物量显著正相关, 多样性指数(H’)与植物盖度极显著负相关; 其中土壤含水量的变化能够解释甲虫群落活动密度总方差的57%。此外, 通过主成分分析获得了反映土壤含水量、植物生物量和植物盖度综合作用的环境变量WBC (Water-Biomass-Coverage)。依据地表甲虫活动密度与WBC的关系, 可将5种植被类型分为彼此差异极显著的3组。研究结果表明保持良好的湿地景观对于保护湿地甲虫具有重要意义。     

排水疏干胁迫下若尔盖高原沼泽退化评价指标体系

沼泽退化评价指标体系研究是国际湿地科学研究前沿领域的关键科学问题之一.在长期野外考察的基础上,根据2009年3个排水疏干沼泽退化研究样带20个沼泽的植物群落生态观测和土壤分析数据,基于沼泽植物群落物种重要值的双向指示种分析(TWINSPAN),将沼泽样地划分为未受干扰(A型)、受长期低强度排水干扰(B～D型)和受短期高强度排水干扰(E～G型)3类,其中又可分为7个植物群落类型.采用主成分分析法(PCA)对沼泽退化进行分级,建立了若尔盖高原沼泽评价的植被指标体系(SVEI)和土壤指标体系(SSEI).基于SVEI,将沼泽划分为原始沼泽、轻度退化沼泽、中度退化沼泽和重度退化沼泽.基于SSEI,将红原县沼泽划分为原始沼泽、轻度退化沼泽和重度退化沼泽3个等级,将若尔盖县沼泽划分为轻度退化沼泽、中度退化沼泽和重度退化沼泽3个等级.SVEI或SSEI评价结果与TWINSPAN分类结果相似度均在70%以上,说明SVEI或SSEI对沼泽退化分级均具有较好的效果,可采用不同方法相结合的方式对高原沼泽进行综合评价.     

围封对不同退化程度荒漠草原植物群落和土壤的影响

围封是退化草原生态系统恢复的有效措施之一,已在中国北方草原地区实施多年并取得良好的效果。由于不同退化草原生态系统具有完全不同的植被和土壤条件,围封对不同退化草原植物群落和土壤的恢复是否具有一致的影响,目前仍不清楚。对内蒙古地区轻度、中度和重度退化荒漠草原分别设置6年围封后,对植物群落特征和土壤理化性质进行了调查和测定。研究结果发现,围封显著提高了3种退化荒漠草原短花针茅（Stipa breviflora）和无芒隐子草（Cleistogenes songorica）种群以及群落的高度、盖度和地上生物量（P<0.05）,表明围封从多组织层次使退化草原植物群落得到有效的恢复。围封总体提高了轻度和中度退化荒漠草原植物多样性,但降低重度退化荒漠草原的植物多样性。重度退化荒漠草原在围封后群落高度、盖度和地上生物量恢复效率显著高于轻度和中度退化的（P<0.05）,表明围封对重度退化荒漠草原植被恢复更加有效。除轻度退化外,围封显著降低中度和重度退化荒漠草原土壤全碳、全氮、全磷、有效氮和速效磷含量（P<0.05）,但对3种退化荒漠草原的土壤水分含量无显著影响,表明围封对不同退化荒漠草原土壤的影响具有滞后性。研究为荒漠草原围封成效评估提供理论指导和退化荒漠草原生态系统科学合理实施围封政策提供科学依据。     

甘南尕海湿地退化过程中植被生物量变化及其季节动态

为探讨尕海湿地退化过程中植被生物量变化规律,以尕海泥炭沼泽和沼泽化草甸为例,采用定位样地调查方法,研究了不同退化程度湿地植被生物量的时空分布格局。结果表明,1)随着湿地退化演替,两类湿地植被地上生物量逐渐减小,泥炭沼泽未退化(PⅠ)、退化阶段(PⅡ)地上生物量依次为334.19,290.72 g/m~2,沼泽化草甸未退化(SⅠ)、轻度退化(SⅡ)、中度退化(SⅢ)地上生物量依次为378.40,308.07,261.21 g/m~2;地上生物量季节动态规律均为单峰型,8月中下旬达到峰值;同一湿地类型各退化阶段地上生物量绝对增长率(AGR)和相对增长率(RGR)在同一年份变化趋势基本相同,但不同年份间存在差异,而同一湿地类型不同阶段AGR和RGR的大小存在差异。2)地下生物量也随退化程度加剧显著减小(P0.05),PⅠ,PⅡ地上生物量依次为23081.46,12607.72 g/m~2,SⅠ,SⅡ,SⅢ地下生物量依次为4583.16,3008.63,1290.73 g/m~2;地下生物量季节变化均表现出愈接近生长季始末值愈大;地下生物量由土壤表层向深层显著下降(P0.05),总体呈"T"形分布,0—10cm土层,泥炭沼泽、沼泽化草甸地下生物量都最大,分别占各自总地下生物量50%和70%以上。3)尕海2类高寒湿地5—9月平均根冠比均表现未退化高于退化,根冠比季节动态为越接近生长季始末值越大,生长旺盛季值越小。     

