黄土高原21种造林树种的苗木根系活力与土壤含水量关系的研究

通过盆栽试验,测定了不同水分条件下21种苗木的根系活力状况,结果表明：各种苗木可以在一定的土壤干旱范围内适应环境变化。但当土壤含水量低于一定的临界值后,苗木根系将逐步丧失其活力和功能,最终地上部分死亡。苗木的根系活力不仅与土壤含水量有关,而且能在短时间内适应干旱,从而维持较高的根活力水平。在试验苗木当中,耐旱性较强的树种有：山杏、软枣、核桃、枣树、桑树等(经济树种)和国槐(阔叶树种)、侧柏(针叶树种)及紫穗槐、大叶黄杨(灌木)等,其中山杏、软枣、核桃、桑树、侧柏则表现更为突出。     

季节性干旱地区典型树种长期水分利用特征与模式

在季节性干旱地区,水分是影响植物生长发育的关键核心因子。基于长期连续观测数据探究植物水分利用模式,对于季节性干旱地区植被建设具有重要意义。本研究以北京山区侧柏人工林为对象,利用稳定氢氧同位素技术测定了2012—2017年间土壤、植物枝条和降水同位素组成,通过MixSIAR模型定量分析侧柏对不同土层土壤水分的贡献率。结果表明: 深层(40～100 cm)土壤水较浅层(0～40 cm)土壤水稳定,受蒸发和降水的影响,浅层土壤含水量和水同位素值变化幅度较深层明显;侧柏主要吸收利用稳定的深层土壤水,贡献率为55.7%。在旱季,随着土壤水分含量的降低,植物对土壤水分的吸收深度逐渐向浅层转移;在水量充沛、自然适宜、轻度干旱、中度干旱条件下,深层土壤水的贡献率依次为59.8%、57.9%、54.6%、52.7%。在轻度和中度干旱条件下,雨季侧柏对深层土壤水的依赖程度高于旱季,以维持较大的蒸腾作用;在水量充沛、自然适宜、轻度干旱、中度干旱条件下,深层土壤水贡献率分别为58.9%、57.6%、56.4%、57.1%。侧柏依据土壤水分条件调整吸水深度的自适应特性,对季节性干旱地区生态造林树种的选择和长期管理规划具有重要意义。     

羊草(Leymus chinensis)叶片光合参数对干旱与复水的响应机理与模拟

利用典型草原优势植物羊草（Leymus chinensis）对不同水分胁迫与复水响应的植物光合生理生态模拟实验与野外观测资料,分析研究了羊草叶片光合参数Kcmax（Rubisco的最大羧化速率）、Jmax（最大光合电子传递速率）和TPU（磷酸丙糖利用率）对干旱与复水的响应机理。结果表明,无论是模拟实验还是野外观测均显示羊草叶片的光合参数随着土壤水分的增加呈抛物线曲线变化,但各光合参数最大值对土壤水分的响应不同。温室模拟下的羊草光合参数Vcmax,Jmax和TPU在土壤含水量分别在15．56％,15．89％和16．23％时达到最大,而野外观测羊草的光合参数Vcmax,Jmax和TPU在土壤含水量分别为16．89％,17％和16．79％时达到最大。复水后羊草植株叶片光合参数的变化取决于前期干旱的影响,土壤含水量18％～19％和15％～16％处理的羊草复水后光合参数能够恢复正常,前者甚至超过正常水平,说明适宜的水分胁迫在复水后能够提高羊草叶片的光合能力,促进光合作用;土壤含水量10％～12％和7％～9％处理下的羊草复水后光合参数则不能恢复到正常水平。土壤含水量15％～16％可能是羊草光合能力在水分胁迫后能否恢复的阈值。     

土壤干旱对黄土高原3个常见树种幼苗水分代谢及生长的影响

应用盆栽试验,在人工控制土壤水分条件下对黄土高原3个常见树种丁香(Syringa oblata)、杠柳(Perip-loca sepium)和连翘(Forsythia suspensa)幼苗的生长及水分生理代谢进行了研究.结果表明,随干旱胁迫程度加剧,各树种耗水量明显减少;不同树种单株耗水量差异明显,表现为:连翘>杠柳>丁香.3树种新生枝条生长和叶面积扩展速率明显受土壤含水量影响,均表现为适宜水分>中度干旱>严重干旱,且在同一胁迫水平下,连翘>杠柳>丁香.随干旱胁迫程度的加剧和干旱时间的延长,丁香、杠柳和连翘叶片的含水量、游离脯氨酸以及叶绿素含量均有不同程度的变化,连翘和杠柳的叶片含水量在3种水分条件下均明显高于丁香,杠柳叶片游离脯氨酸含量明显高于丁香和连翘,连翘体内脯氨酸含量最低,丁香和连翘的叶绿素a/b值随土壤含水量的减少逐渐降低,杠柳则表现出相反趋势.不同树种对土壤干旱和高温的响应机制不同,但它们都具有较强的抗旱能力,适应黄土高原干旱的自然条件.     

