Biomass allocation and leaf stoichiometric characteristics in four desert herbaceous plants during different growth periods in the Gurbantünggüt Desert,China

荒漠草本植物是荒漠生态系统物种多样性的主体, 对其生物量分配及叶片化学计量特征随植物生长的变化规律的研究有助于深入了解荒漠草本植物生存策略和功能特征。该文选择古尔班通古特沙漠4种优势草本(2种短命植物, 2种一年生长营养期植物)为研究对象, 通过野外原位多时段取样, 对比研究了四者生物量分配、叶片N-P化学计量学随植物生长的变化特征, 以及二者之间的关系。结果表明, 在生物量累积过程中, 4种植物根冠比逐渐减小, 地上与地下生物量间的相关生长关系也发生变化, 其中琉苞菊(Hyalea pulchella)和角果藜(Ceratocarpus arenarius)的相关生长指数先增加后减小, 并趋于稳定, 而尖喙牻牛儿苗(Erodium oxyrrhynchum)和沙蓬(Agriophyllum squarrosum)的相关生长指数由小到大并趋于等速生长。琉苞菊叶片N、P含量呈逐渐增长趋势, 而另外3种植物呈下降趋势, 表明所研究的荒漠植物在生长过程中, 叶片N-P化学计量发生改变, 叶片化学计量特征与生物量指标的相关性较弱。     

无机肥料是青海塔拉滩光伏电站植被恢复过程中的限制性因子

青藏高原因其独特的地理单元、广袤的荒漠及丰富的太阳能资源(太阳辐射强且多、日照时间长), 在光伏电站建设及“碳中和”实现中具有重要的区位优势。光伏电站建设能够改变局域环境进而影响植被生长, 但光伏电站植被恢复的关键限制性因子尚不清楚。本研究以青藏高原东缘塔拉滩荒漠草原光伏电站为研究对象, 探究益生微生物、无机肥料(氮肥和磷肥)和微量元素3种限制性因子及其交互效应对光伏电站光伏电板下植被特征(群落盖度、地上生物量和物种丰富度)的短期影响。研究结果表明: (1)添加无机肥料显著增加群落盖度(F_1,5 = 40.598; P < 0.001), 降低物种丰富度(F_1,5 = 5.133; P = 0.026), 但对地上生物量无显著影响(F_1,5 = 0.279; P = 0.599); 而微生物菌剂和微量元素复合剂则对群落盖度、地上生物量和物种丰富度均无显著影响; (2)多重比较证实无机肥料、微生物菌剂和微量元素复合剂的混合添加使得光伏电板外和光伏电板下群落盖度均达到各实验处理组合中的最大值, 最利于植被恢复。本研究表明无机肥料是青海塔拉滩光伏电站建设后限制植被生长的重要因子, 但微生物菌剂和微量元素在促进植被生长方面仍然发挥着不可替代的作用。因此, 它们一起添加更能有效加速荒漠生态系统光伏电板下的植被恢复。     

科尔沁沙地封育过程中植被特征的动态变化

为研究沙地退化植被封育恢复过程中植被特征的动态变化规律,分别于2011年、2013年和2015年8月中旬在流动、半固定、固定沙丘和沙质草地上开展了3次植被特征调查。结果表明:2011—2015年,流动沙丘优势植物沙米(Agriophyllum squarrosum)的优势度逐渐降低,半固定沙丘优势植物差巴嘎蒿(Artemisia halodendrom)的优势度波动下降、一年生植物优势度有所增加;固定沙丘和草地中一年生植物的优势度有所下降,多年生植物所占比例逐渐增加;随着退化植被封育恢复,植被盖度、物种丰富度、凋落物量和地上-地下生物量明显增加; 2011—2015年,4种生境上的平均凋落物量和半固定沙丘的植被盖度逐年增加,而物种丰富度和地上生物量表现出波动变化趋势,地下生物量年际间变化不显著;沙地退化植被封育恢复过程中,物种丰富度与植被盖度、地上生物量、凋落物量、地下生物量和总的植物生物量呈极显著线性正相关。沙地退化植被封育恢复过程中植物群落组成和优势种的动态变化,反映了沙地植物群落的正向演替与群落结构复杂化的趋向;沙地退化植被的封育恢复导致了物种多样性与生物量的线性正相关。     

