不同生境条件下紫茎泽兰实生幼苗的生存特性比较

外来植物紫茎泽兰(Eupatorium adenophorum)入侵我国西南地区并造成了严重的生态灾难, 了解其幼苗的生存特性, 有助于预防和治理其危害。本研究于2005年8月到2006年8月通过盆栽实验和样方调查, 研究了不同光照和水分条件下紫茎泽兰幼苗的生长、生存状况和开花比例。结果表明: (1) 紫茎泽兰从种子萌发到1年后形成幼苗并开花结果的概率为1.16×10^–13–2.43×10^–11; (2) 湿润偏阴生境利于紫茎泽兰的种子萌发和幼苗存活, 其萌发出现率和存活率都达到最高, 分别为13.93%和79.50%; (3) 在水分充足的情况下, 增加光照有利于紫茎泽兰生长; (4) 出土1年后的紫茎泽兰有3.92–5.05%的植株开花结果, 产生的种子密度为23,000–52,000 inds./m²。虽然紫茎泽兰种子个体成功生存的概率很小, 但种子产量大增加了该物种成功定居的机会, 特别是湿润偏阴环境能够促进幼苗的定居。     

光质、光强对入侵植物紫茎泽兰种子萌发及幼苗状态的影响

为了探讨紫茎泽兰种子需光萌发特性,对光质（不同颜色、红光/远红光）和光强对种子萌发率及幼苗状态进行了研究。研究发现：不同颜色光对发芽率影响显著,其中黄光、橙光和红光等波长在（591~750 nm）之间的光更有利于提高种子的萌发率（74.3%~83.3%）,而较短波长的光（<570 nm,紫光、蓝光和绿光）促进效果显著降低（62.3%~66.7%）（p<0.05）。光强对紫茎泽兰种子发芽和幼苗影响较光的颜色更具有规律性。黑暗条件下发芽率22%,随着光照提高,发芽率指数增加(r²=0.96),芽长指数下降(r²=0.99)、根长指数增加(r²=0.98),而鲜重呈现线性增加(r²=0.70)。适量红光（630 nm）和远红光（730 nm）照射能够打破和引起休眠,红光照射量与发芽率提高量成线性正相关（r²=0.98）,而远红光照射率与发芽率降低量呈线性正相关（r²=0.92）,说明紫茎泽兰需光萌发是一个光敏色素引起的过程。紫茎泽兰通常在裸地和人为干扰土壤上泛滥,这可能与其种子需光萌发有关。而对其生态学控制可以考虑从光强、特别是光质角度（如人工造林）控制种子萌发来实现。     

光和不同打破种子休眠方法对紫茎泽兰种子萌发及幼苗状态的影响

紫茎泽兰是著名的外来入侵植物,作为入侵的第一步,发芽及其幼苗生长应该与其强入侵能力有关.基于此,通过不同光照强度处理和不同打破休眠方法的双因素实验,旨在探讨紫茎泽兰种子是否具有需光萌发特性以及低温、水杨酸、聚乙二醇,硝酸钾等常规打破休眠方法和光照如何共同影响其萌发、幼苗生长等问题.结果表明:在全光照条件下,不同处理的紫茎泽兰种子的萌发率均大于63％,铝箔纸覆盖的遮光条件(0.23％光照)萌发率均大于60％,而在完全黑暗条件下,其萌发率较低(均小于30％),这表明紫茎泽兰种子具有需光萌发的特性.有别于以往对其它植物种子的报道,低温处理、水杨酸处理、聚乙二醇处理和硝酸钾处理不能代替光照打破种子休眠,显示紫茎泽兰种子可能处于一种强迫休眠状态(种子静态).全光照与水杨酸处理、PEG处理对幼苗生长具有交互影响:黑暗下水杨酸处理浓度与幼苗生物量成正相关(P＜0.05),但全光照和加铝箔下不相关(P＞0.05);全光照下PEG处理浓度与根长显著正相关(P＜0.05),而加铝箔和黑暗下不相关(P＞0.05).紫茎泽兰种子需光萌发特征及其幼苗生长特点是人为破坏表土壤、深层土壤种子库地表化导致快速入侵的基础.结果也为通过引入适宜树种造林来控制光照因子对紫茎泽兰进行生态控制提供了理论依据.     

