基于修正RISKE模型的重庆岩溶地区地下水脆弱性评价

岩溶地下水脆弱性评价是保护、管理和利用岩溶地下水的基础与有效方法。我国西南岩溶区绝大多数地区由于缺少应有的地下水保护带,地下水比较容易受污染。运用修正的RISKE模型,对重庆岩溶地区地下水进行脆弱性评价。结果表明:岩溶在4个地区所占面积从高到低依次为渝东北(43.14%)、渝东南(42.82%)、渝东(9.82%)、渝西地区(4.22%)。重庆岩溶地区地下水脆弱性中度以上,面积比例由高到低依次为渝东南(33.29%)、渝东北(29.21%)、渝东(6.68%)、渝西地区(2.37%)。地下水水质检测由差到好依次为渝东南、渝东北、渝西和渝东地区。地下水脆弱性在空间分布上的特征不仅显示了岩性、土壤、落水洞、岩溶裂隙等自然特征对其脆弱性的影响,同时也反映了人类活动对地下水的影响。因此在自然条件无法改变的情况下,控制人类活动对地下水的污染就显得尤为重要。     

中梁山岩溶槽谷区不同土地利用方式坡地产流规律

坡地产流是造成岩溶区水土流失的主要驱动力,研究典型岩溶槽谷区坡地产流规律,对岩溶区防治水土流失、合理利用地下水资源具有重要理论意义。在重庆市中梁山龙凤和龙车槽谷选取不同土地利用方式的4个标准径流小区,对降水、地表径流、壤中流、裂隙流和土壤含水率进行了同步监测,探讨了坡地产流特征。结果表明:(1)4个不同土地利用方式的径流小区,坡地总产流量从大到小依次为:耕地(3696.9L)果园地(3657.2L)竹林地(2922.9L)林地(2211.1L),总径流系数(3.1%—5.2%)远低于非岩溶区(约20%);(2)4个径流小区的产流形式主要为地表径流,壤中流和裂隙流产生滞后于地表径流;(3)降水因子、前期土壤含水率共同影响地表径流,但降水因子对地表径流的影响远大于前期土壤含水率。降水因子中,15min最大雨强是影响耕地、果园地的地表径流的主要因素,降水量是影响林地、竹林地的地表径流的主要因素;前期土壤含水率对耕地、林地、果园地地表径流影响较大,对竹林地地表径流影响较小。     

塔克拉玛干沙漠腹地冬季土壤呼吸及其驱动因子

利用Li-8150系统测定了塔克拉玛干沙漠腹地冬季(1月)土壤呼吸,分析了环境驱动因子对极端干旱区荒漠生态系统土壤呼吸的影响。结果表明:(1)冬季土壤呼吸日变化呈现出显著的单峰曲线,土壤呼吸速率最大值出现在12:00,为0.0684μmol CO2m-2s-1,凌晨04:00附近出现最小值,为-0.0473μmol CO2m-2s-1;(2)土壤呼吸速率与各层气温,0cm地表温度均存在着极其显著或显著的线性关系,且都具有正相关性;(3)土壤呼吸速率与5cm土壤湿度存在着较为明显的线性关系,该层湿度能够解释土壤呼吸的69.5%;(4)0cm地表温度对土壤呼吸贡献最大,其次是5cm土壤湿度;(5)以0cm地表温度、5cm土壤湿度为变量,通过多元回归分析表明:土壤温度-湿度构成的多变量模型能够解释大于86.9%的土壤呼吸变化情况;(6)研究时段内土壤呼吸速率的平均值是-1.45mg CO2m-2h-1。     

高原鼠兔对高寒草甸土壤有机质及湿度的作用

为探讨高原鼠兔对土壤理化性质的作用, 本研究于2005年8月, 采用灼烧和烘干法, 分别测定了高原鼠兔栖息及被灭杀地区土壤有机质含量及湿度。结果表明： 高原鼠兔栖息地区, 0～5 cm及6～10 cm土壤层有机质含量和湿度均极显著或显著高于被灭杀地区; 11～30 cm 土壤层, 二者无显著的差异;31～50 cm土壤层, 有机质含量差异极显著, 而土壤湿度则无显著差异。说明, 高原鼠兔活动可增加高寒草甸土壤表层有机质含量和湿度, 进而改变土壤理化性质, 促进生态系统物质循环。     

