藏北高原草甸土壤固碳微生物群落特征随海拔和季节的变化

研究土壤固碳微生物丰度、群落结构、多样性差异及其影响因子对了解青藏高原土壤碳循环和固碳潜力具有重要意义。采用定量PCR(qPCR)、末端限制性片段分析(T-RFLP)、克隆文库和测序方法,研究了青藏高原草甸土壤固碳微生物丰度与群落结构随海拔和季节的变化,主要结果如下:1)随海拔升高高寒草甸土壤固碳微生物丰度显著升高,但季节变化不明显,不同类别微生物固碳基因cbbL丰度依次为:Form ICForm IABForm ID,其中Form IC类固碳微生物可达10~8拷贝数/g土壤,cbbL基因丰度与海拔、土壤含水量和铵态氮含量(NH_4~+-N)呈正相关关系,与土壤温度和pH值负相关;2)固碳微生物多样性和丰富度随海拔升高而升高,在4800m达到最大,且二者受季节影响较小,其群落结构随海拔升高而逐渐变化,主要受土壤pH值、海拔和土壤水分影响;3)Form IC类固碳微生物主要包括放线菌门和和变形菌门,其中α变形菌门是高寒草甸土壤优势固碳微生物类群。本研究有助于理解土壤微生物群落功能及其在土壤碳循环过程中的作用,为更准确评估高寒草甸土壤碳循环过程提供了科学依据。     

哈密露天煤矿不同环境介质微生物群落特征分析

【背景】干旱区露天煤矿开采过程中产生的粉尘颗粒物加剧了土壤生态环境的恶化和矿区空气质量的下降,针对煤矿区土壤和粉尘颗粒物的微生物群落组成的研究鲜有报道。【目的】研究新疆哈密南湖乡露天煤矿土壤、粉尘及大气PM_2.5颗粒物中的微生物群落结构和多样性特征,并预测潜在的功能类群。【方法】采用高通量测序技术,对煤矿露天采坑区和电厂粉煤灰堆放区的土壤、粉尘及大气PM_2.5颗粒物的微生物真菌及细菌群落组成进行比对分析。【结果】矿区优势真菌类群来自子囊菌门(Ascomycota)和担子菌门(Basidiomycota),优势细菌类群来自变形菌门(Proteobacteria)和放线菌门(Actinobacteria)。真菌和细菌群落的丰富度及α多样性在整个矿区内无显著性差异,大气PM_2.5颗粒物的细菌群落生态位宽度显著大于露天采坑区和粉煤灰区。矿区内的土壤和PM_2.5颗粒物样本中均发现了一些丰度差异显著的功能类群,真菌特征功能类群为腐生营养型类群,细菌特征功能类群主要包括甲烷营养型类群、几丁质酶类细菌类群等。【结论】露天煤矿区粉尘可能对区域内土壤和PM_2.5颗粒物的微生物群落结构产生重要影响,具有煤组分降解功能的特定微生物类群可能是维持矿区土壤生态安全的重要微生物学机制之一。     

中梁山岩溶槽谷区荒草地土壤微生物群落对隧道建设的响应

隧道工程建设给地方交通和经济发展带来便利的同时,也造成地下水漏失和地下水文流场改变,可能引起土壤微环境和土壤微生物群落的改变,进而严重影响上覆区域生态系统平衡。以重庆市中梁山岩溶槽谷为例,选取隧道影响区和无隧道影响区典型荒草地,通过16S rDNA高通量测序对比微生物群落结构差异,研究微生物群落多样性对土壤pH、含水率和土壤养分变化的响应。结果表明：隧道影响区Alpha多样性反映的土壤微生物总丰度和多样性大于无隧道影响区,Beta多样性反映的土壤微生物群落结构存在显著差异;Wilcoxon检验说明norank_o__iii1-15、norank_c__Gemmatimonadetes、norank_o__MND1是隧道影响区土壤中显著增加的微生物物种,其相对丰度为无隧道影响区土壤的2倍以上;RDA分析表明土壤pH和含水率是驱动土壤微生物群落结构变化的主要因素。隧道建设使其影响区内土壤水分垂直漏失比无隧道影响区更严重,土壤含水率下降,导致pH上升、土壤养分下降,利于土壤中norank_o__iii1-15、norank_c__Gemmatimonadetes、norank_o__MND1等适应低含水率、高pH、贫营养环境的优势菌群生长繁殖。     

