哀牢山常绿阔叶林水源涵养功能及其在应对西南干旱中的作用

为了解云南哀牢山中山湿性常绿阔叶林在2010年初西南地区特大干旱中是否遭遇水分胁迫,及其水源涵养功能在应对干旱中的作用,测定了该森林土壤和主要树种在2010年旱季的水分状况,并对比研究了原生林和森林经砍伐烧垦后形成的毛蕨菜-玉山竹群丛的土壤持水、凋落物持水、水面蒸发和土壤水分季节动态。结果表明:常绿阔叶林主要树种在2010年初西南特大干旱中并未遭受水分胁迫(最旱月叶片凌晨水势高于-0.4 MPa)。虽然常绿阔叶林土壤含水量和地下水位在最旱月都达到了有观测以来的最低点,但主要根系分布区的土壤水势仍不低于-0.5 MPa,并高于毛蕨菜-玉山竹群丛。森林较好的水分状况和原生常绿阔叶林较好的水源涵养功能有关。常绿阔叶林的土壤总持水量尤其是非毛管持水量要显著大于毛蕨菜-玉山竹群丛,同时也大于云南地区的一些次生林和人工林。常绿阔叶林地表丰富的凋落物通过持水和抑制土壤蒸发也对水源涵养有一定作用。哀牢山常绿阔叶林良好的水源涵养功能,充足的土壤地下水储存弥补了旱季和特大干旱中降水的不足。结果指示原生林在水源涵养中不可替代的作用,以及加强原生林保护在提高区域抗干旱能力中的重要意义。     

鼎湖山南亚热带常绿阔叶林凋落物量20年动态研究

 研究了鼎湖山森林生态系统定位研究站20年来对常绿阔叶林凋落物量进行监测所积累的资料,探讨这一地带性植被演替过程中凋落物量动态变化格局及组成特征,并分析了主要优势种凋落叶的变化规律及其与凋落物总量的联系。鼎湖山南亚热带常绿阔叶林平均年凋落物量为8.45 t·hm-2,年际波动显著。总体来说年凋落物量呈下降趋势,这与植被所处演替阶段及本身林分特征有关。凋落物的凋落高峰发生在雨季初期（4、5月）和雨季末期（8、9月）。与多数森林不同,鼎湖山南亚热带常绿阔叶林各组分凋落物量的比例顺序为叶>花果杂物>枝。其中锥栗(Castanopsis chinensis)、荷木(Schima superba)、厚壳桂(Cryptocarya chinensis)、黄果厚壳桂(C. concinna) 4种优势种20年平均年凋落物量分别为1.86、0.50、0.26、0.40 t·hm-2,合计占凋落叶量的70%左右,它们的动态直接影响着凋落总量变化格局。     

哀牢山不同类型亚热带森林地表凋落物及土壤节肢动物群落特征

分别于2005年4月（干热季）、6月（雨季）和12月（干热季）,采用样线法对哀牢山中山湿性常绿阔叶林、山顶苔藓矮林和滇山杨次生林地表凋落物及其中的土壤节肢动物群落进行了调查.结果表明： 凋落物现存总量、C储量和C/N在干、湿季均表现为苔藓矮林＞滇山杨林＞常绿阔叶林,N储量差异不大.蜱螨目和弹尾目是3林地凋落物层节肢动物群落的优势类群,双翅目幼虫、鞘翅目、蚁类和同翅目为常见类群,3林地凋落物层土壤节肢动物群落相似性系数极高.3林地凋落物层土壤节肢动物群落密度(ind·m^-2)没有显著差异,但相对密度(ind·g^-1)呈现出常绿阔叶林和滇山杨林显著高于苔藓矮林;土壤节肢动物密度季节变化呈现干季（4月和12月）显著高于雨季（6月）,群落香农多样性指数差异不显著.干热季(4月)3林地枯枝落叶现存量与其土壤节肢动物群落和主要类群密度呈显著正相关关系,而在干冷季(12月)凋落物总现存量与其土壤节肢动物群落及蜱螨目相对密度则呈显著负相关关系;弹尾目和鞘翅目密度与地表凋落物层的N储量也有显著的正相关关系.哀牢山亚热带森林凋落物及其土壤节肢动物群落的发展与森林植被结构密切相关, 其群落个体数量和多样性受森林地表凋落物的调控, 但林内其他环境因素如温湿度对森林凋落物层土壤动物个体数的季节变动也有明显影响.     

