融雪时间对大卫马先蒿生长和繁殖特性的影响

在青藏高原东部的的一个高山雪床,沿着融雪梯度设置了早融、中间、晚融三个融雪部位,对每个部位的环境因子、大卫马先蒿的个体生长特征及其繁殖特征进行了测量,并在三个部位间对这些特征进行了比较。无雪期长度、土壤水分含量和表土温度的每日变化幅度在部位间有显著的差异,但土壤营养成份和pH并无明显的变化。从早融部位到晚融部位,大卫马先蒿的株高、单株叶数、单叶面积以及比叶面积显著增加,地上生物产量和总生物量也增加,而地下生物量以及地下生物量与地上生物产量之比却降低。花序中段和下段的花数、单花种子数和种子千粒重随融雪的推迟而增加,花序上段的花数、单花种子数和种子千粒重在融雪梯度上没有明显的变化;就整个花序而言,这些繁殖特征随融雪的推迟而增加。大卫马先蒿的个体生长及繁殖特征主要受冻融交替的影响。     

3种高山植物的物候和种群分布格局在融雪梯度上的变化

在青藏高原东部的一个高山雪床,沿着融雪梯度分别设置早融、中间和晚融3个融雪部位,然后测定川西小黄菊（Pyrethrum tatsienense）、长叶火绒草（Leontopodium longifolium）和圆穗蓼（Polygonum macrophyllum）在3个融雪部位上的物候差异以及种群分布格局的变化。结果表明：从早融到晚融的梯度上,3个物种的物候期都不同程度地有所推迟。其中,开始生长的时间推迟12~14 d,始花期推迟6~8 d,盛花期推迟6 d左右,但同一种植物在不同的融雪部位上的衰老枯黄期趋于一致,这标志着在晚融部位同一植物的生长期要缩短。在种群层次上,长叶火绒草和圆穗蓼的分布格局随着融雪的推迟都发生了一定的变化,基本上表现为从早融部位的集群分布到中间或晚融部位的随机分布。川西小黄菊在各个融雪部位上都表现为集群分布,但集群的强度随融雪的推迟逐渐减弱。     

中国南方灌丛优势木本植物叶的氮、磷含量及其影响因素

探索植物器官中氮(N)、磷(P)含量沿环境梯度的分异规律,有助于揭示陆地生态系统物质循环和植物养分适应策略的过程和机制。该文采用分层随机抽样法,在中国南方12个省市区布设462个灌丛样点,对其中193种优势木本植物叶N、P含量进行调查取样。结果表明:1)南方灌丛优势木本植物叶的N、P含量几何均值分别为16.57 mg·g~(–1)和1.02 mg·g~(–1);其中,落叶木本植物(17.91 mg·g~(–1)、1.14 mg·g~(–1))显著高于常绿木本植物(15.19 mg·g~(–1)、0.89 mg·g~(–1));叶P含量较N含量具有更大的变异性和环境依赖性。2)随年平均气温(MAT)的升高,常绿木本植物叶N、P含量降低,落叶木本植物叶N、P含量呈逐渐增加的趋势;随年降水量(MAP)的增加,常绿木本植物叶N含量降低,落叶木本植物叶N含量增加,两者P含量下降。3)土壤N含量的增加对两者叶的N含量无显著影响;但随土壤P含量的增加,常绿和落叶木本植物叶P含量均显著增加。4)广义线性回归显示,植物生活型分别可解释叶N、P变异的7.6%和14.4%,MAP和土壤P含量分别解释了0.8%和16.4%的叶P变异。结果表明,中国南方灌丛中优势植物叶的N含量主要受不同生活型植物生长需求所决定,而P含量则受气候、土壤和植物生活型共同决定。     

冬小麦生境中土壤养分对凋落物碳氮释放的影响

土壤养分影响植物生长, 进而影响凋落物质量和产量; 凋落物质量和产量影响凋落物分解过程。基于一个生长实验和一个相同环境分解实验, 研究了冬小麦(Triticum aestivum)生境中养分可利用性对凋落物碳(C)和氮(N)释放的影响。结果显示: (1)冬小麦凋落物产量、叶/根C:N比、C释放量和N释放量随土壤养分梯度呈单调变化; (2)土壤养分影响叶凋落物丢失率而不影响根凋落物丢失率; (3)初始叶/根C:N比与其C、N释放量之间存在负相关关系; (4)分解过程降低叶C:N比和根C:N比。结果表明: 生境中土壤养分的提高可加速凋落物C、N归还, 这反过来可能促进冬小麦生长, 因此这种效应是正反馈; 初始C:N比可预测凋落物C、N释放量。     

