秦岭典型林分夏秋两季根际与非根际土壤微生物群落结构

本试验主要以秦岭山脉锐齿栎(Quercus aliena var.acutidentata)、油松(Pinus tabuliformis)、华山松(Pinus armandii)、云杉(Picea asperata)4种典型林分为对象,利用BIOLOG微孔板法研究4种林分夏、秋两季根际与非根际土壤微生物群落代谢多样性。研究表明:(1)夏、秋季土壤根际与非根际的平均颜色变化率(AWCD)值截然不同,除秋季云杉外,其余处理均表现为非根际根际,且AWCD明显受到季节的影响。(2)夏秋两季4种林分根际与非根际土壤微生物功能多样性之间差异显著,其中锐齿栎林夏秋两季均表现为根际小于非根际,而其它3种针叶林则是夏季根际小于非根际,秋季根际大于非根际;锐齿栎林根际与非根际均为秋季低于夏季,其他3种针叶林则是非根际土秋季低于夏季,而根际土秋季高于夏季。(3)主成分分析显示各土壤微生物功能多样性具有显著差异,且4种林分夏秋两季根际与非根际主成分综合得分也有所不同,4种林分非根际土综合得分锐齿栎最高,其次是华山松和云杉,油松最低;根际土夏秋规律不同,夏季华山松和油松较高,云杉最低,秋季油松和云杉较高,锐齿栎最低,且综合得分与多样性指数达到显著或极显著的正相关。(4)冗余分析表明土壤理化性质的综合作用对土壤微生物群落功能多样性有显著影响。     

秦岭典型林分土壤有机碳储量及碳氮垂直分布

以秦岭典型林分锐齿栎(马头滩林区)、油松、华山松、松栎混交林、云杉、锐齿栎(辛家山林区)为对象,研究了不同林分土壤剖面上有机碳、全氮、有机碳储量的分布规律。结果表明:在秦岭地区,随着土壤剖面深度增加,不同林分的土壤有机碳、全氮含量均逐渐降低;不同林分的土壤有机碳、氮素的积累和分解存在一定差异。其中,云杉和松栎混交林的土壤有机碳、全氮含量较高,锐齿栎(辛家山林区)含量较低,不同林分土壤剖面有机碳、全氮含量平均值分别为13.46—26.41 g/kg、4.47—9.51 g/kg,大小顺序均为云杉松栎混交林锐齿栎(马头滩林区)油松华山松锐齿栎(辛家山林区);各个林分的土壤C/N在5.93—15.47之间,C/N平均值大小为松栎混交林﹥华山松﹥油松﹥云杉﹥锐齿栎(辛家山林区)﹥锐齿栎(马头滩林区);各个林分0—60 cm土层的土壤有机碳储量大小为云杉锐齿栎(马头滩林区)松栎混交林华山松锐齿栎(辛家山林区)油松,分别为150.94、135.28、124.93、109.24、102.15、96.62 t/hm2;各个林分土壤有机碳含量与土壤全氮含量存在极显著正相关,土壤有机碳、全氮与C/N则没有明显相关性。     

油松和蒙古栎混交对土壤微生物群落功能多样性的影响

土壤微生物是陆地生态系统中维持土壤生产力的重要组分。因此,深入了解不同环境中土壤微生物群落功能多样性的作用,对于整个生态系统的研究具有重要意义。为了探讨油松(Pinus tabuliformis Carr.)、蒙古栎(Quercus mongolica Fisch.ex Ledeb.)混交林造林模式对土壤微生物群落功能多样性的影响,运用Biolog-Eco技术,对辽宁省建平县油松人工纯林(YC)、无植物种植土壤(NP)以及油松-蒙古栎人工混交林(YM)土壤微生物代谢功能多样性进行研究,探讨不同类型林分对土壤微生物群落的影响。结果显示:不同类型林分的土壤微生物群落代谢活性差异显著,总碳源的利用能力(AWCD)的顺序为:YMYCNP。不同类型林分的土壤微生物对六大碳源的利用率存在差异,YM对L-天门冬酰胺、L-苯基丙氨酸、L-丝氨酸、L-苏氨酸、吐温40、D-半乳糖酸-γ-内脂、苯乙胺、D-葡萄糖胺酸、4-羟基苯甲酸、γ-羟基丁酸的利用能力显著高于YC(P0.05),YC又显著高于NP。主成分分析显示,糖类和氨基酸类碳源是影响微生物活性的重要碳源。3种林分类型土壤微生物Shannon指数无明显差异,物种Mc Intosh指数依次为YMYCNP,Simpson指数YM和YC无明显差异,二者均显著高于NP。结果表明,油松-蒙古栎混交林可以显著提高土壤微生物的活性。     