基于稳定同位素和热比率技术的侧柏水分逆向运移特征与过程

植物在一定环境条件下可通过叶片吸水发生水分逆向运移来维持自身生长,尤其是在季节性干旱地区。但这一过程通常被忽视,使得在量化理解干旱胁迫下的森林植被水分利用过程与机制方面仍存在一定的空白。本研究以北京山区为研究区,以其典型造林树种侧柏为研究对象,利用稳定同位素和热比率技术,通过野外布设对比试验和室内控制盆栽试验,分析树木体内水分逆向运移的发生条件和规律,量化逆向运移量及补给率,研究不同部位水分逆向运移变化特征及过程。结果表明: 在野外对比试验中,控制样方在雨后的树木胸径和根系处监测到逆向液流,且根系逆向液流的发生比胸径处会有所延迟,而对比样方则无逆向液流;在室内控制试验中,不同处理组在雨后2 h树木各部位逆向运移补给率达到最高值,除重度和中度干旱处理外,雨后8 h基本恢复初始状态,水分逆向运移对植物的影响一般不超过24 h;叶片吸水量与其产生的对枝条和根际土壤的逆向补给率和土壤前期含水量呈负相关关系,对叶片、枝条和根际土壤的最大补给率分别为(9.5±0.1)%、(5.9±0.3)%和(5.7%±0.6)%;在水分逆向运移过程中,侧柏不同部位水分运移对时间的响应不同。在复杂多变的水分供给条件下,研究植物水分逆向运移的过程与机制,对准确理解其生存和竞争力具有重要意义。     

香港次生林树种种子生理生态学特性的研究

１９８９～１９９１年在温室和野外测定了香港４０种次生林树木种类的种子寿命和发芽率．结果显示，在所测试的４０种天然林树种中，６０％的树种的种子寿命短于１年，仅有８个树种的种子寿命在１年以上．种子的寿命与种子在土壤中的发芽能力呈负相关的关系．种子发芽测定结果表明，大多数树种都可以在强光照条件（９５％的日光）下发芽，但３５％的测试树种不能在天然林下（０７％～２％的日光）发芽．最后从植物生理生态的角度，探讨种子特征与香港次生林区系发展及香港现有次生林的演替现状     

干旱对番茄幼苗光合和某些生理指标的影响

干旱缺水已成为植物光合作用和生长发育主要的限制因素,在干旱胁迫下,作物的生长发育受到影响,依据作物的形态变化进行浇灌属于延后性灌溉,未必能完全补偿对作物生长造成的影响。确定灌溉时间点,既确保植物正常生长不受影响,也可以提高水分利用效率,减少水资源浪费,从而达到节水灌溉的目的。该研究以温室土槽栽培番茄幼苗为材料,设定土壤含水量为30.00%(对照)、21.00%、18.00%、15.00%、12.00%、9.00%,研究了干旱胁迫对番茄叶片光合特性、抗氧化酶(超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化物酶、过氧化氢酶)、碳酸酐酶活性变化的影响,并以此表征番茄幼苗需水信息。结果表明:随着干旱胁迫程度的增加,叶片水势逐渐降低。超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化物酶及过氧化氢酶等抗氧化酶在番茄幼苗耐受水分胁迫中起到重要的作用;超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化物酶在干旱胁迫条件下反应更迅速,但过氧化氢酶相对于超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化物酶对干旱胁迫的耐受能力更强;干旱胁迫条件下抗氧化酶活性的转折点在15.00%土壤含水量左右;水分胁迫条件下碳酸酐酶参与了对光合作用的调节,并在15.00%土壤含水量时活性升至最高,使得番茄仍能维持较高的光合速率,以维持正常的生理机能;随着干旱胁迫程度的加剧(12.00%土壤含水量),碳酸酐酶活性与净光合速率都迅速下降。综上分析,当土壤含水量低于15.00%并高于12.00%时,对作物进行灌溉最为合适。抗氧化酶及碳酸酐酶活性可为作物最佳灌溉时间点的预测提供科学依据。     