紫茎泽兰土壤种子库特征及其对幼苗的影响

 研究紫茎泽兰(Eupatorium adenophorum)土壤种子库特征及其对紫茎泽兰种子的萌发、幼苗命运的影响, 在综合治理紫茎泽兰入侵危害及防止紫茎泽兰的继续扩散等方面有着重要的意义。该文在攀枝花紫茎泽兰入侵严重的地区, 通过采集果园、放牧灌丛以及禁牧灌丛3种不同生境紫茎泽兰土壤种子库的样本, 以说明不同干扰程度下紫茎泽兰种子在土壤中的分布状况。通过野外调查并结合盆栽实验, 初步研究了紫茎泽兰土壤种子库基本特征以及光照和种子在土壤中的埋藏深度等对紫茎泽兰幼苗的影响。结果表明: 1)果园、放牧灌丛和禁牧灌丛等3种干扰程度不同生境的深层种子量占总种子量的比例分别为56.44%、46.96%和24.86% (p=0.006), 这说明土壤深层种子量大小与干扰成正比, 干扰越大, 深层次紫茎泽兰种子量占总种子量的比重越大。2)播种在0、1和5 cm深度的种子萌发率分别为64.67%、22.67%和13.33%, 即种子埋藏越深, 萌发率越低, 不同层次种子萌发率差异极显著(p=0.00); 幼苗死亡率分别为27.95%、0和0, 表层种子萌发的幼苗有较高的死亡率, 而由埋藏在深层的种子萌发的幼苗没有死亡, 土壤表层发芽的幼苗与不同埋藏深度种子萌发的幼苗之间死亡率差异极显著(p=0.00)。3)在无遮蔽、半遮蔽和全遮蔽3种不同情况下, 紫茎泽兰幼苗的死亡率分别为72.15%、30.38%和4.87%, 定居率分别为6.66%、33.99%和46.67%, 即遮蔽程度越高, 死亡率越低, 定居率越高, 不同处理之间死亡率和定居率差异均极显著(p=0.00)。研究结果暗示, 强光可能是导致紫茎泽兰幼苗死亡的重要原因, 人类活动的干扰可能导致更多的紫茎泽兰种子进入土壤深层, 从而改变了紫茎泽兰土壤种子库的结构。由于土壤深层种子比表层种子具有更强的抵抗强光照射等不良环境因子影响的能力, 所萌发的幼苗成活率高, 表明其具有更高的繁殖效率, 因此人类活动干扰是紫茎泽兰入侵后难以根除的原因之一。     

长久性紫茎泽兰土壤种子库

 具有长久性土壤种子库的植物在适应多变的生境和不良的生长条件方面具有优越性。于紫茎泽兰（Eupatorium adenophorum）的主要萌发时段后（7月到次年的4月间）在云南的5个地点采集了共１９个不同植被覆盖下的土壤种子库样本,萌发实验结果表明,紫茎泽兰具有长久性的土壤种子库,其在云南的不同生境的土壤中广泛分布,所有19个样地中都有长久性的紫茎泽兰种子。 0～10 cm土层的种子密度变动于47～13 806 ind.·m-2,平均为2 202 ind.·m-2。种子密度与样地内地表的紫茎泽兰间没有直接的联系,但与植被的覆盖状况有关,种子库密度由滑坡堆积物（47 ind.·m-2）到草地（801 ind.·m-2）到灌丛（2 349 ind.·m-2）到森林（3 255 ind.·m-2）间逐渐增加。种子在各种类型土壤的采样点间出现的频度为60%～100%。在土壤的垂直方向上,0～2 cm土层分布有较多的种子,2～5 cm土层次之,5～10 cm土层最少,其各层占总数的比例的平均值分别为56.1%、25.2%和18.6%。但值得注意的是,虽然紫茎泽兰的种子在5～10 cm 深的土层内的存在量占总量的比例相对较少,但如果折合成密度值,其量仍高达270 ind.·m-2,仍有形成危害的潜在可能。广泛分布且数量巨大的具有长久性特性的紫茎泽兰土壤种子库对各种防治措施的制订意义重大,它要求我们长远地、大尺度地考虑防治措施。     

