降水格局变化对红砂幼苗生长的影响

以西北荒漠生态系统典型植物红砂(Reaumuria soongorica)一年生幼苗为研究对象,利用人工遮雨装置,设置3个降水量梯度(W-、W、W+)和2个降水间隔时间梯度(T、T+)进行模拟试验,研究了不同降水格局下红砂幼苗生长、生物量积累和分配的变化特征。结果表明:(1)降水量增加30%,幼苗株高和基径分别平均增加22.0%和28.0%,延长降水间隔时间其作用更显著,分别平均增加24.57%和32.98%(P0.05);(2)在延长降水间隔时间的同时增加降水量,幼苗地上、地下和总生物量分别显著增加了241.57%、223.95%和236.72%(P0.05),幼苗地上部分的生长优于地下部分;(3)与对照相比,降水量减少30%,幼苗根长平均增加21.0%,根冠比平均显著增加53.73%(P0.05),而各部分生物量差异不显著。     

Belowground interactions differ between sympatric desert shrubs under water stress

Understanding the relationships among species is central to ecological research; however, many knowledge gaps remain regarding how desert plant species interact. In the present study, we assessed the effect of rainfall on the belowground interactions and root morphology of two desert shrubs, Reaumuria soongorica (Tamaricaceae) and Salsola passerina (Chenopodiaceae), from three communities with similar landforms and soil environments. The roots of both R. soongorica and S. passerina were deeper when grown together than grown singly. Interestingly, the belowground biomass of R. soongorica was higher, but the belowground biomass of S. passerina was lower when grown together than when grown alone. This suggests that S. passerina benefitted from the association with R. soongorica. When grown together under conditions of low rainfall, the roots of R. soongorica were deeper than those of S. passerina, which suggests that R. soongorica is more robust than S. passerina when subjected to periods of decreased rainfall. We concluded that the symbiotic relationship between these two shrub species can lead to deeper roots and that the plants are affected by rainfall availability. Combined with the output results of climate change models, we speculated that the distribution area of these two species will expand to the west, which has important implications on how the interactions of other desert species may change in response to climate variability.     

Altering Rainfall Timing and Quantity in a Mesic Grassland Ecosystem: Design and Performance of Rainfall Manipulation Shelters

Global climate change is predicted to alter growing season rainfall patterns, potentially reducing total amounts of growing season precipitation and redistributing rainfall into fewer but larger individual events. Such changes may affect numerous soil, plant, and ecosystem properties in grasslands and ultimately impact their productivity and biological diversity. Rainout shelters are useful tools for experimental manipulations of rainfall patterns, and permanent fixed-location shelters were established in 1997 to conduct the Rainfall Manipulation Plot study in a mesic tallgrass prairie ecosystem in northeastern Kansas. Twelve 9 x 14–m fixed-location rainfall manipulation shelters were constructed to impose factorial combinations of 30% reduced rainfall quantity and 50% greater interrainfall dry periods on 6 x 6–m plots, to examine how altered rainfall regimes may affect plant species composition, nutrient cycling, and above- and belowground plant growth dynamics. The shelters provided complete control of growing season rainfall patterns, whereas effects on photosynthetic photon flux density, nighttime net radiation, and soil temperature generally were comparable to other similar shelter designs. Soil and plant responses to the first growing season of rainfall manipulations (1998) suggested that the interval between rainfall events may be a primary driver in grassland ecosystem responses to altered rainfall patterns. Aboveground net primary productivity, soil CO₂ flux, and flowering duration were reduced by the increased interrainfall intervals and were mostly unaffected by reduced rainfall quantity. The timing of rainfall events and resulting temporal patterns of soil moisture relative to critical times for microbial activity, biomass accumulation, plant life histories, and other ecological properties may regulate longer-term responses to altered rainfall patterns.     