两种梭梭根部输导组织坚韧度及其抗旱性

以梭梭和白梭梭一年生盆栽幼苗为试材,测定60％（对照）、40％和20％的土壤相对含水量（sRwc）处理20d后两种梭梭同化枝的电导率和含水量,地上和地下部水势,根部木质素、纤维素、半纤维素含量,根肉质化程度和根长度。结果表明：两种梭梭同化枝含水量随着SRWC的下降均保持较高的水平;SRWC为40％和20％时,两种同化枝电导率的变化不显著,且均保持较低的值;两种梭梭地下部与地上部水势差值随土壤含水量的降低而增大;SRWC为40％的土壤条件促进两种梭梭的根系生长,20％的SRWC条件下仍保持与对照一样的水平;不同SRWC条件下,梭梭和白梭梭根部的木质素、纤维素、半纤维素含量的变化幅度均较小,且保持很高的水平,总含量分别为46．9％-53．3％和50．6％-57．6％。由此推断,在干旱胁迫下两种梭梭的根系依赖于较强的根部榆导组织坚韧度,往土壤深层扎根找水,适应干旱环境。     

干旱胁迫对蒙古柞表观资源利用率的影响

比较研究了模拟干旱及自然水分梯度条件下蒙古柞树种光合生理指标,模拟干旱处理试验土壤含水量分别控制在田间持水量的85％－100％（CK）、65％－85％（MEW）和45％－65％（LW）。结果表明,干旱胁迫对蒙古柞幼树净光合速率、气孔导度、蒸腾速率、水分利用率、表观CO2利用率和表观光能利用率等生理指标均产生明显影响。野外自然条件下水分梯度对蒙古柞大树气孔导度、水分利用率和净光合速率有显著影响,但对蒸腾速率、表观CO2利用率和表观光能利用率的影响不显著,中等水分条件可明显提高蒙古柞大树叶片的气体交换和水分利用率,说明蒙古柞树种叶片气体交换和表观资源利用率对干旱胁迫的响应程度不同。蒙古柞树种是干旱可变植物,长期水分胁迫可提高树种的耐旱能力,特别是中等水分胁迫能保持蒙古柞固有的强劲耐旱能力。     

科尔沁沙地樟子松能否发生冬季“生理干旱”伤害

在内蒙古东部半干旱地区分别测定了春、秋两季栽植的樟子松苗越冬期间针叶含水量和蒸腾强度的变化,测定了针叶的致死临界含水量并在室内模拟了生理干旱伤害症状以探讨发生冬季生理干旱伤害的可能性．结果表明秋植苗针叶含水量１月份就已降到初始致死含水量以下而春植苗针叶含水量始终显著高于初始致死含水量并顺利越冬．含水量与蒸腾强度的对比表明甚至在冻土期内,针叶仍有某种水分补充来源．模拟实验中出现的针叶伤害症状和秋植苗野外伤害症状一致．结论认为该地区已正常成活的春季造林苗不大可能发生冬季生理干旱伤害．     

Determination of ability of several arbor and shrub species to endure and survive extreme aridity with limited-areas methods under field conditions in Horqin Sandy Land

Using limited-areas methods, the ability of several arbor and shrub species to endure and survive extreme aridity under field conditions in Horqin Sandy Land was studied, and the lowest critical soil water content that was endurable for each of these species was determined. By limiting the horizontal distribution range of the plant roots system, the limited-areas methods could decrease the spatial heterogeneity of soil water content and improve the accuracy of the determination of soil water content. This method also had the advantage of worsening the aridity endured by the plant species, proving helpful in testing the ability of these species to endure aridity. Our results showed that Prunus sibirica L., Caragana microphylla Lam., Artemisia halodendron Turcz. ex Bess., Salix gordejevii Cheng et Skv., Ulmus pumila L., and Populus pseudo-simonii Kitag. could endure critical soil water contents of 0.82%, 0.87%, 1.61%, 1.89%, 2.04% and 2.27%, respectively. The results were useful in evaluating the ability of these species to endure aridity, and had some important implications for the rational use of these species in accelerating the revegetation of sandy desertified lands.     