紫茎泽兰种子形态特征和萌发特性与其入侵性的关系

利用纸皿法在不同条件下比较研究了紫茎泽兰(Ageratina adenophora)和3种同亚族本地植物种子萌发特性,同时比较了种子大小等形态特性,探讨了种子形态特征和萌发特性与紫茎泽兰成功入侵的关系。紫茎泽兰种子重量、长度、宽度以及冠毛长度均小于3种本地植物;在不同的释放高度下,紫茎泽兰种子的沉降速度低于本地植物。紫茎泽兰种子萌发温度范围广,在亚适宜的低温下,萌发率和萌发指数均高于本地植物白头婆和水泽兰。紫茎泽兰种子萌发对水和盐胁迫响应更强烈,但在适宜条件下,紫茎泽兰种子的萌发率和萌发速度均显著高于3种本地植物。这些特性可能与紫茎泽兰的入侵性有关。     

不同生境条件下紫茎泽兰幼苗生长动态

紫茎泽兰(Eupatorium adenophorum)种子属投机式萌发,一年内只要有适合的温湿条件都可以萌发。种子萌发的高峰期主要集中在雨季,而干旱的冬、春季节萌发率很低。未开花结实的紫茎泽兰个体可终年持续生长,生长速率受光照、湿度和温度影响显著。秋季萌发的紫茎泽兰幼苗在冬季及干旱季节中,各项生长指标(包括主茎长度、总叶面积、基径等)增长缓慢。在不同生境中,紫茎泽兰平均月增长量由高到低依次为:偏阳生境>全荫湿润生境>灌丛遮荫生境,生长旺季为6–10月份的雨季。实生苗越年后通常在第一个旱季即可开花结实;但萌发较晚以及生长发育不良的个体一般并不开花而是保持营养生长。未开花结实的越年生实生苗的生长节律与当年生实生苗相似,但需要再经过一个生长季节甚至更长的生长发育期才能进行开花结实,完成其生活史周期。本研究结果进一步揭示了紫茎泽兰是通过有性生殖与无性生殖相互补充的繁殖策略进行种群更新与种群扩张的。     

太白山红桦种子的萌发特性

 红桦(Betula albo-sinensis)广布于我国太白山中高海拔地区, 普遍存在着更新障碍。为了给红桦林的自然更新提供新的解释与证据, 我们对2 400粒红桦种子进行了去果皮观察并计数发芽率, 观察了红桦种子在不同光合有效辐射(Photosynthetically active radiation, PAR) 和不同光照时间(强光照: PAR为 464.7 μmol photons·m^-2·s^-1, 12 h·d^-1; 中光照: PAR为233.8 μmol photons·m^-2·s^-1, 12 h·d^-1; 弱光 照: PAR为233.8 μmol photons·m^-2·s^-1, 0.5 h·d^-1)、不同昼夜温差(25/20 ℃、20/15 ℃、15/10 ℃)和去果皮处理下的发芽率, 以及无光 照处理下的发芽率。此外, 还观察了种子在不同覆盖物(阔叶、针叶、针阔混合)和不同基质(土、沙)中以及在落叶(阔叶、针阔混合)中的发芽 率。红桦种子成熟时, 大约54.29%为饱满具活力的种子。种子在25/20 ℃的昼夜温差下发芽率最高, 而在15/10 ℃的昼夜温差下极少萌发。中 光照下, 种子发芽率略高于其它两种光照, 无光照则完全抑制了种子萌发。去果皮处理可促进其萌发, 各种覆盖物会导致种子发芽率下降。不 同的萌发基质对萌发无影响。以上结果暗示, 自然条件下太白山红桦种子的萌发将依赖于自然的扰动。     