鸟类群落对若尔盖高原湿地退化梯度的响应

鸟类是湿地生态系统重要的一类环境指示生物,研究其群落特征对湿地退化的响应,有助于揭示湿地生态系统结构和功能的变化、探讨对湿地状况进行有效监测和评价的方法。以若尔盖湿地国家级自然保护区花湖、兰州大学高寒草甸与湿地生态系统定位研究站（阿孜站）为研究区域,2018年5、2019年5月采用样线法对区域中4种高原湿地退化梯度,即典型湿地（Ⅰ型）、季节性湿地（Ⅱ型）、中度退化湿地（Ⅲ型）和重度退化湿地（Ⅳ型）的繁殖鸟类群落进行调查研究。研究时段共记录到繁殖鸟类8目14科41种,其中花湖繁殖鸟类39种,阿孜站繁殖鸟类21种。数据分析显示,随着高原湿地退化演替序列,两地的鸟类群落物种数和多样性指数均逐步减小,群落优势度不断增大;Ⅲ型和Ⅳ型群落相似性系数最高,Ⅰ型和Ⅳ型间群落相似性最低,表明鸟类群落随湿地退化发生明显改变,仅与毗邻的退化梯度群落组成相似。研究区域Ⅰ型生境中,水禽类占绝对优势,以红脚鹬（Tringa totanus）为优势种;Ⅱ型中长嘴百灵（Melanocorypha maxima）为群落中优势种;小云雀（Alauda gulgula）和角百灵（Eremophila alpestris）为Ⅲ型群落中的优势种;群落中优势种团为雪雀（Montifringilla spp.）和地山雀（Pseudopodoces humilis）时,标志着湿地已经重度退化（Ⅳ型）。鸟类群落优势种的转变是鸟类营巢环境要求与湿地退化中环境的改变相适应的结果。本研究尝试性的提出如何利用鸟类对高原湿地退化状态进行监测和评价。     

滨海湿地植被地上生物量遥感反演

盐沼植被生物量是滨海湿地生态系统碳循环研究的重要参数,是湿地生态系统健康评价、资源可持续利用的关键指标,开展盐沼植被地上生物量监测方法研究具有重要意义。目前,遥感技术在湿地生物量监测领域已经得到广泛应用,但反演方法仍以统计模型为主,模型构建需要实测数据支撑,时空拓展性不强。选择江苏盐城丹顶鹤保护区为研究区,基于冠层辐射(PROSAIL)传输模型,通过局部和全局敏感性分析,对模型参数本地化,构建了互花米草地上生物量半经验反演模型,应用于Landsat 8 OLI遥感影像,获得了互花米草地上生物量的时空分布。研究结果表明,利用PROSAIL模型模拟互花米草冠层反射率,叶面积指数(LAI)、叶片干物质含量(Cm)、叶倾角分布参数(LIDF)、等效水厚度(Cw)、叶绿素含量(Cab)、叶片结构参数(N)为高敏感性参数,类胡萝卜素含量(Car)、土壤参数(P_soil)为低敏感性参数;利用不同时刻的遥感影像反演了地上生物量,遥感反演结果与实测数据对比,拟合度R²为0.83,均方根误差(RMSE)为0.43kg/m²,平均相对误差(MRE)为15.7%,精度较高,模型具有较好的时空普适性。研究发展了盐沼植被地上生物量遥感反演方法,解决了以往过于依赖现场实测数据构建反演模型的局限性,该方法可以为研究滨海湿地生态系统碳循环以及准确估算其碳汇潜力提供技术支持。     