四种荒漠植物生物量分配对土壤因子 的响应及异速生长分析

该研究以四种荒漠植物:盐地碱蓬(Suaeda salsa)、新疆绢蒿(Seriphidium kaschgaricum)、对节刺(Horaninowia ulicina)、骆驼刺(Alhagi sparsifolia)为对象,采用挖掘法获取完整的植株生物量,测定土壤理化性质,并通过四种荒漠植物生物量、生物量分配比对土壤因子的响应程度以及异速生长模型进行了对比分析。结果表明:(1)四种荒漠植物的生物量、生物量分配比重差异明显;新疆绢蒿具有最大的地上、地下生物量,对节刺的生物量最小;根冠比(R/S)大小排序依次是骆驼刺对节刺、新疆绢蒿盐地碱蓬(P0.05)。(2)利用RDA分析土壤因子对R/S的影响,结果发现土壤因子对新疆绢蒿、盐地碱蓬、骆驼刺、对节刺的R/S解释程度分别是16.3%、24.8%、33.1%、35.4%,其中土壤全氮与对节刺的R/S呈正显著关系(P0.05),土壤水分与盐地碱蓬的R/S呈极显著正相关(P0.01)。(3)四种荒漠植物地上—地下间均具有极显著的相关生长关系(P0.01);新疆绢蒿地上—地下间为等速生长关系(α=1),而对节刺和骆驼刺则均为α=3/4的异速生长关系,盐地碱蓬属于非3/4幂指数的异速生长关系(α1),四种荒漠植物间具有共同的异速生长指数(0.767)。以上结果说明艾比湖优势荒漠植物具有功能趋同性,其空间分配特征对土壤因子的响应存在物种特异性。     

贵州普定喀斯特次生林乔灌层地上生物量

生物量是植物群落最重要的特征之一, 也是研究生态系统基本过程和功能的重要参数。我国西南喀斯特山地次生林是退化生态系统恢复过程中的重要阶段, 其生境特殊, 乔灌层种类繁杂且生长形态多样, 物种间体积质量密度差异悬殊, 生物量测定极为困难。所以, 有关其生物量的基础资料极为缺乏。该文根据对普定喀斯特生态站的窄叶石栎(Lithocarpus confinis)+云南鼠刺(Itea yunnanensis)林、圆果化香(Platycarya longipes)+云南鼠刺林、圆果化香+槲栎(Quercus aliena)林3个主要次生森林类型的样地调查资料, 采用样木回归模型法和收获法, 研究了群落乔灌层地上生物量及其分配格局。利用172株样木数据建立了圆果化香、窄叶石栎、云南鼠刺、刺楸(Kalopanax septemlobus)、安顺润楠(Machilus cavaleriei)、槲栎、香叶树(Lindera communis)、川钓樟(Lindera pulcherrima var. hemsleyana)、异叶鼠李(Rhamnus heterophylla)、倒卵叶旌节花(Stachyurus obovatus)、薄叶鼠李(Rhamnus leptophylla)、贵州花椒(Zanthoxylum esquirolii)、竹叶椒(Zanthoxylum planispinum)、铁仔(Myrsine africana)和刺异叶花椒(Zanthoxylum dimorphophyllum var. spinifolium)15个主要树种的分种生物量回归模型。同时, 利用这些样木建立了3个不同胸径(D)组(D＜1 cm、1 cm≤D≤5 cm和D>5 cm)的生物量回归模型。通过进一步分种和分组的计算得出: 这3个次生乔木林的乔灌层地上生物量分别为85.6×10³、65.3×10³和115.2×10³ kg·hm^-2; 层次分配上, 3个样地的乔木层地上生物量占绝对优势, 分别约占乔灌层地上生物量的98.5%、96.6%和99.0%; 径级分配上, 3个样地的生物量主要集中在大径级(D≥10 cm)的个体上; 物种分配上, 3个样地的生物量排序前10位的物种分别约占乔灌层地上生物量的99.3%、97.3%和99.0%, 并集中分配在少量优势树种中。     

