停止人为去除植物功能群后的高寒草甸多样性恢复过程与群落构建

已有大量研究利用功能性状或系统发育来推断群落构建机制, 然而不同过程可能会导致相似的格局。本文基于对甘南高寒草甸植物功能群去除处理后群落恢复过程的跟踪调查, 对比了物种多样性、功能多样性和系统发育多样性的动态变化, 并分析了物种定殖与消失过程对功能多样性和系统发育多样性变化的影响。结果表明: 去除不同数量功能群的群落中: (1)包括物种丰富度(SR)、Shannon-Wiener指数(H°)和Simpson指数(D)在内的传统物种多样性均随时间快速上升并与自然群落趋同, 不同群落的均匀度指数(J)随时间呈增加趋势并趋于相似; 功能多样性(FD)与系统发育多样性(PD)呈现出与物种多样性相似的动态变化趋势, 而平均配对距离(MPD/MPD_a、MFD/MFD_a)则向中等程度聚集。(2)不同群落的功能群和物种组成在短期内均恢复到与自然群落非常相似的程度。(3)物种定殖与消失过程的功能格局是群落恢复过程中趋同效应的主要驱动力。本研究揭示了高寒草甸植物功能群去除停止后群落短期内快速恢复的过程, 说明在小尺度且周边具有大范围未退化草甸的情况下, 无论物种多样性、功能多样性还是系统发育多样性都具有较快的恢复能力, 同时说明了利用群落系统发育多样性格局来推断群落构建机制的局限性。     

基于功能性状的毛乌素沙地不同演替阶段适生植物筛选

沙地生态系统修复是恢复生态学研究的热点问题,适生植物筛选是修复的关键。植物功能性状反映了植物在不同环境中的生存策略,探究沙地植物功能性状及其与环境之间的关系,有助于筛选用于植被恢复的物种,为保护沙地生态系统提供理论依据。以毛乌素沙地为研究区,分析了1983-2015年间沙地典型飞播样地群落演替特征及其对环境因子的响应,建立基于10个植物功能性状的毛乌素沙地潜在种库,进一步筛选飞播恢复下沙地不同演替阶段的适生植物。研究表明:(1)飞播恢复下的毛乌素沙地植物群落分为三个演替阶段:固沙先锋物种群落、沙生植物为主的杂类草群落、中生植物为主的杂类草群落。(2)土壤因子是群落演替的主要驱动力,其中土壤全氮、土壤总有机碳、土壤硝态氮是影响群落演替的关键因素。(3)基于功能性状筛选出29种适生物种用于植被恢复,演替第一阶段可用雾冰藜、猪毛菜等,演替第二阶段可用拂子茅、无芒隐子草等,演替第三阶段可用草地风毛菊、猪毛蒿等。通过物种功能性状特征可以快速选择适合沙地退化生态系统修复的候选物种,为植被恢复提供了一定的理论支持。     

功能多样性和谱系多样性对热带云雾林群落构建的影响

近年来, 功能多样性和谱系多样性为探究群落构建机制提供了新方法。为了更准确地了解海南岛高海拔热带云雾林群落构建机制, 该研究以海南岛霸王岭热带云雾林为对象, 测定7个环境因子和13个植物功能性状。利用主成分分析(PCA)筛选环境因子, 以霸王岭、尖峰岭和黎母山热带云雾林分布物种建立区域物种库, 结合模型, 分析Rao二次熵(RaoQ)和平均成对谱系距离(MPD)变化对植物群落构建的影响。结果表明: 林冠开阔度、土壤全磷含量和坡度是影响植物群落构建的关键环境因子。多数功能性状的系统发育信号很低且不显著, 说明热带云雾林群落的系统发育关系与功能性状随历史进程变化不一致。RaoQ和MPD的实际观测值都显著低于期望值, 且其标准效应值与土壤磷含量显著相关, 说明生境过滤是驱动热带云雾林群落构建的关键因子, 土壤磷含量是群落构建的关键环境筛。     