Determination of ability of several arbor and shrub species to endure and survive extreme aridity with limited-areas methods under field conditions in Horqin Sandy Land

Using limited-areas methods, the ability of several arbor and shrub species to endure and survive extreme aridity under field conditions in Horqin Sandy Land was studied, and the lowest critical soil water content that was endurable for each of these species was determined. By limiting the horizontal distribution range of the plant roots system, the limited-areas methods could decrease the spatial heterogeneity of soil water content and improve the accuracy of the determination of soil water content. This method also had the advantage of worsening the aridity endured by the plant species, proving helpful in testing the ability of these species to endure aridity. Our results showed that Prunus sibirica L., Caragana microphylla Lam., Artemisia halodendron Turcz. ex Bess., Salix gordejevii Cheng et Skv., Ulmus pumila L., and Populus pseudo-simonii Kitag. could endure critical soil water contents of 0.82%, 0.87%, 1.61%, 1.89%, 2.04% and 2.27%, respectively. The results were useful in evaluating the ability of these species to endure aridity, and had some important implications for the rational use of these species in accelerating the revegetation of sandy desertified lands.     

Earlier summer drought affects leaf functioning of the Mediterranean species Cistus monspeliensis L.

The Mediterranean vegetation is characterized by a high diversity of growth forms, habits and phenology that enable it to endure under harsh environmental conditions. It is however unclear whether these adaptations may allow plant survival under more extreme conditions, as predicted by climatic models under the perspective of climate change. A manipulative experiment aiming at anticipating summer aridity has been run to analyse the effects of the experimental drought on spring-leaf functioning and characteristics of the leaf-dimorphic Mediterranean shrub Cistus monspeliensis L.Assimilation rates were reduced under anticipated summer aridity due to a decrease of stomatal conductance, but only before morphological adaptations to drought (an increase of leaf mass per area) occurred. These adaptations were anticipated under experimental dry conditions, and causes photosynthetic performances to recover compared to previous dates. When natural summer aridity occurred, the leaf mass per area also changed in the control. However, this causes no recovery of the photosynthetic performances, because of the decrease of stomatal conductance due to low soil water content and leaf water potential values. Moreover, under experimental drought, leaf shedding was anticipated to reduce water losses, causing an overall reduction of leaf lifespan.     

Contrasting ecosystem vegetation response in global drylands under drying and wetting conditions

Increasing aridity is one major consequence of ongoing global climate change and is expected to cause widespread changes in key ecosystem attributes, functions, and dynamics. This is especially the case in naturally vulnerable ecosystems, such as drylands. While we have an overall understanding of past aridity trends, the linkage between temporal dynamics in aridity and dryland ecosystem responses remain largely unknown. Here, we examined recent trends in aridity over the past two decades within global drylands as a basis for exploring the response of ecosystem state variables associated with land and atmosphere processes (e.g., vegetation cover, vegetation functioning, soil water availability, land cover, burned area, and vapor-pressure deficit) to these trends. We identified five clusters, characterizing spatiotemporal patterns in aridity between 2000 and 2020. Overall, we observe that 44.5% of all areas are getting dryer, 31.6% getting wetter, and 23.8% have no trends in aridity. Our results show strongest correlations between trends in ecosystem state variables and aridity in clusters with increasing aridity, which matches expectations of systemic acclimatization of the ecosystem to a reduction in water availability/water stress. Trends in vegetation (expressed by leaf area index [LAI]) are affected differently by potential driving factors (e.g., environmental, and climatic factors, soil properties, and population density) in areas experiencing water-related stress as compared to areas not exposed to water-related stress. Canopy height for example, has a positive impact on trends in LAI when the system is stressed but does not impact the trends in non-stressed systems. Conversely, opposite relationships were found for soil parameters such as root-zone water storage capacity and organic carbon density. How potential driving factors impact dryland vegetation differently depending on water-related stress (or no stress) is important, for example within management strategies to maintain and restore dryland vegetation.     

Importance of soil moisture and its interaction with competition and clipping for two montane meadow grasses

Meadow classification studies have demonstrated the importance of water table fluctuation patterns in determining plant community composition in the western United States. However, a mechanism causing an overall increase in Poa pratensis ssp. pratensis populations and local declines in Deschampsia cespitosa populations in western montane meadows over the past century has not been defined. In order to better understand plant species interactions in these often highly grazed systems, we observed aboveground responses of Poa and Deschampsia to changes in species composition, soil moisture gradients, and clipping in the field. As well, we conducted a factorial greenhouse experiment, varying plant density, water availability, and clipping. While Poa is adapted to dry meadows and Deschampsia to wet meadows, their ranges overlap in wet conditions where soil moisture averages 50% in the early growing season. Deschampsia appears to be excluded from dry meadows where Poa is prevalent and soil moisture is closer to 30% water content in the early growing season. Our greenhouse experiment revealed that Deschampsia’s competitive ability decreases, while Poa’s increases, at soil moistures of 19%. However in more mesic conditions (50% soil moisture), each species aboveground biomass, tillering, and inflorescence weight was adherent to soil moisture conditions, and species interactions were less important. Our early growing season clipping treatments significantly reduced biomass of both grasses, but did not appear to favor one species over the other. This work points to the importance of soil water content in determining the performance of each plant species and the level of species interactions in montane meadows.     