人工模拟降雨格局变化对红砂种子萌发的影响

气候变化改变降雨格局,会影响到种子出苗及幼苗生长,进而影响幼苗的更新动态。为探讨降雨格局变化对典型荒漠植物红砂种子萌发特性的影响,利用环境控制生长箱开展了降雨量和降雨间隔时间的双因素控制实验。结果表明:(1)总降雨量增加30%,红砂种子出苗率和发芽势分别平均提高45.69%、39.86%(P0.05),延长降雨间隔时间单次降雨量达到6mm其效果更明显,出苗率和发芽势达到最大值,分别为68.33%、63.33%,表明6mm降水量是促使红砂萌发的最小降雨阈量。(2)总降雨量增加30%显著提高了种子萌发指数和活力指数(P0.05),与自然总降雨量相比,分别平均提高57.67%、121%。总降雨量减少30%虽降低了萌发指数和活力指数,但与自然总降雨量相比差异不显著(P0.05)。(3)降雨量增加30%延长降雨间隔时间处理加快了红砂的萌发进程,缩短了种子的萌发持续时间,其萌发曲线较陡峭。降雨量减少30%对其种子萌发进程影响不大。该研究得到以下主要结论:1)红砂种子萌发主要受到降雨量的影响,但降雨量效应依赖降雨间隔时间,总降雨量一定降雨间隔延长所形成的单次降雨量增加均提高萌发率,增加了红砂繁殖成功率,对其幼苗更新起促进效应;2)在自然状态及降雨减少的情况下红砂种子具有推迟萌发的特性,使其幼苗在更适宜的环境条件下出现和生长的机会增多,从而提高植物对环境的长期适应性。     

Increased rainfall variability and reduced rainfall amount decreases soil CO2 flux in a grassland ecosystem

Predicted climate changes in the US Central Plains include altered precipitation regimes with increased occurrence of growing season droughts and higher frequencies of extreme rainfall events. Changes in the amounts and timing of rainfall events will likely affect ecosystem processes, including those that control C cycling and storage. Soil carbon dioxide (CO₂) flux is an important component of C cycling in terrestrial ecosystems, and is strongly influenced by climate. While many studies have assessed the influence of soil water content on soil CO₂ flux, few have included experimental manipulation of rainfall amounts in intact ecosystems, and we know of no studies that have explicitly addressed the influence of the timing of rainfall events. In order to determine the responses of soil CO₂ flux to altered rainfall timing and amounts, we manipulated rainfall inputs to plots of native tallgrass prairie (Konza Prairie, Kansas, USA) over four growing seasons (1998–2001). Specifically, we altered the amounts and/or timing of growing season rainfall in a factorial combination that included two levels of rainfall amount (100% or 70% of naturally occurring rainfall quantity) and two temporal patterns of rain events (ambient timing or a 50% increase in length of dry intervals between events). The size of individual rain events in the altered timing treatment was adjusted so that the quantity of total growing season rainfall in the ambient and altered timing treatments was the same (i.e. fewer, but larger rainfall events characterized the altered timing treatment). Seasonal mean soil CO₂ flux decreased by 8% under reduced rainfall amounts, by 13% under altered rainfall timing, and by 20% when both were combined (P<0.01). These changes in soil CO₂ flux were consistent with observed changes in plant productivity, which was also reduced by both reduced rainfall quantity and altered rainfall timing. Soil CO₂ flux was related to both soil temperature and soil water content in regression analyses; together they explained as much as 64% of the variability in CO₂ flux across dates under ambient rainfall timing, but only 38–48% of the variability under altered rainfall timing, suggesting that other factors (e.g. substrate availability, plant or microbial stress) may limit CO₂ flux under a climate regime that includes fewer, larger rainfall events. An analysis of the temperature sensitivity of soil CO₂ flux indicated that temperature had a reduced effect (lower correlation and lower Q₁₀ values) under the reduced quantity and altered timing treatments. Recognition that changes in the timing of rainfall events may be as, or more, important than changes in rainfall amount in affecting soil CO₂ flux and other components of the carbon cycle highlights the complex nature of ecosystem responses to climate change in North American grasslands.     