衡阳紫色土丘陵坡地植被恢复对土壤微生物功能多样性的影响

以典型湖南省衡阳紫色土丘陵坡地不同植被恢复阶段为研究对象,采用空间代替时间序列的方法,选用立地条件基本相似的草本(狗尾草,GS)、灌草(紫薇-狗尾草,FG)、灌丛(牡荆+剌槐,FX)和乔灌(枫香+苦楝-牡荆,AF)群落阶段,运用Biolog-ECO微平板技术,对4个不同恢复阶段0～10和10～20 cm土层的土壤微生物功能多样性进行研究,探讨植被恢复对土壤微生物功能多样性的影响.结果表明: 植被恢复后土壤微生物群落代谢活性显著升高,同一土层不同恢复阶段AWCD值的大小顺序为乔灌群落＞灌丛群落＞灌草群落＞草本群落,相同恢复阶段不同土层的AWCD值的大小顺序为0～10 cm＞10～20 cm;主成分分析(PCA)表明,灌草群落与灌丛群落具有相似的土壤微生物C源利用方式及代谢功能,而草本群落、乔灌群落具有不同的C源利用方式及代谢功能,在主成分分离中起主要贡献作用的C源是糖类、氨基酸类以及代谢中间产物和次生代谢物;土壤微生物的Shannon物种丰富度指数(H)、Shannon均匀度指数(E)、Simpson优势度指数(D)和McIntosh指数(U)均以乔灌群落最高,灌草群落和灌丛群落次之,草本群落最低;相关分析表明,土壤含水量(SWC)、土壤总有机碳(STOC)、全氮(TN)、全磷(TP)和速效磷(AP)对土壤微生物代谢功能及功能多样性指数有重要影响,脲酶(URE)、磷酸酶(APE)、蔗糖酶(INV)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性与土壤微生物代谢功能及功能多样性指数存在显著相关关系.表明植被恢复可使土壤微生物代谢功能增强,土壤微生物繁殖加快、数量增大,从而促进土壤微生物对土壤C源的利用强度.     

格氏栲天然林林窗植物物种多样性与系统发育多样性

林窗环境异质性导致群落物种多样性与系统发育多样性(phylogenetic diversity, PD)存在差异, 研究不同大小的林窗中群落的物种多样性与系统发育多样性有助于揭示林下生物多样性的形成及维持机制。本文以格氏栲(Castanopsis kawakamii)天然林为研究对象, 通过Pearson相关性分析与广义线性模型探讨了林窗内物种多样性与系统发育多样性间的相互关系及其环境影响因素。结果表明: (1)大林窗(面积 > 200 m²)植物种类及多度均高于中林窗(50 m² ≤ 面积 < 100 m²)、小林窗(30 m² ≤ 面积 < 50 m²)和非林窗(面积 = 100 m²)。大林窗群落系统发育结构趋于发散, 中、小林窗和非林窗群落系统发育结构受到生境过滤和竞争排斥综合作用。(2)群落系统发育多样性指数与物种丰富度(species richness, SR)、Margalef丰富度指数和Shannon-Wiener指数均呈显著正相关, 这与林窗内稀有种种类组成多于优势种有关。(3)林窗面积对物种多样性存在显著正效应; 土壤全氮含量对系统发育多样性和系统发育结构存在显著正效应。林窗形成提高了格氏栲天然林群落物种多样性和系统发育多样性, 林窗面积与土壤全氮共同驱动了格氏栲天然林林窗物种多样性和系统发育多样性的变化。     