不同生态条件下松栎混交林3种优势乔木种群的更新规律

为探究秦岭林区松栎混交林群落乔木优势种的更新规律,通过典型样地调查,对油松(Pinus tabulifor-mis)、锐齿槲栎(Quercus aliena var.acuteserrata)和华山松(Pinus armandii)等3种优势乔木种群更新随林分密度、海拔、坡向、坡位等生态因子的变化规律进行了分析。结果表明:(1)林分密度、海拔、坡向、坡位等生态因子对3种乔木的天然更新均具显著影响;3种优势乔木树种幼苗密度均随林分密度增加而显著增加,林分密度从850株.hm-2增加到1 525株.hm-2时,3种幼树密度也逐渐增加,但林分密度为1 900株.hm-2时,3种幼树密度均显著降低;从海拔1 283m增至1 665m,锐齿槲栎和油松幼苗幼树密度均随海拔增加而显著增加,但海拔增至1 835m时,这两种幼苗幼树密度均显著降低。(2)华山松幼苗幼树密度一直随海拔升高而增加;从南偏西20°到75°,锐齿槲栎和华山松幼树密度逐渐降低,至北偏东40°(阴坡)时又显著增加,但3种乔木幼苗及油松幼树密度一直随坡向变化而增加;锐齿槲栎幼苗密度在下坡位显著高于中坡位和上坡位,但油松和华山松幼苗幼树随坡位由下到上逐渐增加。结果提示,处于中海拔、阴坡且密度适中的林分3种优势乔木更新最佳,对这类林分实施封禁将有助于松栎混交林优势乔木的天然更新。     

秦岭锐齿栎群落数量特征的研究

对秦岭锐齿栎群落的研究结果表明,该群落乔木层可划为两个亚层,其生活型以高位芽占优势。地面芽次之,锐齿栎、华山松的胸径结构呈左偏正态分布;油松的胸径主要以小径级居多;漆树的胸径以大径级的个体占有较大的比例,属于衰退种群;板栗主要是以小径级的幼树和小树为主,处于幼龄向中龄过渡阶段;山杨处于由进展向稳定过渡阶段,属于中幼龄林,林分的胸径结构主要受锐齿栎种群的胸径变化的影响,聚类与排序结果一致,得到6个类型：鞘柄菝葜+蔷薇-栓皮栎+灰榆-锐齿栎群丛;美丽胡枝子+鞘柄菝葜-板栗-锐齿栎群丛;榛子-尖叶四照花+山杨-锐齿栎群丛;樱桃+榛子-漆树-锐齿栎群丛;榛子+蔷薇-华山松-锐齿栎群丛;箭竹-华山松+油松-锐齿栎群丛,表明锐齿栎群落在海拔分布上的连续性和群落类型分布的间断性。     

猫儿山常绿阔叶林不同土层土壤微生物群落功能多样性

运用BIOLOG 技术研究了猫儿山亚热带常绿阔叶林不同土层深度的土壤微生物群落功能多样性。结果表明不同土层深度的土壤微生物群落功能多样性差异显著。土壤颜色变化率(AWCD)随培养时间延长而逐渐增加, 但AWCD值随着土层的加深而逐渐降低。不同土层土壤微生物对6 类碳源的利用能力基本一致, 排序为: 氨基酸类＞酯类＞胺类＞酸类＞醇类＞碳水化合物类, 随着土壤深度的加深, 微生物利用各类碳源的能力呈下降趋势, 氨基酸类、酯类和胺类为不同土层土壤微生物的主要碳源。土壤微生物群落Shannon-Weinner 指数、丰富度指数和均匀度指数也随着土壤深度的加深呈下降趋势。主成分分析结果表明, 从31 个因素中提取的与碳源利用相关的主成分1、主成分2 分别能解释总变异的33.32%和23.14%, 在主成分分析中起主要贡献作用的是碳水化合物类、酯类和胺类碳源。土壤理化性质与土壤微生物群落功能多样性的相关性分析结果表明, 总有机碳、速效氮、速效磷和速效钾是造成不同土层土壤微生物群落多样性差异的主要原因。     