开放系统中农作物对空气CO2浓度增加的响应

FACE试验(free-air CO₂ enrichment)开展的10多年中,供试农作物主要有:C₃禾本科作物小麦(Triticum aestivum L.)、多年生黑麦草(Lolium perenne)和水稻(Oryza sativa L.),C₄禾本科类高粱(Sorghum bicolor(L.)Mench),C₃豆科植物白三叶草(Trifolium repens),C₃非禾本科块茎状作物马铃薯(Solanum tuberosum L.),以及多年生C₃类木本作物棉花(Gossypium hirsutumL.)和葡萄(Vitis viniferaL.).本文系统整理和分析了以下各项参数的结果:光合作用、气孔导度、冠层温度、水分利用、水势、叶面积指数、根茎生物量累积、作物产量、辐射利用率、比叶面积、N含量、N收益、碳水化合物含量、物候变化、土壤微生物、土壤呼吸、痕量气体交换以及土壤碳固定.CO₂浓度升高对农作物的影响作用主要表现在以下方面:(1)促进了植物光合作用、增加了其生物量累积;(2)显著提高C₃作物产量,但对C₄作物产量的影响很小;(3)降低了C₃和C₄作物气孔导度,非常显著地提高了所有作物的水分利用率;(4)对植物生长的促进作用在水分不足与水分充足时二者相当或前者大于后者;(5)对非豆科植物生长的促进作用要受到土壤低N水平限制,而对豆科植物则不受氮肥水平限制;(6)对根系生长的促进作用要大于地上部分;(7)对多年     

长脐红豆幼苗生长对不同土壤氮磷添加的响应及其对土壤养分的反馈

以热带豆科树种长脐红豆(Ormosia balansae Drake)幼苗为研究对象, 开展苗期控制试验, 共设置了5个添加氮(N, N1—N5)和2个添加磷(P, LP—HP)梯度, 观察长脐红豆在不同土壤N、P添加条件下的生长表现及对土壤养分的反馈。测定的植物和土壤响应指标包括: 植株地上和地下生长量、叶面积、叶和根的N、P含量、根际和非根际土壤N、P含量等。结果表明: (1)从苗高、总叶面积、地上生物量、地下生物量、总根长和根表面积这6个指标总体来看, 在低磷(LP)条件下, 中、高浓度的N添加(N4、N5)对长脐红豆生长有抑制作用; 高磷(HP)条件下, 高浓度的N添加(仅有N5)对长脐红豆生长有抑制作用; 表明长脐红豆的最适生长N浓度会随P添加浓度增加而升高; (2)随着N添加浓度的增加, 根和叶的全N含量呈先增加后减小的趋势, N4处理条件下达到最大; 根和叶的全P含量却呈现相反趋势, 符合元素稀释效应。叶的N:P>16, 且P浓度<1.0 mg•g-1, 表明长脐红豆生长受P限制; (3)基于氨态氮、硝态氮和有效P这3个肥力指标, 长脐红豆苗期非根际土壤肥力>根际土壤肥力, 表明豆科树种长脐红豆在其幼苗期共生根瘤尚未明显形成时期, 需补充适量N、P养分供给。     