Discriminating patterns and drivers of multiscale movement in herpetofauna: The dynamic and changing environment of the Mojave desert tortoise

Changes to animal movement in response to human‐induced changes to the environment are of growing concern in conservation. Most research on this problem has focused on terrestrial endotherms, but changes to herpetofaunal movement are also of concern given their limited dispersal abilities and specialized thermophysiological requirements. Animals in the desert region of the southwestern United States are faced with environmental alterations driven by development (e.g., solar energy facilities) and climate change. Here, we study the movement ecology of a desert species of conservation concern, the Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). We collected weekly encounter locations of marked desert tortoises during the active (nonhibernation) seasons in 2013–2015, and used those data to discriminate movements among activity centers from those within them. We then modeled the probability of movement among activity centers using a suite of covariates describing characteristics of tortoises, natural and anthropogenic landscape features, vegetation, and weather. Multimodel inference indicated greatest support for a model that included individual tortoise characteristics, landscape features, and weather. After controlling for season, date, age, and sex, we found that desert tortoises were more likely to move among activity centers when they were further from minor roads and in the vicinity of barrier fencing; we also found that movement between activity centers was more common during periods of greater rainfall and during periods where cooler temperatures coincided with lower rainfall. Our findings indicate that landscape alterations and climate change both have the potential to impact movements by desert tortoises during the active season. This study provides an important baseline against which we can detect future changes in tortoise movement behavior.     

The sensitivity of annual grassland carbon cycling to the quantity and timing of rainfall

Global climate models predict significant changes to the rainfall regimes of the grassland biome, where C cycling is particularly sensitive to the amount and timing of precipitation. We explored the effects of both natural interannual rainfall variability and experimental rainfall additions on net C storage and loss in annual grasslands. Soil respiration and net primary productivity (NPP) were measured in treatment and control plots over four growing seasons (water years, or WYs) that varied in wet‐season length and the quantity of rainfall. In treatment plots, we increased total rainfall by 50% above ambient levels and simulated one early‐ and one late‐season storm. The early‐ and late‐season rain events significantly increased soil respiration for 2–4 weeks after wetting, while augmentation of wet‐season rainfall had no significant effect. Interannual variability in precipitation had large and significant effects on C cycling. We observed a significant positive relationship between annual rainfall and aboveground NPP across the study (P=0.01, r²=0.69). Changes in the seasonal timing of rainfall significantly affected soil respiration. Abundant rainfall late in the wet season in WY 2004, a year with average total rainfall, led to greater net ecosystem C losses due to a ～50% increase in soil respiration relative to other years. Our results suggest that C cycling in annual grasslands will be less sensitive to changes in rainfall quantity and more affected by altered seasonal timing of rainfall, with a longer or later wet season resulting in significant C losses from annual grasslands.     

降雨格局变化对白刺幼苗根系形态特征的影响

为探讨荒漠植物白刺幼苗根系形态对降雨格局变化的响应特征,设置3个降雨量梯度(W-、W、W+)和2个降雨间隔时间梯度(T、T+)进行人工模拟试验,结果表明,1)降雨量和降雨间隔时间对白刺幼苗根系形态有不同程度的影响,且降雨量的作用效应更大。2)降雨量相同时,延长降雨间隔时间均使白刺幼苗主根长、根系平均直径、根体积和根表面积减小,但总根长和根系生物量和总生物量却增加,在高降雨量条件下(W+)延长降雨间隔时间白刺幼苗比根长和比表面积分别增加了45.09%和20.20%,但差异均不显著。3)降雨间隔时间相同时,降雨量减少30%仅使主根长平均增加12.06%,总根长、根平均直径、根体积和根表面积等根系形态指标均显著减少,比根长和比表面积变化不大;降雨量增加30%仅使比表面积显著增加,其余各形态指标差异均不显著,低降雨量条件下(W-)主根长与根冠比达到最大,其他指标均在高降雨量条件下(W+)达到最大。4)对8个根系形态参数进行主成分分析,根系生物量、总根长、总根表面积、比根长、比表面积和根体积6个根系生态参数受降雨格局影响显著。     

Productivity responses to altered rainfall patterns in a C<Subscript>4</Subscript>-dominated grassland