不同母岩发育马尾松土壤固氮菌群落结构和丰度特征

生物固氮是马尾松林地土壤氮素的重要来源,固氮微生物群落组成和数量的变化对土壤氮素供应和地力维持起重要作用。采用池栽试验,应用荧光定量PCR（聚合酶链式反应,Polymerase Chain Reaction）技术,借助Illumina Miseq高通量测序平台,以nifH基因为标靶,研究四类母岩（变余砂岩、长石石英砂岩、石英砂岩和玄武岩）发育马尾松土壤固氮菌群落结构和丰度的差异及其与土壤化学性质之间的关系。结果表明：（1）玄武岩土壤的有机碳、全氮、碱解氮、微生物量氮、马尾松株高和地径均显著高于其他母岩（P < 0.05）。（2）四类母岩土壤nifH基因丰度差异显著,玄武岩土壤nifH基因丰度分别是变余砂岩、石英砂岩和长石石英砂岩的3.75倍、7.89倍和4.41倍。（3）四类母岩土壤固氮菌群落α多样性指数（丰富度和多样性）差异显著,且玄武岩显著高于其他母岩。四类母岩发育土壤共获得有效序列159231条,分属于6个门、14个纲、41个目、69个科和122个属。门水平上,变形菌门和蓝藻门为主要优势类群。属水平上,慢生根瘤菌属、眉藻属、根瘤菌属和固氮螺菌属为主要优势属。玄武岩土壤变形菌门、慢生根瘤菌属、根瘤菌属和固氮螺菌属相对丰度显著高于其他母岩。层次聚类和非度量多维尺度（NMDS）分析结果表明,石英砂岩和长石石英砂岩土壤固氮菌群落结构相似,玄武岩与其他母岩固氮菌群落结构差异较大。（4）土壤有机碳、全氮、碱解氮和微生物量氮是固氮菌丰度、α多样性及群落结构的主要影响因子。综上,玄武岩土壤肥力高,提高了土壤固氮菌数量和群落多样性,有利于马尾松生长。研究从微生物学角度为马尾松适地造林和氮素调控提供了科学依据。     

海拔变化对凤阳山针阔混交林地土壤微生物群落的影响

风阳山自然保护区是森林生态类型自然保护区,针阔混交林是保护区内的重要森林类型。为明确海拔变化对高山针阔混交林地土壤微生物群落的影响及初步影响机理,了解气候变暖后典型林分土壤微生物群落结构的变化。以黄山松在凤阳山的分布范围800—1800 m为准,选取900、1100、1300、1500、1700 m 5个海拔梯度,在每个海拔梯度的阳坡内选取排水较好、坡度较缓、长势适中的3个标准样地(20 m×20 m),于2016年8月用蛇形法于每块样地取样,用冰盒带回实验室,测定土壤理化性质及微生物群落。采用磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)图谱分析确定土壤微生物群落组成及其丰度,同时对土壤微生物群落组成进行非度量多维标度(NMDS)排序,对土壤微生物群落组成结构进行分析。结果表明:随着海拔升高,针阔混交林样地内植物种类组成有所变化。土壤养分含量呈先升高后降低的趋势,差异性显著(P0.05);土壤微生物群落丰度之间存在显著差异,革兰氏阴性细菌丰度在高海拔处较大;土壤微生物群落组成非度量多维标度(NMDS)排序显示,随海拔升高,土壤微生物群落组成发生明显改变,可以分为三个类群,各海拔土壤微生物群落结构在两个NMDS轴上均呈现出显著差异(P0.05)。通过对土壤微生物群落丰度与土壤理化性质的冗余分析(RDA),发现土壤p H、容重、含水量、及有效磷含量对对土壤微生物群落丰度有不同程度的影响,土壤革兰氏阳性细菌、放线菌丰度与各土壤因子之间均有显著相关关系;革兰氏阴性细菌受土壤含水量及有效磷的含量影响较大;真菌丰度与土壤p H及有机碳含量之间存在相关关系;厌氧菌及16:1ω5c丰度与土壤因子间相关性较弱。海拔变化所引起的土壤理化性质的改变,是影响土壤微生物群落丰度的因素;6个微生物群落对海拔的适应程度是不同的,革兰氏阴性细菌对高海拔的低温环境适应能力较强。     