水分对敦煌阳关湿地芦苇叶片与土壤C、N、P生态化学计量特征的影响

土壤水分是影响干旱区植物养分吸收和利用策略的关键因子之一。研究不同水分梯度叶片与土壤生态化学计量特征,有助于揭示植物对环境变化的响应特征及生态适应性。通过野外调查与实验分析,对敦煌阳关不同水分梯度芦苇叶片与土壤碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)生态化学计量特征及其关系进行了研究。结果表明:(1)随土壤含水率升高,叶片C、N、P含量降低,叶片C/N、C/P、N/P升高。(2)随土壤含水率升高,土壤有机碳(OC)、总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)含量及土壤N/P升高,土壤C/N降低,土壤C/P先升后降。(3)低水分梯度叶片N、C/N与土壤N、C/N显著负相关(P0.05),叶片C、P、C/P、N/P与土壤C、P、C/P、N/P无显著相关性(P0.05);高、中水分梯度叶片C、N、P与土壤C、N、P化学计量特征相关性均不显著(P0.05)。低水分梯度叶片受干旱胁迫和土壤养分制约,且能够保持较高的叶养分含量,体现了干旱区湿地植物异质生境下独特的养分调节机制。     

樟子松人工林原产地与不同自然降水梯度引种地土壤和植物叶片生态化学计量特征

降水格局是影响陆地生态系统结构和过程的重要环境要素,尤其对于干旱/半干旱地区,降水变化是植物生长驱动的关键生态因子。目前,针对降水变化对陆地生态系统C、N、P等元素生物地球化学循环过程影响开展了大量研究。然而,关于沙地樟子松重要引种地科尔沁沙地自然降水梯度下沙地樟子松人工林土壤、植物生态化学计量特征的研究未见报道。因此,本研究以樟子松原产地红花尔基和引种地科尔沁沙地自然降水梯度下4个典型沙地樟子松人工林为对象,研究樟子松引种地降水变化对土壤(0—10,10—20 cm和20—40 cm)和植物(1年和2年生叶)生态化学计量特征的影响。研究结果发现:(1)与红花尔基原产地樟子松人工林相比,科尔沁沙地引种的樟子松人工林土壤C、N、P元素含量显著降低;(2)科尔沁沙地自西向东,随降水量增加,沙地樟子松人工林土壤C、N、P含量以及C∶P和N∶P表现为逐渐增加趋势,而土壤C∶N呈减少趋势;(3)随着降水量增加,樟子松叶C含量呈下降趋势,叶N含量和N∶P比值呈增加趋势,植物叶P含量无一致性规律;(4)樟子松叶片P含量与土壤C、N、P含量呈极显著正相关关系,而叶片C和N含量与土壤C、N、P含量无显著相关性。研究表明,沙地樟子松引种地科尔沁沙地土壤C、N、P养分比较缺乏,且随着降水增加土壤N养分限制降低,而土壤P养分限制增加。本研究从生态化学计量特征角度,为今后开展科尔沁沙地不同降水梯度条件下引种樟子松人工林提供理论依据。     

古尔班通古特沙漠水热梯度变化对短命植物生态化学计量特征影响

以古尔班通古特沙漠2种优势短命植物尖喙牻牛儿苗(Erodium oxyrhinchum M. Bieb.)和东方旱麦草(Eremopyrum orientale (L.) Jaubert & Spach)为研究对象,通过盆栽控制实验,设定2个温度梯度以及3个水分梯度,对它们在不同温、湿度处理下的C、N、P含量及其化学计量比的变化特点进行分析。结果显示：(1)温度显著影响尖喙牻牛儿苗的N、P、C∶P、N∶P以及东方旱麦草的C、N、P、C∶N、N∶P;水分显著影响2种短命植物的N、P、C∶N、C∶P以及东方旱麦草的N∶P,其中N含量随温度的变化符合温度-生物地球化学假说,而P含量随温度的变化符合温度-植物生理假说。(2)温度和水分的交互作用对2种植物的影响表现为：在高温处理时,随着水分梯度的增加,2种植物的N、P含量先升高再下降,C∶N、C∶P、N∶P先下降再升高;在低温处理时,尖喙牻牛儿苗的N、P含量变化与水分梯度呈反比,C∶P变化与水分梯度呈正比,而东方旱麦草化学计量变化差异不显著。(3)相关性分析结果表明,温度和水分显著影响2种短命植物各元素之间的相关关系,植物的生长速率和养分限制情况受营养元素的主导调控也随之变化。     