荒漠植物蒙古扁桃水分生理特征

蒙古扁桃(Prunus mongolica)是荒漠区和荒漠草原的水土保持植物和景观植物,是蒙古高原古老残遗植物,对其深入研究对于了解蒙古高原植被演替以及对当地生态环境的稳定和恢复有着重要意义。该实验采用PV技术和自然脱水法探讨了蒙古扁桃的水分生理特性。结果表明:在自然状态下,蒙古扁桃幼苗叶片的相对含水量为69%,饱和含水量为117%,临界饱和亏为48%,水势为-0.85 MPa。经 5% PEG-Hoagland (-0.46 MPa)干旱胁迫处理3 d后,其相对含水量、临界含水量和水势分别下降到48%、39%和 -1.97 MPa,而饱和含水量和束缚水与自由水比值分别增加到187%和11.94。对失水率分析的结果表明:在正常水分状态下,蒙古扁桃幼苗经102 h自然脱水后失水达到平衡,而经过干旱胁迫处理3 d后,其失水率曲线斜率变小,失水过程明显减缓,失水最终达到平衡的时间延长到152 h,其保水能力显著提高。将旱生植物蒙古扁桃的失水率曲线与中旱生植物长柄扁桃(P. pedunculata)的失水率曲线相比较发现,蒙古扁桃的耐脱水能力明显强于中旱生植物长柄扁桃。PV曲线(Pressure-volume curve)分析结果表明: 蒙古扁桃饱和含水量渗透势(Ψπ¹⁰⁰)和零膨压渗透势 (Ψπ⁰)很低,分别为-2.49 MPa和-3.11 MPa,而Ψπ¹⁰⁰和Ψπ⁰差值较大(0.62 MPa),表明其维持膨压的能力很强。其细胞壁弹性模量值低(4.18 MPa)进一步表明,蒙古扁桃具有很强的膨压调节能力。蒙古扁桃幼苗失去膨压时的渗透含水量(ROWC^tlp)为80%,这是其细胞壁特性所决定的渗透调节能力的基础。蒙古扁桃质外体含水量(AWC, %)较高(79%),因而具有较高的束缚水与自由水比值(7.76),这是其耐脱水性的生理基础。总之,蒙古扁桃叶水势、渗透势低有利于其根部对深层土壤水分的吸收,而较高的束缚水与自由水比值及较低的细胞壁弹性模量是其耐脱水的生理基础。     

西双版纳热带雨林土壤与叶片生态化学计量特征的干湿度效应

基于地理格局对西双版纳热带雨林的干湿度梯度效应和生态化学计量学的研究思路,结合野外试验监测和室内分析,对西双版纳热带雨林土壤-植物系统元素化学计量特征对海拔和干湿度效应响应进行了研究探讨,结果发现:西双版纳热带雨林土壤和叶片碳氮磷化学计量特征均不同程度的受到海拔和干湿季影响。季雨林与山地雨林的水热梯度受海拔梯度重要影响,随海拔梯度升高,土壤含水率变化显著,且含水率在干湿季均对土壤有机碳(SOC)存在显著影响(P0.01),雨季其对土壤全氮(STN)和土壤全磷(STP)的影响要显著于干季;叶片全磷(TP)随含水率的增大而升高,而叶片全氮(TN)在干季会随含水率的升高而增大,雨季含水率升高到一定程度时会抑制TN含量的增加并出现单峰现象;而土壤C/P与海拔和干季土壤含水率的极显著相关性(P0.01)及干季叶片C/N与叶片含水率的显著相关关系(P0.05)说明,干季水分匮乏条件下,土壤含水率影响土壤P的矿化度和植物对P的吸收利用水平,而且叶片C/N对反馈植物水分含量具有明显指示作用。因此,水热梯度是土壤-叶片系统碳氮磷生态化学计量特征变化的重要驱动因素。此外,全球变化区域响应方面,多雨高温可能会削弱季雨林叶片C的同化能力,且叶N含量降低,但受氮沉降的影响,对C/N的影响尚无法确定;由于P循环对其他元素的耦合作用,雨林土壤-叶片系统的元素循环周期将会被缩短,但干季山地雨林植物生态系统P的限制作用有可能会减弱。     

