青藏高原多年冻土区不同水分条件的高寒草甸根系功能性状对增温的响应

在青藏高原多年冻土广泛分布的风火山地区,选择小嵩草（Kobresia pygmea）草甸和藏嵩草（Kobresia tibetica）沼泽化草甸为研究对象,采用开顶增温室（Open top chambers, OTCs）模拟气候变暖,探讨模拟增温对土壤水分差异的两种草甸地下生物量及根系功能性状的影响。结果显示,（1）增温显著增加小嵩草草甸0—20 cm根系生物量,主要是由于表层（0—10 cm）根系生物量显著增加,而对藏嵩草沼泽化草甸根系生物量无影响。（2）增温显著增加了小嵩草草甸根组织密度,同时提高了藏嵩草沼泽化草甸10—20 cm的比根长和比根面积（3）增温降低了小嵩草草甸的根系碳含量及10—20 cm根系氮含量,增加了藏嵩草沼泽化草甸的碳含量及10—20 cm根系氮含量,显著提高了小嵩草草甸和藏嵩草沼泽化草甸深层（10—20 cm）根系碳氮比。这些结果预示着增温使得土壤水分较低的小嵩草草甸朝着资源保守的慢速生长型发展,以适应暖干化的环境;土壤水分较高的藏嵩草沼泽化草甸朝着资源获取的快速生长型发展,加速利用土壤中的养分满足植物生长需要。可见,土壤水分可以调节高寒草甸对气候变暖的演变趋势,强调了水分的重要性。     

青藏高原高寒草甸植物群落生物量对氮、磷添加的响应

青藏高原正经历着明显的温暖化过程, 由此引起的土壤温度的升高促进了土壤中微生物的活性, 同时青藏高原东缘地区大气氮沉降十分明显, 并呈逐年增加的趋势, 这些环境变化均促使土壤中可利用营养元素增加, 因此深入了解青藏高原高寒草甸植物生物量对可利用营养元素增加的响应, 是准确预测未来全球变化背景下青藏高原高寒草甸碳循环过程的重要基础。该研究基于在青藏高原高寒草甸连续4年(2009-2012年)氮、磷添加后对不同功能群植物地上生物量、群落地上和地下生物量的测定, 探讨高寒草甸生态系统碳输入对氮、磷添加的响应。结果表明: (1)氮、磷添加均极显著增加了禾草的地上绝对生物量及其在群落总生物量中所占的比例, 同时均显著降低了杂类草在群落总生物量中的比例, 此外磷添加极显著降低了莎草地上绝对生物量及其在群落总生物量中所占的比例。(2)氮、磷添加均显著促进了青藏高原高寒草甸的地上生物量增加, 分别增加了24%和52%。(3)氮添加对高寒草甸地下生物量无显著影响, 而磷添加后地下生物量有增加的趋势。(4)氮添加对高寒草甸植物总生物量无显著影响, 而磷添加后植物总生物量显著增加。研究表明, 氮、磷添加可缓解青藏高原高寒草甸植物生长的营养限制, 促进植物地上部分的生长, 然而高寒草甸植物的生长极有可能更受土壤中可利用磷含量的限制。     

祁连山3种典型生态系统土壤微生物活性和生物量碳氮含量

 测定分析了祁连山高寒草甸、山地森林和干草原土壤中微生物活性、生物量碳氮含量。结果显示：就土壤微生物生物量碳含量,森林比干草原和高寒草甸中分别高60%和120%以上,干草原比高寒草甸中高40%以上(p<0.05)。就土壤微生物生物量氮含量,0～5 cm土层,森林比高寒草甸和干草原中分别高64%和111%以上,高寒草甸比干草原中高29%;5～15 cm土层,森林比干草原和高寒草甸中分别高7%和191%以上,干草原比高寒草甸中高171% 以上(p<0.05)。森林和干草原中土壤微生物生物量碳比例比高寒草甸中高32%以上,0～5和5～15 cm土层,森林和干草原中土壤微生物生物量氮比例比高寒草甸中高150%以上（p<0.05）。就土壤微生物活性,0～5和5～15 cm土层,森林和高寒草甸比干草原中高26%以上;15～35 cm土层,森林比干草原和高寒草甸中高28%以上 (p<0.05)。土壤微生物生物量碳氮含量与有机碳含量及微生物生物量氮含量和比例与微生物生物量碳含量和比例呈现正相关（r²>0.30,p<0.000 1）。土壤微生物生物量氮含量、微生物生物量碳氮含量比例、微生物活性与土壤pH值呈显著负相关,土壤微生物生物量碳氮含量及其比例、微生物活性与土壤湿度呈正相关。说明祁连山3种生态系统土壤中微生物生物量和活性受气候要素、植被、有机碳、pH值和湿度等因素 的共同影响。     