长江中游浅水湖泊水生植物氮磷含量与水柱营养的关系

水生植物组织内氮和磷(N和P)含量受到水体营养状况和植物生长状况影响。对长江中游江汉湖群不同营养水平湖泊中大型水生植物的N和P含量3个季度的研究表明,在不同生活型水生植物中,沉水植物主要分布在中营养到中富营养湖泊中,在富营养湖泊均无分布,浮叶和挺水植物在不同营养类型湖泊的沿岸带均有分布。N和P含量以沉水植物最高,浮叶植物次之,挺水植物最低。水生植物的N和P含量都达到或超过生长所需最低N和P阈值,代表性浮叶植物和沉水植物的N和P含量随着湖泊营养水平提高呈现规律性变化。湖泊5种常见的水生植物N和P含量与水柱中不同种类N和P浓度具有季节性相关:菱(TrapabispinosaRoxb.)春夏季P含量都与TP(总磷)和TDP(总溶解磷)明显相关,春季N含量与NH4—N(氨氮)明显相关;春季黄丝草(PotamogetonmaackianusA.Benn.)的P含量与TP明显相关,夏季与TDP明显相关,春季和夏季黄丝草和穗花狐尾藻(MyriophyllumspicatumL.)的N含量与TN(总氮)和TDN(总溶解氮)显著正相关,秋季成负相关;夏季芦苇(PhragmitescommunisTrin.)P含量与TP和TDP显著相关;春季芦苇和香蒲(TyphaorientalisPresl.)N含量与NH4N和NO2N(亚硝态氮)显著相关。       

放牧对内蒙古锡林河流域草地群落植物茎叶生物量资源分配的影响

以内蒙古锡林河流域沿水分梯度分布的灰脉苔草(Carex appendiculata)、贝加尔针茅(Stipa baicalensis)、羊草(Leymus chinensis)、大针茅(Stipa grandis)、小叶锦鸡儿(Caragana microphylla)和冷蒿(Artemisia frigida) 6个草地群落为对象, 研究了围封禁牧与放牧样地中144个共有植物种的高度、丛幅面积、茎、叶和株(丛)生物量、茎叶比等性状。结果表明: 1)在个体水平上, 放牧样地中植物的生殖枝高度、营养枝高度、丛幅面积、单株(丛)生物量、茎、叶生物量和茎叶比均显著低于围封禁牧样地, 植物在放牧干扰下表现出明显的小型化现象; 2)在群落水平上, 放牧亦显著降低了群落总生物量和茎、叶生物量; 3)过度放牧显著改变了物种的资源分配策略, 使生物量向叶的分配比例增加, 向茎的分配比例减少。资源优先向同化器官分配可能是植物对长期放牧干扰的一种重要适应对策; 4)轻度放牧对物种的资源分配没有显著影响, 单株(丛)生物量和群落茎、叶及总生物量均表现出增加趋势, 这与过度放牧的影响正好相反。过度放牧引起的植物个体小型化改变了生态系统中物种的资源分配策略, 进而对生态系统功能产生重要的影响。     

不同雪被厚度下典型高山草地早春植物叶片性状、株高及生物量分配的研究

在高寒生命带, 雪被作为重要的综合环境因子, 影响着植物的生理生态特征、种群动态及群落演替等过程, 进而作用于生态系统的功能与服务。通过在青藏高原东缘高寒草甸设置厚雪、中雪和浅雪3个地段, 选取早春开花的常见种紫罗兰报春(Primula purdomii)、甘肃马先蒿(Pedicularis kansuensis)、高原毛茛(Ranunculus tanguticus), 研究了三种植物株高、叶片性状和生物量分配随雪被厚度的变化规律, 以及三者之间的关系。结果表明: 甘肃马先蒿和高原毛茛在生境状况较好的地段比叶面积相对较高, 紫罗兰报春由于具有根状茎和肉质根, 在厚雪地段比叶面积相对较小; 关于单个物种的地上-地下生物量的关系, 紫罗兰报春在厚雪和浅雪地段为完全一致的异速生长关系, 而甘肃马先蒿和高原毛茛在个别地段并无显著相关关系。总体而言, 三种植物整体样本的地上-地下生物量在不同雪被地段均为异速生长关系, 不支持等速生长假说, 并且地上生物量能够很好地解释地下生物量的变异; 功能性状和生物量指标间的相关性, 在紫罗兰报春和高原毛茛表现较好, 而在甘肃马先蒿表现较弱。植物对环境变化的适应具有一定的规律, 同时也表现出物种特异性。今后的研究中, 应注重构建植物适应环境变化的功能性状谱, 以更好地理解全球变化背景下植物功能性状的响应及其适应策略。     