小叶锦鸡儿灌丛化对典型草原群落结构与生态系统功能的影响

草原灌丛化是全球干旱半干旱地区面临的重要生态问题。灌丛化对草原生态系统结构与功能的影响较为复杂, 有待于在更广泛的区域开展研究。该研究在内蒙古锡林郭勒典型草原选择轻度、中度和重度灌丛化草地, 通过群落调查, 结合植物功能性状和土壤理化性质观测, 研究了小叶锦鸡儿(Caragana microphylla)灌丛化对草原群落结构(物种多样性、功能多样性和功能群组成)和生态系统功能(初级生产力、植被和土壤养分库)的影响。结果表明: 1)不同程度灌丛化草地的物种丰富度、功能性状多样性和群落加权性状平均值差异显著, 其中, 中度灌丛化草地的物种多样性和功能多样性较高, 表明一定程度的灌丛化有利于生物多样性维持。2)重度灌丛化草地的地上净初级生产力(ANPP)显著高于轻度和中度灌丛化草地, 其原因主要是随着灌丛化程度加剧, 群落内一/二年生草本植物显著增加, 而多年生禾草和多年生杂类草显著减少。三个灌丛化草地的植被叶片和土壤碳、氮库差异均不显著。3)灌丛化对草原生态系统功能包括ANPP、植被和土壤养分库均没有直接的影响, 而是通过影响功能群组成、土壤理化性质和功能多样性, 间接地影响生态系统功能; 灌丛化导致功能群发生替代和土壤旱碱化是最重要的生物和非生物因素。     

科尔沁沙地恢复演替进程中群落物种多样性与地上生物量的关系

生物多样性与生产力的关系是当前生态学中研究的重点之一,以科尔沁沙地为研究对象,研究了沙地植被恢复演替进程中物种多样性与地上生物量的关系。结果表明:(1)科尔沁沙地植被恢复演替过程中,物种数量逐渐增加,从流动沙丘的6种到固定沙丘的30种,增加了4倍。一年生草本植物在各群落中占绝对优势,但随着演替的进行,生活型呈现多样化,多年生植物种类明显增加。藜科植物在流动沙丘阶段优势度明显,之后逐渐下降;禾本科植物的种数和优势度逐渐增加,在群落中的地位逐渐增强。多重比较表明,群落的地上生物量存在显著差异(F=18.926,n=360,P0.001),从流动沙丘到固定沙丘(3个恢复阶段的均值计算)地上生物量增加了580%。(2)随着演替的进行,群落Simpson指数、Shannon-winner指数和均匀度指数均呈现增加的趋势。(3)回归分析显示,群落物种多样性和生物量之间存在显著的负二次函数关系即单峰型函数关系,表明中等生产力水平物种多样性较高。     

中国东部海岛黑松群落功能多样性的纬度变异及其影响因素

黑松(Pinus thunbergii)群落在中国东海和黄海海域的海岛广泛分布, 研究其功能多样性的纬度变化特征及其影响因素, 有助于揭示是否在高度隔离的片断化景观中, 同一植物群落类型的生物多样性也具有显著的纬度地带性特征。该研究调查和测定了中国东部海域跨越13个纬度的27个海岛60个黑松群落的物种组成和植物功能性状, 分析了生物因素(黑松优势度和物种多样性)与非生物因素(年平均气温、总太阳辐射和干旱指数)与黑松群落功能多样性的关系, 并利用广义线性回归和方差分解揭示了各影响因素对黑松群落功能多样性的相对影响。主要结果: 随纬度升高, 群落的黑松优势度和物种丰富度, 以及枝干性状和枝叶性状总体的功能丰富度、功能分散度、Rao二次熵均显著降低, 但叶片功能多样性无显著变化趋势。黑松优势度、物种多样性和气候综合解释了枝叶性状总体功能丰富度、分散度和Rao二次熵变异的63%、47%和39%, 枝干性状功能丰富度、分散度和Rao二次熵变异的56%、67%和53%, 对叶片性状功能多样性的综合解释度较低(21%-30%)。物种丰富度和辛普森多样性显著增加叶功能多样性, 香农-维纳多样性显著降低叶功能丰富度。干旱度显著增加枝叶性状总体和枝干功能多样性, 年平均气温显著降低枝干功能分散度和Rao二次熵。该结果表明, 中国东部海岛黑松群落的功能多样性具有明显的纬度格局, 气候因素和物种丰富度是决定黑松群落功能多样性纬度变异的重要因素。     