中国草地生物量地上-地下分配格局: 基于个体水平的研究

生物量的地上-地下分配反映了植物的生长策略, 并且生物量地上-地下分配会影响土壤碳输入进而影响陆地生态系统碳循环. 然而, 根系采样的困难使得作为陆地生态系统碳循环模型中重要参数的地下-地上生物量比(R/S)存在很大不确定性. 2006~2007年, 分别对内蒙温带草地19个样地中的42个优势物种, 以及青藏高寒草地16个样地中53个优势物种的地上生物量与地下生物量进行了调查, 试图揭示个体水平上草地生物量的地上-地下分配格局及其与环境因素的关系, 同时与群落水平的观测结果进行比较. 总体上, 中国草地物种的地下-地上生物量比的中值为0.78, 其中青藏高寒草地植物个体的R/S低于内蒙温带草地, 青藏高寒草地植物个体地上生物量与地下生物量相关生长关系的斜率显著低于内蒙温带草地植物. 中国草地植物个体水平的地下-地上生物分配并不支持等速生长假说. 中国草地植物个体水平的地下-地上生物量比随年均温和年降水没有明显变化趋势. 群落水平与个体水平的R/S存在很大差异, 可能的原因是个体水平根系采样不全而低估了R/S, 而群落采样低估了地上生物量同时高估了地下生物量致使R/S 被高估. 结果表明, 如果用之前报道的R/S可能会高估草地地下生物量.     

黄土高原典型草原地上生物量估测模型

为了寻求有效的草地地上生物量估测方法和精确估测黄土高原典型草原草原地上生物量。于2014年8月中旬,在黄土高原典型草原草原地上生物量达到最大值,分别从单株水平和种群水平进行野外调查。以株高(H)和盖度(C)的复合因子(C×H)为自变量,通过回归分析,建立地上生物量估测模型,采用留一法对其精确性进行评估;并通过校正系数以及群落总生物量估测值和实测值比较单株水平和种群水平所建模型的精确性。结果表明:黄土高原典型草原草地,无论在单株水平还是种群水平,线性和幂函数对该区域生物量的拟合效果更好。估测模型检验结果表明,在单株水平各个物种的生物量估测值与实测值相关性较好,均达到了显著水平(P0.05),其r值均大于0.6,总相对误差RS均小于10%,平均相对误差绝对值RMA(average absolute value of relative error)均小于30%,总生物量的实测值与估测值比较接近,校正系数均接近1;而在种群水平上,虽然各物种的生物量估测值与实测值相关性均达到了显著水平(P0.05),但多数物种平均相对误差绝对值RMA大于30%,总相对误差RS(total relative error)均大于10%,总生物量的估测值均大于实测值,校正系数均偏离了1,说明在黄土高原典型草原通过单株水平建立的物种生物量估测模型的精度优于种群水平建立的物种生物量估测模型的精度。     

塔里木盆地北缘绿洲-荒漠过渡带典型植物地上生物量估测

以塔里木盆地北缘绿洲-荒漠过渡带中的典型植物柽柳(Tamarix ramosissima)、盐节木(Halocnemum strobilaceum)、盐穗木(Halostachys caspica)和芦苇(Phragmites australis)为研究对象,依据野外调查数据,采用典型植物的冠幅和株高等单一因子及其派生因子为自变量,构建典型植物地上生物量的估测模型,并对模型的拟合效果进行精度验证。结果表明:柽柳、盐节木和盐穗木的冠幅与株高相比,对其地上生物量的影响更大,芦苇则相反;复合变量相对于单一变量而言,其地上生物量具有更高的相关性(P0.01);柽柳、盐节木和盐穗木的地上生物量最优模型均为S型曲线模型,芦苇的地上生物量最优模型为三次曲线模型,拟合指数(R2)分别为0.591、0.623、0.754和0.640;估测模型的回归效果均达到极显著(P0.001)。构建典型植物的地上生物量估测模型,对准确估算塔里木盆地北缘荒漠生态系统的地上生物量具有重要的现实意义,同时可为其他荒漠植物生物量的估算以及塔里木盆地北缘土地荒漠化的治理和碳储量研究提供理论参考。     