辽西北风沙区典型人工防护林土壤微生物群落功能特征

运用Biolog-Eco技术对辽西北风沙区樟子松人工林、油松人工林、杨树人工林的土壤微生物群落功能特征进行研究,同时测定土壤化学特性,探究该地区不同树种人工防护林土壤微生物群落的代谢活性和功能特征及其与土壤化学特性的相关性。结果表明,与樟子松和油松人工林相比,杨树人工林能显著提高土壤pH、土壤可溶性有机碳和速效磷含量,降低土壤C/N。该地区不同人工防护林的土壤微生物群落代谢活性差异显著,对碳源的利用能力(AWCD)依次为杨树人工林樟子松人工林油松人工林,杨树人工林土壤微生物的Shannon指数、Simpson指数和McIntosh指数分别为3.27、0.96和8.13,均显著高于樟子松和油松人工林(P0.05)。不同人工防护林土壤微生物对六大碳源的利用存在差异,其中杨树人工林对六大碳源的利用率均显著高于樟子松和油松人工林(P0.05)。主成分分析和聚类分析表明,针叶树种(油松和樟子松)和阔叶树种(杨树)人工林下的土壤微生物分属两个不同的功能类群,起分异作用的碳源主要包括丙酮酸甲酯、i-赤藓糖醇、2-羟基苯甲酸。土壤pH、可溶性有机碳、C/N、速效磷是影响微生物群落AWCD值、Shannon指数、Simpson指数、McIntosh指数的主要因素。综上所述,该地区杨树人工林土壤微生物群落的代谢活性和功能多样性都优于油松人工林和樟子松人工林,应保持杨树人工林种植。     

望天树人工林根际土壤理化性质及微生物群落特征

以望天树纯林(WC)、望天树×降香黄檀(WJ)和望天树×尾巨桉(WA)混交林为研究对象,对比分析不同林分中望天树根际土壤理化性质,并利用Biolog-Eco微平板法和磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)甲酯法研究根际微生物群落特征,探讨不同混交树种对望天树根际土壤微生态环境的改善作用。结果表明: 3种林分望天树根际土壤含水量、pH值、有机质、全氮、全钾含量及蔗糖酶、脲酶和酸性磷酸酶活性均表现为WA显著高于WC和WJ,而WC和WJ差异不显著;硝态氮、铵态氮、速效钾含量表现为WA和WJ差异不显著,二者均显著高于WC;全磷和速效磷含量表现为WJ>WA>WC,林分间差异显著。3种林分望天树根际土壤微生物平均颜色变化率(AWCD) 、Shannon指数、Simpson指数和McIntosh指数及6类碳源底物利用情况均表现为WA>WJ>WC;主成分分析表明,碳水化合物类、氨基酸类和酚酸类化合物是望天树人工林根际土壤微生物主要利用的碳源。3种林分望天树根际土壤微生物总PLFA及细菌、真菌、放线菌的PLFA含量均表现为WA>WJ>WC。相关性分析表明,土壤理化性质(包括含水量、pH值、有机质、全氮、全钾、硝态氮、铵态氮、速效钾含量及蔗糖酶、脲酶和酸性磷酸酶活性)与微生物特征(即代谢活性、功能多样性指数及PLFA含量)均存在显著正相关关系。从土壤理化性质及微生物群落功能和结构特征分析来看,3种林分中望天树×尾巨桉是最有利于改善望天树幼树期根际土壤微生态环境、提高土壤可利用养分的混交模式。     

马尾松林经不同强度采伐后与肉桂混交对土壤微生物功能多样性的影响

混交林可以形成层次多或冠层厚的林分结构,对提高防护效能和稳定性具有重要作用。本研究先对20年林龄的马尾松(Pinus massoniana)人工林进行5种不同强度的采伐(皆伐、强度、中强度、中弱度和弱度,伐后郁闭度分别为0、0.4、0.5、0.6和0.7),然后在林下等量种植肉桂(Cinnamomum cassia)。7年后,应用BIOLOG-ECO技术探讨不同混交模式、林分类型对土壤微生物功能多样性的影响。结果表明,混交林的土壤理化性质、AWCD(average well color development)值和微生物功能多样性指数均优于马尾松和肉桂纯林,其中肉桂纯林最低、基于中弱度采伐而建的混交林最高(与马尾松纯林差异显著),且土壤微生物功能多样性随土层深度增加而降低。主成分分析结果显示,不同混交模式之间土壤微生物碳源利用特征分异不明显;而不同林分类型之间存在明显分异,主要起分异作用的是微生物对氨基酸类、羧酸类和糖类的利用特征,且不同林分类型对土壤微生物碳源利用的差异显著受土壤含水率与有机质含量影响;含水率、有机质、全氮、全磷、全钾含量和土壤碳氮比对土壤微生物群落功能多样性也有着重要影响。可见,马尾松林种植肉桂能提高微生物活性和功能多样性,本研究结果可为改造马尾松纯林为混交林提供参考。     