云南南部和中部地区公路旁紫茎泽兰土壤种子库分布格局

公路边缘生境促进外来植物的入侵,土壤种子库作为植被天然更新的物质基础对未来植被的构成至关重要。研究路旁生境中紫茎泽兰土壤种子库的分布格局,对揭示路旁紫茎泽兰种群的补充和更新、探讨公路与入侵植物之间的关系以及科学制定紫茎泽兰防除对策具有重要意义。本文在紫茎泽兰入侵的云南南部和中部地区选择三种不同级别的9条公路的23个取样地点,沿垂直于公路方向设置55条样线,采得374个10 cm?10 cm?10 cm土样。采用温室萌发法,研究了紫茎泽兰土壤种子库从公路沿线到邻近景观的储量、影响因子以及分布格局。结果表明：9条公路旁的土壤中贮藏着丰富的紫茎泽兰种子,其种子库密度变动于3 152～25 225 粒?m-2,占所有有效种子密度的平均比例为48.7%。公路级别、路旁景观类型和海拔对路旁紫茎泽兰种子库密度有显著影响,密度随公路级别的提高而增加;不同路旁景观类型中的种子库密度排序为：稀树林>稀树灌木林>撂荒地和荒坡>森林;海拔1 700～1 900 m范围内的种子库密度最大。不同样线的种子库密度值随垂直于公路的距离变化格局略有不同,平均密度值和平均种子数量占样线总数的比例值都呈单峰变化,在距离公路最近端已经有很高密度,大多数样线的高峰值出现在9 m以内。公路旁已经分布有一个紫茎泽兰种子带,因而提高路旁本地植物的盖度及郁闭度有利于控制紫茎泽兰通过种子更新进一步扩散。     

紫茎泽兰入侵地区土壤种子库特征

土壤种子库是植物潜在的种群,其时空分布格局对植物群落的动态与稳定性有着举足轻重的影响,尤其是在受外来种入侵危害地区,土壤种子库的特征对生态系统的恢复和未来植被的结构、功能、组成与动态等更为重要。本文通过野外调查与萌发实验相结合的方法研究了四川攀枝花市紫茎泽兰（Eupatorium adenophorum）入侵地区的植被组成和紫茎泽兰种子雨前后土壤种子库的变化,初步探讨了受入侵地区种子库中包括紫茎泽兰在内的物种的种类与储量情况。结果表明：（1）在紫茎泽兰危害严重的地带,群落组成比较简单,草本层以紫茎泽兰最为丰富,种群构成为1–4年生植株及其荫庇下大量的实生幼苗,Drude多度极大,频度达100%;（2）在土壤种子库中有13种高等植物出现,与植被组成的相似度为0.31;土壤种子库总储量为3,180粒/m^2,其中紫茎泽兰1,950粒/m^2,占总储量的61.3%。种子库各层种子储量不同,上层种子少于中下层,差异不显著（P〉0.05）,在土壤下层（5–10cm层）的紫茎泽兰种子仍然可以萌发;（3）种子雨后,表层土中（0–2cm）紫茎泽兰种子总储量为4,733粒/m^2;紫茎泽兰种子雨后种子萌发出现2个峰值,分别为第9天与第17天,表明土壤中的紫茎泽兰种子会阶段性打破休眠。紫茎泽兰在当地植被和土壤种子库中都占绝对优势,其他物种从种子阶段就开始亏缺,是紫茎泽兰不断更新和难以彻底控制的重要原因。     