黄土高原不同干旱类型区苜蓿草地深层土壤干燥化效应

田间实地测了黄土高原不同干旱类型区不同生长年限苜蓿草地0～1000cm土层土壤湿度,分析和比较了各类苜蓿草地深层土壤干燥化效应特征。结果表明,在半湿润区、半干旱区和半干旱偏旱区,各类苜蓿草地土壤湿度平均值分别为10．84％、7．07％和5．45％,明显低于当地土壤稳定湿度值和荒草地土壤湿度值,土壤水分过耗量分别为540．2、641．1mm和455．0mm,平均土壤干燥化速度分别为61．2、101．9mm/a和99．0mm／a;3种类型区各类苜蓿草地年降水入渗深度分别为187．8、144cm和173cm,降水入渗深度以下深层土壤湿度保持稳定的干燥化状态;土壤干燥化强度随苜蓿草地生长年限延长而加剧,3年生苜蓿草地为中度干燥化强度,土壤干层厚度达到500～760cm,4年生以上苜蓿草地已达到严重干燥化和强烈干燥化强度,土壤干层厚度超过940～1000cm;通过粮草轮作使苜蓿草地土壤湿度恢复到当地土壤稳定湿度分别需要6、11a和18a以上。     

土壤温度和湿度对外来种蚯蚓Pontoscolex corethrurus 产茧和幼蚓孵化的影响

通过采用主处理为土壤温度,副处理为土壤湿度的裂区区组实验设计,在室内微生态条件下控制土壤温度和湿度培养蚯蚓,探讨了3种土壤温、湿度对热带外来种蚯蚓Pontoscolex corethrurus成蚓产茧和蚓茧孵化的影响。研究结果表明,P.corethrurus成蚓在20—30℃土壤温度范围、25%—35%土壤湿度环境中均可持续产茧和孵化幼蚓,培养时间、土壤温湿度对蚯蚓的产茧和孵化呈现显著影响。20%土壤湿度下成蚓休眠或死亡。35%土壤湿度下呈现最大蚓茧产量和幼蚓孵化量。在较好(35%)土壤湿度下产茧数表现为高温好于低温,反之亦然;在适宜(25%—35%)土壤湿度下幼蚓孵化率随温度升高而增加,但呈现高、低温的限制作用,即25℃土壤温度和35%土壤湿度时出现最高幼蚓孵化率。在适宜的土壤温湿度范围内,湿度较温度对蚯蚓繁殖具有更显著的控制作用,温度的影响在一定程度上可通过土壤湿度加以调节。     

土壤温度和湿度对外来种蚯蚓Pontoscolex corethrurus 产茧和幼蚓孵化的影响

通过采用主处理为土壤温度,副处理为土壤湿度的裂区区组实验设计,在室内微生态条件下控制土壤温度和湿度培养蚯蚓,探讨了3种土壤温、湿度对热带外来种蚯蚓Pontoscolex corethrurus成蚓产茧和蚓茧孵化的影响。研究结果表明,P. corethrurus成蚓在20—30℃土壤温度范围、25%—35%土壤湿度环境中均可持续产茧和孵化幼蚓,培养时间、土壤温湿度对蚯蚓的产茧和孵化呈现显著影响。20%土壤湿度下成蚓休眠或死亡。35%土壤湿度下呈现最大蚓茧产量和幼蚓孵化量。在较好（35%）土壤湿度下产茧数表现为高温好于低温,反之亦然;在适宜（25%—35%）土壤湿度下幼蚓孵化率随温度升高而增加,但呈现高、低温的限制作用,即25℃土壤温度和35%土壤湿度时出现最高幼蚓孵化率。在适宜的土壤温湿度范围内,湿度较温度对蚯蚓繁殖具有更显著的控制作用,温度的影响在一定程度上可通过土壤湿度加以调节。     