Plant leaf traits,height and biomass partitioning in typical ephemerals under different levels of snow cover thickness in an alpine meadow

Aims In the cold life zones, snow cover is a comprehensive environmental factor that directly influences soil temperature, soil water content, light and nutrient availability. Plants in these zones develop a series of unique mechanisms involving phenological characteristics, reproductive strategies, physiology and morphology to adapt to environmental changes. This paper is focused on the responses of plant leaf traits, height and biomass partitioning to variations in snow cover thickness, in order to better understand the responses of plant functional traits and specific adaptation strategies under global climate change scenarios. Methods Three transects were established along a gradient of snow cover in an alpine meadow of Mt. Kaka, in the eastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. Primula purdomii, Pedicularis kansuensis and Ranunculus tanguticus, which are three widely distributed and dominant ephemerals, were sampled and studied, particularly at their blooming stages. Plant height, specific leaf area (SLA) and biomass partitioning were measured accordingly. Important findings The values of SLA in Pedicularis kansuensis and R. tanguticus were relatively greater under better soil conditions; it was smaller in Primula purdomii with thick snow cover. The relationship between aboveground biomass and belowground biomass in Primula purdomii was allometric at sites with both thick and thin snow cover. No significant relationships were found between aboveground biomass and belowground biomass in Pedicularis kansuensis and R. tanguticus at some individual sites. However, when samples of the three species were pooled, the relationships between aboveground biomass and belowground biomass were allometric at all sites, which did not support isometric scaling hypothesis. In addition, on sites with either thick or thin snow cover, aboveground biomass had greater rate of accumulation than belowground biomass; whereas on sites with medium snow cover, the rate of biomass accumulation was greater for belowground component than aboveground component. Functional traits and biomass variables were better correlated in Primula purdomii and Pedicularis kansuensis than in R. tanguticus.     

古尔班通古特沙漠南缘草本层对积雪变化的响应

草本层是古尔班通古特沙漠植物群落下层层片的构建者, 冬季积雪提供了其生长发育所需要的主要水分, 积雪的增加或减少对草本植物数量和生物量会产生显著的影响。该研究利用人工增减积雪的方法, 在古尔班通古特沙漠南缘设置了5个不同厚度的积雪处理: 0积雪、50%积雪、100%积雪、150%积雪和200%积雪, 其中100%积雪为自然积雪。采用1 m × 1 m的样方, 对草本层片的物种数、盖度、密度、高度进行了调查, 还采用收获法测定了草本层片的地上生物量和优势种小花荆芥(Nepeta micrantha)的单株地上生物量。对研究区内13个科29种草本植物的研究表明: 1)单位面积出土幼苗数量跟积雪厚度呈显著正相关关系, 草本层片的盖度、密度对积雪的变化响应显著, 随着积雪增加, 草本层片的密度和盖度呈递增趋势, 而草本层片的平均高度呈递减趋势, 但不同积雪处理间的物种数和总地上生物量没有显著差异; 2)积雪厚度与优势种的株高和地上生物量呈显著负相关关系, 积雪的增加导致优势种的单株生物量和株高显著降低; 3)积雪厚度的变化主要影响了草本层片植物种子萌发的数量, 但对物种数量没有显著影响。这表明: 虽然积雪是草本植物的主要水分来源之一, 但荒漠植物群落的草本植物对积雪的变化具有很强的缓冲能力, 即使积雪很少, 草本层片的物种构成也不会发生显著变化, 草本层片的净初级生产力也保持相对稳定。     