黄土丘陵区植物群落多样性及生物量随土壤水分梯度变化特征

了解土壤水分与物种多样性及生物量的关系对探究植物群落特征与分布具有重要意义。以陕北黄土丘陵区吴起、米脂、府谷、定边4个典型区域为研究对象,对比分析降水量影响下的土壤水分梯度对自然恢复植物群落多样性、生物量的影响,为黄土丘陵区植被恢复和生物多样性管理提供科学依据。结果表明:随降水量自东南向西北逐渐减少土壤水分呈降低趋势,吴起、米脂、府谷和定边平均土壤含水量分别为9.77%、9.40%、7.91%和6.40%;4个区域调查统计到植物24科56属71种,其中禾本科、菊科、豆科植物占多数且以草本植物为主;随着土壤含水量降低,4个典型区域植物群落物种组成具有较低的相似性,说明物种组成随土壤水分变化而更替;同时,群落生物量、Margalef指数、Shannon指数以及Pielou指数均表现出逐渐降低趋势,且群落生物量、Margalef指数、Shannon指数与浅层土壤含水量呈显著正相关。研究表明,土壤水分变化对群落物种组成、植物群落多样性及生物量有重要的影响,研究区植被恢复建设必须要考虑土壤水分承载力。     

Multiple trade‐offs regulate the effects of woody plant removal on biodiversity and ecosystem functions in global rangelands

Woody plant encroachment is a major land management issue. Woody removal often aims to restore the original grassy ecosystem, but few studies have assessed the role of woody removal on ecosystem functions and biodiversity at global scales. We collected data from 140 global studies and evaluated how different woody plant removal methods affected biodiversity (plant and animal diversity) and ecosystem functions (plant production, hydrological function, soil carbon) across global rangelands. Our results indicate that the impact of removal is strongly context dependent, varying with the specific response variable, removal method, and traits of the target species. Over all treatments, woody plant removal increased grass biomass and total groundstorey diversity. Physical and chemical removal methods increased grass biomass and total groundstorey biomass (i.e., non‐woody plants, including grass biomass), but burning reduced animal diversity. The impact of different treatment methods declined with time since removal, particularly for total groundstorey biomass. Removing pyramid‐shaped woody plants increased total groundstorey biomass and hydrological function but reduced total groundstorey diversity. Environmental context (e.g., aridity and soil texture) indirectly controlled the effect of removal on biomass and biodiversity by influencing plant traits such as plant shape, allelopathic, or roots types. Our study demonstrates that a one‐size‐fits‐all approach to woody plant removal is not appropriate, and that consideration of woody plant identity, removal method, and environmental context is critical for optimizing removal outcomes. Applying this knowledge is fundamental for maintaining diverse and functional rangeland ecosystems as we move toward a drier and more variable climate.     

Thresholds in decoupled soil-plant elements under changing climatic conditions

Background and aims

Aridity has increased in the past decades and will probably continue to increase in arid and semiarid regions. Here we decipher the plant and soil capacity to retain metal cations when climate evolves to more arid conditions.

Methods

We analyzed K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu concentrations in 580 soil samples and 666 plant (shoot and root) samples along a 3600 km aridity gradient in northern China.

Results

The concentrations of soil exchangeable K, Mg, Mn, Fe and Cu clearly decreased with increasing aridity due to the relationships of aridity with soil clay content and soil pH. Increases in exchangeable Na and Ca concentrations at mid- and high-aridity levels are probably due to the soil salinization, whereas increased exchangeable Fe concentrations at extreme levels of aridity may be more related to a reduced pH. Element concentrations in both plant shoots and roots were unrelated to soil exchangeable element concentrations; instead they increased monotonously with increasing aridity, corresponding with decreases in plant size and shoot/root ratios. The shoot/root mineralomass ratios in general increased with increasing aridity. The proportional higher element contents in shoots than in roots with increasing aridity are related to increased water uptake and/or use efficiency.

Conclusions

The extractability of soil elements in response to changing climate varied with the nature of specific elements that are controlled by biological and geochemical processes, i.e., some decreased linearly with increasing aridity, whereas others first decreased and then increased with different thresholds. These contrasting effects of aridity on nutrient availability could further constrain plant growth and should be incorporated into biogeochemical models. The prevailing paradigm of a positive relationship between concentrations of plant and soil elements needs to be reconsidered under changing climatic conditions.