松嫩草原不同时间火烧后群落特征的变化

松嫩草原早春火烧后,种类密度、物种多样性和丰富度增高,均匀度降低;晚春火烧后则相反．无论是早春火烧还是晚春火烧．群落高度降低,但晚烧更低．火烧能刺激羊草生长活力,晚烧作用更明显．火烧后,羊草叶产量增高,叶茎比例以晚烧地为最高．早烧后,群落地下现存量增多,晚烧相反．     

退化羊草草原在浅耕翻处理后植物群落演替动态研究

 在中国科学院生态中心草原站利用统计方法研究了退化羊草（Leymus chinensis）草原浅耕翻后群落演替规律。通过对18年数据的分析,结果表明：由于过度放牧而退化的羊草草原在浅耕翻处理后群落密度恢复较快,尤其是羊草与处理前相比已有很大变化,从而使群落得到了恢复。群落植物种的多样性、均匀性指数在这18年中均呈抛物线状分布。羊草、冰草（Agropyron michnoi）、变蒿（Artemisia commutata）、黄蒿（A．scoparia）、星毛委陵菜（Ｐotentilla　acaulia）的生物量与多样性指数和均匀性指数有显著的相关性。羊草的相对密度在第五年达到最高水平,然后逐渐下降,自第十五年后羊草的相对密度基本趋于平衡,其重要值呈单峰型曲线。退化羊草草原18年恢复过程可划分为4个阶段：第一阶段（1～3年）为根茎禾草+一、二年生杂类草群落,第二阶段（4～9年）为纯羊草群落 ,第三阶段（10～13年）为羊草+冰草+多年生杂类草过度型群落,第四阶段（14～18年）为羊草+冰草+丛生禾草、多年生杂类草群落。经过处理后18年的恢复演替,退化群落仍未恢复到原生群落,演替将继续进行。     

退化羊草草原恢复演替过程中群落特征动态规律的研究

本文利用1983—1991年获得的退化羊草草原恢复演替过程的野外调查资料,通过对种的重要值,群落的生态多样性和均匀性指数的计算分析,研究了在退化草原恢复演替过程中植物种类组成及其群落学作用、种的饱合度、层片结构、生产能力以及群落综合特征的动态变化     

内蒙古羊草群落、功能群、物种变化及其与气候的关系

基于1981-1994年内蒙古羊草草原的群落学调查数据和同期气象资料,分析了羊草草原群落、功能群与主要物种变化及其生物量与气候的关系.结果表明,1981-1994年5月羊草群落多样性指数、优势度指数、丰富度指数、群落高度、群落生物量的年际变异显著高于其他月,其中羊草群落生物量的变异性自5-9月依次降低,生物量和多样性不存在显著相关性.羊草群落、功能群、物种的年际变异依次增大;不同功能群中一二年生草本和中生植物的年际波动最大,不同物种间的均衡效应降低了群落的变异性.羊草群落生物量具有气候累积效应,主要受上年10月至当年12月的均温、4-8月降水、上年10月至当年8月累积降水的影响,表明羊草群落生物量变化由不同时段的水热因子协同作用决定.     

松嫩平原南部主要群落植物多样性的比较研究

应用Ｍａｒｇａｌｅｆ（Ｒ１）和Ｍｅｎｈｉｎｉｃｋ（Ｒ２）丰富度指数、Ｈｉｌｌ多样性指数（Ｎ１,Ｎ２）和Ｐｉｅｌｏｕ均匀度指数（Ｅ）比较研究了松嫩平原南部１４个主要群落的植物多样性、生活型多样性及植物多样性与群落演替的关系结果表明,分布于低平原的羊草－蔓萎陵菜群落的植物多样性和丰富度指数最大,Ｒ１为１１．９６,Ｒ２为５．２４,Ｎ１为１３．９２,Ｎ２为８．７６,分布于固定砂丘的榆树疏林和贝加尔针茅等４个群落有较高的植物多样性,而分布于碱化草甸的角碱蓬等群落植物多样性最小,Ｒ１为１．３１,Ｒ２为０７１,Ｎ１为１．８４,Ｎ２为１．４６．具有较高植物多样性的群落其植物生活型多样性指数也较高．在演替系列中,羊草群落的植物多样性指数介于演替初期和中期阶段之间．     