中国天然林凋落物量特征及其与气候因子的关系

凋落物是森林生态系统营养物质循环和能量流动过程的重要组成部分。本研究收集了1970—2017年公开发表的文献,整理筛选出373组天然林凋落物数据,建立了中国天然林凋落物量数据库,在全国尺度上分析了中国天然林凋落物的产量、组成特征、季节动态及其与温度和降水两个气候因子的关系。结果表明:中国天然林年均凋落物量为(5.33±2.87) t·hm~(-2);在全国尺度上,凋落物量表现为雨林常绿阔叶林针阔混交林落叶阔叶林针叶林;不同气候带中,亚热带阔叶林和针阔混交林凋落物量显著高于温带,亚热带针叶林与温带针叶林凋落物间无显著差异;所有天然林中,凋落叶是凋落物的主要组成部分,占凋落物总量的67.49%±9.75%,枝条、繁殖体和其他组分比例分别为16.45%±7.30%、8.16%±5.18%和7.88%±5.72%;其中,落叶阔叶林凋落叶在总凋落物中的比例最高,为75. 07%±9.92%,其他森林类型之间无显著差异;整体而言,中国天然林凋落物季节动态呈双峰型,凋落峰值出现在每年的4月和10月;不同森林类型中,雨林、落叶阔叶林凋落模式呈单峰型,针阔混交林凋落模式呈双峰型,常绿阔叶林、针叶林凋落模式呈多峰型;在全国尺度上,森林凋落物量与年均温度和年均降水量均呈显著正相关关系;不同气候带森林凋落物对水热因子的响应不尽相同;在温带地区,天然林凋落物量与年均降水量和年均温均呈显著正相关;在亚热带地区,天然林凋落物量与年均温呈显著正相关,与年均降水量无显著相关;在热带地区,雨林凋落物量与年均温呈显著负相关,与年均降水量无显著相关。本研究结果为森林生态系统营养循环的研究提供参考,并为全球气候变化背景下的碳循环研究提供数据支持。     

南亚热带红锥和马尾松人工林生长对穿透雨减少的响应

为了预测和评估全球气候变化背景下森林生长和生产力对降水格局变化和季节性干旱的响应,以南亚热带红锥和马尾松人工林为对象,设置穿透雨减少50%和不减雨(对照)处理,开展连续3年(2015-2017年)的模拟试验,研究降雨减少对人工林胸径生长、凋落物量和叶面积指数的影响.结果表明: 与对照相比,穿透雨减少导致红锥2017年胸径增长量显著降低31.8%,而对马尾松无影响;红锥叶面积指数平均降低8.8%,马尾松叶面积指数降低7.2%或者不变;红锥林2015年枝凋落量和2017年凋落物总量分别增加29.6%和35.8%,马尾松林2015年其他树种(除了马尾松以外)叶凋落量显著减少50.7%,而其他凋落物组分无显著变化.短期穿透雨减少对人工林产生了干旱胁迫作用,这种作用存在年际变异和树种差异.     

哀牢山亚热带常绿阔叶林土壤含水量变化规律及其影响因子

利用ChinaFlux设置在哀牢山亚热带常绿阔叶林内的通量观测系统的土壤含水量数据,分析了哀牢山亚热带常绿阔叶林内土壤含水量的时间变化及其影响因子,以期了解哀牢山亚热带常绿阔叶林土壤含水量特征及其变化规律,为森林固碳能力、潜力和速率研究提供支撑.结果表明:(1)哀牢山亚热带常绿阔叶林不同深度土壤含水量大致呈单峰曲线分布,各层土壤含水量基本上随着土壤深度的增加而降低,波动范围也逐渐减小,最小值均在3月,最大值集中在7、8、9三个月.(2)0 ～ 100 cm各层深度的土壤含水量在17.7％～39.5％波动,其中100 cm深度的土壤含水量值最低、波动范围最小,总体来看,土壤含水量雨季高于旱季.(3)土壤含水量主要受降雨量、地温和相对湿度等要素的影响(P＜0.05),哀牢山亚热带常绿阔叶林5 cm深度的土壤含水量最大,约为38％.     