贺兰山不同海拔植被下土壤微生物群落结构特征

为明确海拔变化对干旱区山地森林土壤微生物群落的影响,揭示环境因子改变后土壤微生物群落结构特征及影响因素。对贺兰山5个海拔梯度土壤理化性质进行测定,同时采用磷酸脂肪酸(PLFA)图谱法分析土壤微生物群落组成,通过主成分分析、冗余分析(RDA)探究土壤理化性质与土壤微生物群落相对丰度之间的相关关系。结果表明:土壤养分含量在不同海拔之间差异性显著(P<0.05),土壤有机碳和全氮含量随海拔的升高而升高,全磷含量随海拔升高先升高再降低再升高;土壤微生物量随海拔升高先升高后降低,土壤微生物的相对丰度在不同海拔之间存在差异(P<0.05);主成分分析表明,与第1主成分相关性较强的微生物类群为革兰氏阳性细菌(G~+)、革兰氏阴性细菌(G~-)和真菌;与第2主成分相关性较强的微生物类群为放线菌、原生动物和非特异性细菌。非特异性细菌和真菌与各土壤因子之间均有显著相关关系,而放线菌、G~+和G~-与各土壤因子相关性较弱,原生动物与土壤全磷含量的关系密切。海拔是影响特征微生物分布的重要因素,特征微生物的含量和相对丰度随海拔的升高先升高后降低,符合山地生态学中的"中部膨胀"理论。探明了贺兰山不同海...     

自然增温对南亚热带森林土壤微生物群落与有机碳代谢功能基因的影响

基于海拔高度下降气温上升的关系,将模拟的生态系统(含植物和土壤)从高海拔整体移位至低海拔地区,实现自然增温的效果。通过对自然增温条件下土壤环境因子及其相关理化性质的动态监测,结合磷脂脂肪酸分析与宏基因组学方法,测定土壤微生物群落结构以及与土壤有机碳分解相关基因丰度,探究自然增温对鼎湖山南亚热带山地常绿阔叶林土壤有机碳代谢的影响及其微生物学机制。结果表明:(1)增温处理显著改变了0—10 cm土壤温度与湿度:2016—2018年间土壤温度显著上升2.48℃,湿度显著下降23.93%。(2)增温处理下,干季土壤有机碳含量与湿季土壤硝态氮含量显著降低,其他土壤理化因子无显著变化。(3)增温处理下,干季和湿季土壤微生物群落结构发生改变,且湿季变化显著。土壤湿度是影响干季和湿季土壤微生物群落结构变化的主要因子,解释了干季50.2%的变异度与湿季79.2%的变异度。(4)宏基因组结果表示:增温抑制了干季山地常绿阔叶林土壤有机碳代谢基因丰度,增强了湿季山地常绿阔叶林土壤有机碳代谢基因丰度。以上结果表明,增温通过改变土壤微生物生物量和群落结构以及有机碳代谢相关功能基因的丰度,最终影响南亚热带山地常绿阔...     