假臭草入侵对土壤养分与微生物群落功能多样性的影响

假臭草(Praxelis clematidea)是华南地区的主要外来入侵杂草之一,已对当地的生物多样性、农业生产和生态安全造成严重威胁。采用野外样方法研究了假臭草入侵(入侵年限4~5年)对土壤养分、土壤微生物生物量、土壤酶活性以及土壤微生物群落代谢活性、碳源利用特征与功能多样性的影响。结果表明,与土著灌木丛对照区相比,假臭草入侵使土壤有机质、全氮、碱解氮、速效钾含量显著降低,全磷、速效磷含量的变化不明显,但全钾含量显著上升;土壤微生物生物量碳、氮、磷显著下降;土壤脲酶、蛋白酶、蔗糖酶和过氧化氢酶活性亦显著降低,但土壤纤维素酶活性显著增加;假臭草入侵显著降低土壤微生物群落的功能多样性,平均孔颜色变化率(AWCD)、碳水化合物和羧酸类碳源的利用率以及土壤微生物群落的Mc Intosh指数(U)、丰富度指数(S)显著下降,Pielou均匀度指数(E)则显著上升,但两处理间的Shannon指数(H)、Simpson优势度指数(Ds)的差异不明显。这说明假臭草入侵造成土壤养分的大量损耗,土壤酶活性与土壤微生物群落功能多样性降低,土壤质量下降。     

Soil Microbial Biomass,Basal Respiration and Enzyme Activity of Main Forest Types in the Qinling Mountains

Different forest types exert essential impacts on soil physical-chemical characteristics by dominant tree species producing diverse litters and root exudates, thereby further regulating size and activity of soil microbial communities. However, the study accuracy is usually restricted by differences in climate, soil type and forest age. Our objective is to precisely quantify soil microbial biomass, basal respiration and enzyme activity of five natural secondary forest (NSF) types with the same stand age and soil type in a small climate region and to evaluate relationship between soil microbial and physical-chemical characters. We determined soil physical-chemical indices and used the chloroform fumigation-extraction method, alkali absorption method and titration or colorimetry to obtain the microbial data. Our results showed that soil physical-chemical characters remarkably differed among the NSFs. Microbial biomass carbon (Cmic) was the highest in wilson spruce soils, while microbial biomass nitrogen (Nmic) was the highest in sharptooth oak soils. Moreover, the highest basal respiration was found in the spruce soils, but mixed, Chinese pine and spruce stands exhibited a higher soil qCO₂. The spruce soils had the highest Cmic/Nmic ratio, the greatest Nmic/TN and Cmic/Corg ratios were found in the oak soils. Additionally, the spruce soils had the maximum invertase activity and the minimum urease and catalase activities, but the maximum urease and catalase activities were found in the mixed stand. The Pearson correlation and principle component analyses revealed that the soils of spruce and oak stands obviously discriminated from other NSFs, whereas the others were similar. This suggested that the forest types affected soil microbial properties significantly due to differences in soil physical-chemical features.     