井冈山森林凋落物分解动态及磷、钾释放速率

应用网袋分解法对井冈山地区亚热带常绿阔叶林、针阔叶混交林和高山矮林地上和地下(10 cm)2个分解组的叶凋落物进行了连续2年的分解试验,测定了凋落物的分解速率以及P、K元素的释放动态.结果表明: 3种林分叶凋落物残留率与时间呈负指数衰减关系.各林分凋落物干质量损失前期较快,第1年末两组平均质量损失率分别为50.6%(常绿阔叶林)、41.7%(针阔叶混交林)和40.13%(高山矮林),且地上组显著高于地下组;后期较慢,至第2年末2组平均质量损失率分别达到60.95%(常绿阔叶林)、57.06%(针阔叶混交林)和56.60%(高山矮林),均以常绿阔叶林、针阔叶混交林、高山矮林为序递减,地上组与地下组的差异不显著.根据Olson指数衰减模型对质量损失率结果进行拟合,发现3种林分样地上凋落物分解95%所需的时间(t_0.95)为6.8～9.9年,其大小排序为常绿阔叶林＜针阔叶混交林＜高山矮林.P在不同林分凋落物分解过程中均存在明显的净固持效应,其强度顺序为高山矮林＞针阔叶混交林＞常绿阔叶林,凋落物初始P含量和C/P可能是导致上述情形的原因.K在各林分的多数时间均表现为净释放.以试验末期的元素释放量计算,P的释放速率在地上组和地下组之间无显著差异,而K则为地上组显著高于地下组.     

井冈山森林凋落物分解动态及磷、钾释放速率

应用网袋分解法对井冈山地区亚热带常绿阔叶林、针阔叶混交林和高山矮林地上和地下(10 cm)2个分解组的叶凋落物进行了连续2年的分解试验,测定了凋落物的分解速率以及P、K元素的释放动态.结果表明: 3种林分叶凋落物残留率与时间呈负指数衰减关系.各林分凋落物干质量损失前期较快,第1年末两组平均质量损失率分别为50.6%(常绿阔叶林)、41.7%(针阔叶混交林)和40.13%(高山矮林),且地上组显著高于地下组;后期较慢,至第2年末2组平均质量损失率分别达到60.95%(常绿阔叶林)、57.06%(针阔叶混交林)和56.60%(高山矮林),均以常绿阔叶林、针阔叶混交林、高山矮林为序递减,地上组与地下组的差异不显著.根据Olson指数衰减模型对质量损失率结果进行拟合,发现3种林分样地上凋落物分解95%所需的时间(t_0.95)为6.8～9.9年,其大小排序为常绿阔叶林＜针阔叶混交林＜高山矮林.P在不同林分凋落物分解过程中均存在明显的净固持效应,其强度顺序为高山矮林＞针阔叶混交林＞常绿阔叶林,凋落物初始P含量和C/P可能是导致上述情形的原因.K在各林分的多数时间均表现为净释放.以试验末期的元素释放量计算,P的释放速率在地上组和地下组之间无显著差异,而K则为地上组显著高于地下组.     