藏北高寒草甸根系生物量与碳氮分布格局及关联特征

根系生物量的分布格局及其与土壤环境因子的关系对草地保护与退化草地恢复研究有重要意义。以藏北当雄县的高寒草甸为研究对象,在三个海拔上（4300、4500、4700 m）对2011年0-50 cm的群落根系生物量、根碳氮含量、土壤碳含量（SOC、DOC、MBC）、氮含量（DTN、MBN、TN）、碳氮比（MBC/MBN、SOC/TN）、pH、电导率进行了测定,以期探讨藏北高寒草甸根系生物量与碳氮的分布格局及其关联特征。结果表明：（1）土壤中所测量的各种形式的碳氮含量均随着土壤深度的增大呈下降趋势,0-50 cm的DOC和SOC都随海拔的升高呈上升趋势。（2）随土壤深度的增加,根系生物量呈指数下降。随海拔的增加,根系生物量越集中分布于上层土壤,下层土壤根系生物量分布越少且变化趋于平缓。（3）根系生物量与所测的碳氮指标、电导率呈正相关关系,与pH呈负相关关系。根系氮库是影响根系生物量分布格局的主要因素,而pH值、电导率及土壤碳氮指标是影响根系生物量分布格局的重要因素。     

高山植物圆穗蓼的繁殖资源分配

于海北高寒草甸生态系统定位站附近的一个西向山坡上,以高寒灌丛草甸中海拔不同的4个地点的圆穗蓼为研究对象,分析圆穗蓼的繁殖特征在海拔梯度上的变化规律,以探讨高山植物在极端环境下的资源分配策略。结果发现:(1)随海拔升高,圆穗蓼的植株高度先增大后变小,营养器官生物量和繁殖器官生物量均呈现增加的趋势,但三者与海拔梯度的相关性不显著,而且繁殖分配在4个不同海拔取样地点间差异不显著;(2)个体越大,圆穗蓼分配到繁殖器官的绝对资源比例也显著增加,但在海拔较低的3个取样地点内,繁殖分配随海拔升高呈增加的趋势,这可能与高寒灌丛草甸土壤的潜在肥力较高而导致圆穗蓼不存在资源限制有关;(3)圆穗蓼在4个取样地点均存在繁殖阈值,繁殖阈值与海拔的相关性不显著,但仍然表现出随海拔升高而略有降低的趋势,表明海拔较高居群的植株达到开花繁殖需要的营养积累较小。研究表明,由于海北站的土壤肥力较高,4个取样地点的圆穗蓼不存在个体大小依赖性的繁殖分配和随海拔升高而增加的繁殖分配;而高海拔取样地点较低的繁殖阈值表明高山植物的有性繁殖比营养生长具有更为重要的意义,强调了有性繁殖对高山植物的重要性。     