Rainfall variability is a key driver of ecosystem structure and function in grasslands worldwide. Changes in rainfall patterns predicted by global climate models for the central United States are expected to cause lower and increasingly variable soil water availability, which may impact net primary production and plant species composition in native Great Plains grasslands. We experimentally altered the timing and quantity of growing season rainfall inputs by lengthening inter-rainfall dry intervals by 50%, reducing rainfall quantities by 30%, or both, compared to the ambient rainfall regime in a native tallgrass prairie ecosystem in northeastern Kansas. Over three growing seasons, increased rainfall variability caused by altered rainfall timing with no change in total rainfall quantity led to lower and more variable soil water content (0–30 cm depth), a ~10% reduction in aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), increased root to shoot ratios, and greater canopy photon flux density at 30 cm above the soil surface. Lower total ANPP primarily resulted from reduced growth, biomass and flowering of subdominant warm-season C₄ grasses while productivity of the dominant C₄ grass Andropogon gerardii was relatively unresponsive. In general, vegetation responses to increased soil water content variability were at least equal to those caused by imposing a 30% reduction in rainfall quantity without altering the timing of rainfall inputs. Reduced ANPP most likely resulted from direct effects of soil moisture deficits on root activity, plant water status, and photosynthesis. Altered rainfall regimes are likely to be an important element of climate change scenarios in this grassland, and the nature of interactions with other climate change elements remains a significant challenge for predicting ecosystem responses to climate change.     

增温对高寒灌丛根际和非根际土壤微生物生物量碳氮的影响

本文对青藏高原东缘窄叶鲜卑花高寒灌丛生长季根际和非根际土壤微生物生物量碳和氮对增温的响应进行研究.结果表明: 窄叶鲜卑花灌丛生长季初期根际和非根际土壤微生物生物量碳和氮均显著高于生长季中期和末期.在多数时期,增温对根际土壤微生物生物量碳和氮的影响不显著.在非根际土壤中,增温对土壤微生物生物量碳和氮的影响因不同生长季节而不同: 增温使生长季初期土壤微生物生物量碳显著降低,而使土壤微生物生物量氮显著提高;生长季中期增温使土壤微生物生物量碳和氮显著提高;而在生长季末期增温对土壤微生物生物量碳和氮的影响不显著.土壤微生物生物量碳和氮的根际效应也因不同生长季节而不同: 土壤微生物生物量碳和氮在生长季初期表现为负根际效应,而在生长季中期表现为正根际效应;在生长季末期,土壤微生物生物量碳表现为负根际效应,土壤微生物生物量氮则表现为正根际效应.增温在生长季初期使土壤微生物生物量碳和氮的根际效应显著提高,而在生长季中期和末期使土壤微生物生物量碳和氮的根际效应降低.本研究初步阐明了气候变暖背景下高寒灌丛根际和非根际土壤生物学过程变化机理.     

Relationships between climate and growth of Gymnocypris selincuoensis in the Tibetan Plateau

The consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly evident in the Tibetan Plateau, represented by glaciers retreating and lakes expanding, but the biological response to climate change by plateau–lake ecosystems is poorly known. In this study, we applied dendrochronology methods to develop a growth index chronology with otolith increment widths of Selincuo naked carp (Gymnocypris selincuoensis), which is an endemic species in Lake Selincuo (4530 m), and investigated the relationships between fish growth and climate variables (regional and global) in the last three decades. A correlation analysis and principle component regression analysis between regional climate factors and the growth index chronology indicated that the growth of G. selincuoensis was significantly and positively correlated with length of the growing season and temperature‐related variables, particularly during the growing season. Most of global climate variables, which are relevant to the Asian monsoon and the midlatitude westerlies, such as El Nino Southern Oscillation Index, the Arctic Oscillation, North Atlantic Oscillation, and North America Pattern, showed negative but not significant correlations with the annual growth of Selincuo naked carp. This may have resulted from the high elevation of the Tibetan Plateau and the high mountains surrounding this area. In comparison, the Pacific Decade Oscillation (PDO) negatively affected the growth of G. selincuoensis. The reason maybe that enhancement of the PDO can lead to cold conditions in this area. Taken together, the results indicate that the Tibetan Plateau fish has been affected by global climate change, particularly during the growing season, and global climate change likely has important effects on productivity of aquatic ecosystems in this area.     