古田山常绿阔叶林凋落量时间动态及冰雪灾害的影响

2006年10月至2009年12月期间,我们通过对古田山24 ha常绿阔叶林动态样地169个种子雨收集器的凋落物进行烘干、分类、称量和数据分析,研究了凋落量的组成特征和时间动态,以及受2008年2月特大冰雪灾害的影响.2007年和2009年凋落量分别为532.05 g/m2和375.17 g/m2,年际变化显著,这与2008年的冰雪灾害有关.2007年古田山常绿阔叶林各组分在凋落量中所占比例依次为:叶(78.99%)>枝(14.69%)>皮(3-33%)>其他(2.99%);叶凋落量中各组分所占比例依次为:常绿阔叶树种叶(78.70%)>落叶阔叶树种叶(12.37%)>针叶树种叶(8.92%),其中甜槠(Castanopsis eyrei)、木荷(Schima superba)、马尾松(Pinus massoniana)和短柄袍(Quercus serrata vat.brevipetiolata)4个优势种年凋落量合计占叶凋落总量的71.36%,它们的动态直接影响着凋落总量的变化格局.凋落量高峰发生在春季(4月)和秋冬季(10月末至12月初),其中总凋落量、叶凋落量动态呈双峰型,枝条凋落量和树皮凋落量动态为不规则峰型,其他凋落量动态为单峰型.冰雪灾害后总凋落量、叶凋落量、枝条凋落量显著减少(P<0.05),其中甜槠、杨梅叶蚊母树(Distylium myricoides)叶凋落最显著减少(P<0.05)、木荷叶凋落量减少达到边缘显著水平(P<0.1),这也反映了冰亏灾害期间森林群落的受损情况.其他凋落量(主要成分为虫粪)在4B份增加极其显著(P<0.01),说明灾后植物的枝叶出现了补偿性生长.     

鼎湖山森林凋落物量及营养元素含量研究

 本文研究了鼎湖山南亚热带常绿阔叶林和针叶林的凋落物量及凋落物中主要营养元素(N、P、K、Ca、Mg)的含量。8年的测定结果表明,两个森林类型的年均凋落物量(t·ha-1)及凋落物中主要营养元素的含量(t·ha-1·yr-1)分别为：常绿阔叶林9.056,0.220;针叶林2.695,0.032。凋落物中叶、枝和花果的百分组成及凋落特征各异。鼎湖山南亚热带常绿阔叶林的年均凋落物量低于热带雨林而高于暖温带落叶阔叶林,说明不同气候带的森林类型,其凋落物量是有差异的。与针叶林相比较,常绿阔叶林的凋落物量较大,凋落物中主要营养元素的含量较高,凋落物的分解速率也较快,因此从提高森林的质量和增强森林的生态效益来考虑,在造林绿化上应提倡多营造常绿阔叶林或针阔叶混交林。     

西双版纳不同海拔热带雨林凋落量变化研究

在3个海拔梯度(600、1 100和1 600 m)选取8块热带雨林样地,研究了印度季风环境下西双版纳热带季节雨林和山地雨林的凋落动态随海拔的变化及其与气候的关系。在3个梯度上,年平均温度分别为22.1、20.1和16.6 ℃,年平均温度递减率为-0.005 3 ℃·m^-1。随海拔增加,年平均降雨量增加(分别为1 532、1 659和2 011 mm),但旱季的降雨量基本相同(282~295 mm);年蒸发量变化较小(分别为1 369、1 374和1 330 mm);年平均空气相对湿度降低(分别为86%、81%和84%),旱季后期湿度降低更明显;样地土壤含水显著增加。热带季节雨林凋落量(1 072~1 285 g·m^-2·a^-1)显著高于热带山地雨林凋落量(718~1 014 g·m^-2·a^-1)。凋落量和凋落进程变异系数与海拔之间存在线性显著负相关,凋落量与温度线性显著正相关而与降雨量显著负相关。旱季凋落高峰受到空气相对湿度和土壤含水量影响,随海拔增加空气相对湿度降低使得海拔1 105~1 720 m的凋落高峰提前,但土壤含水量继续增加又会使凋落高峰推后。研究结果得出:1)热带季节雨林凋落量与东南亚热带潮湿雨林相近;2)旱季水分限制随海拔增加而变化,影响凋落高峰出现时间;3)随海拔增加,热带山地雨林凋落年进程由季节性向平稳过渡。     