外来物种刺槐对土壤微生物功能多样性的影响

以延河流域不同植被区内人工刺槐(Robinia pseudoacacia)群落和乡土植物群落的土壤微生物为研究对象,利用Biolog微平板技术对土壤微生物功能多样性进行测定,分析人工引种刺槐在不同环境梯度(3个植被区)下对土壤微生物功能多样性的影响。结果表明:刺槐对不同环境梯度下的土壤微生物的影响明显不同。从草原区到森林区,刺槐林之间土壤微生物群落的平均颜色变化率(AWCD)和土壤微生物功能多样性指数均没有显著变化;但与乡土植物群落比较,草原区、森林草原区和森林区土壤AWCD分别表现为刺槐乡土植物、刺槐乡土植物、刺槐乡土植物;在草原区和森林草原区刺槐林土壤微生物群落的群落丰富度指数(S)、Shannon-Wiener指数(H)、Simpson指数(D)、Mc Intosh指数(U)均大于乡土植物,森林区刺槐林群落丰富度指数(S)、Shannon指数(H)、Simpson指数(D)均小于乡土植物;刺槐林和乡土植物群落下土壤微生物碳源利用存在差异,主要体现在对糖类、氨基酸类的利用上。PCA分析显示主成分1贡献较大的碳源有24种,在主成分分离中起主要贡献作用的是糖类、氨基酸类和羧酸类。土壤碳氮含量能影响土壤微生物功能多样性指数,土壤含水量和温湿度能够影响碳源的利用类型。刺槐对土壤微生物功能多样性的影响存在区域差异,在评价刺槐对土壤生态过程与功能的影响时必须要考虑这种空间差异性。     

Microbial Community Structure and Density Under Different Tree Species in an Acid Forest Soil (Morvan, France)

Overexploitation of forests to increase wood production has led to the replacement of native forest by large areas of monospecific tree plantations. In the present study, the effects of different monospecific tree cover plantations on density and composition of the indigenous soil microbial community are described. The experimental site of “Breuil-Chenue” in the Morvan (France) was the site of a comparison of a similar mineral soil under Norway spruce (Picea abies), Douglas fir (Pseudotuga menziesii), oak (Quercus sessiflora), and native forest [mixed stand dominated by oak and beech (Fagus sylvatica)]. Sampling was performed during winter (February) at three depths (0–5, 5–10, and 10–15 cm). Abundance of microorganisms was estimated via microbial biomass measurements, using the fumigation–extraction method. The genetic structure of microbial communities was investigated using the bacterial- and fungal-automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (B-ARISA and F-ARISA, respectively) DNA fingerprint. Only small differences in microbial biomass were observed between tree species, the highest values being recorded under oak forest and the lowest under Douglas fir. B- and F-ARISA community profiles of the different tree covers clustered separately, but noticeable similarities were observed for soils under Douglas fir and oak. A significant stratification was revealed under each tree species by a decrease in microbial biomass with increasing depths and by distinct microbial communities for each soil layer. Differences in density and community composition according to tree species and depth were related to soil physicochemical characteristics and organic matter composition.     

宁夏罗山自然保护区3种典型林分凋落物和土壤层水源涵养能力综合评估

森林凋落物层和土壤层是森林生态水文效应中的主要贡献层，对森林生态系统水土保持功能和水源涵养能力有重要影响。对比宁夏罗山自然保护区3种典型林分类型凋落物和土壤层水文效应的变化规律和水源涵养能力大小，为该地区的森林生态水文、水土保持和森林管理提供科学依据。以该自然保护区青海云杉纯林、油松纯林和青海云杉油松混交林为研究对象，运用称量、室内浸泡、环刀法和回归分析法对凋落物和土壤层的水文效应进行测定和拟合，并使用熵权法对二者的水源涵养能力进行评估。结果表明：（1）青海云杉油松混交林凋落物的总厚度和总储量显著高于青海云杉纯林和油松纯林（P<0.05），3种林分类型的半分解层的厚度和储量高于未分解层。（2）凋落物层最大持水量范围为63.29-95.08t/hm²，最大持水率范围为335.97%-353.85%，有效拦蓄量范围为34.09-63.92t/hm²，三者均为青海云杉油松混交林>云杉纯林>油松纯林。（3）3种林分类型的凋落物持水量（Q）与浸泡时间（t）呈对数函数关系，吸水速率（V）与浸泡时间（t）呈幂函数关系。（4）从3种林分类型的土壤物理性质和持水特性得出，3种林分类型的土壤层水文效应的等级排序为云杉油松混交林>油松纯林>青海云杉纯林。（5）凋落物层和土壤层的水源涵养能力大小为青海云杉油松混交林（0.43）>油松林（0.3）>青海云杉林（0.27）。综合来看，青海云杉油松混交林的凋落物层和土壤层的水源涵养能力最优，其次是纯林，说明混交林在水土保持和水源涵养方面比纯林更具优势。     