水、氮控制对短花针茅草原土壤呼吸的影响

在自然条件下,采用自动CO2通量系统(Li-8100,Li-COR,Lincoln,NE,USA)野外测定短花针茅(Stipa breviflora)草原土壤呼吸速率,并通过回归方程分析不同水分梯度和氮素添加与土壤呼吸速率间的关系。结果表明:(1)短花针茅草原整个生长季,增雨显著提高土壤呼吸速率(P0.05),土壤呼吸速率峰值出现在温度适中,土壤含水量最大的时期(8月初)。(2)从整个生长季来看,相同降雨量下,氮素添加对土壤呼吸速率增加有抑制作用,但在降雨较少的时(5月末到6月中旬,0月份),氮素添加对土壤呼吸速率有较少的促进作用。(3)土壤含水量和土壤呼吸速率的函数模型中一元二次函数模型明显优于线性、指数等模型。一元二次模型能更好地说明土壤呼吸速率的实际变化。     

非生长季降水对青藏高原高寒草甸优势种生物量稳定性的影响

受全球气候变化的影响,青藏高原在过去的几十年间整体上呈现暖湿化的趋势,相比于年际之间温度和降水的变化外,生长季和非生长季气候变化模式的差异可能会对生态系统产生更重要的影响,但相关的研究尚不充分。以青藏高原东部的高寒草甸为研究对象,基于2001年至2017年17年的野外观测数据,包括优势植物紫花针茅的高度、多度以及生物量、次优势物种洽草的生物量,结合生长季和非生长季平均温度和降水量的变化,通过线性回归以及结构方程模型,探究生长季/非生长季不对称气候变化对于青藏高原高寒草甸优势物种生物量稳定性的影响。研究结果表明：1)青藏高原东部年均温和年降水在过去的17年间显著增加,呈现暖湿化的趋势,但是非生长的降水却变化不明显;2)紫花针茅的高度、多度以及生物量在过去17年没有显著的趋势,但是洽草的生物量稳定性显著减少;3)非生长降水结合紫花针茅的高度、多度以及洽草的生物量稳定性促进了紫花针茅的生物量稳定性。研究结果可以为青藏高原高寒草甸在未来气候变化的背景下合理保护与利用提供科学依据。     

Alpine grassland plants grow earlier and faster but biomass remains unchanged over 35 years of climate change

Satellite data indicate significant advancement in alpine spring phenology over decades of climate warming, but corresponding field evidence is scarce. It is also unknown whether this advancement results from an earlier shift of phenological events, or enhancement of plant growth under unchanged phenological pattern. By analyzing a 35‐year dataset of seasonal biomass dynamics of a Tibetan alpine grassland, we show that climate change promoted both earlier phenology and faster growth, without changing annual biomass production. Biomass production increased in spring due to a warming‐induced earlier onset of plant growth, but decreased in autumn due mainly to increased water stress. Plants grew faster but the fast‐growing period shortened during the mid‐growing season. These findings provide the first in situ evidence of long‐term changes in growth patterns in alpine grassland plant communities, and suggest that earlier phenology and faster growth will jointly contribute to plant growth in a warming climate.     

Precipitation Pattern Determines the Inter-annual Variation of Herbaceous Layer and Carbon Fluxes in a Phreatophyte-Dominated Desert Ecosystem

Arid and semi-arid ecosystems dominated by shrubby species are an important component in the global carbon cycle but are largely under-represented in studies of the effect of climate change on carbon flux. This study synthesizes data from long-term eddy covariance measurements and experiments to assess how changes in ecosystem composition, driven by precipitation patterns, affect inter-annual variability of carbon flux and their components in a halophyte desert community dominated by deep-rooted shrubs (phreatophytes, which depend on groundwater as their primary water source). Our results demonstrated that the carbon balance of this community responded strongly to precipitation variations. Both pre-growing season precipitation and growing season precipitation frequency significantly affected inter-annual variations in ecosystem carbon flux. Heavy pre-growing season precipitation (November–April, mostly as snow) increased annual net ecosystem carbon exchange, by facilitating the growth and carbon assimilation of shallow-rooted annual plants, which used spring and summer precipitation to increase community productivity. Sufficient pre-growing season precipitation led to more germination and growth of shallow-rooted annual plants. When followed by high-frequency growing season precipitation, community productivity of this desert ecosystem was lifted to the level of grassland or forest ecosystems. The long-term observations and experimental results confirmed that precipitation patterns and the herbaceous component were dominant drivers of the carbon dynamics in this phreatophyte-dominated desert ecosystem. This study illustrates the importance of inter-annual variations in climate and ecosystem composition for the carbon flux in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. It also highlights the important effect of changing frequency and seasonal pattern of precipitation on the regional and global carbon cycle in the coming decades.     

