伊犁河谷苦豆子植冠种子库特征

植物果实成熟后在植冠宿存延迟释放种子,是沙生生境植物的一种适应性性状。以分布于新疆霍城县荒漠草原内的野生苦豆子(Sophora alopecuroides L.)为研究对象,采用野外调查的方法,调查了野生苦豆子的植冠种子库的大小、种子活力、对土壤种子库的补充及其脱落动态。结果表明:在3月上旬,苦豆子植冠宿存种子的规模为271±124粒·m~(-2);其中,完整种子达144±138粒·m~(-2),构成了苦豆子的植冠种子库;对种皮进行机械破损后,植冠种子库的种子发芽率达76.98%±11.89%,种子活力指数保持在72.44±39.01;苦豆子生殖株植冠种子库种子宿存的时间长达9个月,可以在较长时间范围内有效补充土壤种子库,并与土壤种子库共同执行种群更新和群落演替的繁殖体供应库的功能。研究结果有助于了解苦豆子的繁殖生态学特性,解析其在伊犁河谷恶性蔓延的生物生态学机理,为伊犁河谷草原生态系统的科学管理提供理论支持。     

黄土丘陵沟壑区主要物种植冠种子库动态及其生态策略

植冠种子库是植物适应环境并应对外界干扰的种子生态策略之一,研究了黄土丘陵沟壑区12种主要植物植冠种子库动态,结果表明:杠柳不具有植冠种子库,其他11种植物均具有植冠种子库;除了黄刺玫种子在翌年5月达到脱落高峰,其他植物大部分种子在冬季脱落,其中杠柳、达乌里胡枝子、茭蒿、黄柏刺和水栒子的大部分种子脱落集中偏早,铁杆蒿和土庄绣线菊的大部分种子脱落集中偏晚;植冠宿存对大部分植物种子的萌发特性表现为促进作用;但不同植物种子的萌发时滞对植冠宿存响应差异较大;9种植物种子在植冠上宿存至翌年2月底,其种子活力仍能维持达60%以上;该区植物表现出不同的植冠种子库策略,通过不同的方式来减少干扰的威胁,提高成功萌发与更新的几率,它们或具有较大规模的宿存量、或调控种子萌发特性、或提高种子维持活力的百分比。此外,全面了解该区植物形成植冠种子库的机理及对应的生态策略还有待于全面、深入的研究。     

植冠与土壤种子库储存种子的萌发特性及策略

为明确黄土丘陵沟壑区植物种子库如何调控种子萌发来提高个体适合度,选择研究区7种具有种子库的主要物种为研究对象,以刚成熟和室内储存种子为对照,比较植冠宿存(5个宿存期)和土壤埋藏(5a埋藏期)对植物种子萌发特性的影响,探讨植冠种子库与土壤种子库储存下的种子萌发策略。结果表明:7种植物种子经过不同种子库储存后萌发特性表现出明显的种间差异,黄刺玫(Rosa xanthina)和水栒子(Cotoneaster multiflorus)种子萌发力表现为植冠宿存不变型、土壤储存增强型,土壤储存明显提高水栒子种子萌发速率;达乌里胡枝子(Lespedeza davurica)和狼牙刺(Sophora davidii)种子萌发力表现为植冠宿存增强型、土壤储存减弱型,种子萌发历时表现为植冠宿存延长型,土壤种子库储存还可加快达乌里胡枝子萌发速率、缩短萌发历时;茭蒿(Artemisia giralaii)和铁杆蒿(Artemisia gmelinii),种子萌发率随植冠宿存时间先升高后降低,随土壤储存时间先降低后升高,土壤储存可推迟其萌发,铁杆蒿种子萌发速率在植冠与土壤储存后均加快;紫丁香(Syringa oblata)种子萌发率随植冠宿存先升高后降低,土壤储存明显加快其种子启动萌发与速率。在黄土丘陵沟壑区,植物种子经过植冠或土壤种子库储存,或增加、加快、提早萌发充分利用有利条件提高占据性,或减少、减缓、推迟萌发分摊不利条件的风险;而且该区植物植冠与土壤储存后种子萌发特性间的关系,体现各自适应环境与应对干扰的分工与协作策略,主要表现为:单一主导型和相辅相成型。     