青藏高原高寒草甸不同季节土壤理化性质及酶活性对施肥处理的响应

分析了青藏高原东缘高寒草甸不同施肥处理对土壤全量养分、速效养分、pH、含水量、有机碳和土壤脲酶活性的影响,以揭示高寒草甸土壤养分和酶活性对施肥的响应。结果表明:(1)随施肥量的增加,土壤pH明显趋于降低,施肥引起高寒草甸土壤酸化;全磷、速效磷均显著增大;(2)土壤全氮、有机碳和脲酶活性随施肥量增加呈单峰曲线变化,在施肥量为30或60g·m-2时最高,施肥量增加到90g·m-2时土壤资源逐渐降低;(3)季节变化对土壤养分也有一定的影响,全氮和全磷含量均于9月份较高,而速效氮含量一般于9月份较低,而速效磷含量5月份较低;(4)施肥对土壤养分的影响并不是简单的线性正相关关系,30~60g·m-2施肥量可作为高寒草甸最佳施肥水平。施肥处理下土壤有机碳和脲酶活性可作为衡量土壤肥力和土壤质量变化的重要指标。高施肥量(≥90g·m-2)可作为影响高寒草甸土壤养分及土壤酶活性的阈值。     

高寒地区白苞筋骨草对几种禾草的化感作用

采用青藏高原“黑土滩”次生毒杂草群落的优势植物——白苞筋骨草（Aerba lupulin）地上部分和地下部分水浸液,对青藏高原高寒地区4种禾草种子萌发、幼苗生长的抑制作用进行了分析。结果表明：白苞筋骨草地上部分水浸液对4种禾草种子萌发和幼苗生长具有显著抑制作用（P<0.05）,地下部分水浸液的化感抑制作用不显著（P>0.05）;4种牧草种子萌发对白苞筋骨草水浸提物敏感性强弱顺序为：垂穗披碱草（Elymus nutans）＞老芒麦（E. sibiricus）＞冷地早熟禾（Poa crymophila）＞中华羊茅 （Festuca sinensis）,禾草幼苗生长对白苞筋骨草水浸液的敏感性强弱顺序为：垂穗披碱草＞中华羊茅＞老芒麦＞冷地早熟禾;整体上,4种牧草对白苞筋骨草化感作用的敏感性强弱顺序为：垂穗披碱草＞老芒麦＞冷地早熟禾＞中华羊茅;4种牧草幼苗生长对白苞筋骨草的水浸液敏感性弱于种子萌发。白苞筋骨草的化感抑制作用是高寒地区毒杂草在退化草地蔓延,并最终形成"黑土滩"次生毒杂草群落的一个因素。     

青藏高原几种高寒植物的抗寒生理特性

研究了青藏高原高寒地区3种多年生植物在生长过程中植物叶组织的可溶性糖、脯氨酸和丙二醛（MDA）含量、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）和过氧化物酶（POD）活性的变化及其生理特性。结果表明;矮嵩草（Kobresia humilis）、垂穗披碱草（Elymus nutans）和黑褐苔草（Carex atro-fusca）叶中的可溶性糖含量随着生长期的进程而增加;脯氨酸含量的变化因植物种类的不同而表现各异,其中在各生长期．垂穗披碱草的脯氨酸含量均高于矮嵩草和黑褐苔草,并在草盛中期表现出明显的差异;3种高寒植物叶片中的丙二醛（MDA）含量随着生长季和气温的变化而呈现不断增加的趋势;3种植物中的超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）和过氧化物酶（POD）活性表现出随生长期和气温变化而改变的趋势,但黑褐苔草的2种膜保护酶活性最高,垂穗披碱草的次之．矮嵩草最低。可见,在不同生长季,这3种高寒植物的抗寒生理反应或低温适应方式可能是多途径的．其中在抗寒物质代谢、膜脂过氧化能力和抗氧化酶系统等方面,有生理反应的共同规律和各自特有的生理抗寒特性．其适应性与抗逆性有所不同,这种差异和生理特性可能与高寒植物的遗传特性和极端高寒低温环境胁迫有关。     