水分条件变化对哀牢山亚热带常绿阔叶林林下幼苗死亡率的影响

为探讨环境水分条件变化对亚热带森林林下乔木幼苗动态的影响,以及木材密度和幼苗在干旱中死亡率的关系,研究了哀牢山常绿阔叶林2005—2011年的总体和主要树种幼苗(黄心树、多果新木姜子、多花山矾、鸭公树和大花八角)的死亡率,并分析了幼苗死亡率和旱季幼苗根系所在土层土壤质量含水量、旱季降水量、旱季降水日数以及木材密度的关系。结果表明:1)幼苗死亡率与旱季降水日数、旱季浅层土壤平均质量含水量有显著的负相关关系,和旱季降水量无显著相关性;2)总幼苗及5种乔木幼苗的死亡率均在2010年(西南干旱)达到有观测以来最高,是2009年的2—10倍,其中多花山矾、黄心树幼苗的死亡率最高,大花八角幼苗的死亡率最低;3)在种间,幼苗2010年干旱中的死亡率和木材密度显著正相关,即木材密度较大的物种幼苗死亡率更高。研究表明林下幼苗由于根系较浅,对降雨变化较为敏感,因而受到了这次干旱的较大影响。由于木材密度较低的树种在干旱中有较低的死亡率,干旱频度和强度的增加可能使低木材密度幼苗的丰富度增加,森林的组成也将受到影响。     

Litterfall seasonality and adaptive strategies of tropical and subtropical evergreen forests in China

中国热带和亚热带常绿林凋落物季节特征及适应策略 本研究收集了来自中国热带/亚热带常绿林共85个站点的凋落物量季节性变化数据,并采用线性回归、结构方程模型构建以及相位差分析等方法,综合探究中国热带/亚热带地区常绿阔叶林和针叶林叶片脱落对土壤水分、饱和水气压差和辐射强度等气候因子的响应机制。研究结果显示,在雨热同期和雨热异期两种热带/亚热带气候类型中,呈现出两种典型凋落物的物候类型(单峰季节型/双峰季节型)。在雨热同期气候条件下,光照强度和降水呈现季节性正相关,单峰的凋落物峰值和双峰的第一个峰值约出现在3–4月,不断增加的光照能促进新叶的萌发,老叶被代谢更强的新叶所替代,该类型属于一种最大程度利用光照来实现树木生长的自适应策略。双峰的第二个峰值出现在雨季末期,约在8–10月,是由不断增强的水分亏缺所导致的(常绿阔叶林：大气水分亏缺;常绿针叶林：土壤水分亏缺),这种类型是一种凋落老叶减少水分丢失来应对水分胁迫的自适应策略。在雨热异期气候条件下,光照强度和降水呈现季节性负相关,饱和水气压差与光照强度表现出一致的季节性动态变化,诱导了常绿阔叶林单峰和双峰物候的第一个凋落峰(约在3–4月),是一种权衡大气干旱胁迫和最大程度利用光照进行生长的综合自适应策略。在雨季初期,显著的土壤水分亏缺加速叶片凋落,诱导了常绿阔叶林双峰物候的第二个凋落峰(约在11月),属于凋落老叶应对土壤水分胁迫的自适应策略。这些研究结果可以为地球系统模式中热带物候的精确模拟提供重要参考。     

Amazon drought and forest response: Largely reduced forest photosynthesis but slightly increased canopy greenness during the extreme drought of 2015/2016

Amazon droughts have impacted regional ecosystem functioning as well as global carbon cycling. The severe dry‐season droughts in 2005 and 2010, driven by Atlantic sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly, have been widely investigated in terms of drought severity and impacts on ecosystems. Although the influence of Pacific SST anomaly on wet‐season precipitation has been well recognized, it remains uncertain to what extent the droughts driven by Pacific SST anomaly could affect forest greenness and photosynthesis in the Amazon. Here, we examined the monthly and annual dynamics of forest greenness and photosynthetic capacity when Amazon ecosystems experienced an extreme drought in 2015/2016 driven by a strong El Niño event. We found that the drought during August 2015–July 2016 was one of the two most severe meteorological droughts since 1901. Due to the enhanced solar radiation during this drought, overall forest greenness showed a small increase, and 21.6% of forests even greened up (greenness index anomaly ≥1 standard deviation). In contrast, solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF), an indicator of vegetation photosynthetic capacity, showed a significant decrease. Responses of forest greenness and photosynthesis decoupled during this drought, indicating that forest photosynthesis could still be suppressed regardless of the variation in canopy greenness. If future El Niño frequency increases as projected by earth system models, droughts would result in persistent reduction in Amazon forest productivity, substantial changes in tree composition, and considerable carbon emissions from Amazon.     