粘液繁殖体及其生态功能

对粘液繁殖体的概念、粘液性质、粘液繁殖体的研究现状及粘液繁殖体研究中存在的问题进行了论述。分布在干旱区的十字花科、爵床科、菊科等植物具有粘液繁殖体。有关粘液繁殖体的研究集中在具有粘液繁殖体植物的识别、粘液形态结构及成分、粘液溶出机制及过程、粘液繁殖体的生态功能等几个方面。尽管已有研究表明,粘液繁殖体具有促进种子远距离传播、促进繁殖体的萌发及苗的发育、使种子免受摩擦损害和动物捕食等生态功能,但目前人们对粘液繁殖体的生态意义尚不十分清楚,从多物种比较研究中阐明粘液繁殖体生态意义的研究尚很少见。继续识别具有粘液繁殖体的植物,改善现有的研究手段,加强粘液繁殖体对植被恢复价值的研究是目前粘液繁殖体研究面临的挑战。     

沙丘区植物植冠储藏种子的活力和萌发特征

研究了科尔沁沙地10种植物的植冠储藏(成熟后在植冠中保留至翌年5月)种子的活力及萌发特性.结果表明：典型沙生植物(流动沙丘及半固定沙丘植物)沙蓬、乌丹蒿和差巴嘎蒿的植冠储藏种子80%以上具有活力,而非典型沙生植物的植冠储藏种子有活力的不足80%,甚至在30%以下;典型沙生植物的植冠储藏种子表现出“速萌型”的萌发特征.植冠种子库使典型沙生植物种子的脱落延迟到风季结束、雨季来临的时候,而且此时的种子活力较高、萌发迅速.植冠种子库是典型沙生植物适应流沙和季节性干旱的主要方式之一.     

塔里木河下游21种荒漠植物繁殖体形态特征及对环境的适应

以塔里木河下游分属于9科16属的21种荒漠植物为对象,调查了它们的植冠种子库情况以及繁殖体的附属物、形状(三维方差)、大小(三维之和)及质量(百粒重)等形态特征,并探讨了各种繁殖体的生态适应对策.结果表明:(1)13种荒漠植物可利用植冠种子库来躲避环境干扰:7种繁殖体具绢毛,2种繁殖体具翅,1种繁殖体具芒,3种繁殖体具冠毛,可利用风力实现传播与定居,而且它们可利用有水时期的速萌特性来适应当地生态输水这一辅助措施;5种繁殖体形状远离球形(三维方差≥0.126),6种繁殖体形状接近圆球形(三维方差＜0.06).(2)5种具速萌特性的繁殖体(形状圆筒形、圆锥形和蝌蚪形)与8种具有持久土壤种子库的繁殖体(三维方差较小≤0.1且三维之和≤2.75 mm)利用它们互补的生态适应对策使其在研究区成功定居与繁衍; 13种以r-型生活史对策为主且粒小质轻的繁殖体(三维之和≤2.75 mm,单粒重<1 mg)与4种粒大质重的繁殖体(三维之和≥4.8 mm,单粒重＞3.3 mg)利用其互补式繁殖对策将研究区生物多样性维持于一定水平.(3)7～9月份为一年生草本、多年生草本、(半)灌木植物及乔木同时落种的时期,可将人工输水集中于这一时期以实现研究区种子最大数量地萌发.     