基于地表温度-植被指数特征空间的区域土壤干湿状况

土壤干湿状况是监测土地状况的重要指标之一,在水文、气候和生态等多个领域有广泛应用.地表温度-植被指数特征空间(Ts/VI)综合了传感器从可见光到近红外波段的信息,能较好地反映区域土壤干湿状况.以华北平原作为研究区,选择了研究区的云量较少的16幅MODIS产品,包括每日500m地表反射率产品(MOD09GA),每日1km地表温度产品(MOD11A1),建立温度-植被指数特征空间.首先利用线性方程拟合了特征空间的上下边界,改进了计算特征空间的干湿边的方法,并分析了干湿边参数随时间变化的趋势,比较了归一化植被指数(NDVI)和增强型植被指数(EVI)构建的地表温度-植被指数特征空间形状的差异.基于研究区107个土壤湿度站点的数据,讨论分别由Ts/NDVI和Ts/EVI特征空间计算得到的温度植被干旱指数(temperature vegetation dryness index,简称TVDI,分别为TVDIN与TVDIE)和土壤湿度的相关性,以此验证TVDI反映区域土壤干湿状况的能力.利用Ts/EVI空间计算得到的TVDI分析了研究区4个时期土壤湿度的5空间分布规律.同时在气象站点尺度上,讨论了TVDI与降水变化的相关性.研究结果表明,TVDI能够反映土壤表层的干湿状况;Ts/EVI空间计算得到的TVDI与土壤湿度的相关性比Ts/NDVI空间计算得到的TVDI与土壤湿度的相关性要高.降水随时间变化的规律和TVDI也有明显的相关性,即:每次连续降水以后TVDI值下降,表明土壤湿度升高;经过一段无降水的时间之后,TVDI值上升,土壤湿度降低.研究区不同时期的TVDIE图表明,TVDIE能够有效的反映土壤湿度的时空差异,是一种有效的实时监测土壤干湿状况的手段.     

华南亚热带山地土壤有机质更新特征及其影响因子

选择鼎湖山自然保护区及中国科学院华南植物研究所小良生态站6个土壤剖面,根据土壤有机质碳稳定同位素特征、^14C放射性水平、有机质含量、粒度特征,研究土壤有机质更新特征及其制约因素。结果表明,土壤有机质分解呈明显阶段性：有机质快速分解发生在0－100a之内,自地表向下,有机质含量急剧降低,因碳同位素分馏效应,有机质δ^13C值迅速增加;至170／240a,有机质δ^13C值达最大;自170／240－800／1400a,有机质分解速度变慢,有机质含量缓慢降低,因高δ^13C值组分分解,δ^13C值逐渐减小;约在1500a之后,有机质含量变化甚微,δ^13C值趋于稳定。对比研究表明,粘粒对有机质赋存状态及其更新有直接影响,粒度是制约土壤有机质动态的重要因子;地表植被类型及其发育特征直接影响土壤有机质更新,在植被类型相似情况下,植被覆盖史对土壤剖面有机质动态有明显影响。     