3种高山植物的物候和种群分布格局在融雪梯度上的变化

在青藏高原东部的一个高山雪床,沿着融雪梯度分别设置早融、中间和晚融3个融雪部位,然后测定川西小黄菊（Pyrethrum tatsienense）、长叶火绒草（Leontopodium longifolium）和圆穗蓼（Polygonum macrophyllum）在3个融雪部位上的物候差异以及种群分布格局的变化。结果表明：从早融到晚融的梯度上,3个物种的物候期都不同程度地有所推迟。其中,开始生长的时间推迟12~14 d,始花期推迟6~8 d,盛花期推迟6 d左右,但同一种植物在不同的融雪部位上的衰老枯黄期趋于一致,这标志着在晚融部位同一植物的生长期要缩短。在种群层次上,长叶火绒草和圆穗蓼的分布格局随着融雪的推迟都发生了一定的变化,基本上表现为从早融部位的集群分布到中间或晚融部位的随机分布。川西小黄菊在各个融雪部位上都表现为集群分布,但集群的强度随融雪的推迟逐渐减弱。     

青藏高原典型草地植被退化与土壤退化研究

采用野外样方调查和室内分析法,探讨了青藏高原不同退化程度高寒草原和高寒草甸植被群落结构、植物多样性、地上-地下生物量、根系分配及土壤理化特性差异。研究表明:(1)随着退化程度加剧,高寒草原禾草优势地位未改变,高寒草甸优势种莎草逐渐被杂类草取代。(2)随着退化程度加剧,高寒草原地上生物量显著降低(P0.05),高寒草甸地上生物量先保持稳定再下降。高寒草甸地下生物量较高寒草原地下生物量对退化响应更敏感。(3)高寒草原退化过程中,莎草地上物生量变化不明显(P0.05),禾草地上生物量贡献率由88.12%减少至53.54%,杂类草地上生物量贡献率由0.08%增加至42.81%;高寒草甸退化过程中,禾草和杂类草地上生物量先增加后减小,莎草地上生物量占比由69.15%减少至0.04%,杂类草地上生物量占比由12.56%增加至92.61%。(4)随着退化程度加剧,高寒草原根系向浅层迁移,高寒草甸根系向深层迁移。(5)退化对高寒草甸土壤含水量(θ)、土壤有机碳(SOC)、总氮(TN)及土壤容重(BD)影响均比高寒草原更强烈。本研究对青藏高原退化草地恢复治理具有重要的参考价值。     

雪被斑块对川西亚高山森林6种凋落叶冬季腐殖化的影响

亚高山森林凋落叶腐殖化是联系植物与土壤碳库和养分库的重要通道, 在冬季可能受到雪被斑块的影响。该文采用凋落物网袋法, 于2012年11月-2013年4月研究了川西亚高山森林不同厚度雪被斑块(厚雪被、中雪被、薄雪被和无雪被)下优势树种岷江冷杉(Abies faxoniana)、方枝柏(Sabina saltuaria)、四川红杉(Larix mastersiana)、红桦(Betula albo-sinensis)、康定柳(Salix paraplesia)和高山杜鹃(Rhododendron lapponicum)凋落叶在不同雪被关键期(雪被形成期、雪被覆盖期和雪被融化期)的腐殖化特征。结果表明: 亚高山森林冬季不同厚度雪被斑块下6种凋落叶均保持一定程度的腐殖化, 其中红桦凋落叶腐殖化度最大, 达4.45%-5.67%; 岷江冷杉、高山杜鹃、康定柳、四川红杉和方枝柏凋落叶腐殖化度分别为1.91%-2.15%、1.14%-2.03%、1.06%-1.97%、0.01%-1.25%和0.39%-1.21%。凋落叶腐殖质在雪被形成期、融化期和整个冬季累积, 且累积量随雪被厚度减小而增加, 但在雪被覆盖期降解, 且降解量随雪被厚度减小而增大。相关分析结果表明, 亚高山森林凋落叶前期腐殖化主要受凋落叶质量影响, 且与氮和酸不溶性组分呈极显著正相关, 而与碳、磷、水溶性和有机溶性组分呈极显著负相关。表明冬季变暖情景下雪被厚度的减小可能促进亚高山森林凋落叶腐殖化, 但凋落叶腐殖化在不同雪被关键期受雪被斑块和凋落叶质量的调控。     

Effects of snowpack on early foliar litter humification during winter in a subalpine forest of western Sichuan