不同干扰对黄土区典型草原物种多样性和生物量的影响

对黄土区典型草原进行封育+施肥(EF)、封育+火烧(EB)、封育(E)和放牧(G)处理,实地调查分析群落盖度、高度、密度、地上现存量和物种多样性,以研究不同干扰对黄土区典型草原群落物种多样性和生物量的影响.结果表明:在4种干扰类型中,施肥+封育草地群落盖度和地上生物量最高,且优势度指数最高,这与禾本科草占优势地位有关,群落均匀度指数和多样性指数最低,符合“生态位理论”;放牧地群落高度、盖度、密度和地上现存量最低,群落丰富度指数和多样性指数最高,支持“中度干扰理论”;封育地密度和均匀度指数最高;具体表现为:4种干扰类型地上生物量的变化趋势为封育+施肥＞封育+火烧＞封育＞放牧;说明长时间的封育对草地是一种严重干扰.群落丰富度指数(R和Ma)的排列顺序为放牧＞封育+施肥＞封育+火烧＞封育,群落物种多样性指数(H'和D)的排列顺序为放牧＞封育＞封育+火烧＞封育+施肥,优势度指数与多样性指数相反,群落均匀度指数(Jsw和Ea)的排列顺序为封育＞放牧＞封育+火烧＞封育+施肥.不同干扰样地群落生产力与Shannon-Wiener和Simpson 多样性指数间呈负相关关系,这个结论可以用地上/地下竞争的相互作用来解释.     

火烧强度对兴安落叶松群落叶片功能性状及功能多样性的影响

林火是北方针叶林的重要生态因子,直接影响火烧迹地物种多样性及功能多样性,进而影响森林群落的演替.以牙克石地区火后自然恢复12年的兴安落叶松群落为研究对象,在群落尺度上分析火烧迹地土壤养分含量、叶片功能性状、物种多样性和功能多样性在不同火烧强度(轻、中和重度火烧)下的变化规律.结果表明: 火烧显著降低了土壤全氮含量,对土壤全磷含量无显著影响.轻、中度火烧有助于维持群落较高的物种多样性和功能多样性;中度火烧显著增加了群落的物种多样性,物种丰富度指数、Shannon指数、Simpson指数和Pielou均匀度指数均在中度火烧时有最大值;火烧降低了群落的功能丰富度和功能离散度指数,二者分别在中、轻度火烧时最大(除未过火外),而群落的功能均匀度和二次熵指数在林火干扰后增加,轻度火烧后最大.随火烧强度增加,叶干物质含量、叶组织密度和叶磷含量总体呈显著增大趋势,而比叶面积、叶含水量、叶氮含量和叶N∶P则表现出未过火>中度火烧>轻度火烧>重度火烧的规律,叶片厚度呈先增大后减小的变化规律.火烧强度对森林群落的叶片功能性状和功能多样性均有显著影响,且适度的火干扰对森林群落的恢复具有促进作用.     

割一年休一年割草制度下羊草群落植物多样性动态变化

利用1982—2002年样方观测资料,对典型草原区羊草草原群落割一年休一年刈割处理过程中的植物多样性变化规律及引起这些变化的主要植物种群进行了研究。结果表明:建群种羊草的个体数量先下降然后略有上升,但总体呈下降趋势;偶见种和伴生种增加,但组成有所不同。就群落多样性而言,多样性指数和均匀性指数均呈现一个明显高峰值的单峰曲线,物种分布的均匀度是影响多样性指数变化的主要因子。群落主要植物种群密度、生物量与多样性指数存在显著的相关关系,这与它们在群落中的作用有关。     