Permanent swamp vegetation of the Upper Nile

This paper describes vegetation in the nothern Sudd area of the Sudan. A visit by boat was made in April 1978 along the White Nile from Malakal to Lake No; to the inflow regions of the Bahr el Jebel, the Bahr el Zeraf and to the Bahr el Ghazal. Only the vegetation along the fringe of the rivers was observed as plants were tall and dense and it was not possible to penetrate into the inner swamps.The outer edge of the vegetation was fringed by extensive mats of free-floating Eichhornia crassipes which was easily dislodged and formed floating islands to be carried downstream. The main rivers, excluding the Bahr el Ghazal, were too deep and turbid to support beds of submerged species but plants such as Ceratophyllum demersum could be found amongst floating plants. Vossia cuspidata usually produced a broad zone to the landward of Eichhornia. It dominated the shallow water with a floating raft of stems growing out from the shore over the water surface. Massive stands of Cyperus papyrus and/or Phragmites karka, over 5 metres tall, dominated the vegetation behind and sometimes excluded the Vossia zone. The papyrus could form dense, floating rafts of rhizomes at the water's edge, but Phragmites always remained firmly rooted to the bottom. Floating papyrus and Vossia would become detached from the main beds and drifted downstream with Eichhornia.Creepers were common amongst papyrus but less common amongst Phragmites where the vegetation was generally more dense. Large stands of Typa domingensis were observed behind the fringe vegetation.The vegetation of the Bahr el Ghazal, in marked contrast to the rest, was stunted, and reasons for this are suggested. Species diversity was greater and the less turbid waters allowed considerable development of floating-leaved and submerged species.Estimates of fresh weights and heights of dominant vegetation types were attained but methods were very laborious and alternative ways have been suggested. The fresh weight of Eichhornia from a one metre square quadrat in the White Nile was around 70 kg. The shoots of Phragmites weighed 18.5 kg and Cyperus papyrus, 11.0 kg m^–2.     

Report on a remote swampy rock savanna, at the mid-Jari river basin, Lower Amazon

PIRES, M. J., 1992. Report on a remote swampy rock savanna, at the mid-Jari river basin, Lower Amazon . A wet rock-savanna habitat occurs in the Jari Ecological Station (IBAMA) in the mid-Jari basin, NW State of Pará, between the rivers Jari and Parü. The vegetation is classified in Portuguese as a 'campina rupestre'. It is characterized mainly by herbs and low shrubs, very few grasses and no trees. The plant community is a mixture of hydrophytes, xerophytes and amphibious plants, with several parasites and even a carnivorous Drosera. Such an assemblage is caused by the presence of water-filled pockets and canalets made by the differential erosion of the rock substrate, and the very dry exposed rock. Comparison of the plant species found in the Jari Eological Station savanna with others found in Amazon and Guiana showed many species in common and possible vicariants. The stress caused by this type of habitat favours the process of plant speciation. Evidence presented supports the idea of a floristic relationship between this area and the Guiana Highlands.     

Coastal vegetation on the Western, Southern, and Eastern coasts of South Korea

We used the Braun-Blanquet method to study the vegetation of coastal wetlands in South Korea. Three habitat types were found, i.e., salt marshes, salt swamps, and sand dunes. These plant communities were classified as: 1) two groups (five associations each) in the salt marshes that comprised either annual herbaceous halophytes (ClassThero-Salicornietea), or biennial/perennial herbaceous species (ClassAsteretea tripolii); 2) one group in the salt swamps consisting of five hydrophilous halo-tolerant associations (ClassPhragmitetea); and 3) three groups in the sand dunes, including one association of annual herbaceous halophytes (ClassSalsoletea komarovii), seven associations of herbaceous perennial halophytes (ClassGlehnietea littoralis), and one association of shrub perennial halophytes (ClassVrticetea rotundifoliae). These three habitat types accounted for the majority of the six main classifications of coastal vegetation distributed in South Korea.     

Fire severity affects vegetation and seed bank in a wetland

Questions: How does the severity of prescribed fires affect vegetation and seed bank in a wetland? Location: A fire‐prone reed swamp in northern Japan (250 ha, 40°49′N, 141°22′E, <10 m a.s.l.). Methods: Vegetation, biomass and seed bank were monitored for the 2 yr after annual prescribed fires were discontinued. Plant communities were placed into three categories based on fire severity: high (H) – fire consumed litter completely; moderate (M) – fire removed standing litter but left wet fallen litter; and low (L) – fire incompletely removed standing litter and did not remove fallen litter. Soil samples were collected in autumn 2007 and early summer 2008, and germinable seed bank was investigated by greenhouse trials. Results: High fire severity increased diversity in the next growing season by the establishment of short herbs in the standing vegetation. The biomass of forbs and grasses was greater in H where Phragmites australis biomass was reduced. The density of seed bank was >30 000 seeds m^?2 throughout all the treatments. Perennial plants were dominant in the vegetation, while annuals, biennials and rushes were dominant in the seed bank. Small seeds were more abundant in the soil than in the litter. Qualitative and quantitative similarities between seed bank and the vegetation were low, and tended to be higher in H. Conclusions: Fire contributed to the development of diverse standing vegetation via the positive effects on seed bank dynamics, and can be considered a tool to maintain species‐rich marshes.     