Leaf flushing during the dry season: the paradox of Asian monsoon forests

Aim Most deciduous species of dry monsoon forests in Thailand and India form new leaves 1–2 months before the first monsoon rains, during the hottest and driest part of the year around the spring equinox. Here we identify the proximate causes of this characteristic and counterintuitive ‘spring‐flushing’ of monsoon forest trees. Location Trees of 20 species were observed in semi‐deciduous dry monsoon forests of northern Thailand with a 5–6‐month‐long severe dry season and annual rainfall of 800–1500 mm. They were growing on dry ridges (dipterocarp–oak forest) or in moist gullies (mixed deciduous–evergreen forest) at 680–750 m altitude near Chiang Mai and in a dry lowland stand of Shorea siamensis in Uthai Thani province. Methods Two novel methods were developed to analyse temporal and spatial variation in vegetative dry‐season phenology indicative of differences in root access to subsoil water reserves. Results Evergreen and leaf exchanging species at cool, moist sites leafed soon after partial leaf shedding in January–February. Drought‐resistant dipterocarp species were evergreen at moist sites, deciduous at dry sites, and trees leafed soon after leaf shedding whenever subsoil water was available. Synchronous spring flushing of deciduous species around the spring equinox, as induced by increasing daylength, was common in Thailand's dipterocarp–oak forest and appears to be prevalent in Indian dry monsoon forests of the Deccan peninsula with its deep, water‐storing soils. Main conclusions In all observed species leafing during the dry season relied on subsoil water reserves, which buffer trees against prolonged climatic drought. Implicitly, rainfall periodicity, i.e. climate, is not the principal determinant of vegetative tree phenology. The establishment of new foliage before the summer rains is likely to optimize photosynthetic gain in dry monsoon forests with a relatively short, wet growing season.     

Effect of typhoon disturbance on fine litterfall and related nutrient input in a subtropical forest on Okinawa Island, Japan

Typhoons are frequent on Okinawa Island, southwestern Japan. The effects of typhoon disturbance on the patterns of fine litterfall and related nutrient inputs in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest were studied over 5 years from May 1996 to April 2001. Annual fine litterfall averaged 7558 kg ha⁻¹ (range from 6188 to 9439 kg ha⁻¹) for six sampling plots over 5 years, which differed significantly among years (p<0.001) but not among plots (p=0.122). A seasonal maximum was most evident for leaf litter component. Woody litter fell more irregularly through the year, and peak fall varied with typhoon and windstorm. The mean ratio of annual litterfall mass of sexual organs to leaves was 0.06, much lower than that in other tropical and subtropical rain forests. Nutrient concentrations varied in litterfall components, but were not significantly different among plots. The lowest concentrations of N and P in leaf litter were observed in March, which is also the month with the greatest leaf fall. However, the highest concentrations were recorded in typhoon season. Nitrogen and P concentrations were 34% and 106% greater in the green leaves that fell during typhoons than in senescent leaves. Mean nutrient inputs by litterfall were: N 83, P 3.2, K 25, Ca 71, Mg 19, Al 12, Na 10, Fe 0.86 and Mn 3.9 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, and differed significantly among years for all elements (p<0.0005) and among plots only for K (p<0.05) and Mn (p<0.0001). Typhoon disturbance strongly affected annual fine litterfall and related nutrient inputs, which contributed an average of 30% of the annual litterfall mass, and from 30% to 39% (for different nutrient elements) of annual total nutrient inputs. The results from this study suggest that typhoon-driven maintenance of rapid cycling of P and N and their high availability in soil appears to be an important mechanism to maintain productivity in the subtropical forest on Okinawa Island.     

Rainfall seasonality and drought performance shape the distribution of tropical tree species in Ghana