桂西南石漠化山区灌草丛对青冈和蒜头果直播造林的影响

为探讨石漠化山区立地类型对青冈(Cyclobalanopsis glauca)和蒜头果(Malania oleifera)直播造林的影响及其机理,本研究采取小区播种试验方法,并监测这2个树种在石漠化山区3种立地类型(灌丛、草丛和裸地)中种子萌发、幼苗存活与生长量情况,以及各立地类型中枯落物储量和小气候环境因子特征。结果显示,灌丛和草丛中枯落物储量分别为(182.55±47.94)g/m2和(99.88±35.76)g/m2;灌丛和草丛距离地面150cm处的光照强度和气温显著低于裸地、空气湿度显著高于裸地,且距离地面越近效果越明显;灌丛和草丛地下5cm处的土壤温度显著低于裸地;青冈种子萌发率、幼苗保存率和幼苗生长量在3种立地类型间差异不显著(P0.05);蒜头果种子萌发率在裸地和灌丛间差异显著(P=0.014),一年生幼苗株高生长量在裸地和灌丛之间、草丛和灌丛之间差异显著(P=0.011和P=0.041),幼苗基径生长量在裸地和灌丛之间差异显著(P=0.043),在草丛和灌丛之间差异极显著(P=0.003)。本实验结果表明,在桂西南石漠化山区灌、草丛的保育作用下,蒜头果种子发芽率较高,幼苗生长较快,可选择种子直播方式造林;而青冈因一年生幼苗越冬后死亡率很高,需要改进幼苗抚育措施或改变造林方式,才能取得较理想的效果。     

A comparison of seed banks across a sand dune successional gradient at Lake Michigan dunes (Indiana,USA)

In habitats where disturbance is frequent, seed banks are important for the regeneration of vegetation. Sand dune systems are dynamic habitats in which sand movement provides intermittent disturbance. As succession proceeds from bare sand to forest, the disturbance decreases. At Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, we examined the seed banks of three habitat types across a successional gradient: foredunes, secondary dunes, and oak savanna. There were differences among the types of species that germinated from each of the habitats. The mean seed bank density increased across the successional gradient by habitat, from 376 to 433 to 968 seeds m⁻², but with foredune and secondary dune seed bank densities being significantly lower than the savanna seed bank density. The number of seeds germinated was significantly correlated with soil organic carbon, demonstrating for this primary successional sequence that seed density increases with stage and age. The seed bank had much lower species richness than that of the aboveground vegetation across all habitats. Among sites within a habitat type, the similarity of species germinated from the seed banks was very low, illustrating the variability of the seed bank even in similar habitat types. These results suggest that restoration of these habitats cannot rely on seed banks alone.     

紫茎泽兰对三种岩溶地区木本植物种子萌发的化感作用

采用生物测定法研究了紫茎泽兰叶和根水浸提液对任豆、香椿和龙须藤等三种岩溶木本植物种子萌发的化感作用。结果表明,除最低浓度(0.0125 g/mL)外,其它浓度的叶浸提液均能显著抑制香椿种子的萌发及幼苗生长,浓度越高抑制作用越大;对任豆和龙须藤种子萌发也有一定的化感作用,但抑制作用相对较弱,有时为促进作用。紫茎泽兰叶浸提液对受试植物的化感作用强于根水浸提液。     

破碎化生境中粗柄独尾草种群大小对繁殖特性的影响

景观破碎化是目前存在的一种普遍现象,导致物种生存的原有生境总面积减小,产生许多大小不一的斑块种群。不同斑块生境中植物种群的大小直接反映植物对环境的响应特征和适应对策,与植物繁殖有关的开花结实特性、种子形态及萌发特性的研究将有助于深入了解植物在不同生境中的生存策略。以粗柄独尾草(Eremurus inderiensis)为研究对象,以野外调查为基础,对比研究不同斑块粗柄独尾草种群的种群大小和生殖成功,揭示不同生境中粗柄独尾草的生态适应性。结果表明:(1)不同斑块生境中,种群大小差异较大,且较小的种群幼苗比例也较小,种群大小与种群幼苗比例呈显著相关;(2)较小的种群自然座果率、结籽率较低,种群间差异显著;(3)随着生境破碎化程度增加,种子千粒重,种子长、宽等形态特征呈减小趋势,但种翅占比增大;(4)在粗柄独尾草最适萌发温度下,随着生境破碎化程度增加,种子萌发率有下降趋势。针对人类干扰程度强的衰退型粗柄独尾草种群,亟需减少人为干扰,依据不同生境中的干扰因素及种群生存现状,制定科学与切实可行的保护和恢复策略。     