亚高山森林凋落叶腐殖化是联系植物与土壤碳库和养分库的重要通道, 在冬季可能受到雪被斑块的影响。该文采用凋落物网袋法, 于2012年11月-2013年4月研究了川西亚高山森林不同厚度雪被斑块(厚雪被、中雪被、薄雪被和无雪被)下优势树种岷江冷杉(Abies faxoniana)、方枝柏(Sabina saltuaria)、四川红杉(Larix mastersiana)、红桦(Betula albo-sinensis)、康定柳(Salix paraplesia)和高山杜鹃(Rhododendron lapponicum)凋落叶在不同雪被关键期(雪被形成期、雪被覆盖期和雪被融化期)的腐殖化特征。结果表明: 亚高山森林冬季不同厚度雪被斑块下6种凋落叶均保持一定程度的腐殖化, 其中红桦凋落叶腐殖化度最大, 达4.45%-5.67%; 岷江冷杉、高山杜鹃、康定柳、四川红杉和方枝柏凋落叶腐殖化度分别为1.91%-2.15%、1.14%-2.03%、1.06%-1.97%、0.01%-1.25%和0.39%-1.21%。凋落叶腐殖质在雪被形成期、融化期和整个冬季累积, 且累积量随雪被厚度减小而增加, 但在雪被覆盖期降解, 且降解量随雪被厚度减小而增大。相关分析结果表明, 亚高山森林凋落叶前期腐殖化主要受凋落叶质量影响, 且与氮和酸不溶性组分呈极显著正相关, 而与碳、磷、水溶性和有机溶性组分呈极显著负相关。表明冬季变暖情景下雪被厚度的减小可能促进亚高山森林凋落叶腐殖化, 但凋落叶腐殖化在不同雪被关键期受雪被斑块和凋落叶质量的调控。     

高寒草甸地下根系生长动态对积雪变化的响应

2013年11月至2014年8月在青藏高原东缘红原县高寒草甸通过人工堆积的方法,进行了积雪量野外控制试验。以自然降雪的积雪量为对照(CK),设置了S1、S2和S3(积雪量分别为自然对照的2倍、3倍和4倍)3个处理,运用微根窗法追踪研究了积雪量改变后高寒草甸植被根系生长动态,并测定了积雪变化对土壤温度的影响。结果表明:高寒草甸植被根系生长存在明显的季节性变化,随着时间的推移,根系表面积、根尖数量及现存量逐渐增加并在8—9月达到最大值;当冬季积雪量达到143.4mm(S1),对根系生长最为有利(根系表面积、根尖数量、现存量及生产量最大),根系生长旺盛期(净生产速率较高)有所提前和延长,但随着积雪量进一步增加,积雪对根系生长的正效应逐渐降低,根系生长旺盛期逐渐推迟甚至消失;研究还发现,随着积雪量增加,0—10 cm土层土壤温度逐渐降低,相似的变化规律也出现在10—20 cm土层,但在时间上有所延迟;相关性分析表明,在不同土层中,根系生长与土壤温度均呈正相关。因此,积雪变化通过改变土壤温度影响高寒草甸植物根系的生长发育,最终可能会影响高寒草甸生态系统的碳分配与碳循环过程。     

Release and uptake of volatile inorganic and organic gases through the snowpack at Niwot Ridge,Colorado