金沙江干热河谷滇榄仁种子扩散与种子库特征研究

采用随机取样和跟踪调查的方法对滇榄仁(Terminalia franchetii)种子扩散规律、空间分布特征以及种子库动态进行了系统研究。结果表明,滇榄仁种子扩散受到较强的风力作用影响,具有明显的方向性,扩散距离是其树高的1.6倍以上。不同群落类型中,滇榄仁的土壤种子库存在较大差异,但不同时间段的变化趋势基本一致,即在雨季(6月、8月和10月)数量相对较少,12月到翌年4月,数量逐渐增加。滇榄仁植冠种子库从当年10月开始缓慢脱落,到翌年3月达到脱落高峰(15%以上种子此时脱落),然后再次进入缓慢脱落期,翌年6、7月的种子脱落速率最低,但直到翌年10月仍有部分种子(约15%左右)存在于植株冠层。总体来说,不同类型群落中,滇榄仁幼苗更新不良的原因不应是缺乏种源,可能与种子质量以及群落环境等影响群落天然更新的其它因子存在较大关联。同时,滇榄仁土壤种子库数量与植冠种子库的脱落过程存在紧密联系,而植冠种子脱落可能与该区域气候因子存在着较大依存关系,其中,与风力可能存在着正相关,与降雨量和空气相对湿度存在着负相关,这可能是滇榄仁长期以来对干热河谷环境的一种适应特征。     

植物生活史繁殖对策与干扰关系的研究

植物生活史繁殖对策研究是涉及植物的适应或进化、生态系统退化与恢复过程、生物多样性保护等多方面理论生态学和应用生态学研究内容的生态学研究领域。按Grime的植物生活史繁殖对策分类、植物营养繁殖与干扰适应、种子形态学与干扰适应、土壤种子库与干扰适应、植物繁殖体传播和萌发与干扰适应论述了当今极受关注的植物生活史繁殖对策与干扰关系,简述了我国干旱区干扰与植物生活史繁殖对策关系研究。     

土壤种子库的研究进展及若干研究热点

 土壤种子库是指存在于表层土壤（包括凋落物）中的有生命的种子。土壤种子库的研究已是植物生态学研究不可缺少的一部分,现已成为植物种群生态学中比较活跃的领域。土壤种子库时期是植物种群生活史的一个重要阶段,有人称之为潜种群阶段。土壤种子库对一年生植物来说尤其重要。土壤种子库简单地可分为瞬时土壤种子库和长久土壤种子库,即使给予理想的萌发条件如季节、温度、湿度等,土壤种子库中也仍有部分种子保持休眠状态,休眠的种子组成了土壤长久种子库的成分。时空异质性是土壤种子库的基本特性之一,不仅不同植被类型的土壤种子库具有不同的组成、大小和多样性,而且微环境也影响土壤种子库的分布格局。由于萌发、捕食和衰老等原因,土壤种子库具有季节动态,一般在旧种子萌发之后,新种子散布之前达到最低点。在高等植物占据的大多数生境中,以休眠繁殖体形式存在的个体远远超过地上植株的数量;土壤种子库、幼苗库和成年植被相互联系相互影响。由于各种原因如群落类型的差异、群落的演替阶段、取样的时间等,地上植被和土壤种子库之间关系大体上可分为两种情况,即相似性和差异性;研究土壤种子库的方法通常有萌发法和物理分离法。土壤种子库能部分反应群落的历史,对退化生态系统的恢复起着重要的作用。目前土壤种子库的主要研究热点问题可分为以下几个方面：1）土壤种子库的研究方法,2）土壤种子库的分类问题,3）土壤种子库分布的时空格局,4）地上植被和土壤种子库的关系,5）土壤种子库的动态等。     

持久土壤种子库研究综述

土壤种子库是指存在于土壤上层凋落物和土壤中全部存活种子,简单地可分为短暂土壤种子库和持久土壤种子库。即使给予理想的萌发条件如季节、温度、湿度等,土壤种子库中也仍有部分种子保持休眠状态,休眠的种子组成了持久土壤种子库。持久土壤种子库具有在承受了空间或时间上不可预测的干扰的植被中发挥繁殖能力的潜势,因此,其在植被承受干扰后的恢复、管理和重建中常常起关键作用。研究持久土壤种子库能丰富生物多样性的内容,同时,可以为深入了解植被更新提供更多的信息。本文从持久土壤种子库的研究方法、分类方法、指示因子、生态意义,以及持久土壤种子库研究中存在的问题和今后的工作进行综述,试图为将来的工作奠定基础。     