典型岩溶槽谷区氨氧化微生物丰度对隧道建设的响应——以中梁山为例

氨氧化微生物介导土壤中铵态氮的氧化,是土壤硝化作用的第一步。【目的】在大型隧道工程影响的岩溶区,了解氨氧化微生物对土壤含水率和营养环境变化的响应对于研究隧道建设引起的生态环境改变和氮循环过程变化都有十分重要的意义。【方法】本研究以重庆市北碚区中梁山龙凤槽谷为例,对比受隧道影响的龙凤槽谷和不受隧道影响的龙车槽谷中4种土地利用方式(荒草地、竹林地、混交林以及菜园地)下的土壤中,3种氨氧化微生物(氨氧化细菌AOB、氨氧化古菌AOA、亚硝酸盐氧化细菌CMX)的丰度变化,结合土壤含水量、pH以及土壤营养元素等的变化,分析隧道建设引起的可培养氨氧化微生物数量变化及其过程机理。【结果】结果发现:(1)由于隧道开挖揭露了地下含水层,导致地下水位下降、土壤含水率降低、pH值升高、硝态氮含量增加、隧道影响区AOA、AOB和CMX丰度显著低于非隧道影响区,后者数量分别是前者的4.8、4.4和3.9倍;(2)受岩溶区碱性土壤环境和地下水以及可溶物极易漏失的影响,铵态氮等底物浓度并不是氨氧化细菌的主要影响因素,AOA丰度与土壤含水率和土壤酸碱缓冲性能呈正相关(P<0.01),CMX和AOB丰度都与土壤硝态...     

Relations of mineral-soil C and N to climate and texture: regional differences within the conterminous USA

Soil is a prominent component of terrestrial C and N budgets. Soil C and N pools are influenced by, and may reciprocally influence, many environmental factors. Our objective was to determine the quantitative relations of surface mineral-soil organic C, N, and C/N ratios to climate and soil texture across seven ecological regions that make up the conterminous USA. Up to 608 soil profiles per region and their corresponding climates were evaluated with regression analysis. The organic C pool (kg C m⁻²) in the upper 20 cm of mineral soil was positively related to mean annual precipitation, evapotranspiration and clay content in all regions. It was negatively related to a temperature/precipitation index in all regions and negatively related to mean annual temperature, except in the northwest temperate forest region. Soil C/N ratios were negatively related to clay or silt content in all regions. These relations are consistent with concepts of moisture and temperature controls on detrital production, differential effects of temperature on detrital production and decomposition, and stabilization of organic matter by clay and silt. Differences in quantitative relations among regions may be related to vegetation-composition effects on soil organic matter processes, clay mineralogy, and faunal mixing of surface organic horizons with mineral soil. Regional differences also occurred in the importance of climate vs. soil texture in explaining the variability in soil C. The regional differences indicate the importance of using region-specific, rather than generalized, equations for projecting long-term soil responses to climate change and for conducting ecosystem-model calibration or validation.     

Variations in soil carbon sequestration and their determinants along a precipitation gradient in seasonally dry tropical forest ecosystems

The effect of precipitation regime on the C cycle of tropical forests is poorly understood, despite the existence of models that suggest a drier climate may substantially alter the source‐sink function of these ecosystems. Along a precipitation regime gradient containing 12 mature seasonally dry tropical forests growing under otherwise similar conditions (similar annual temperature, rainfall seasonality, and geological substrate), we analyzed the influence of variation in annual precipitation (1240 to 642 mm) and duration of seasonal drought on soil C. We investigated litterfall, decomposition in the forest floor, and C storage in the mineral soil, and analyzed the dependence of these processes and pools on precipitation. Litterfall decreased slightly – about 10% – from stands with 1240 mm yr^?1 to those with 642 mm yr^?1, while the decomposition decreased by 56%. Reduced precipitation strongly affected C storage and basal respiration in the mineral soil. Higher soil C storage at the drier sites was also related to the higher chemical recalcitrance of litter (fine roots and forest floor) and the presence of charcoal across sites, suggesting an important indirect influence of climate on C sequestration. Basal respiration was controlled by the amount of recalcitrant organic matter in the mineral soil. We conclude that in these forest ecosystems, the long‐term consequences of decreased precipitation would be an increase in organic layer and mineral soil C storage, mainly due to lower decomposition and higher chemical recalcitrance of organic matter, resulting from changes in litter composition and, likely also, wildfire patterns. This could turn these seasonally dry tropical forests into significant soil C sinks under the predicted longer drought periods if primary productivity is maintained.     