功能多样性比物种多样性更好解释氮添加对高寒草地生物量的影响

为进一步了解氮添加条件下群落功能多样性如何驱动生物量变化, 该研究在位于天山山脉的巴音布鲁克高寒草地开展氮添加实验, 通过连续两年调查群落物种组成并测量常见物种的功能性状, 分析物种多样性、功能多样性及群落水平功能性状的响应模式及其在驱动生物量变化中的相对贡献。结果表明, 短期氮添加同时增加群落地上和地下生物量, 且地上生物量的增加比例高于地下生物量, 氮添加导致功能多样性降低但是物种多样性未发生显著变化; 氮添加增加群落水平上的植株高度和叶片碳含量, 但导致比叶面积、种子质量及叶片磷含量下降; 物种多样性对生物量变化解释非常有限, 而功能多样性与群落水平功能性状可以很好地解释生物量变化, 以上研究结果支持质量比假说。综上, 该研究表明功能多样性与群落水平功能性状比物种多样性对短期氮添加的响应更加迅速, 且两者在解释高寒草地群落生物量对氮添加的响应中起到关键作用。     

生态学的多样性指数:功能与系统发育

生物多样性是生态学的核心问题。传统的多样性指数仅包含物种数和相对多度的信息,这类基于分类学的多样性指数并不能很好地帮助理解群落构建和生态系统功能。不同物种对群落构建和生态系统功能所起到的作用类型和贡献也不完全相同,且物种在生态过程中的作用和贡献往往与性状密切相关,因此功能多样性已经成为反映物种群落构建、干扰以及环境因素对群落影响的重要指标。同时,由于亲缘关系相近的物种往往具有相似的性状,系统发育多样性也可以作为功能多样性的一个替代。功能多样性和系统发育多样性各自具有优缺点,但二者均比分类多样性更能揭示群落和生态系统的构建、维持与功能。     

Effectiveness of sand-fixing measures on desert land restoration in Kerqin Sandy Land,northern China

In the semi-arid Kerqin Sandy Land of north China, land desertification and frequent sand storms in the spring strongly affect the growth of grassland vegetation and crops, and give rise to large reductions in yield as a result of wind erosion and sand dune movement. To bring desertification under control and reduce its influence on grassland and farmlands, many measures have been developed and implemented for stabilizing mobile sand dunes and restoring desertified grasslands. This study was conducted from 1996 to 2003 to evaluate the effectiveness of desert land restoration after implementation of sand-fixing measures. The results showed that construction of straw checkerboards and planting of shrub seedlings significantly enhances topsoil development on the dune surface, increasing silt and clay content and facilitating accumulation of soil carbon and total N, as well as accelerating an increase in plant diversity, vegetation cover and plant density. These findings suggest that using straw checkerboards and planting shrubs are successful methods for mobile sand dune stabilization and desertified grassland restoration in semiarid regions. The mechanism creating these changes is a reduction in wind erosion and improvement of the soil environment for plants. In addition, our results showed that construction of straw checkerboards was slightly more effective in vegetation and soil restoration in comparison with planting shrub seedlings, especially at the primary stage.     

Can mobile sandy land be vegetated in the cold and dry Tibetan Plateau in China?

Desertification has taken place in the overgrazed grassland of the Tibetan Plateau, China, and the area of mobile sandy land has increased in recent decades. The challenging problem about desertification control is how to restore the vegetation of mobile sandy lands caused by severe desertification. Sand drifting is now regarded as the limiting factor of vegetation restoration in such lands. The initial phase of vegetation restoration is plant colonization, but it is often aborted due to sand drifting, and then vegetation restoration fails to proceed. For the sake of revegetation, the first step is to stop sand drifting to ensure plant colonization. In the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, China, feasible approaches have been found through long-term experiments, and the vegetation is being restored satisfactorily with these approaches in experimental sandy lands. The approaches comprise three types: enclosure, mechanical barriers and biological barriers. Different sandy lands require dissimilar combinations of these approaches. Enclosures may be adequate to revegetate inter-dunes or degraded grassland even in cold regions like the Tibetan Plateau, China, but it is deficient for revegetation of the shifting sand dunes unless mechanical and biological barriers are established simultaneously.     