Soil seed bank characteristics in Cameroonian rainforests and implications for post-logging forest recovery

The soil seed bank is considered as an important component for resilience of climacic vegetation. Whereas several related studies have been conducted in Asian, American and some African tropical forests, no investigation has ever been conducted in Central African rainforests, especially in logged forests where the soil seed bank could contribute to regeneration of timber of trees species. We studied the soil seed bank characteristics in relation to the standing vegetation in three Cameroonian forest zones with different disturbance regimes. There was no significant difference between sites in terms of density of the seed bank; the average mean density was 87.6 seeds m⁻². But dissimilarities of the floristic compositions between sites were quite high. Overall, seeds came from 43 species including three commercial tree species. Whereas the seedlings emerging from soil samples mostly came from weedy and short-lived pioneer species, climax species predominated in the extant vegetation, leading to a very weak similarity between soil seed flora and the surrounding vegetation: Sorensen's index ranged from 3.5 to 7.6%. Canopy openness could significantly affect the species richness of soil seed stocks but not the seed density. These results show that the soil seed bank contribution to the resilience of mature tropical forests is low. In particular, very few timber tree species could benefit from soil seed stocks for their regeneration. Therefore, the development of enrichment techniques including use of the soil seed bank as a source of tree regeneration in such a context would be irrelevant.     

Role of heat tolerance and cone protection of seeds in the response of three pine species to wildfires

The post-fire regenerative ability of Pinus halepensis, Pinus nigra and Pinus sylvestris, three of the most important pine species present in the West Mediterranean basin, has been analyzed in the light of seed tolerance to different temperatures and times of exposure, and of seed position during the fire event (seeds inside cones versus free seeds). The combination of different fire intensities and degrees of seed protection allows us to draw different scenarios during the fire event: canopy scenarios (seeds inside cones), surface scenarios (seeds on the ground surface), and soil scenarios (seeds in the top soil layers). There were interspecific differences in the pattern of cone opening under the different heat treatments: cones of P. nigra and P. sylvestris showed similar percentages of opening, but considerably higher than those of P. halepensis. In the three species, seeds inside cones showed higher percentages of germination than those that were free, emphasizing the important role of cones in the protection of pine seeds from high temperatures. The percentage of germination decreased when both the temperature and the time of exposure increased, and there was also a significant species effect: P. halepensis showed higher germination rates than P. nigra, and both were higher than P. sylvestris. The overall scores of seed germination of these three pine species under the conditions tested suggests that their regeneration after fire should come either from the soil bank, or from the canopy bank, but rarely from the ground surface. As the existence of a permanent seed bank in Mediterranean pines is probably limited or nil, pine recruitment after fire appears to be mainly controlled by the existence of a canopy seed bank. The contribution of this canopy bank to the differences in postfire regeneration success of the three pine species is discussed in the light of their seeding phenology and the effects of fire severity on cone opening. The results obtained in this study contribute to explain the successful regeneration of P. halepensis, and the failure of P. nigra and P. sylvestris after fire.     

Canopy seed storage in woody plants

The retention of seeds in the plant canopy for one to 30 years or more is termed serotiny. It is well represented floristically and physiognomically in fire-prone, nutrient-poor and seasonally-dry sclerophyll vegetation in Australia, and to a lesser extent, South Africa followed by North America. While the seed-storing structures vary greatly, all will release their propagules following exposure to the heat of a fire (pyriscence). This phenomenon can be contrasted with seed release at maturity (non-storage) and soil storage of seeds. Although the evolutionary requirements for serotiny are clear, its adaptive advantages over other seed storage syndromes are largely the subject of conjecture in the absence of comparative experiments. Nine hypotheses were assessed here. Canopy storage maximises the quantity of seeds available for the next post-fire generation (unlike non-storage). Synchronized post-fire release satiates post-dispersal granivores (unlike non-storage and soil storage) and ensures arrival on a seed bed conducive to seedling recruitment (unlike non-storage). Canopy stored seeds are better insulated from the heat of a fire than non-stored, and probably soil-stored, seeds. Fluctuating annual seed crops, the opportunity for post-fire wind-dispersal, the possible advantages of dense stands of adults, short lifespan of the dispersed seeds and their optimal location in the soil for germination have only a limited role in explaining the advantages of serotiny. It is concluded that canopy seed storage is favoured in regions where seed production is restricted and inter-fire establishment and maturation are unlikely. In addition, these regions have a reliable seasonal rainfall and are subjected to intense fires at intervals occurring within the reproductive lifespan of the species.     