不同时间火烧后草原一些特征的变化

草原不同时间火烧后,一些特征发生了明显的不同变化。秋烧后土壤含水量比未烧和春烧低,春季不同时间火烧后的差别不大。秋烧地产量及群落组成和物种多样性都明显比未烧地和春烧地低,但一年生植物种类增多。春季不同时间火烧后产量变化差异不显着,但晚春火烧后顶芽植物种类减少。不同生活型的种类对同一次火烧的反应不同,这不仅表现在个体生长方面,也表现在种群产量方面。     

草地群落放牧干扰梯度β多样性研究

放牧过程通过牲畜的啃食、践踏作用干扰草场环境,使草地群落的物种组成发生变化,植物种群的优势地位发生更替．结果表明,随放牧干扰强度加重,从盐湿化草甸到典型草原,群落植物种丰富度呈下降趋势．β多样性测度结果显示,盐湿化草甸和羊草杂类草草甸群落物种变化的中度干扰出现在轻牧→中牧阶段,并在整个放牧干扰进程中,表现较低的稳定性;草甸草原和典型草原群落出现在中牧→重牧阶段;而荒漠草原物种变化表现出高度的稳定性,从轻牧到过牧物种替代仅１～３种．各群落放牧干扰植物多样性的稳定性次序是：荒漠草原＞典型草原≥草甸草原＞盐湿化草甸     

Resilience of a high‐conservation‐value,semi‐arid grassland on fertile clay soils to burning,mowing and ploughing

In grassland reserves, managed disturbance is often necessary to maintain plant species diversity. We carried out experiments to determine the impact of fire, kangaroo grazing, mowing and disc ploughing on grassland species richness and composition in a nature reserve in semi‐arid eastern Australia. Vegetation response was influenced by winter–spring drought after establishment of the experiments, but moderate rainfall followed in late summer–autumn. Species composition varied greatly between sampling times, and the variability due to rainfall differences between seasons and years was greater than the effects of fire, kangaroo grazing, mowing or disc ploughing. In the fire experiment, species richness and composition recovered more rapidly after spring than autumn burning. Species richness and composition were similar to control sites within 12 months of burning and mowing, suggesting that removal of the dominant grass canopy is unnecessary to enhance plant diversity. Two fires (separated by 3 years) and post‐fire kangaroo grazing had only minor influence on species richness and composition. Even disc ploughing caused only a small reduction in native richness. The minor impact of ploughing was explained by the small areas that were ploughed, the once‐off nature of the treatment, and the high degree of natural movement and cracking in these shrink‐swell soils. Recovery of the composition and richness of these grasslands was rapid because of the high proportion of perennial species that resprout vegetatively after fire and mowing. There appears to be little conservation benefit from fire, mowing or ploughing ungrazed areas, as we could identify no native plant species dependent on frequent disturbance for persistence in this grassland community. However, the ability of the Astrebla‐ and Dichanthium‐dominated grasslands to recover quickly after disturbance, given favourable seasonal conditions, suggests that they are well adapted to natural disturbances (e.g. droughts, fire, flooding and native grazing).     

Effects of fire on the vegetation of a lowland heathland in North-western Italy

This study focuses on the effect of fire on lowland heathlands at the extreme southern edge of their European distribution (Vauda Nature Reserve, NW Italy). Forty-nine plots (50 m radius) were surveyed between 1999 and 2006. Each year, fire occurrences were recorded and per cent cover of four vegetation types (grassland, heath, low shrubland, and tall shrubland) was estimated in each plot. Vascular plant species richness was also recorded in 255, 1 m² quadrats. After a fire, grassland vegetation expanded, but then declined rapidly as heath and shrubland recovered: 7 years after a fire, tall shrubland encroached on to more than 40% of the plots, and grassland declined from 50% to 20% cover. Between 1999 and 2006, Betula pendula shrubland greatly expanded, while grassland decreased over most of the Reserve, even where fire frequency was high. Tall shrubland had low plant diversity and was dominated by widespread species of lower conservation value. By contrast, early successional vegetation (grassland and low shrubland) had higher richness and more narrowly distributed species, indication that the development of tall shrubland causes significant species loss in the heathland. Italian lowland heathlands are characterized by high rates of shrubland encroachment that threatens both habitat and species diversity. Burning frequencies of once in 3–6 years seem appropriate in this habitat, but burning alone might not suffice without actions to increase herbivore grazing.     