入侵地加拿大一枝黄花根际和非根际土壤微生物群落结构及多样性

[目的] 探明严重入侵地加拿大一枝黄花根际和非根际土壤微生物群落结构。[方法] 采集长沙县黄花镇郭公渡5处严重入侵地加拿大一枝黄花根际和非根际土壤,应用Illumina高通量测序技术研究加拿大一枝黄花根际和非根际土壤微生物群落结构及多样性。[结果] 加拿大一枝黄花根际土壤有机质含量显著高于非根际土壤,二者间含水量差异不显著。在微生物群落多样性和丰度上,根际土壤细菌的Shannon指数和Simpson指数均大于非根际土壤,Chao1指数和ACE指数均小于非根际土壤,而根际土壤真菌的Shannon指数和Simpson指数均小于非根际土壤,Chao1指数和ACE指数均大于非根际土壤。在门水平上,酸杆菌门Acidobacteriota和变形菌门Proteobacteria的细菌总相对丰度在根际和非根际土壤样品中占比分别为42.92%和34.23%。子囊菌门Ascomycota的真菌相对丰度在根际土壤和非根际土壤样品中占比分别为58.6%和57.3%。在属水平上,根际土壤细菌中太阳念珠菌属Candidatus Solibacter、Ellin6067、伯克氏菌属Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia和慢生根瘤菌属Bradyrhizobium的相对丰度明显高于非根际土壤,而不动杆菌属Acinetobacter的相对丰度显著低于非根际土壤。根际土壤真菌中的小画线壳属Monographella、鬼笔属Phallus、被孢霉属Mortierella、镰刀菌属Fusarium、斜盖伞属Clitopilus的相对丰度均明显高于非根际土壤,而Sistotrema、unidentified_Ascomycota_sp、unidentified_Paraglomerales_sp、茶渍属Lecanora的相对丰度明显低于非根际土壤。[结论] 加拿大一枝黄花的入侵改变了根际微生物群落结构及组成,使之与非根际存在一定的差异,为加拿大一枝黄花成功入侵的机理研究提供理论支撑。     

鄱阳湖越冬白鹤肠道微生物群落结构及功能预测分析

【目的】分析鄱阳湖越冬白鹤在人工生境中肠道微生物群落组成和代谢功能特征。【方法】利用16S rRNA基因高通量测序技术比较藕田和稻田2种不同人工生境鄱阳湖越冬白鹤肠道微生物群落组成和重建未观察到的状态(phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states, PICRUSt)进行功能预测。【结果】稻田白鹤肠道微生物α多样性(Ace、Chao1、Shannon和Simpson指数)高于藕田白鹤,但未达到显著水平(P>0.05)。基于Binary-Jaccard距离矩阵的β多样性分析发现2种人工生境的白鹤肠道微生物群落结构差异显著(R²=0.312, P<0.05)。不同人工生境鄱阳湖越冬白鹤肠道微生物组成存在差异,藕田白鹤肠道微生物的优势菌属是土孢杆菌属、罗布西亚属和苏黎世杆菌属;稻田白鹤肠道微生物的优势菌属是乳酸杆菌属、里氏杆菌属和球菌属。线性判别分析[line discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size, LEfSe]分析发现乳杆菌科、乳酸杆菌属、苏黎世杆菌属等具有较强发酵代谢碳水化合物能力的微生物在2种人工生境下差异显著。PICRUSt功能预测表明鄱阳湖越冬白鹤肠道微生物与新陈代谢、基因信息处理、环境信息处理和人类疾病等功能相关,在level 1水平上,有5类代谢通路具有显著性差异(P<0.001)。【结论】两种人工生境中鄱阳湖越冬白鹤肠道微生物组成和群落特征差异较大,可能是由于同域觅食鸟类的种类、数量以及食物来源的不同。同时,PICRUSt功能预测揭示了不同人工生境中鄱阳湖越冬白鹤肠道微生物功能基因丰度的显著差异,表明白鹤可以通过调整自身肠道微生物组成来适应不同人工生境食物资源的变化带来的挑战。本研究对不同人工生境下白鹤肠道微生物的组成和功能潜力的研究结果可以为鄱阳湖越冬白鹤肠道微生物的研究提供一定依据,对于白鹤的保护和制定管理策略具有一定的参考价值和现实意义。     