Climate change amplifies gross nitrogen turnover in montane grasslands of Central Europe in both summer and winter seasons

The carbon‐ and nitrogen‐rich soils of montane grasslands are exposed to above‐average warming and to altered precipitation patterns as a result of global change. To investigate the consequences of climatic change for soil nitrogen turnover, we translocated intact plant–soil mesocosms along an elevational gradient, resulting in an increase of the mean annual temperature by approx. 2 °C while decreasing precipitation from approx. 1500 to 1000 mm. Following three years of equilibration, we monitored the dynamics of gross nitrogen turnover and ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) in soils over an entire year. Gross nitrogen turnover and gene levels of AOB and AOA showed pronounced seasonal dynamics. Both summer and winter periods equally contributed to cumulative annual N turnover. However, highest gross N turnover and abundance of ammonia oxidizers were observed in frozen soil of the climate change site, likely due to physical liberation of organic substrates and their rapid turnover in the unfrozen soil water film. This effect was not observed at the control site, where soil freezing did not occur due to a significant insulating snowpack. Climate change conditions accelerated gross nitrogen mineralization by 250% on average. Increased N mineralization significantly stimulated gross nitrification by AOB rather than by AOA. However, climate change impacts were restricted to the 2–6 cm topsoil and rarely occurred at 12–16 cm depth, where generally much lower N turnover was observed. Our study shows that significant mineralization pulses occur under changing climate, which is likely to result in soil organic matter losses with their associated negative impacts on key soil functions. We also show that N cycling processes in frozen soil can be hot moments for N turnover and thus are of paramount importance for understanding seasonal patterns, annual sum of N turnover and possible climate change feedbacks.     

Sulphate reduction and calcite precipitation in relation to internal eutrophication of groundwater fed alkaline fens

Although in Europe atmospheric deposition of sulphur has decreased considerably over the last decades, groundwater pollution by sulphate may still continue due to pyrite oxidation in the soil as a result of excessive fertilisation. Inflowing groundwater rich in sulphate can change biogeochemical cycling in nutrient-poor wetland ecosystems. Incoming sulphate loads may induce internal eutrophication as well as the accumulation of dissolved sulphide, which is phytotoxic. We, however, argue that upwelling sulphate rich groundwater may also promote the conservation of rare and threatened alkaline fens, since excessive fertilisation and pyrite oxidation also produces acidity, which invokes calcite dissolution, and increased alkalinity and hardness (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺) of the inflowing groundwater. Our observations in a very species-rich wetland nature reserve show that sulphate is reduced and effectively precipitates as iron sulphides when this calcareous and sulphate rich groundwater flows upward through the organic soil of the investigated nature reserve. Furthermore, we show that sulphate reduction coincides with an increase in alkalinity production, which in our case results in active calcite precipitation in the soil. In spite of the occurring sulphate reduction we found no evidence for internal eutrophication. Extremely low phosphorous concentration in the pore water could be attributed to a high C:P ratio of soil organic matter and co-precipitation with calcite. Our study shows that seepage dependent alkaline fen ecosystems can be remarkably resilient to fertilisation and pyrite oxidation induced groundwater quality changes.     

Temperature and substrate controls on intra-annual variation in ecosystem respiration in two subarctic vegetation types

Arctic ecosystems are important in the context of climate change because they are expected to undergo the most rapid temperature increases, and could provide a globally significant release of CO₂ to the atmosphere from their extensive bulk soil organic carbon reserves. Understanding the relative contributions of bulk soil organic matter and plant‐associated carbon pools to ecosystem respiration is critical to predicting the response of arctic ecosystem net carbon balance to climate change. In this study, we determined the variation in ecosystem respiration rates from birch forest understory and heath tundra vegetation types in northern Sweden through a full annual cycle. We used a plant biomass removal treatment to differentiate bulk soil organic matter respiration from total ecosystem respiration in each vegetation type. Plant‐associated and bulk soil organic matter carbon pools each contributed significantly to ecosystem respiration during most phases of winter and summer in the two vegetation types. Ecosystem respiration rates through the year did not differ significantly between vegetation types despite substantial differences in biomass pools, soil depth and temperature regime. Most (76–92%) of the intra‐annual variation in ecosystem respiration rates from these two common mesic subarctic ecosystems was explained using a first‐order exponential equation relating respiration to substrate chemical quality and soil temperature. Removal of plants and their current year's litter significantly reduced the sensitivity of ecosystem respiration to intra‐annual variations in soil temperature for both vegetation types, indicating that respiration derived from recent plant carbon fixation was more temperature sensitive than respiration from bulk soil organic matter carbon stores. Accurate assessment of the potential for positive feedbacks from high‐latitude ecosystems to CO₂‐induced climate change will require the development of ecosystem‐level physiological models of net carbon exchange that differentiate the responses of major C pools, that account for effects of vegetation type, and that integrate over summer and winter seasons.     