干旱沙区生物土壤结皮发育对红砂形态及干物质积累的影响

为了探讨干旱沙区生物土壤结皮发育对红砂形态及干物质积累的影响,以巴丹吉林沙漠南缘已发育不同类型生物土壤结皮并有红砂种群成功定居的区域为研究场所,通过野外监测与室内测定的方法对藻类-地衣、地衣、地衣-藓类结皮上的红砂（当年生、幼株、成株）形态特征及生物量进行了调查研究。结果表明：（1）藻类-地衣结皮演替到地衣-藓类结皮的过程中,当年生红砂形态差异不显著,但5 a以上植株基部分枝长、树冠/侧冠投影面积、主根长均显著减小;同时,地衣-藓类结皮的3-5 a植株基部分枝数明显减少,且5 a以上植株明显矮化。（2）生物土壤结皮发育不仅降低了红砂幼株或成株生物量积累能力,还减小了植株根冠比,且降低/减小程度随结皮演替或株龄的增大逐渐增大。（3）红砂形态、生物量指标与物理或藻类结皮面积百分比呈极显著正相关关系,与藓类结皮面积百分比呈极显著的负相关关系。因此认为,生物土壤结皮的演替导致土壤关键生态因子（如土壤水分）发生变化,进而影响红砂植株生长发育能力,从而使得不同发育阶段结皮上的同龄红砂形态特征及生物量存在差异性。     

Effect of Manipulated Rainfall on Root Production and Plant Belowground Dry Mass of Different Grassland Ecosystems

A field experiment was established to quantify the effects of different amounts of rainfall on root growth and dry mass of belowground plant parts in three types of grassland ecosystems. Mountain (Nardus grassland), highland (wet Cirsium grassland), and lowland grassland (dry Festuca grassland) ecosystems were studied in 2006 and 2007. Roofs constructed above the canopy of grass stands and gravity irrigation systems simulated three climate scenarios: (1) rainfall reduced by 50%, (2) rainfall enhanced by 50%, and (3) the full natural rainfall of the current growing season. Experimentally reduced amounts of precipitation significantly affected both yearly root increments and total root dry mass in the highland grassland. Dry conditions in 2007 resulted in considerable reduction of total belowground dry mass in highland and mountain grasslands. Although not all differences in root biomass of studied grasslands were statistically significantly, some also showed a decrease in root increment and in the amount of belowground dry mass in dry conditions.     

黑河中游荒漠生态系统归一化植被指数对降水的响应

降水是荒漠生态系统主要的水分来源, 是植被结构和功能变化的根本驱动力。该研究以黑河中游砾质荒漠(砾漠)和沙质荒漠(沙漠)为研究对象, 基于2000-2012年中分辨率成像光谱仪(MODIS)获取的归一化植被指数(NDVI)数据以及日降水数据, 运用多元线性回归法, 分析了砾漠和沙漠植被生长季(5-9月)、生长季早期(5-6月)和晚期(7-9月)累积NDVI (NDVI_INT, INT表示某时间段的累积值)对冷季降水(P_c, 前一年9月至当年2月累积降水)、暖季降水(P_w, 当年3月至8月累积降水)、前一年生长季NDVI_INT (NDVI_INT-pys)以及干湿气候期(干旱期: 2001-2003; 湿润期: 2004-2007年)的响应。研究结果表明: (1)砾漠植被生长季NDVI_INT年际变化的影响因素排序为NDVI_INT-pys > P_c > P_w, 沙漠植被NDVI_INT则为P_w > NDVI_INT-pys; 砾漠生长季NDVI_INT早期NDVI_INT年际变化的影响因素排序为NDVI_INT-pys > P_c, 晚期则为NDVI_INT-pys > P_c = P_w; 而沙漠生长季早期NDVI_INT年际变化的影响因素为NDVI_INT-pys, 晚期是P_w。(2)在干湿气候期内, 降水量并非是影响荒漠NDVI_INT变化的关键因子。干湿气候期交替时, 砾漠NDVI_INT较沙漠增加明显; 湿润期内, 湿润期持续的长短是影响两种生境植被NDVI_INT的关键因子, 以沙漠较为明显。黑河中游砾漠和沙漠植被生产力对冷暖季降水及干湿气候期响应具有明显的差异, 但总体显示出荒漠植被生产力对降水响应具有滞后性特征。以上结论可为揭示荒漠植被生产力对降水的响应机理提供参考。     