土地利用驱动的土壤性状变化影响微生物群落结构和功能

微生物在调节陆地生态系统地球化学循环过程中具有重要作用。土地利用方式改变显著影响土壤微生物群落结构和功能,但对土地利用驱动的土壤性状变化与微生物群落结构和功能关系的研究相对匮乏。依托长期定位监测试验（始于1984年）,通过16S rRNA基因片段和ITS高通量测序,研究了土地利用方式（裸地、农田、草地）驱动的土壤碳氮变化对微生物群落结构和功能的影响。结果表明：对于细菌群落而言,裸地中α-多样性最高、其次是草地、农田中最低,农田和草地中细菌优势菌群变形菌（Proteobacteria）和放线菌门（Actinobacteria）相对丰度较裸地低4.5%、3.9%和5.5%、3.8%;对于真菌群落而言,裸地子囊菌门（Ascomycota）相对丰度最高、农田次之、草地最低;化能异养型、好氧化能异养型细菌相对丰度裸地显著高于农田和草地（P<0.05）,而硝化型和好氧氨氧化型细菌裸地显著低于农田和草地（P<0.05）;腐生型真菌相对丰度大小排序为：裸地>农田>草地。细菌群落变化主要与土壤容重、全氮、矿质氮、C ： N比和微生物量碳有关,而真菌群落与土壤矿质氮有关。细菌和真菌功能菌群主要受土壤容重、土壤有机碳、土壤全氮、C ： N比和微生物量碳影响。因此,土壤容重、土壤全氮、土壤有机碳、C ： N比、微生物量碳、矿质氮差异可能是影响不同土地利用方式中微生物群落和功能变化的主要因素。     

青藏高原东缘高山森林-苔原交错带土壤微生物生物量碳、氮和可培养微生物数量的季节动态

为了了解青藏高原东缘高山森林-苔原交错带土壤微生物的特征和季节变化, 研究了米亚罗鹧鸪山原始针叶林、林线、树线、密灌丛、疏灌丛和高山草甸土壤微生物生物量碳(MBC)、氮(MBN)和可培养微生物数量的季节动态。结果表明, 植被类型和季节动态对MBC、MBN和微生物数量都有显著影响。不同时期的微生物在各植被类型间分布有差异, 植物生长季初期和生长季中期, 树线以上群落的MBC高于树线下的群落, 而到生长季末期恰恰相反, 暗针叶林、林线和树线的MBC显著升高, 各植被之间MBC的差异减小; 微生物数量基本上也是以树线为界, 树线以下群落土壤微生物数量显著低于树线以上群落, 其中密灌丛的细菌数量最高; 可培养微生物数量为生长季末期>生长季初期>生长季中期。生长季末期真菌数量显著增加, 且MBC/MBN最高。统计分析表明, MBN与细菌、真菌、放线菌数量存在显著的相关关系, 而MBC仅与真菌数量存在显著相关关系( p < 0.05)。植物生长季末期大量的凋落物输入和雪被覆盖可能是微生物季节变异的外在因素, 而土壤微生物和高山植物对有效氮的竞争可能是微生物季节变异的内在因素。植物生长季初期对氮的吸收和土壤微生物在植物生长季末期对氮的固定加强了高山生态系统对氮的利用。气候变暖可能会延长高山植物的生长季, 增加高山土壤微生物生物量, 加速土壤有机质的分解, 进而改变高山土壤碳的固存速率。     

长白山北坡林线岳桦种群空间分布格局

许多自然林线具有的趋同特征之一即乔木树种高生长受限,常演化为矮曲状或类似于灌木的形态(即树种的灌木型)占据高山植被带,因此研究林线树种乔木型与灌木型的结构、功能差异有助于进一步理解林线形成的原因。种群分布格局作为种群相对位置定量化描述的基本特征,可以表征物种对环境适应性选择的结果,反应生态过程的综合作用。利用点格局方法,研究长白山北坡林线岳桦种群各生活史阶段、两种生活型的分布格局,结果表明,长白山北坡林线岳桦树高生长受到限制,1.5—3.0m是一个关键的树高生长阶段;相比于老树、中树,幼苗和灌木型岳桦更为均匀,对空间的异质性选择更弱;林线岳桦发育过程中,存在一个生活型分离的重要阶段。此外,相对于老树,灌木型分布更为均匀,表明低矮、多枝这种相对紧凑的生活型更适宜在过渡带生存,乔木型岳桦和灌木型岳桦可能代表着不同的生存策略。     