积雪变化对高寒草甸钝苞雪莲(Saussurea nigrescens)繁殖分配及功能属性的影响

季节性雪被对植物的生长繁殖具有深刻影响。为阐明不同积雪梯度下钝苞雪莲各器官生物量、养分含量、繁殖分配及功能属性的变化规律,在青藏高原东缘红原县,通过人工堆积的方法开展积雪梯度（CK、S0、S1、S2、S3）控制实验,测量了不同积雪梯度下钝苞雪莲茎、叶、花苞的养分含量及繁殖分配等特征。结果表明：1）积雪变化没有显著改变钝苞雪莲的繁殖分配,但去除积雪（S0）显著降低了营养器官生物量。2）不同积雪处理下,个体大小与繁殖器官生物量均呈正线性关系（P<0.01）。3）茎部磷（P）含量随积雪量的增加显著升高（P<0.05）;叶部P含量随积雪量的增加先上升后下降,即：S2 > S1 > CK > S3 > S0,且存在显著差异（P<0.05）;各处理下植物的不同器官在养分上主要受氮（N）元素的限制。4）去除积雪（S0）降低了茎干重、株高、茎高、茎分配和单株花苞量,过度积雪（S3）则降低了株高、茎高和花苞长度,中度积雪（S1、S2）则分别降低了花苞长度与单株叶片数。由此可见,不同积雪量并未显著改变钝苞雪莲的繁殖分配,但却改变了其不同器官的功能属性与养分含量,使磷元素成为植物响应积雪变化较为敏感的指标。     

The effects of snow-N deposition and snowmelt dynamics on soil-N cycling in marginal terraced grasslands in the French Alps

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition increasingly impacts remote ecosystems. At high altitudes, snow is a key carrier of water and nutrients from the atmosphere to the soil. Medium-sized subalpine grassland terraces are characteristic of agricultural landscapes in the French Alps and influence spatial and temporal snow pack variables. At the Lautaret Pass, we investigated snow and soil characteristics along mesotopographic gradients across the terraces before and during snowmelt. Total N concentrations in the snowpack did not vary spatially and were dominated by organic N forms either brought by dry deposition trapped by the snow, or due to snow-microbial immobilization and turnover. As expected, snowpack depth, total N deposited with snow and snowmelt followed the terrace toposequence; more snow-N accumulated towards the bank over longer periods. However, direct effects of snow-N on soil-N cycling seem unlikely since the amount of nitrogen released into the soil from the snowpack was very small relative to soil-N pools and N mineralization rates. Nevertheless, some snow-N reached the soil at thaw where it underwent biotic and abiotic processes. In situ soil-N mineralization rates did not vary along the terrace toposequence but soil-N cycling was indirectly affected by the snowpack. Indeed, N mineralization responded to the snowmelt dynamic via induced temporal changes in soil characteristics (i.e. moisture and T°) which cascaded down to affect N-related microbial activities and soil pH. Soil-NH₄ and DON accumulated towards the bank during snowmelt while soil-NO₃ followed a pulse-release pattern. At the end of the snowmelt season, organic substrate limitation might be accountable for the decrease in N mineralization in general, and in NH₄ ⁺ production in particular. Possibly, during snowmelt, other biotic or abiotic processes (nitrification, denitrification, plant uptake, leaching) were involved in the transformation and transfer of snow and soil-N pools. Finally, subalpine soils at the Lautaret Pass during snowmelt experienced strong biotic and abiotic changes and switched between a source and a sink of N.     

Inorganic nitrogen and microbial biomass dynamics before and during spring snowmelt

Recent work in seasonally snow covered ecosystems has identifiedthawed soil and high levels of heterotrophic activity throughout the winterunder consistent snow cover. We performed measurements during the winter of1994 to determine how the depth and timing of seasonal snow cover affectsoil microbial populations, surface water NO loss during snowmelt, and plant Navailability early in the growing season. Soil under early accumulating,consistent snow cover remained thawed during most of the winter and bothmicrobial biomass and soil inorganic N pools gradually increased under thesnowpack. At the initiation of snowmelt, microbial biomass N pools increasedfrom 3.0 to 5.9 g n m^-2,concurrent with a decrease in soil inorganic N pools. During the latterstages of snowmelt, microbial biomass N pools decreased sharply without aconcurrent increase in inorganic N pools or significant leaching losses. Incontrast, soil under inconsistent snow cover remained frozen during most ofthe winter. During snowmelt, microbial biomass initially increased from 1.7to 3.1 g N m^-2 and thendecreased as sites became snow-free. In contrast to smaller pool sizes,NO export during snowmeltfrom the inconsistent snow cover sites of 1.14 (±0.511) g N m^-2 was significantly greater (p< 0.001) than the 0.27 (±0.16) g N m^-2 exported from sites with consistent snowcover. These data suggest that microbial biomass in consistentlysnow-covered soil provides a significant buffer limiting the export ofinorganic N to surface water during snowmelt. However, this buffer is verysensitive to changes in snowpack regime. Therefore, interannual variabilityin the timing and depth of snowpack accumulation may explain the year toyear variability in inorganic N concentrations in surface water theseecosystems.     