Can mobile sandy land be vegetated in the cold and dry Tibetan Plateau in China?

Desertification has taken place in the overgrazed grassland of the Tibetan Plateau,China,and the area of mobile sandy land has increased in recent decades.The challenging problem about desertification control is how to restore the vegetation of mobile sandy lands caused by severe desertification.Sand drifting is now regarded as the limiting factor of vegetation restoration in such lands.The initial phase of vegetation restoration is plant colonization,but it is often aborted due to sand drifting,and then vegetation restoration fails to proceed.For the sake of revegetation,the first step is to stop sand drifting to ensure plant colonization.In the northeastern Tibetan Plateau,China,feasible approaches have been found through long-term experiments,and the vegetation is being restored satisfactorily with these approaches in experimental sandy lands.The approaches comprise three types:enclosure,mechanical barriers and biological barriers.Different sandy lands require dissimilar combinations of these approaches.Enclosures may be adequate to revegetate inter-dunes or degraded grassland even in cold regions like the Tibetan Plateau,China,but it is deficient for revegetation of the shifting sand dunes unless mechanical and biological barriers are established simultaneously.     

The effects of different vegetation restoration patterns on soil bacterial diversity for sandy land in Hulunbeier

Grassland desertification seriously threatens sustainable economic and social development. Much attention has been paid to the control of grassland desertification, and even to the restoration and reconstruction of the grassland. Vegetation restoration is considered to be a very effective solution. Soil sustains an immense diversity of microbes, and the characteristics of soil microbial communities are sensitive indicators of soil. It is important to understand the relationship between vegetation and soil microbial diversity during the restoration process. Soil microbial, which is the main index to evaluate soil quality, plays a significant role in ecosystem and soil microbial diversity is the important one of global diversity. Exploring the effects of different vegetation patterns on soil microbial diversity can provide scientific bases and technical support for systemic and impersonal assessment of the best vegetation restoration patterns, as well as the vegetation restoration and reconstruction of Hulunbeier sandy land. Based on PCR–DGGE technology, a case study was carried out to investigate the effects of five different vegetation restoration patterns on soil microbial functional diversity after 4 years in sandy land in Hulunbeier, China. The five vegetation restoration patterns included mono-cultivar planting of Agropyron cristatum (UA), mono-cultivar planting of Hedysarum fruticosum (UH), mono-cultivar planting of Caragana korshinskii (UC), mixed-cultivar planting of Agropyron cristatum and Hedysarum fruticosum (AC) and mixed-cultivar planting of Agropyron cristatum, Hedysarum fruticosum, Caragana korshinskii and Elymus nutans (ACHE). Completely degraded sandy land was used as control.The results indicated that the vegetation restoration increased the genetic diversity of soil bacterial community obviously, and the structure of soil bacterial community was changed. The results of phylogenetic analysis suggested that the bacterial community in Hulunbeier sandy land mainly attributed to Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria. The dominant groups were Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. The effects of different vegetation type on soil bacterial community structures were different.     

贵州喀斯特石漠化地区植物多样性与土壤理化性质

以贵州典型喀斯特石漠化生态系统环境为研究对象,运用野外取样调查和实验室检测分析方法,研究不同等级石漠化环境植物多样性和土壤理化性质特征及其相关性;运用空间替代时间方法,探讨石漠化演替过程中植物多样性和土壤理化性质的响应,旨在为贵州乃至整个中国西南喀斯特森林生态保护和石漠化生态系统恢复重建提供理论支撑。结果表明:1)石漠化环境植物群路组成简单,物种丰富度也很低,且随着石漠化程度增加,植被物种组成呈递减趋势;不同等级石漠化环境植物多样性具有显著差异,均匀度指数变化与石漠化等级演替明显耦合,显示了随石漠化程度增加而减小的变化趋势。2)不同等级石漠化环境土壤理化性质存在显著差异,随着石漠化程度增加,土壤理化性质显示了先退化后改善的响应过程。土壤有机质、氮素、毛管持水量、容重和孔隙度与植物多样性具有明显的相关性,在改善土壤理化性质和促进植物多样性恢复方面起着关键作用。3)主成分分析表明,土壤有机质、氮素、钾素、持水状况、孔隙度和植物多样性均匀度指数等是基于土壤理化性质和植物多样性评价石漠化程度的关键指标。基于上述结果,进一步阐述了石漠化演替过程中植物多样性和土壤理化性质的变化规律和响应机制。研究结果对我国西南喀斯特森林生态保护和石漠化生态系统恢复重建具有一定的理论意义和实践指导价值。     