Influence of grazing and fire frequency on small-scale plant community structure and resource variability in native tallgrass prairie

In grasslands worldwide, grazing by ungulates and periodic fires are important forces affecting resource availability and plant community structure. It is not clear, however, whether changes in community structure are the direct effects of the disturbance (i.e. fire and grazing) or are mediated indirectly through changes in resource abundance and availability. In North American tallgrass prairies, fire and grazing often have disparate effects on plant resources and plant diversity, yet, little is known about the individual and interactive effects of fire and grazing on resource variability and how that variability relates to heterogeneity in plant community structure, particularly at small scales. We conducted a field study to determine the interactive effects of different long-term fire regimes (annual vs four-year fire frequency) and grazing by native ungulates ( Bos bison ) on small-scale plant community structure and resource variability (N and light) in native tallgrass prairie. Grazing enhanced light and nitrogen availability, but did not affect small-scale resource variability. In addition, grazing reduced the dominance of C₄ grasses which enhanced species richness, diversity and community heterogeneity. In contrast, annual fire increased community dominance and reduced species richness and diversity, particularly in the absence of grazing, but had no effect on community heterogeneity, resource availability and resource variability. Variability in the abundance of resources showed no relationship with community heterogeneity at the scale measured in this study, however we found a relationship between community dominance and heterogeneity. Therefore, we conclude that grazing generated small-scale community heterogeneity in this mesic grassland by directly affecting plant community dominance, rather than indirectly through changes in resource variability.     

Fire rather than nitrogen addition affects understory plant communities in the short term in a coniferous‐broadleaf mixed forest

Increasing fire risk and atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition have the potential to alter plant community structure and composition, with consequent impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. This study was conducted to examine short‐term responses of understory plant community to burning and N addition in a coniferous‐broadleaved mixed forest of the subtropical‐temperate transition zone in Central China. The experiment used a pair‐nested design, with four treatments (control, burning, N addition, and burning plus N addition) and five replicates. Species richness, cover, and density of woody and herbaceous plants were monitored for 3 years after a low‐severity fire in the spring of 2014. Burning, but not N addition, significantly stimulated the cover (+15.2%, absolute change) and density (+62.8%) of woody species as well as herb richness (+1.2 species/m², absolute change), cover (+25.5%, absolute change), and density (+602.4%) across the seven sampling dates from June 2014 to October 2016. Light availability, soil temperature, and prefire community composition could be primarily responsible for the understory community recovery after the low‐severity fire. The observations suggest that light availability and soil temperature are more important than nutrients in structuring understory plant community in the mixed forest of the subtropical‐temperate transition zone in Central China. Legacy woody and herb species dominated the understory vegetation over the 3 years after fire, indicating strong resistance and resilience of forest understory plant community and biodiversity to abrupt environmental perturbation.     

Fire frequency and tree canopy structure influence plant species diversity in a forest-grassland ecotone

Disturbances and environmental heterogeneity are two factors thought to influence plant species diversity, but their effects are still poorly understood in many ecosystems. We surveyed understory vegetation and measured tree canopy cover on permanent plots spanning an experimental fire frequency gradient to test fire frequency and tree canopy effects on plant species richness and community heterogeneity within a mosaic of grassland, oak savanna, oak woodland, and forest communities. Species richness was assessed for all vascular plant species and for three plant functional groups: grasses, forbs, and woody plants. Understory species richness and community heterogeneity were maximized at biennial fire frequencies, consistent with predictions of the intermediate disturbance hypothesis. However, overstory tree species richness was highest in unburned units and declined with increasing fire frequency. Maximum species richness was observed in unburned units for woody species, with biennial fires for forbs, and with near-annual fires for grasses. Savannas and woodlands with intermediate and spatially variable tree canopy cover had greater species richness and community heterogeneity than old-field grasslands or closed-canopy forests. Functional group species richness was positively correlated with functional group cover. Our results suggest that annual to biennial fire frequencies prevent shrubs and trees from competitively excluding grasses and prairie forbs, while spatially variable shading from overstory trees reduces grass dominance and provides a wider range of habitat conditions. Hence, high species richness in savannas is due to both high sample point species richness and high community heterogeneity among sample points, which are maintained by intermediate fire frequencies and variable tree canopy cover.     