Tree species distribution in lowland tropical forests is strongly associated with rainfall amount and distribution. Not only plant water availability, but also irradiance, soil fertility, and pest pressure covary along rainfall gradients. To assess the role of water availability in shaping species distribution, we carried out a reciprocal transplanting experiment in gaps in a dry and a wet forest site in Ghana, using 2,670 seedlings of 23 tree species belonging to three contrasting rainfall distributions groups (dry species, ubiquitous species, and wet species). We evaluated seasonal patterns in climatic conditions, seedling physiology and performance (survival and growth) over a 2‐year period and related seedling performance to species distribution along Ghana's rainfall gradient. The dry forest site had, compared to the wet forest, higher irradiance, and soil nutrient availability and experienced stronger atmospheric drought (2.0 vs. 0.6 kPa vapor pressure deficit) and reduced soil water potential (?5.0 vs. ?0.6 MPa soil water potential) during the dry season. In both forests, dry species showed significantly higher stomatal conductance and lower leaf water potential, than wet species, and in the dry forest, dry species also realized higher drought survival and growth rate than wet species. Dry species are therefore more drought tolerant, and unlike the wet forest species, they achieve a home advantage. Species drought performance in the dry forest relative to the wet forest significantly predicted species position on the rainfall gradient in Ghana, indicating that the ability to grow and survive better in dry forests and during dry seasons may allow species to occur in low rainfall areas. Drought is therefore an important environmental filter that influences forest composition and dynamics. Currently, many tropical forests experience increase in frequency and intensity of droughts, and our results suggest that this may lead to reduction in tree productivity and shifts in species distribution.     

Litterfall and Element Fluxes in a Natural Hardwood Forest and a Chinese‐fir Plantation Experiencing Frequent Typhoon Disturbance in Central Taiwan

Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) is the most important forest plantation species in subtropical Asia and is rapidly replacing natural forests. Such land‐use change may affect ecosystem nutrient cycling through changes in litterfall nutrient flux. Tropical cyclones often cause pulses of litterfall. Previous studies, however, have mostly focused on the effects of a single cyclone with little effort examining the effects of repeated cyclones. We examined litterfall in a natural hardwood forest and a Chinese‐fir plantation in central Taiwan experiencing an average of one typhoon per year. The natural hardwood forest had 54 percent higher annual litterfall (11,400 kg/ha/yr) than the Chinese‐fir plantation (7400 kg/ha/yr). Four typhoon‐affected months (typhoon period) contributed to approximately 60 percent of the litterfall and litterfall element flux in the natural hardwood forest and 80 percent in the Chinese‐fir plantation, with contributions from individual typhoons varied by more than twofold. Litterfall N and P concentrations were significantly higher in typhoon period than in non‐typhoon period, likely the result of limited retranslocation. Precipitation was a better predictor of quantity of typhoon‐associated litterfall than wind velocity. Both types of forests in southeastern China beyond the reach of typhoons have litterfall peaks in the dry season. In contrast, we measured higher litterfall during the typhoon period than during the dry season, suggesting that in regions with frequent cyclones, cyclones drive temporal variation of litterfall. Global climate change is affecting the frequency and intensity of cyclones; therefore, knowledge of typhoon‐litterfall dynamics is indispensable for understanding the effects of climate change on ecosystem nutrient cycling.     

Summer season and long-term drought increase the richness of bacteria and fungi in the foliar phyllosphere of Quercus ilex in a mixed Mediterranean forest

We explored the changes in richness, diversity and evenness of epiphytic (on the leaf surface) and endophytic (within leaf tissues) bacteria and fungi in the foliar phyllosphere of Quercus ilex, the dominant tree species of Mediterranean forests. Bacteria and fungi were assessed during ontogenic development of the leaves, from the wet spring to the dry summer season in control plots and in plots subjected to drought conditions mimicking those projected for future decades. Our aim was to monitor succession in microbiota during the colonisation of plant leaves and its response to climate change. Ontogeny and seasonality exerted a strong influence on richness and diversity of the microbial phyllosphere community, which decreased in summer in the whole leaf and increased in summer in the epiphytic phyllosphere. Drought precluded the decrease in whole leaf phyllosphere diversity and increased the rise in the epiphytic phyllosphere. Both whole leaf bacterial and fungal richness decreased with the decrease in physiological activity and productivity of the summer season in control trees. As expected, the richness of epiphytic bacteria and fungi increased in summer after increasing time of colonisation. Under summer dry conditions, there was a positive relationship between TRF (terminal restriction fragments) richness and drought, both for whole leaf and epiphytic phyllosphere, and especially for fungal communities. These results demonstrate that changes in climate are likely to significantly alter microbial abundance and composition of the phyllosphere. Given the diverse functions and large number of phyllospheric microbes, the potential functional implications of such community shifts warrant exploration.