土壤非保护性有机碳对荒漠草原沙漠化的响应

沙化草地的恢复与重建是干旱半干旱区生态建设的重要内容,分析荒漠草原沙漠化过程中土壤非保护性有机碳分配比例的变异规律对于探讨沙化草地恢复机制具有重要的理论价值。以干旱、半干旱地区荒漠草原不同沙化阶段的土壤为研究对象,分析土壤粗颗粒有机碳、细颗粒有机碳、轻组有机碳含量和分配比例的分布特征、土壤非保护性有机碳转化为保护性有机碳的速率。结果表明:荒漠草原发生逆向演替后,土壤细颗粒有碳含量和分配比例表现为固定沙地荒漠草地半固定沙地流动沙地;粗颗粒有机碳含量表现为荒漠草地半固定沙地流动沙地固定沙地,粗颗粒有机碳分配比例表现为流动沙地半固定沙地荒漠草地固定沙地;轻组有机碳含量和分配比例递减。颗粒有机碳、轻组有机碳、土壤有机碳对草地沙漠化的敏感性不同,颗粒有机碳较轻组有机碳和土壤有机碳敏感性强,其中细颗粒有机碳较粗颗粒有机碳敏感性强。随着草地沙漠化程度的增强土壤非保护性有机碳分配比例呈下降趋势,表明草地沙漠化降低土壤质量。荒漠草地退化至流动沙地土壤非保护性有机碳转化为保护性有机碳的速率整体呈上升趋势。     

沙化草地恢复过程中土壤有机碳物理组分和全氮含量的变化

以宁夏中北部盐池县不同恢复阶段的沙化草地(流动沙地、半固定沙地、固定沙地和荒漠草地)土壤为研究对象,分析土壤粗砂粒有机碳、细砂粒有机碳、粘粉粒有机碳、重组有机碳、轻组有机碳和土壤全氮的变异特征,探讨沙化草地恢复过程中土壤有机碳变化机制。结果显示:(1)荒漠草地、固定沙地、半固定沙地0~30cm土层土壤,粗砂粒有机碳、细砂粒有机碳和粘粉粒有机碳含量分别比流动沙地增加了67.7%、69.8%、212.1%和48.8%、35.3%、99.9%以及33.6%、23.0%、48.9%。(2)随着沙化草地不同程度的恢复,轻组有机碳含量、分配比例和重组有机碳含量均表现为流动沙地半固定沙地固定沙地荒漠草地;重组有机碳分配比例随沙化草地恢复程度的升高呈降低趋势。(3)土壤细砂粒、粘粉粒、重组有机碳、轻组有机碳、粗砂粒有机碳、细砂粒有机碳、粘粉粒有机碳含量与土壤有机碳、土壤全氮含量均呈显著正相关关系,与粗砂粒含量均呈显著负相关关系。研究表明,轻组有机碳和粘粉粒有机碳含量对土壤有机碳的影响最大,轻组有机碳、重组有机碳、粗砂粒有机碳和粘粉粒有机碳对土壤全氮的影响最大,表明沙化草地的恢复有利于减小土壤侵蚀,改善土壤结构与质量。     