Effects of plant diversity on Collembola in an experimental grassland ecosystem

The response of species numbers and density of Collembola to manipulation of plant species richness (1, 2, 4, 8, 32 species) and number of plant functional groups (grasses, legumes and non-legume herbs) was studied in an experimental grassland at the Swiss BIODEPTH site (Lupsingen, Switzerland) in October 1997. Plant species richness or number of plant functional groups did not affect total diversity of Collembola, however, the number of Collembola species increased in the presence of legumes and the grass Trisetum flavescens . The abundance of Protaphorura armata increased but that of Hypogastruridae/Neanuridae significantly decreased with increasing number of plant functional groups. Other groups including the herbivorous Symphypleona did not respond to plant species richness and plant functional groups. Possibly, Hypogastruridae/Neanuridae species are weak competitors declining in density if the density of other Collembola groups increase. In general, the effect of the number of plant functional groups on the densities of collembolan taxa was stronger than that of plant species richness. Changes in Collembola density and diversity in part was likely caused by increased soil microbial and fine root biomass in treatments with higher plant functional group diversity. The presence of legumes resulted in an increase in the densities of total Collembola, Symphypleona/Neelipleona and Isotomidae indicating that they benefited from the high litter quality and the increased microbial biomass in the rhizosphere of legumes. The results suggest that microbivorous soil invertebrates are controlled by food quality rather than quantity. Furthermore, they indicate that presence of certain plant species and functional groups may be more important for collembolan community structure than the diversity of plant species and functional groups per se.     

Interactive effects of fire and grazing on structure and diversity of Mediterranean grasslands

Abstract. The separate and combined effects of fire and cattle grazing on structure and diversity of productive Mediterranean grasslands in northern Israel were examined within a set of climatically and edaphically similar sites. Cover and height of green and dry plants in winter, and species richness and diversity in spring, were measured in paired transects on both sides of cattle fences, and on both sides of boundaries of both incidental and experimentally lit fires. Early in the first growing season after a fire, plant cover as well as height of green plants were reduced, compared to unburnt grassland. These structural effects of fire were similar to the effects of grazing, but they were greater in ungrazed than in grazed grasslands, indicating a fire-grazing interaction. The effects of fire were considerably attenuated in the second growing season after the fire. Species richness and diversity tended to be higher in grazed than in adjacent ungrazed grasslands. Richness consistently increased after a fire only in grazed grasslands with a strong perennial component. In ungrazed grasslands, and in predominantly annual grasslands, fires reduced species richness and diversity at least as often as they increased it. Fire and grazing should be regarded as two agents with distinct and interactive effects on the community, rather than as two alternative mechanisms of a general disturbance factor.     

Changes of butterfly communities after forest fire

Fires change the diversity and composition of insects in forest ecosystems. In the present study, we examined the change of butterfly communities after a fire including the increase of butterfly richness, grassland species, and generalist species, and more changed communities. Butterflies were surveyed for 5 years after the big Uljin fire in 2007. During each year, butterflies were counted monthly by the line transect method from April to October at two sites (burned vs. unburned, ~ 1.5 km routes). Specialist grassland species decreased in the year of the fire but generalist species did not increase significantly. Butterfly richness did not change but butterfly diversity decreased due to a sudden increase of a species, Polygonia c-aureum. The butterfly community in the year of the fire was different from those in later years, showing temporary change of community in the year of the fire. Species composition was significantly different between burned and unburned sites, but this phenomenon cannot be interpreted as an influence of fire due to highly variable species composition of local butterfly assemblages and the non-repetitive sampling site of the present study.