黑河中游荒漠草地地上和地下生物量的分配格局

草地生态系统中地上和地下生物量的分配方式对于研究生态系统碳储量和碳循环有着重要的意义。为了解黑河中游荒漠草地的地上和地下生物量分配格局, 从群落和个体两个水平对黑河中游的地上和地下生物量进行了调查。结果表明: 群落水平上地上生物量介于3.2-559.2 g·m^-2之间, 地下生物量介于3.3-188.2 g·m^-2之间, 个体水平上地上生物量介于6.1-489.0 g·株^-1之间, 地下生物量介于2.4-244.2 g·株^-1之间, 群落水平上的根冠比(R/S)为0.10-2.49, 个体水平上为0.07-1.55, 地下生物量均小于地上生物量, 群落水平上R/S值大于个体水平。群落和个体水平地上和地下生物量的拟合斜率分别为1.1001和0.9913, 与1没有显著差异, 说明地上与地下生物量呈等速生长关系。群落和个体水平土壤表层0-20 cm和0-30 cm的根系生物量分别占全部根系生物量的89.81%、96.95%和81.42%、93.62%, 表明地下生物量主要集中在0-20 cm和0-30 cm土壤表层。     

高寒典型草原主要物种的株高和盖度预测种群和群落地上生物量

为快速、准确、无破坏地测定草原地上生物量,在祁连山高寒典型草原植物生长旺季,观测了冬季和春秋季放牧地60个样方内各物种的株高、盖度等生长指标。以冬季牧地紫花针茅（Stipa purpurea）、醉马草（Achnatherum inebrians）、赖草（Leymus secalinus）、扁穗冰草（Agropyron cristatum）、二裂委陵菜（Potentilla bifurca）、银灰旋花（Convolvulus ammannii）6个主要物种的株高、盖度、株高和盖度的乘积为自变量,分别预测同物种、其他物种和群落地上生物量。用春秋季牧场的数据验证模型的精确性和稳定性。结果表明：主要物种的生长指标可预测其自身、其他物种和群落地上生物量。对自身种群,株高和盖度乘积的复合因子预测效果最好;4种禾草对其他物种、二裂委陵菜对菊科植物种群,株高、盖度单因子预测效果优于复合因子;6个主要物种单独或2-6个种结合均可预测群落地上生物量,但是以6个物种株高和盖度的乘积同时预测时决定系数最大,可解释群落地上生物量89.5%的变异,为高寒典型草原群落地上生物量最优预测模型。     

No cumulative effect of 10 years of elevated [CO2] on perennial plant biomass components in the Mojave Desert

Elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentrations ([CO₂]) generally increase primary production of terrestrial ecosystems. Production responses to elevated [CO₂] may be particularly large in deserts, but information on their long‐term response is unknown. We evaluated the cumulative effects of elevated [CO₂] on primary production at the Nevada Desert FACE (free‐air carbon dioxide enrichment) Facility. Aboveground and belowground perennial plant biomass was harvested in an intact Mojave Desert ecosystem at the end of a 10‐year elevated [CO₂] experiment. We measured community standing biomass, biomass allocation, canopy cover, leaf area index (LAI), carbon and nitrogen content, and isotopic composition of plant tissues for five to eight dominant species. We provide the first long‐term results of elevated [CO₂] on biomass components of a desert ecosystem and offer information on understudied Mojave Desert species. In contrast to initial expectations, 10 years of elevated [CO₂] had no significant effect on standing biomass, biomass allocation, canopy cover, and C : N ratios of above‐ and belowground components. However, elevated [CO₂] increased short‐term responses, including leaf water‐use efficiency (WUE) as measured by carbon isotope discrimination and increased plot‐level LAI. Standing biomass, biomass allocation, canopy cover, and C : N ratios of above‐ and belowground pools significantly differed among dominant species, but responses to elevated [CO₂] did not vary among species, photosynthetic pathway (C₃ vs. C₄), or growth form (drought‐deciduous shrub vs. evergreen shrub vs. grass). Thus, even though previous and current results occasionally show increased leaf‐level photosynthetic rates, WUE, LAI, and plant growth under elevated [CO₂] during the 10‐year experiment, most responses were in wet years and did not lead to sustained increases in community biomass. We presume that the lack of sustained biomass responses to elevated [CO₂] is explained by inter‐annual differences in water availability. Therefore, the high frequency of low precipitation years may constrain cumulative biomass responses to elevated [CO₂] in desert environments.     

BIOMASS AND NET PRIMARY PRODUCTION OF PROSOPIS GLANDULOSA (FABACEAE) IN THE SONORAN DESERT OF CALIFORNIA

Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana accounts for nearly 90% of the total plant cover in a mesquite woodland community near Harper's Well along the southern margin of the Salton Sea in the Sonoran Desert of California. Total above-ground biomass in ten individuals studied in detail ranged from 43–760 kg per plant and 1.9–8.5 kg m^-2 canopy area. Stand biomass ranged locally from a high of 23,000 kg ha^-1 near the wash to 3,500 kg ha^-1 in the fringe of this mesquite stand. Net above-ground primary production for 1980 had a mean of 2.2 kg m^-2 canopy for shrub forms and 5.3 kg m^-2 canopy for tree forms. Mean Prosopis stand production for 1980 was 3,650 kg ha^-1, an extremely high value for desert communities. This level of production is particularly high in relation to the low mean annual precipitation of approximately 70 mm. New woody tissues in trunk and branches accounted for 51.5% of the allocation of productivity in Prosopis, a remarkably high woody allocation for a desert plant. Only 33.6% of net primary production was allocated to leaves.     

北美CHIHUAHUAN荒漠啮齿动物群落各物种种群生物量动态的比较研究

本文给出了北美Ｃｈｉｈｕａｈｕａｎ荒漠分属４科１０属的１７种啮齿动物生物量的时间序列资料,利用时间序列分析方法、均匀性的Ｓｈａｎｎｎｏｎ指数和季节性指标对该１７个物种的生物量动态的比较研究说明：优势种在群落总生物量稳定中起着主要作用,其余非优势物种则在优势种种群密度较低时弥补低生物量,使１７个物种种群能共存于同一群落之中,使处于复杂多变的荒漠生境中的啮齿动物的生物量保持相对稳定。扩散在维持这种稳定中有明显的作用。     

宁夏沙湖几种主要荒漠植物成丛性分析

该文对宁夏沙湖地区几种主要荒漠植物成丛或聚集分布的空间特征进行了研究,提出应用成丛性表征植物丛聚水平,并以丛生植物的丛径或散生植物的聚集分布尺度范围衡量植物成丛性的发育程度。其中散生植物的聚集尺度以Riplay's K点格局法进行计算。结果表明,植物的丛聚水平与生境条件密切相关,强日照、干热风、空旷的立地、较高土壤含水率、强透水蓄水能力等生境条件会促进植物成丛性的发育,而蒸腾胁迫低、土壤供水能力较差的生境条件下植物成丛性发育较弱。荒漠植物通过成丛或聚集分布可以形成局部微生境,减少地上部分的水分胁迫,是植物在群落水平适应环境的重要途径。     

Understory Plant Community Composition Is Associated with Fine-Scale Above- and Below-Ground Resource Heterogeneity in Mature Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta) Forests