东灵山林区不同森林植被水源涵养功能评价

森林植被发挥着涵养水源的作用,主要表现在以下几个方面:对降水的截留与再分配;调节河川径流,调节林内小气候,减小林内地表蒸发,改善土壤结构,减少地表侵蚀等. 通过对几种林分各层拦蓄降水和保土功能指标定性评价的基础上,用综合评定法对不同林分水源涵养和保土功能进行综合评价,选择出综合功能最好的林分,以期为北京山区的生态环境建设、植被恢复与保护提供一定的依据。在测定东灵山4种森林植被林冠层、枯枝落叶层和土壤层蓄水和土壤保持功能指标的基础上,采用综合评定法对4种森林植被水源涵养和土壤保持功能进行了评价。结果表明:各植被类型的林冠层截留各不相同,在雨季(6-9 月份) 辽东栎林的截留率最大,华北落叶松的最小;枯落物最大持水深以辽东栎林的最大,油松的最小;土壤水文特性各异,0-80 cm 土层平均容重以落叶阔叶林的最小,华北落叶松的最大;稳渗速率以落叶阔叶林的最大,油松的最小,初渗速率以辽东栎林的最大,油松的最小。不同林分水源涵养和土壤保持综合能力由大到小顺序为落叶阔叶混交林、辽东栎林、华北落叶松林、油松林。常绿阔叶灌丛水源涵养和土壤保持综合能力评价值(0.1039) 比其它植被类型少3个数量级,说明其水源涵养和土壤保持功能明显优于其它植被类型。由此可见,树种组成丰富、林下灌草盖度高、枯落物储量多的落叶阔叶混交林水源涵养和土壤保持能力最强,优于单一的阔叶林,而油松林最差。     

Changes in soil properties after afforestation of former intensively managed soils with oak and Norway spruce

In many European countries, surplus agricultural production and ecological problems due to intensive soil cultivation have increased the interest in afforestation of arable soils. Many environmental consequences which might rise from this alternative land-use are only known from forest establishment on less intensively managed or marginal soils. The present study deals with changes in soil properties following afforestation of nutrient-rich arable soils. A chronosequence study was carried out comprising seven Norway spruce (Picea abies (Karst.) L.) and seven oak (Quercus robur L.) stands established from 1969 to 1997 on former horticultural and agricultural soils in the vicinity of Copenhagen, Denmark. For comparison, a permanent pasture and a ca. 200-year-old mixed deciduous forest were included. This paper reports on changes in pH values, base saturation (BS_eff), exchangeable calcium, soil N pools (N_min contents), and C/N ratios in the Ap-horizon (0–25 cm) and the accumulated forest floor. The results suggest that afforestation slowly modifies soil properties of former arable soils. Land-use history seems to influence soil properties more than the selected tree species. An effect of tree species was only found in the forest floor parameters. Soil acidification was the most apparent change along the chronosequence in terms of a pH decrease from 6 to 4 in the upper 5 cm soil. Forest floor pH varied only slightly around 5. Nitrogen storage in the Ap-horizon remained almost constant at 5.5 Mg N ha^–1. This was less than in the mineral soil of the ca. 200-year-old forest. In the permanent pasture, N storage was somewhat higher in 0–15 cm depth than in afforested stands of comparable age. Nitrogen storage in the forest floor of the 0–30-year-old stands increased in connection with the build-up of forest floor mass. The increase was approximately five times greater under spruce than oak. Mineral soil C/N ratios ranged from 10 to 15 in all stands and tended to increase in older stands only in 0–5 cm depth. Forest floor C/N ratios were higher in spruce stands (26.4) as compared to oak stands (22.7). All stands except the youngest within a single tree species had comparable C/N ratios.     

Assessment of microbial diversity bias associated with soil heterogeneity and sequencing resolution in pyrosequencing analyses

It is important to estimate the true microbial diversities accurately for a comparative microbial diversity analysis among various ecological settings in ecological models. Despite drastically increasing amounts of 16S rRNA gene targeting pyrosequencing data, sampling and data interpretation for comparative analysis have not yet been standardized. For more accurate bacterial diversity analyses, the influences of soil heterogeneity and sequence resolution on bacterial diversity estimates were investigated using pyrosequencing data of oak and pine forest soils with focus on the bacterial 16SrRNA gene. Soil bacterial community sets were phylogenetically clustered into two separate groups by forest type. Rarefaction curves showed that bacterial communities sequenced from the DNA mixtures and the DNAs of the soil mixtures hadmidsize richness compared with other samples. Richness and diversity estimates were highly variable depending on the sequence read numbers. Bacterial richness estimates (ACE, Chao 1 and Jack) of the forest soils had positive linear relationships with the sequence read number. Bacterial diversity estimates (NPShannon, Shannon and the inverse Simpson) of the forest soils were also positively correlated with the sequence read number. One-way ANOVA shows that sequence resolution significantly affected the a-diversity indices (P<0.05), but the soil heterogeneity did not (P>0.05). For an unbiased evaluation, richness and diversity estimates should be calculated and compared from subsets of the same size.     