Seed germination ecology of Polymnia canadensis (Asteraceae), a monocarpic species of the North American Temperate Deciduous Forest

The seed germination of Polymnia canadensis was studied in relation to its wide variation in life history and its ecology as a mostly facultative biennial, a life cycle type that is rare in stable forest habitats in eastern North America. The seed dormancy and germination characteristics of P. canadensis were like some other herbaceous woodland species of diverse life cycle types. That is, its seeds have physiological dormancy, and they (1) germinated to higher percentages after cold stratification, (2) germinated better in light than in darkness and (3) formed a persistent soil seed bank. Since its seed dormancy and germination characteristics are not uncommon and are not particularly associated with any one life cycle type in woodlands, those properties do not contribute to the rarity of its life cycle type in deciduous forests. These properties are also found in many facultative biennials of open, disturbed habitats and in other Asteraceae of various life cycle types. In addition, the germination phenology of P. canadensis differed between mesic and dry field sites in central Kentucky. At the dry sites, most of the yearly germination occurred in fall, while at the mesic sites most germination occurred in the spring due to being inhibited during fall. A reciprocal seed transplant experiment conducted in two different years demonstrated that the cause of this difference was environmental and that there was no source x site interaction; i.e., no difference between sources in phenotypic plasticity for germination phenology. Absence of genetic effects was also shown by no consistent pattern in the few differences between seed sources in seed incubation laboratory experiments and in a germination phenology experiment in glasshouse flats. Exposure of seeds to a high ratio of far-red/red light prior to or during incubation did not inhibit germination. Neither did changes in leaf litter thickness qualitatively alter germination phenology in field quadrats or in glasshouse flats. Thus, germination in fall at mesic sites was inhibited by other unknown factor(s), perhaps interacting with the effects of closed tree canopy and/or thick leaf litter.     

Seed Ecology of the Invasive Tropical Tree <Emphasis Type="Italic">Parkinsonia aculeata</Emphasis>

Parkinsonia aculeata is an invasive tree native to tropical America, but introduced to Australia. Propagation and stand regeneration is mainly by seed. To gain baseline knowledge for management decisions, seed bank dynamics were monitored for two months during the fruit dispersal period at a coastal wetland in Costa Rica (native habitat), and at a coastal wetland and two semi-arid rangeland sites in Northern Queensland, Australia (introduced habitats). Seed bank densities underneath dense, uniform Parkinsonia stands were found to be lowest in the Australian wetland but highest in the Costa Rican wetland. Post-dispersal seed losses were highest in the Australian wetland, primarily due to seed germination and/or death. At the other sites, seed losses were minor during the study period, and predation was the most important cause of losses. At the two rangeland sites bruchid beetles accounted for more than 95% of the seed losses by predation. Total predation was lowest in the Costa Rican wetland. In order to test for intrinsic differences of seed characteristics, germination trials were conducted using both canopy seeds and seeds from the soil seed bank. Dormancy release and germination rate were studied under four temperature treatments. In all populations, dormancy release increased with increasing temperature, but averaged responses were significantly different between Costa Rican and Australian seed populations, and between seeds collected from the soil and from trees. Germination rate of scarified seeds was fastest at 35 °C in all tested seed populations. While high seed germination levels seem to explain low seed bank densities in the Australian wetland, the large seed banks at the rangeland sites reflect the lower incidence of favourable conditions for germination. In the Australian wetland biocontrol with bruchids is unlikely to be successful, while control by conventional methods, such as killing stands by basal bark spraying, seems feasible, due to a lower long-term risk of re-infestation from the soil seed bank. At the rangeland sites conventional control will be difficult and costly. Parkinsonia stands may be better left to their own, while bruchid populations are monitored and management efforts are concentrated on preventing further invasion.     