Understory plant communities play critical ecological roles in forest ecosystems. Both above- and below-ground ecosystem properties and processes influence these communities but relatively little is known about such effects at fine (i.e., one to several meters within-stand) scales, particularly for forests in which the canopy is dominated by a single species. An improved understanding of these effects is critical for understanding how understory biodiversity is regulated in such forests and for anticipating impacts of changing disturbance regimes. Our primary objective was to examine the patterns of fine-scale variation in understory plant communities and their relationships to above- and below-ground resource and environmental heterogeneity within mature lodgepole pine forests. We assessed composition and diversity of understory vegetation in relation to heterogeneity of both the above-ground (canopy tree density, canopy and tall shrub basal area and cover, downed wood biomass, litter cover) and below-ground (soil nutrient availability, decomposition, forest floor thickness, pH, and phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and multiple carbon-source substrate-induced respiration (MSIR) of the forest floor microbial community) environment. There was notable variation in fine-scale plant community composition; cluster and indicator species analyses of the 24 most commonly occurring understory species distinguished four assemblages, one for which a pioneer forb species had the highest cover levels, and three others that were characterized by different bryophyte species having the highest cover. Constrained ordination (distance-based redundancy analysis) showed that two above-ground (mean tree diameter, litter cover) and eight below-ground (forest floor pH, plant available boron, microbial community composition and function as indicated by MSIR and PLFAs) properties were associated with variation in understory plant community composition. These results provide novel insights into the important ecological associations between understory plant community composition and heterogeneity in ecosystem properties and processes within forests dominated by a single canopy species.     

Inbreeding depression and family variation in a social insect, Bombus terrestris (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Arid and semi-arid ecosystems often exhibit diverse plant growth forms in water-limited environments, but it is unclear whether resource competition (interference) is actually important in structuring communities. We chose a diverse Chihuahuan desert shrubland to examine the response of the plant community to experimental removals of selected perennial plant species or groups of species. Four treatments involved the removal of all individuals of all species of a single functional group (functional group removals: shrub removal, succulent removal, subshrub removal, perennial grass removal). Three other treatments involved removing species within functional groups. These seven treatments plus a control (no plants removed) were replicated six times each in 25×25 m experimental plots, in summer 1995. Permanent belt transects were surveyed for number and sizes of all vascular plants in spring and fall in 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2001. Those plots from which the dominant shrub, Larrea tridentata , was removed had not recovered in total plant cover or volume by 2001, but cover and volume in all other treatments were similar to those in control plots. Relatively few species demonstrated a positive response to the removal of other species or functional groups. The perennial grass group and forbs were the most responsive; perennial grass cover increased in the shrub removal treatment relative to the control but treatment differences diminished after dry growing seasons in 2000 and 2001. Results over the first five years suggest that either environmental conditions or intrinsic biological characteristics limit the ability of most plant species to respond to the removal of substantial fractions of community biomass and composition in the short term. Such slow response by both dominant and less abundant components of the community has implications for the recovery of semi-arid systems after human disturbance or other events leading to the reduction of biological diversity.     

毛乌素沙地景观的植被与土壤特征空间格局及其相关分析

以毛乌素沙地景观不同尺度和生境中的植被盖度、植物物种数、土壤有机碳和全氮含量的空间格局和相互关系进行了研究。结果表明：不同尺度和生境中的植被盖度与植物物种数之间,以及土壤有机碳含量与全氮含量之间都具有显著的相关。在50－5000m的尺度上,植被盖度与植物物种数之间,以及土壤有机碳含量与全氮含量之间具有相似的空间格局,但植被特征（植被盖度与植物物种数）与土壤特征（土壤有机碳含量与全氮含量）具有不同的空间变化格局,两者之间没有显著的相关关系;在小于50m的尺度上,固定沙丘中的植物物种数与土壤有机碳和全氮含量之间具有显著的正相关,半固定水丘中的植物物种数与土壤有机碳含量具有显著的负相关。这说明,在小于50m的尺度上土壤有机碳和全氮含量格局制约了植被格局,但在50－5000m的尺度上却没有。这一研究表明植被与土壤之间的相互关系依赖于不同的空间尺度。     