毛乌素沙地油蒿群落的循环演替

流动沙地→半流动沙地白沙蒿群落→半固定沙地油蒿＋白沙蒿群落→固定沙地油蒿群落→固定沙地油蒿＋本氏针茅＋苔藓群落→地带性的本氏针茅草原及其迅速沙化的植被发展过程是毛乌素沙地植被自发演替的基本过程。油蒿具有耐沙埋、抗风蚀、耐土壤贫瘠等特性,是该地区最主要的优良固沙植物和重要牧草。半固定、固定沙地池蒿群落在毛乌素沙地的生态环境保护和农牧业生产方面发挥着极其重要的作用,维持其稳定十分重要。然而,其沙化的现     

西南喀斯特高原盆地石漠化环境植物群落结构与物种多样性时空动态

为阐明西南典型喀斯特石漠化类型——喀斯特高原盆地石漠化植物群落结构和物种多样性特征及其演变规律,科学支撑喀斯特石漠化治理,选取了喀斯特高原盆地典型石漠化区贵州清镇簸箩小流域为研究区域,对其植被进行广泛的野外勘察,设置典型样方研究其植物群落结构和物种多样性特征;运用空间替代时间方法,研究石漠化演变过程中植物群落结构和物种多样性变化;基于2013—2015连续3 a的监测数据,研究其年际变化。结果表明:研究区群落结构简单,共记录到的植物分布58种,其中草本层18科24属28种、木本层17科25属30种;单种属的比例很高,为82.86%。不同等级石漠化环境植物群落高度、平均地径、平均冠幅、草本层生物量和灌木层生物量均具有显著差异;植物种群密度在不同等级石漠化环境变化依次为轻度石漠化中度石漠化潜在石漠化无石漠化。不同等级石漠化环境植物多样性指数、均匀度指数、丰富度指数和优势度指数均偏低,而且4种指数均与石漠化等级演替无明显耦合关系。不同年份植物群落高度、平均地径、种群密度和灌木层生物量随着时间的推移均呈增加趋势,但相邻年份增加不显著。研究区生态系统人为干扰逐渐减弱,植被呈现出正向演替的趋势,优势种的重要性趋于降低。该研究结果对我国西南喀斯特盆地生态功能恢复和石漠化植被重建具有一定的理论意义和实践指导价值。     

Plant functional diversity mediates the effects of vegetation and soil properties on community-level plant nitrogen use in the restoration of semiarid sandy grassland

Species-rich plant communities use nitrogen (N) more efficiently in grassland ecosystems; however, the role of plant functional diversity in affecting community level plant N-use has received little attention. We examined plant N content, stock and N-use efficiency at community-level along a restoration gradient of sandy grassland (mobile dune, semi-fixed dune, fixed dune and grassland) in Horqin Sand Land, northern China. We used the functional trait-based approach to examine how plant functional diversity, reflected by the most abundant species’ traits (community-weighted mean, CWM) and the dispersion of functional trait values (FDis), affected N-use efficiency in sandy grassland restoration. We further used the structure equation model (SEM) to evaluate the direct or indirect effects of plant species richness, biomass, functional diversity and soil properties on community-level plant N-use efficiency. We found that plant biomass and its N stock increased following sandy grassland restoration, and there were lower plant N content and higher N-use efficiency in semi-fixed dune, fixed dune and grassland as compared with mobile dune. N-use efficiency was positively associated with plant species richness, biomass, CWM plant height, CWM leaf C:N, FDis and soil gradient, but SEM results showed that species richness, CWM leaf C:N, plant biomass and FDis controlled by soil properties were the main factors exerting direct effects. CWM plant height also had a positive effect on N-use efficiency through its indirect effect on plant biomass. Soil gradient increased N-use efficiency through an indirect effect on vegetation rather than a direct effect. Final SEM models based on different plant functional diversity explained over 74% of variances in N-use efficiency. Effects of plant functional diversity on N-use efficiency supported both the mass ratio hypothesis and the complementarity hypothesis. Our results clearly highlight the important role of plant functional diversity in mediating the effects of vegetation and soil properties on community level plant N-use in sandy grassland ecosystems.