Changes in normalized difference vegetation index of deserts and dunes with precipitation in the middle Heihe River Basin

AimsPrecipitation is the major water source for desert ecosystems, with its temporal dynamics significantly driving the changes of ecosystem structure and function in desert regions. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the changes in normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) with seasonal precipitation and different climate years in two cover types (desert and dune).MethodsBased on the daily rainfall dataset of 2000-2012 in the middle Heihe River Basin in Northwest China and the NDVI extracted from the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) images, we performed linear regression analysis to examine the correlation of NDVI_INT (accumulated NDVI) with precipitation in two cover types (desert and dune). Two measures of the precipitation are P_c (cool-season precipitation from last September to late February) and P_w (warm-season precipitation in between March and August), while NDVI was characterized with NDVI_INT-pys (previous-year during the different climate years (dry: 2001-2003, wet: 2004-2007)) and the different periods of a growing season (i.e. whole growing season from May through September, early growing season in between May and June, and late growing season in between July and September).Important findings We found that: (1) the determinants of growing season NDVI_INT and their order were NDVI_INT-pys > P_c > P_w for the deserts, while the order was P_w > NDVI_INT-pys for the dunes. The determinants and their order of NDVI_INT in early growing season were NDVI_INT-pys > P_c for the desert, while they were NDVI_INT-pys > P_c = P_w for the late growing season. However, for the dunes, NDVI_INT of the early and late growing season appeared determined by NDVI_INT-pys and P_w, respectively. (2) During the dry and wet periods, precipitation was not a significant factor influencing NDVI_INT for the desert and dune. However, significant increases in NDVI_INTwere observed at dune under wet condition. With the wet years continued, the length of the wet years become an important determinant of NDVI_INT at both cove types, particularly at dune. In addition, it appeared that different changes in NDVI with precipitation existed between the two cover types, but with very similar effects of time-lag. These findings provide useful references for further understanding the mechanisms of NDVI changes with precipitation.     

Unexpected patterns of sensitivity to drought in three semi-arid grasslands

Global climate models forecast an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, including severe droughts. Based on multi-year relationships between precipitation amount and aboveground annual net primary production (ANPP), semi-arid grasslands are projected to be among the most sensitive ecosystems to changes in precipitation. To assess sensitivity to drought, as well as variability within the shortgrass steppe biome, we imposed moderate and severe rainfall reductions for two growing seasons in three undisturbed grasslands that varied in soil type and climate. We predicted strong drought-induced reductions in ANPP at all sites and greater sensitivity to drought in sites with lower average precipitation, consistent with continental-scale patterns. Identical experimental infrastructure at each site reduced growing season rainfall events by 50 or 80%, and significantly reduced average soil moisture in both years (by 21 and 46% of control levels, respectively). Despite reductions in soil moisture, ANPP responses varied unexpectedly-from no reduction in ANPP to a 51% decrease. Although sensitivity to drought was highest in the semi-arid grassland with lowest mean annual precipitation, patterns in responses to drought across these grasslands were also strongly related to rainfall event size. When growing season rainfall patterns were dominated by many smaller events, ANPP was significantly reduced by drought but not when rainfall patterns were characterized by large rain events. This interaction between drought sensitivity and rainfall event size suggests that ANPP responses to future droughts may be reduced if growing season rainfall regimes also become more extreme.