Deepened snow cover increases grassland soil carbon stocks by incorporating carbon inputs into deep soil layers

Climate-induced changes in snow cover can greatly impact winter soil microclimate and spring water supply. These effects, in turn, can influence plant and microbial activity and the strength of leaching processes, potentially altering the distribution and storage of soil organic carbon (SOC) across different soil depths. However, few studies have examined how changes in snow cover will affect SOC stocks, and even less is known about the impact of snow cover on SOC dynamics along soil profiles. By selecting 11 snow fences along a 570 km climate gradient in Inner Mongolia, covering arid, temperate, and meadow steppes, we measured plant and microbial biomass, community composition, SOC content, and other soil parameters from topsoil to a depth of 60 cm. We found that deepened snow increased aboveground and belowground plant biomass, as well as microbial biomass. Plant and microbial carbon input were positively correlated with grassland SOC stocks. More importantly, we found that deepened snow altered SOC distribution along vertical soil profiles. The increase in SOC caused by deepened snow was much greater in the subsoil (+74.7%; 40–60 cm) than that in the topsoil (+19.0%; 0–5 cm). Additionally, the controls on SOC content under deepened snow differed between the topsoil and subsoil layers. The increase in microbial and root biomass jointly enhanced topsoil C accumulation, while the increase in leaching processes became critical in promoting subsoil C accumulation. We conclude that under deepened snow, the subsoil had a high capacity to sink C by incorporating C leached from the topsoil, suggesting that the subsoil, originally thought to be climate insensitive, could have a higher response to precipitation changes due to vertical C transport. Our study highlights the importance of considering soil depth when assessing the impacts of snow cover changes on SOC dynamics.     

Limited effects of soil nutrient heterogeneity on populations of Abutilon theophrasti (Malvaceae)

An experiment was conducted to determine if spatial nutrient heterogeneity affects mean plant size or size hierarchies in experimental populations of the weedy annual Abutilon theophrasti Medic. (Malvaceae). Heterogeneity was imposed by alternating 8 × 8 × 10 cm blocks of low and high nutrient soil in a checkerboard design, while a homogeneous soil treatment consisted of a spatially uniform mixture of the two soil types (mixed soil). Populations were planted at three densities. The effect of soil type on the growth of individuals was determined through a bioassay experiment using potted plants. The high nutrient, low nutrient, and mixed soil differed in their ability to support plant growth as indicated by differences in growth rates and final aboveground biomass. Concentrations of N, K, P, and Mg, measured at the end of the growing season in the experimental plots, also differed among all three soil types. Nevertheless, nutrient heterogeneity had little effect at the population level. Mean maximum leaf width measured at midseason was greater for populations on heterogeneous soil, but soil treatment did not affect midseason measurements of plant height, total number of leaves per plant, or canopy width. Population density affected all these parameters except plant height. When aboveground biomass was harvested at the end of the growing season, soil treatment was found to have no main effect on mean plant biomass, total population biomass, the coefficient of variation in plant biomass, or the combined biomass of the five largest plants in the population, but mean plant biomass was greater for populations on heterogeneous soils at the intermediate planting density. Mean plant biomass, total population biomass, and the coefficient of variation in plant biomass all varied with planting density. Mortality was low overall but significantly higher on homogeneous soil across all three densities. Soil heterogeneity had its strongest effect on individuals. In heterogeneous treatments plant size depended on the location of the plant stem with respect to high and low nutrient patches. Thus, soil nutrient heterogeneity influenced whether particular individuals were destined to be dominant or subordinate within the population but had little effect on overall population structure.