Whole air drawn from four heights within the high elevation (3,340 m asl), deep, winter snowpack at Niwot Ridge, Colorado, were sampled into stainless steel canisters, and subsequently analyzed by gas chromatography for 51 volatile inorganic and organic gases. Two adjacent plots with similar snow cover were sampled, one over bare soil and a second one from within a snow-filled chamber where Tedlar/Teflon-film covered the ground and isolated it from the soil. This comparison allowed for studying effects from processes in the snowpack itself versus soil influences on the gas concentrations and fluxes within and through the snowpack. Samples were also collected from ambient air above the snow surface for comparison with the snowpack air. Analyzed gas species were found to exhibit three different kinds of behavior: (1) One group of gases, i.e., carbon dioxide (CO₂), chloroform (CHCl₃), dimethylsulfide (CH₃)₂S, carbondisulfide (CS₂), and dichlorobromomethane (CHBrCl₂), displayed higher concentrations inside the snow, indicating a formation of these species and release into the atmosphere. (2) A second group of compounds, including carbon monoxide (CO), carbonyl sulfide (COS), the hydrocarbons methane, ethane, ethyne, benzene, and the halogenated compounds methylchloride (CH₃Cl), methylbromide (CH₃Br), dibromomethane (CH₂Br₂), bromoform (CHBr₃), tetrachloromethane (CCl₄), CFC-11, CFC-12, HCFC-22, CFC-113, 1,2-dichloroethane, methylchloroform, HCFC-141b, and HCFC-142b, were found at lower concentrations in the snow, indicating that the snow and/or soil constitute a sink for these gases. (3) For 21 other gases absolute concentrations, respectively concentration gradients, were too low to unequivocally identify their uptake or release behavior. For gases listed in the first two groups, concentration gradients were incorporated into a snowpack gas diffusion model to derive preliminary estimates of fluxes at the snow-atmosphere interface. The snowpack gradient flux technique was found to offer a highly sensitive method for the study of these surface gas exchanges. Microbial activities below this deep, winter snowpack appear to be the driving mechanism behind these gas sources and sinks. Flux results were applied to a simple box model to assess the potential contribution of the snowpack uptake rates to atmospheric lifetimes of these species.     

雪被斑块对川西亚高山两个森林群落冬季土壤氮转化的影响

为了解气候变暖情景下雪况变化对高寒森林冬季土壤氮转化的影响,测定了川西亚高山冷杉(Abies faxoniana)+红桦(Betula albo-sinensis)混交林(MF)和冷杉次生林(SF)三类雪被斑块(浅雪被、中厚度雪被和厚雪被)内冬季土壤氮矿化特征。结果表明:经过一个冬季(2011-2012),两个森林群落土壤净氮氨化量都为负值,净氮硝化量都为正值,且净氮硝化量显著高于净氮氨化量;冬季土壤氮氨化、硝化、矿化和固持量都是中度雪被厚度最高,但各雪被斑块之间都未达到显著水平。各雪被斑块下,冷杉次生林土壤氮矿化参数都显著高于针阔混交林,但雪被斑块和林型交互作用对冬季土壤氮矿化无显著影响。这表明,该区冬季土壤氮矿化以硝化过程为主,硝化和氨化过程可能受不同微生物群落调控;短时期内,未来气候变化所导致的雪被减少对该区森林冬季土壤氮转化影响可能不明显。     

Detecting snow-related signals in radial growth of Pinus uncinata mountain forests

Climate warming is responsible for observed reduction in snowpack depth and an earlier and faster melt-out in many mountains of the Northern Hemisphere. Such changes in mountain hydroclimate could negatively affect productivity and tree growth in high-elevation forests, but few studies have investigated how and where recent warming trends and changes in snow cover influence forest growth. A network comprising 36 high-elevation Pinus uncinata forests was sampled in the NE Iberian Peninsula, mainly across the Spanish Pyrenees, using dendrochronology to relate tree radial growth to a detailed air temperature and snow depth data. Radial growth was negatively influenced by a longer winter snow season and a higher late-spring snowpack depth. Notably, the effect of snow on tree growth was found regardless the widely reported positive effect of growing-season air temperatures on P. uncinata growth. No positive influence of moisture from spring snowmelt on annual growth of P. uncinata was detected in sampled forests. Tall trees showed a lower growth responsiveness to snow than small trees. Decreasing trends in winter and spring snow depths were detected at most Pyrenean forests, suggesting that the growth of high-elevation P. uncinata forests can beneficiate for a shallower and of shorter duration snowpack associated with warmer conditions. However, water-limited sites located on steep slopes or on rocky substrates, with poor soil-water holding capacity, could experience drought stress because of early depleted snow-related soil moisture.     