植被恢复对西南喀斯特地区土壤气候韧性的提升作用

土壤质量提升是生态系统应对气候变化能力增强的关键。为探究气候变化背景下不同植被恢复方式对喀斯特地区土壤质量的影响,基于黔桂喀斯特地区气候梯度样带84个样方土壤物理、化学和生物性质综合分析,分别以耕地和次生林作为退化和顶级恢复对照,探讨了自然恢复(灌木林)和人工恢复(人工林)的土壤质量提升效应及其对气候变化的响应。结果表明:(1)植被恢复不仅显著提高了土壤细菌、真菌、放线菌等微生物丰度以及有机碳、全氮、速效氮等养分含量,也对土壤质地有一定改善;(2)自然恢复和人工恢复均提高了土壤质量,两种恢复方式之间土壤质量指数无显著差异,但与次生林依然存在差距。灌木林和人工林的土壤质量仅约为次生林土壤质量的62%-66%;(3)耕地土壤质量随年均温和年平均降雨量的增加而下降,次生林的土壤质量随年平均降雨量的增加而上升,植被恢复对土壤质量的提升率与年均温和年平均降雨量呈正相关关系。阐明了在一定范围的气候变化下进行植被恢复可以显著提升喀斯特地区土壤的气候韧性,揭示了喀斯特地区植被恢复对土壤质量的提升主要是由于提高了土壤碳氮养分含量及改善了土壤微生物群落结构,这为全球气候变化背景下喀斯特退化土地生态恢复和管理提供了理论依据。     

Nitrogen cycling in the soil–plant system along a precipitation gradient in the Kalahari sands

Nitrogen (N) cycling was analyzed in the Kalahari region of southern Africa, where a strong precipitation gradient (from 978 to 230 mm mean annual precipitation) is the main variable affecting vegetation. The region is underlain by a homogeneous soil substrate, the Kalahari sands, and provides the opportunity to analyze climate effects on nutrient cycling. Soil and plant N pools, ¹⁵N natural abundance (δ¹⁵N), and soil NO emissions were measured to indicate patterns of N cycling along a precipitation gradient. The importance of biogenic N₂ fixation associated with vascular plants was estimated with foliar δ¹⁵N and the basal area of leguminous plants. Soil and plant N was more ¹⁵N enriched in arid than in humid areas, and the relation was steeper in samples collected during wet than during dry years. This indicates a strong effect of annual precipitation variability on N cycling. Soil organic carbon and C/N decreased with aridity, and soil N was influenced by plant functional types. Biogenic N₂ fixation associated with vascular plants was more important in humid areas. Nitrogen fixation associated with trees and shrubs was almost absent in arid areas, even though Mimosoideae species dominate. Soil NO emissions increased with temperature and moisture and were therefore estimated to be lower in drier areas. The isotopic pattern observed in the Kalahari (¹⁵N enrichment with aridity) agrees with the lower soil organic matter, soil C/N, and N₂ fixation found in arid areas. However, the estimated NO emissions would cause an opposite pattern in δ¹⁵N, suggesting that other processes, such as internal recycling and ammonia volatilization, may also affect isotopic signatures. This study indicates that spatial, and mainly temporal, variability of precipitation play a key role on N cycling and isotopic signatures in the soil–plant system.     