增加降水对荒漠短命植物当年牧草生长及群落结构的影响

通过模拟降水增加试验研究了古尔班通古特荒漠常见短命植物盖度、密度及产量对水分输入量增加的响应.结果表明:尖喙牻牛儿苗、弯果胡卢巴、角果藜、琉苞菊、条叶庭芥及囊果苔草6种牧草生物量总和占总生物量的60%以上,是荒漠草原的优势牧草植物;供水量增加显著促进了角果藜、尖喙牻牛儿苗、弯果胡卢巴、条叶庭芥和琉苞菊5种牧草植物的个体生长;在自然降水的基础上,增加40mm和80mm供水使这5种植物生物产量比对照增加86%～230%.供水增加后,6种重要牧草对整个群落的生物贡献比例发生很大变化,只有角果藜和尖喙牻牛儿苗的贡献比例规律性增加,分别比对照增加了58%和11%,表明2种植物对供水增加的环境变化适应能力强;供水量增加促进了弯果胡芦巴、尖喙牻牛儿苗和角果藜3种植物N、P和K养分的吸收量;与此同时,供水量增加也显著提高了荒漠短命植物的密度和盖度.在降水增加的背景下,古尔班通古特沙漠南缘荒漠短命植物群落结构发生改变,植被盖度和群落净初级生产力提高,这对于防风固沙、稳定沙面,增加荒漠草原载畜能力有着积极的意义.     

Effects on soil,microclimate and vegetation of the native-invasive <Emphasis Type="Italic">Retama monosperma</Emphasis> (L.) in coastal dunes

The aim of this study was to analyse and quantify the effects of the canopy of the native-invasive N-fixer woody shrub Retama monosperma in the dune ecosystem, affecting the structure and function of the dune environment as well as plant community, in the context of the facilitation mechanism. Air temperature and relative humidity; soil pH, electric conductivity, organic matter (OM) and nutrient content; above and below-ground vegetation biomass, litter mass, species richness and Shannon diversity were determined and compared from sampling plots below the R. monosperma canopy and in canopy gaps within a coastal dune system in SW Spain. The relationships between soil OM and nutrient contents and above and below-ground vegetation biomass, litter mass, species richness and Shannon diversity were also assessed. A predominance of positive interactions was confirmed. The canopy of R. monosperma ameliorated temperature extremes beneath, and soil OM and nutrient concentrations were increased by 188–466%, compared to those found in gaps. Plant biomass increased by 442% beneath the canopy and was composed almost exclusively of herbaceous annuals. Plant diversity was not affected. Plant communities were clearly structured as fertility islands, distributed in an environmentally stressful dune matrix characterized by scarce vegetation cover and low biomass.     

新疆古尔班通古特沙漠南部沙垄不同部位藻类的垂直分布特征

 通过2005和2006年夏季两次对新疆古尔班通古特沙漠南部荒漠土壤中藻类植物进行采样、培养、鉴定和生物量测定,分析了该区沙漠沙垄不同部位藻类物种组成、优势种和生物量的垂直变化。结果表明：1）在不同地貌部位的不同层次中,藻类的种类组成均有所差异。2）藻类优势物种主要集中在0～2 cm层次中,2 cm以下的土层中藻类细胞很少,绝大部分土层以具鞘微鞘藻(Microcoleus vaginatus)为第一优势种,有些部位的土层中第一优势种是伪双点颤藻(Oscillatoria pseudogeminata),如垄间低地和迎风坡的1～2 cm中。此外,大型集胞藻（Synechocystis crassa）、舟形藻 (Navicula sp.)、卵圆双眉藻(Amphora ovalis)数量也较多。3）除垄顶外,藻类生物量在其它3个部位不同层次的差异呈极显著水平（p<0.01）,生物量由表及里锐减;在同一土层,藻类生物量基本表现为垄间低地最高,迎风坡与背风坡居中, 垄顶最低,不同地貌部位对藻类生物量影响呈显著或极显著水平。