Freezing in a warming climate: Marked declines of a subnivean hibernator after a snow drought

Recent snow droughts associated with unusually warm winters are predicted to increase in frequency and affect species dependent upon snowpack for winter survival. Changes in populations of some cold‐adapted species have been attributed to heat stress or indirect effects on habitat from unusually warm summers, but little is known about the importance of winter weather to population dynamics and how responses to snow drought vary among sympatric species. We evaluated changes in abundance of hoary marmots (Marmota caligata) over a period that included a year of record‐low snowpack to identify mechanisms associated with weather and snowpack. To consider interspecies comparisons, our analysis used the same a priori model set as a concurrent study that evaluated responses of American pikas (Ochotona princeps) to weather and snowpack in the same study area of North Cascades National Park, Washington, USA. We hypothesized that marmot abundance reflected mechanisms related to heat stress, cold stress, cold exposure without an insulating snowpack, snowpack duration, atmospheric moisture, growing‐season precipitation, or select combinations of these mechanisms. Changes in marmot abundances included a 74% decline from 2007 to 2016 and were best explained by an interaction of chronic dryness with exposure to acute cold without snowpack in winter. Physiological stress during hibernation from exposure to cold, dry air appeared to be the most likely mechanism of change in marmot abundance. Alternative mechanisms associated with changes to winter weather, including early emergence from hibernation or altered vegetation dynamics, had less support. A post hoc assessment of vegetative phenology and productivity did not support vegetation dynamics as a primary driver of marmot abundance across years. Although marmot and pika abundances were explained by strikingly similar models over periods of many years, details of the mechanisms involved likely differ between species because pika abundances increased in areas where marmots declined. Such differences may lead to diverging geographic distributions of these species as global change continues.     

Influence of experimental snow removal on root and canopy physiology of sugar maple trees in a northern hardwood forest

Due to projected increases in winter air temperatures in the northeastern USA over the next 100 years, the snowpack is expected to decrease in depth and duration, thereby increasing soil exposure to freezing air temperatures. To evaluate the potential physiological responses of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) to a reduced snowpack, we measured root injury, foliar cation and carbohydrate concentrations, woody shoot carbohydrate levels, and terminal woody shoot lengths of trees in a snow manipulation experiment in New Hampshire, USA. Snow was removed from treatment plots for the first 6 weeks of winter for two consecutive years, resulting in lower soil temperatures to a depth of 50 cm for both winters compared to reference plots with an undisturbed snowpack. Visibly uninjured roots from trees in the snow removal plots had significantly higher (but sub-lethal) levels of relative electrolyte leakage than trees in the reference plots. Foliar calcium: aluminum (Al) molar ratios were significantly lower, and Al concentrations were significantly higher, in trees from snow removal plots than trees from reference plots. Snow removal also reduced terminal shoot growth and increased foliar starch concentrations. Our results are consistent with previous research implicating soil freezing as a cause of soil acidification that leads to soil cation imbalances, but are the first to show that this translates into altered foliar cation pools, and changes in soluble and structural carbon pools in trees. Increased soil freezing due to a reduced snowpack could exacerbate soil cation imbalances already caused by acidic deposition, and have widespread implications for forest health in the northeastern USA.     