海南龙血树种群生境及自然更新能力调查

对海南岛海南龙血树(Dracaena cambodiana Pierre ex Gagnep)生境、人为破坏情况和自然更新能力进行了调查与分析,探讨了其濒危原因。结果表明,海南龙血树属典型的岩石伴生型植物,主要分布在高温少雨地区,常生长在陡峭且裸露的花岗岩或石灰岩的石缝残积土中,或紧贴石壁生长于砂壤土中,其伴生树种以小乔木或灌木为主;由于无节制采挖和生境破坏,海南龙血树野生资源数量已十分有限。自然条件下海南龙血树的更新方式有种子更新、根蘖更新和桩蘖更新,但现有生境条件下无论何种更新方式均无法有效地实现种群的扩大和更新。可见,原生境破坏和无节制采挖是海南龙血树濒危的外因,"濒危生境"造成种子无法萌发或幼苗生长失败,导致种群无法实现自然更新是内因和主要原因。     

The role of seed traits in determining the phylogenetic structure of temperate plant communities

Background and Aims

Phylogenetic clustering of species within plant communities can be expected to result from environmental filtering acting on an evolutionary-conserved plant trait. One such a candidate trait is the embryo to seed-size ratio (E:S). A high E:S may allow faster germination immediately after imbibition, and is therefore assumed to be advantageous in dry habitats. In this study the hypothesis was tested that habitat filtering driven by soil moisture conditions and acting on seed germination and seedling establishment is an important ecological mechanism in structuring temperate plant communities.

Methods

Vegetation samplings were performed in three habitats located within 200 km of each other in western Europe: Ellenberg indicator values showed that the habitats selected differed substantially in terms of soil moisture and light availability. E.S ratio and seed mass data for all genera were obtained from literature. Data were analysed using recently developed phylogenetic methods.

Key Results

Genera with a similar E:S tend to co-occur, as low and high E:S genera dominate in moist and dry habitats, respectively. A phylogenetically clustered pattern of community structure was evident, and dispersion of E:S was positively related to phylogenetic dispersion.

Conclusions

The phenotypically and phylogenetically clustered pattern indicates that E:S-mediated habitat filtering is an important assembly process structuring the plant community of the temperate climate habitats studied.     

Habitat and microsite influence demography of two herbs in intact and degraded scrub

Identifying environmental factors associated with vital rate variation is critical to predict population consequences of environmental perturbation. We used matrix models to explore effects of habitat and microsite on demography of two widespread herbs, Chamaecrista fasciculata (partridge pea) and Balduina angustifolia (yellow buttons). We evaluated models simulating population dynamics in common microsites (shrub, litter, bare sand) within two habitats (intact, degraded Florida scrub) using data on experimental populations initiated by sowing seeds, and natural seed production. Models included four stages (seed bank, small vegetative, large vegetative, reproductive) and three vital rates (survival, growth, fecundity), summarized in sixteen transitions. We conducted life table response experiments to assess contributions of each habitat and microsite to population growth rates. We found that (1) C. fasciculata had greatest population growth in degraded habitat and litter microsites, (2) B. angustifolia had similar population growth between habitats and greatest in bare sand microsites, (3) advancing growth transitions of C. fasciculata had greatest elasticity on population growth in degraded habitat, shrub, and litter, as did seed survival in intact habitat and bare sand, (4) seed survival and advancing growth transitions of B. angustifolia had greatest elasticity on population growth in both habitats, as did seed survival in shrub and litter, and advancing growth in bare sand. Greater population growth of C. fasciculata in degraded scrub is probably explained by release from belowground competition; B. angustifolia may be most affected by competition with shrubs. Microsites in intact scrub were not ecologically equivalent to those in degraded scrub emphasizing that intact scrub is ecologically complex and critical to preserve.