The coupling of recruitment and disturbance by fire in two resprouting Proteaceae species

Recruitment in plant populations is often tightly coupled to major disturbances such as fires. For species with persistent seed banks, fire-related cues may allow or enhance germination. The litter layer influences germination and may modify the impact of seed predators on seeds and seedlings. The litter layer is obviously affected by fire, providing one mechanism by which disturbance can determine recruitment. We tested the role of litter in the disturbance–recruitment coupling of two species with contrasting seed release timing after fire—Banksia serrata (canopy seed bank) and Telopea speciosissima (transient seed bank) by planting their seeds both early and late in the post-fire recruitment period (PRP) and manipulating litter density in orthogonal treatments. Vertebrate seed predators were excluded. Both species established more seedlings late in the PRP, although results were strongly influenced by very poor establishment at one site. Invertebrate seed predators consumed more T. speciosissima seeds in sites early (69.5%) than late in the PRP (51.2%), while consumption of B. serrata seeds was lower overall and comparable across sites (average 47.3%). Surprisingly, litter had very little effect on establishment and none on invertebrate seed predation, suggesting that other factors are more important. Recruitment was only loosely coupled to disturbance for the canopy seed bank species; for the transient seed bank species, the coupling was tighter but separated in time from the disturbance. Understanding both the strength and temporal aspects of the disturbance–recruitment coupling is necessary for appropriate management of plant functional diversity in fire-prone habitats.     

西双版纳热带森林土壤种子库与地上植被的关系

通过实验研究探讨了西双版纳几类热带森林的土壤种子库与地上植被的关系．结果表明,在森林演替的初期,土壤种子库与地上植被共有的种类和种子储量较多,随着林龄的增大,外来种子的比例逐渐增加,到季节雨林阶段,土壤种子库中的种子大部分为来自群落外的先锋种类．这些种子在郁闭的林冠下很难萌发,一旦森林受到干扰出现林窗或空旷地,这些潜在的种源将迅速萌发,参与植被的恢复或演替     

Seed Removal and Predation as Factors Affecting Seed Availability of Tree Species in Degraded Habitats and Restoration Plantings in Rainforest Areas of Queensland,Australia

The post‐dispersal removal or predation of seeds of native tree species was investigated in Queensland, Australia, at degraded habitats and rainforest restoration sites where direct seeding might be used to facilitate tree regeneration (old fields or open habitats, lantana thicket, rainforest edge, and 5‐ and 10‐year‐old restoration plantings). Seed removal/predation was assessed in relation to tree seed weight and canopy density of the habitats during the wet season period. Results indicated that seed removal/predation imposes limitations on seed availability, particularly for small seeded species. In most situations, larger seeds were less removed/predated, most likely due to the more limited range of large seed consumers. The use of large, hard‐coated seeds may potentially reduce seed loss in open situations (from both seed removal and desiccation), unless large seed consumers frequent the site. Canopy cover exerted an influence on seed removal/predation, though trends varied in relation to site and the time of season. Broadcast sowing of seed under planted tree canopies at the more advanced stages of closure may in some areas result in higher seed removal/predation. Likewise, seeding in areas dominated by woody weeds may result in high seed losses to consumers such as rodents. Results suggested that undertaking direct seeding to coincide with the maximal period of fruit production may in some situations be beneficial to minimize seed loss. Overall, site context, canopy cover, and species selection appear to be important considerations when aiming to reduce loss of seeds to animal seed consumers in restoration work.