不同厚度雪被对高山森林6种凋落物分解过程中酸溶性和酸不溶性组分的影响

高山森林冬季不同厚度雪被格局可能通过影响凋落物的分解过程中酸溶性和酸不溶性组分特征,改变凋落物分解过程,但缺乏必要关注。采用凋落物分解袋法,研究了高山森林林窗中央至林下形成的天然雪被厚度梯度(厚型雪被、中型雪被、薄型雪被和无雪被)覆盖下,6种典型物种岷江冷杉(Abies faxoniana)、红桦(Betula albo-sinensis)、四川红杉(Larix mastersiana)、方枝柏(Sabina saltuaria)、康定柳(Salix paraplesia)和高山杜鹃(Rhododendron lapponicum)凋落物在不同关键时期(雪被形成期、雪被覆盖期和雪被融化期)的酸溶性组分和酸不溶性组分变化特征。经历一个冬季的分解后,6种凋落物酸溶性组分绝对含量呈降低趋势,除红桦外5种凋落物酸不溶性组分绝对含量呈增加趋势。不同厚度雪被显著影响雪被覆盖期和融化期凋落物酸不溶性和酸溶性组分绝对变化量;其中方枝柏、红桦和康定柳凋落物酸不溶性组分增加量在厚型雪被下显著高于其它雪被覆盖;而相对于阔叶凋落物酸溶性组分变化量在薄型雪被和无雪被梯度达到最大值,针叶凋落物酸溶性组分在厚型雪被下具有最大的变化量。一个冬季分解结束后,表征6种凋落物酸溶性和酸不溶性组分含量相对比例的LCI指数(Lignocellulose index)总体升高,雪被对LCI指数的影响主要表现在雪被覆盖期和融化期,且方枝柏、岷江冷杉和康定柳凋落物LCI在冬季分解后均在厚型雪被达到最高值。同时统计分析结果表明,物种极显著影响冬季不同阶段凋落物酸溶性和酸不溶性组分的变化。这些结果意味着气候变暖情景下,高山森林冬季雪被和冻融格局的改变将显著影响凋落物分解过程中酸溶性、酸不溶性组分以及LCI指数代表的抵抗性组分结构的变化,且影响趋势受到凋落物质量的调控。     

Fluxes and chemistry of nitrogen oxides in the Niwot Ridge,Colorado, snowpack

The effect of snow cover on surface-atmosphere exchanges of nitrogen oxides (nitrogen oxide (NO) + nitrogen dioxide (NO₂); note, here ‘NO₂’ is used as surrogate for a series of oxidized nitrogen gases that were detected by the used monitor in this analysis mode) was investigated at the high elevation, subalpine (3,340 m asl) Soddie site, at Niwot Ridge, Colorado. Vertical (NO + NO₂) concentration gradient measurements in interstitial air in the deep (up to ~2.5 m) snowpack were conducted with an automated sampling and analysis system that allowed for continuous observations throughout the snow-covered season. These measurements revealed sustained, highly elevated (NO + NO₂) mixing ratios inside the snow. Nitrogen oxide concentrations were highest at the bottom of the snowpack, reaching levels of up to 15 ppbv during mid-winter. Decreasing mixing ratios with increasing distance from the soil–snow interface were indicative of an upwards flux of NO from the soil through the snowpack, and out of the snow into the atmosphere, and imply that biogeochemical processes in the subnival soil are the predominant NO source. Nitrogen dioxide reached maximum levels of ~3 ppbv in the upper layers of the snowpack, i.e., ~20–40 cm below the surface. This behavior suggests that a significant fraction of NO is converted to NO₂ during its diffusive transport through the snowpack. Ozone showed the opposite behavior, with rapidly declining levels below the snow surface. The mirroring of vertical profiles of ozone and the NO₂/(NO + NO₂) ratio suggest that titration of ozone by NO in the snowpack contributes to the ozone reaction in the snow and to the ozone surface deposition flux. However, this surface efflux of (NO + NO₂) can only account for a minor fraction of ozone deposition flux over snow that has been reported at other mid-latitude sites. Neither (NO + NO₂) nor ozone levels in the interstitial air showed a clear dependence on incident solar irradiance, much in contrast to observations in polar snow. Comparisons with findings from polar snow studies reveal a much different (NO + NO₂) and ozone snow chemistry in this alpine environment. Snowpack concentration gradients and diffusion theory were applied to estimate an average, wintertime (NO + NO₂) flux of 0.005–0.008 nmol m⁻² s⁻¹, which is of similar magnitude as reported (NO + NO₂) fluxes from polar snow. While fluxes are similar, there is strong evidence that processes controlling (NO + NO₂) fluxes in these environments are very different, as subnivial soil at Niwot Ridge appears to be the main source of the (NO + NO₂) efflux, whereas in polar snow (NO + NO₂) has been found to be primarily produced from photochemical de-nitrification of snow nitrate.