Organic Matter and Water Addition Enhance Soil Respiration in an Arid Region

Climate change is generally predicted to increase net primary production, which could lead to additional C input to soil. In arid central Asia, precipitation has increased and is predicted to increase further. To assess the combined effects of these changes on soil CO₂ efflux in arid land, a two factorial manipulation experiment in the shrubland of an arid region in northwest China was conducted. The experiment used a nested design with fresh organic matter and water as the two controlled parameters. It was found that both fresh organic matter and water enhanced soil respiration, and there was a synergistic effect of these two treatments on soil respiration increase. Water addition not only enhanced soil C emission, but also regulated soil C sequestration by fresh organic matter addition. The results indicated that the soil CO₂ flux of the shrubland is likely to increase with climate change, and precipitation played a dominant role in regulating soil C balance in the shrubland of an arid region.     

Decreased precipitation exacerbates the effects of sea level on coastal dune ecosystems in open ocean islands

The alteration of fresh and marine water cycling is likely to occur in coastal ecosystems as climate change causes the global redistribution of precipitation while simultaneously driving sea‐level rise at a rate of 2–3 mm yr^?1. Here, we examined how precipitation alters the ecological effects of ocean water intrusion to coastal dunes on two oceanic carbonate islands in the Bahamas. The approach was to compare sites that receive high and low annual rainfall and are also characterized by seasonal distribution (wet and dry season) of precipitation. The spatial and temporal variations in precipitation serve as a proxy for conditions of altered precipitation which may occur via climate change. We used the natural abundances of stable isotopes to identify water sources (e.g., precipitation, groundwater and ocean water) in the soil–plant continuum and modeled the depth of plant water uptake. Results indicated that decreased rainfall caused the shallow freshwater table on the dune ecosystem to sink and contract towards the inland, the lower freshwater head allowed ocean water to penetrate into the deeper soils, while shallow soils became exceedingly dry. Plants at the drier site that lived nearest to the ocean responded by taking up water from the deeper and consistently moist soil layers where ocean water intruded. Towards the inland, decreased rainfall caused the water table to sink to a depth that precluded both recharge to the upper soil layers and access by plants. Consequently, plants captured water in more shallow soils recharged by infrequent rainfall events. The results demonstrate dune ecosystems on oceanic islands are more susceptible to ocean water intrusion when annual precipitation decreases. Periods of diminished precipitation caused drought conditions, increased exposure to saline marine water and altered water‐harvesting strategies. Quantifying species tolerances to ocean water intrusion and drought are necessary to determine a threshold of community sustainability.     

Soil microorganisms respond to five years of climate change manipulations and elevated atmospheric CO2 in a temperate heath ecosystem

Background and aims

Soil microbial responses to global change can affect organic matter turnover and nutrient cycling thereby altering the overall ecosystem functioning. In a large-scale experiment, we investigated the impact of 5 years of climate change and elevated atmospheric CO₂ on soil microorganisms and nutrient availability in a temperate heathland.

Methods

The future climate was simulated by increased soil temperature (+0.3 °C), extended pre-summer drought (excluding 5–8 % of the annual precipitation) and elevated CO₂ (+130 ppm) in a factorial design. Soil organic matter and nutrient pools were analysed and linked to microbial measures by quantitative PCR of bacteria and fungi, chloroform fumigation extraction, and substrate-induced respiration to assess their impact of climate change on nutrient availability.

Results

Warming resulted in higher measures of fungi and bacteria, of microbial biomass and of microbial growth potential, however, this did not reduce the availability of nitrogen or phosphorus in the soil. Elevated CO₂ did not directly affect the microbial measures or nutrient pools, whereas drought shifted the microbial community towards a higher fungal dominance.

Conclusions

Although we were not able to show strong interactive effects of the global change factors, warming and drought changed both nutrient availability and microbial community composition in the heathland soil, which could alter the ecosystem carbon and nutrient flow in the long-term.