气候变化下生物交互作用对树线生态过程的影响

树线交错带是具有强烈生物交互作用的高寒生态过渡带,生物互作与树线生态过程密切相关。本研究系统综述了气候变化下植物间、动植物间和微生物与植物间互作因子对树线生态过程的影响。植物间互利或竞争作用的强度调控变暖背景下树线生态过程的变化,目前尚缺少树轮生态学证据,且亟待检验高阶互作的适用性;动物采食活动、微生物与植物间互作可通过影响土壤状况、改变树木生长和更新等生态过程动态,增强或削弱树线与气候间耦合关系。迄今为止,地下与地上过程联系如何影响气候变暖下的树线动态尚不明晰,而营养级间互作可能调制树线生态过程对气候响应。青藏高原等高寒区具有开展此类研究的优势与潜力。     

Vegetation patterns at the alpine treeline ecotone: the influence of tree cover on abrupt change in species composition of alpine communities

Aims: The upper elevation limit of forest vegetation in mountain ranges (the alpine treeline ecotone) is expected to be highly sensitive to global change. Treeline shifts and/or ecotone afforestation could cause fragmentation and loss of alpine habitat, and are expected to trigger considerable alterations in alpine vegetation. We performed an analysis of vegetation structure at the treeline ecotone to evaluate whether distribution of the tree population determines the spatial pattern of vegetation (species composition and diversity) across the transition from subalpine forest to alpine vegetation. Location: Iberian eastern range of the Pyrenees. Methods: We studied 12 alpine Pinus uncinata treeline ecotones. Rectangular plots ranging from 940 to 1900 m² were placed along the forest‐alpine vegetation transition, from closed forest to the treeless alpine area. To determine community structure and species distribution in the treeline ecotone, species variation along the forest‐alpine vegetation transition was sampled using relevés of 0.5 m² set every 2 m along the length of each plot. Fuzzy C‐means clustering was performed to assess the transitional status of the relevés in terms of species composition. The relation of P. uncinata canopy cover to spatial pattern of vegetation was evaluated using continuous wavelet transform analysis. Results: Vegetation analyses revealed a large degree of uniformity of the subalpine forest between all treeline ecotone areas studied. In contrast, the vegetation mosaic found upslope displayed great variation between sites and was characterized by abrupt changes in plant community across the treeline ecotone. Plant richness and diversity significantly increased across the ecotone, but tree cover and diversity boundaries were not spatially coincident. Conclusions: Our results revealed that no intermediate communities, in terms of species composition, are present in the treeline ecotone. Ecotone vegetation reflected both bedrock type and fine‐scale heterogeneity at ground level, thereby reinforcing the importance of microenvironmental conditions for alpine community composition. Tree cover did not appear to be the principal driver of alpine community changes across the treeline ecotone. Microenvironmental heterogeneity, together with effects of past climatic and land‐use changes on ecotone vegetation, may weaken the expected correlation between species distribution and vegetation structure.     

The interacting effects of temperature,ground disturbance,and herbivory on seedling establishment: implications for treeline advance with climate warming

Thermal control of treeline position is mediated by local environmental and ecological factors, making trends in treeline migration difficult to extrapolate geographically. We investigated the ecological dynamics of conifer establishment at treeline in the Mealy Mountains (Labrador, Canada) and the potential for its expansion with climate warming. Available seedbed and tree seedling emergence in the treeline ecotone were monitored, and seeds and seedlings of Picea mariana were planted along an elevational gradient from open-canopy forest through tree islands to alpine tundra. Experimental treatments included passive warming of daytime air, ground disturbance, and vertebrate herbivore exclosures. Responses in seed germination and seedling growth, damage, and mortality were monitored over two growing seasons, and re-surveyed after 5 years. While no tree seedlings were observed growing naturally above the treeline, planted seeds were able to germinate, develop and overwinter, and persist for 4 years in all habitats examined. Disturbance of the seedbed was important for seedling emergence in the forest and tree islands. While temperature enhancement alone had little impact on emergence, even moderate temperature increases had significantly disproportionate effects on emergence of seedlings in the alpine habitat when combined with soil disturbance, indicating that future climate warming could lead to treeline advance if viable seed and suitable substrate for recruitment are available. The positive effect of excluding herbivores suggests that herbivory may be an important filter modifying future species distribution. While seedbed conditions and herbivory would control the rate of individual species advance, the results indicate potential upslope migration of the treeline in the Mealy Mountains, with consequent loss of alpine ecosystems.     