Standard survey designs drive bias in the mapping of upland swamp communities

Vegetation maps are critical biodiversity planning instruments, but the classification of vegetation for mapping can be strongly biased by survey design. Standardization of survey design across different vegetation types is therefore increasingly recommended for vegetation mapping programs. However, some vegetation types have complex small‐scale vegetation patterns that are important in characterizing these vegetation types, and standard designs will often not capture these patterns. The objective of this paper was to investigate the magnitude of potential map bias that results from survey design standardization and recommend approaches to deal with this bias. We surveyed upland swamps of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area Australia using two contrasting survey designs, including the standard 400 m² single quadrat design recommended and used by authorities. We then derived a classification for these swamps and tested the effect of survey design on this classification, species richness and the type of species detected (obligate or facultative swamp species). Species richness and species type were not significantly different among survey techniques. However, more than 40% of swamps clustered differently among survey designs. Thus, one of the 10 derived communities (which is floristically consistent with a previously mapped endangered community) was indistinct, and some individual swamps misclassified using the standard survey design. An effect of landscape position on swamp floristic patterns and a significant trend for high similarity scores among swamps surveyed with multiple small quadrats compared to the standard survey design was also determined. Australian upland swamps are classified at the global scale as shrub‐dominated wetlands, and complex floristic patterns have been recorded in shrub‐dominated wetlands in both northern and southern hemispheres. We therefore advocate either multiple survey designs or different survey standards for upland swamp communities and other vegetation types that have complex floristic patterns at small scales.     

若尔盖高原退化沼泽群落植物多样性及种间相关性沿排水梯度的变化

植物多样性与种间相关性是植物群落生态学和生物多样性研究的核心问题, 然而有关二者之间关系的综合研究尚不多见。该文以若尔盖高原排水干扰下不同退化阶段的沼泽湿地植被为研究对象, 应用Spearman秩相关、回归分析等方法, 分析了沼泽植物群落物种多样性和种间相关性的变化及二者相互关系。结果表明: 沿排水梯度, 从相对原生沼泽至极度退化沼泽, 不同植物种群均有其特定的生态分布范围; 群落总种数、样方物种丰富度、Shannon-Wiener指数和Whittaker指数均单调增加; 植物种间相关强度增加; 正相关种对比例呈逐渐增加的趋势, 以极重度和极度退化阶段的较高, 相对原生沼泽和轻度退化阶段的较低, 负相关种对比例的变化趋势与之相反; Shannon-Wiener指数与正负相关种对比例均具有显著线性关系(p < 0.05), Whittaker指数均无显著关系(p > 0.05)。人为排水作用通过提高群落生境异质性, 促进正相关种对的共存, 增加沼泽群落植物多样性。     

A synthesis of methane emissions from 71 northern,temperate, and subtropical wetlands

Wetlands are the largest natural source of atmospheric methane. Here, we assess controls on methane flux using a database of approximately 19 000 instantaneous measurements from 71 wetland sites located across subtropical, temperate, and northern high latitude regions. Our analyses confirm general controls on wetland methane emissions from soil temperature, water table, and vegetation, but also show that these relationships are modified depending on wetland type (bog, fen, or swamp), region (subarctic to temperate), and disturbance. Fen methane flux was more sensitive to vegetation and less sensitive to temperature than bog or swamp fluxes. The optimal water table for methane flux was consistently below the peat surface in bogs, close to the peat surface in poor fens, and above the peat surface in rich fens. However, the largest flux in bogs occurred when dry 30‐day averaged antecedent conditions were followed by wet conditions, while in fens and swamps, the largest flux occurred when both 30‐day averaged antecedent and current conditions were wet. Drained wetlands exhibited distinct characteristics, e.g. the absence of large flux following wet and warm conditions, suggesting that the same functional relationships between methane flux and environmental conditions cannot be used across pristine and disturbed wetlands. Together, our results suggest that water table and temperature are dominant controls on methane flux in pristine bogs and swamps, while other processes, such as vascular transport in pristine fens, have the potential to partially override the effect of these controls in other wetland types. Because wetland types vary in methane emissions and have distinct controls, these ecosystems need to be considered separately to yield reliable estimates of global wetland methane release.     

The vegetation of Nyumba ya Mungu reservoir, Tanzania

A study was made of the aquatic macrophyte ecology of Nyumba ya Mungu; a nine year old man-made lake in northern Tanzania. The vegetation is described with the aid of percentage cover histograms and standing crop estimates. Concurrent physical, chemical and biological studies helped in ecological interpretations. Distinct vegetation communities were found in the deltaic swamps of the two major inflow rivers and it is concluded that this was due to water chemical differences. The water of the more alkaline River Kikuletwa appeared to influence the greater part of the perimeter swamps as the species composition largely coincided with that reported for higher pH, higher conductivity African lakes. Typha domingensis swamp was predominant and extensive, whilst Cyperus alopecuroides and Paspalidium geminatum were also common emergent species. Floating and submerged plants were relatively unimportant in the lake with respect to cover. The major zonations of species appeared to be a function of water depth, while chemistry seemed the main factor controlling vegetation pattern. In conclusion the significance of interrelationships between the macrophytes and other aquatic organisms is discussed.