Soil nutrients and microbial biomass in three contrasting Mediterranean forests

Aims

The extent to which the spatial and temporal patterns of soil microbial and available nutrient pools hold across different Mediterranean forest types is unclear impeding the generalization needed to consolidate our understanding on Mediterranean ecosystems functioning.

Methods

We explored the response of soil microbial, total, organic and inorganic extractable nutrient pools (C, N and P) to common sources of variability, namely habitat (tree cover), soil depth and season (summer drought), in three contrasting Mediterranean forest types: a Quercus ilex open woodland, a mixed Q. suber and Q. canariensis woodland and a Pinus sylvestris forest.

Results

Soil microbial and available nutrient pools were larger beneath tree cover than in open areas in both oak woodlands whereas the opposite trend was found in the pine forest. The greatest differences in soil properties between habitat types were found in the open woodland. Season (drought effect) was the main driver of variability in the pine forest and was related to a loss of microbial nutrients (up to 75 % loss of N_mic and P_mic) and an increase in microbial ratios (C_mic/N_mic, C_mic/P_mic) from Spring to Summer in all sites. Nutrient pools consistently decreased with soil depth, with microbial C, N and P in the top soil being up to 208 %, 215 % and 274 % larger than in the deeper soil respectively.

Conclusions

Similar patterns of variation emerged in relation to season and soil depth across the three forest types whereas the direction and magnitude of the habitat (tree cover) effect was site-dependent, possibly related to the differences in tree species composition and forest structure, and thus in the quality and distribution of the litter input.     

Understorey plant community structure in lower montane and subalpine forests, Grand Canyon National Park, USA

Aim Our objectives were to compare understorey plant community structure among forest types, and to test hypotheses relating understorey community structure within lower montane and subalpine forests to fire history, forest structure, fuel loads and topography. Location Forests on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA. Methods We measured understorey (< 1.4 m) plant community structure in 0.1‐ha plots. We examined differences in univariate response variables among forest types, used permutational manova to assess compositional differences between forest types, and used indicator species analysis to identify species driving the differences between forest types. We then compiled sets of proposed models for predicting plant community structure, and used Akaike's information criterion (AIC_C) to determine the support for each model. Model averaging was used to make multi‐model inferences if no single model was supported. Results Within the lower montane zone, pine–oak forests had greater understorey plant cover, richness and diversity than pure stands of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa P. & C. Lawson var. scopulorum Engelm.). Plant cover was negatively related to time since fire and to ponderosa pine basal area, and was highest on northern slopes and where Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii Nutt.) was present. Species richness was negatively related to time since fire and to ponderosa pine basal area, and was highest on southern slopes and where Gambel oak was present. Annual forb species richness was negatively related to time since fire. Community composition was related to time since fire, pine and oak basal area, and topography. Within subalpine forests, plant cover was negatively related to subalpine fir basal area and amounts of coarse woody debris (CWD), and positively related to Engelmann spruce basal area. Species richness was negatively related to subalpine fir basal area and amounts of CWD, was positively related to Engelmann spruce basal area, and was highest on southern slopes. Community composition was related to spruce, fir and aspen basal areas, amounts of CWD, and topography. Main conclusions In montane forests, low‐intensity surface fire is an important ecological process that maintains understorey communities within the range of natural variability and appears to promote landscape heterogeneity. The presence of Gambel oak was positively associated with high floristic diversity. Therefore management that encourages lightning‐initiated wildfires and Gambel oak production may promote floristic diversity. In subalpine forests, warm southern slopes and areas with low amounts of subalpine fir and CWD were positively associated with high floristic diversity. Therefore the reduction of CWD and forest densities through managed wildfire may promote floristic diversity, although fire use in subalpine forests is inherently more difficult due to intense fire behaviour in dense spruce–fir forests.