Shrub–tree interactions and environmental changes drive treeline dynamics in the Subarctic

Treelines have drawn persistent research interest as they can respond markedly to climate. However, the mechanisms that determine tree seedling recruitment and the response of the forest‐tundra ecotone to environmental changes remain poorly understood. We hypothesise that treeline tree seedling performance depends on the interplay between climatic and soil nutritional changes and facilitative and competitive interactions between trees and shrubs. We conducted a seedling transplantation experiment with Betula pubescens at a subarctic treeline, in northern Sweden, which followed a full factorial design with four treatment factors relating to environmental regimes of stress and resource availability: site (forest vs treeline); temperature (+/? passive warming); shrub presence (+/?Vaccinium myrtillus removal); and nutrient availability (+/? NPK addition). During three growing seasons we assessed the establishment and performance of Betula. The experimental manipulations caused highly significant effects on seedling performance. Although Vaccinium enhanced seedling survival and reduced the effects of excessive solar radiation and insect herbivory, the seedlings growing with the shrub had a poorer performance by the end of the experimental period. Also, seedlings in the forest had a poorer performance than those at the treeline. Betula seedlings showed a very pronounced and positive response to passive warming and to nutrient addition, but such effects were more evident at the treeline site and often interacted with the presence of Vaccinium. This experiment shows that shrub–tree interactions are important drivers of subarctic treeline dynamics and that they vary with time and space. Facilitation, competition, herbivory and environmental changes at the tree seedling stage act as important filters in structuring the forest–tundra ecotone. We demonstrate that changes in this ecotone cannot be simply predicted from changing temperature patterns alone, and that complex interactions need to be considered, not only between shrubs and trees, but also with herbivores and between warming and soil nutrient availability.     

北京东灵山树线处土壤细菌的PICRUSt基因预测分析

树线变动会对生物多样性分布以及生态系统功能的维持造成深远影响,研究树线处土壤微生物群落及其功能,对预测高海拔生态系统响应气候变化具有重要价值。采用Mi Seq高通量测序技术及PICRUSt基因预测分析方法,对北京东灵山辽东栎林及树线之上亚高山草甸的土壤细菌群落及功能进行对比研究,结果表明:土壤细菌物种多样性在树线处没有发生显著的变化,沿海拔也没有呈现出明显趋势,但细菌群落结构以及预测功能基因均发生了变化。在39个二级预测功能分类中有10个子功能的相对多度在森林和草甸中具有明显差异。其中,其他次生产物代谢的生物合成、转录、多糖生物合成和代谢、酶家族、信号分子及交互作用、环境适应、细胞生长和死亡等的功能基因在森林中明显高于草甸中;而维他命及辅因子代谢、膜运输、内分泌系统等的功能基因在草甸中偏高。     

Differential sensitivity of total and active soil microbial communities to drought and forest management

Climate change will affect semiarid ecosystems through severe droughts that increase the competition for resources in plant and microbial communities. In these habitats, adaptations to climate change may consist of thinning—that reduces competition for resources through a decrease in tree density and the promotion of plant survival. We deciphered the functional and phylogenetic responses of the microbial community to 60 years of drought induced by rainfall exclusion and how forest management affects its resistance to drought, in a semiarid forest ecosystem dominated by Pinus halepensis Mill. A multiOMIC approach was applied to reveal novel, community‐based strategies in the face of climate change. The diversity and the composition of the total and active soil microbiome were evaluated by 16S rRNA gene (bacteria) and ITS (fungal) sequencing, and by metaproteomics. The microbial biomass was analyzed by phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), and the microbially mediated ecosystem multifunctionality was studied by the integration of soil enzyme activities related to the cycles of C, N, and P. The microbial biomass and ecosystem multifunctionality decreased in drought‐plots, as a consequence of the lower soil moisture and poorer plant development, but this decrease was more notable in unthinned plots. The structure and diversity of the total bacterial community was unaffected by drought at phylum and order level, but did so at genus level, and was influenced by seasonality. However, the total fungal community and the active microbial community were more sensitive to drought and were related to ecosystem multifunctionality. Thinning in plots without drought increased the active diversity while the total diversity was not affected. Thinning promoted the resistance of ecosystem multifunctionality to drought through changes in the active microbial community. The integration of total and active microbiome analyses avoids misinterpretations of the links between the soil microbial community and climate change.     

Reproduction and seedling establishment of Picea glauca across the northernmost forest‐tundra region in Canada

The northern boundary of boreal forest and the ranges of tree species are expected to shift northward in response to climate warming, which will result in a decrease in the albedo of areas currently covered by tundra vegetation, an increase in terrestrial carbon sequestration, and an alteration of biodiversity in the current Low Arctic. Central to the prediction of forest expansion is an increase in the reproductive capacity and establishment of individual trees. We assessed cone production, seed viability, and transplanted seedling success of Picea glauca (Moench.) Voss. (white spruce) in the early 1990s and again in the late 2000s at four forest stand sites and eight tree island sites (clonal populations beyond present treeline) in the Mackenzie Delta region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Over the past 20 years, average temperatures in this region have increased by 0.9 °C. This area has the northernmost forest‐tundra ecotone in North America and is one of the few circumpolar regions where the northern limit of conifer trees reaches the Arctic Ocean. We found that cone production and seed viability did not change between the two periods of examination and that both variables decreased northward across the forest‐tundra ecotone. Nevertheless, white spruce individuals at the northern limit of the forest‐tundra ecotone produced viable seeds. Furthermore, transplanted seedlings were able to survive in the northernmost sites for 15 years, but there were no signs of natural regeneration. These results indicate that if climatic conditions continue to ameliorate, reproductive output will likely increase, but seedling establishment and forest expansion within the forest‐tundra of this region is unlikely to occur without the availability of suitable recruitment sites. Processes that affect the availability of recruitment sites are likely to be important elsewhere in the circumpolar ecotone, and should be incorporated into models and predictions of climate change and its effects on the northern forest‐tundra ecotone.     

高山林线生态交错区木本植物幼苗分布特征、更新机制及其对气候变化的响应

木本植物幼苗是高山林线生态交错区的重要组成部分,其更新对气候变化背景下树线的移动至关重要.本研究通过对近几十年来全球范围内林线生态交错区的木本植物幼苗分布特征、更新机制及其对气候变化响应的研究总结得出:林线生态交错区木本植物幼苗的空间分布类型主要为渐变型和聚集型,且不同分布类型对树线动态的指示意义各异.在全球尺度上,其分布的海拔高限通常与生长季长度、均温和物种特性等有关,而在区域尺度上则多受降水影响.在幼苗更新初期,种源在很大程度上决定了种子的萌发及分布位置,之后微环境的促进作用为幼苗的定植提供庇护,提高其存活率,而在更新后期多种生物和非生物因素及其相互作用则非常关键.气候变暖促使林线生态交错区气温升高、降水充沛,有利于幼苗生长,使其向高海拔区域扩张而成为树线上移的先兆,但部分物种受遗传特性或适应策略影响,仅表现为密度增加,使树线保持相对稳定.未来应借助树轮、14C等精确定年技术,通过长期的野外定位观测和室内模拟,加强多时空尺度下林线幼苗的空间分布特征和更新机制研究,分析不同类型林线内木本植物幼苗的适应策略,预测气候变化背景下的树线动态,为山地生态系统恢复及保护提供科学依据.