Aerial seed bank in a cold desert annual-ephemeral species: Role of anatomical structure of stem and delayed fruit dehiscence in timing of seed dispersal

Why the fruits are retained on dead upright herbaceous plants and how this relates to seed dispersal and timing of germination remain unclear. Stems of the annual Euclidium syriacum (Brassicaceae) with infructescences bearing indehiscent silicles remain upright after plants die in the spring. We investigated the effect of anatomical structures of stem and pedicle and delayed silicle dehiscence on seed dispersal phenology of this species. For comparison, sections were made of the stem of the annual Goldbachia laevigata (Brassicaceae), which has stems that fall over when plants die. Compared to G. laevigata, the stem of E. syriacum has vascular bundles that are closer together, a thicker xylem and phloem, more fibers, a thicker perimedullary zone and a smaller pith diameter:stem diameter ratio. The thickened pedicle did not form an abcission layer. By late October, 5–20% of seeds were dispersed, depending on the position of infructescences on the plant. Snow covered the plants in late autumn and when it melted in mid-April many of the plants had fallen over, with a high number of seeds germinating in attached silicles; seedlings became rooted in soil. After snowmelt, 14–15% of the silicles on the remaining upright plants contained seeds; all seeds were dispersed by early July. The anatomical structures of the stem and pedicle plus the delayed dehiscence of silicles explain the presence of an aerial seed bank in E. syriacum and delay of germination of many of seeds until spring. Further, pieces of upright plants are broken off and dispersed by wind, which helps to explain the wide distribution of E. syriacum in the cold desert.     

土壤水分对黄土区苹果园土壤-植物-大气连续体(SPAC)中水势梯度的影响

开展土壤-植物-大气连续体(SPAC)中水势变化的联动分析对于揭示植物水分状况对环境变化的响应机制有重要意义。在黄土高原苹果园对果树生长季大气水势(Ψ_air)、木质部水势(Ψ_stem)、土壤水势(Ψ_soil)进行连续监测与分析。结果表明: 苹果树在生长季的日平均Ψ_stem为-0.57 MPa,在-0.24～-2.0 MPa间变化。苹果树SPAC连续体中水势梯度(Ψ_soilΨ_stemΨ_air)平均为1∶9.8∶1155,其中植-土界面的水势梯度(Ψ_stemΨ_soil)与土壤体积含水率(VWC)间呈极显著的线性正相关关系,Ψ_stem与Ψ_soil间呈良好的线性关系,且相关性强于Ψ_stem与Ψ_air间的相关性。当Ψ_soil<-0.08 MPa(VWC=17%,约为田间持水量的0.56倍)时,Ψ_stem对Ψ_soil变化响应的敏感性明显降低,气-植界面的水势梯度(Ψ_airΨ_stem)与Ψ_soil间由无明显关系转变为紧密的线性相关关系(R²=0.93)。Ψ_air对Ψ_stem的驱动存在阈值效应,在Ψ_air降到-69 MPa前,Ψ_stem日变化幅度随Ψ_air增加而增加,之后呈下降趋势。土壤含水率降低引起苹果树水势、SPAC各界面上的水势梯度明显下降,且在土壤含水率降至约17%时存在阈值效应。研究结果为理解树木水分状况对土壤、大气干旱的响应机制提供了重要依据。     

枝条覆盖对平茬花棒生长特征和浅层土壤水分的影响

为了综合评价枝条覆盖对不同立地(平地、丘顶、丘间低地)平茬花棒(Hedysarum scoparium)生长特征和浅层土壤水分的影响,以吉兰泰荒漠-绿洲过渡区平茬花棒为研究对象,于2017年4—10月对覆盖与无覆盖平茬花棒物候期、土壤容积含水量、土壤储水量和生长指标等相关指标进行测定。实验结果表明:(1)枝条覆盖有利于平茬花棒提前萌芽,较无覆盖提前5 d以上。(2)枝条覆盖使不同立地平茬花棒生长初期和生长末期0—100 cm土层平均土壤容积含水量增加20.12%以上,且土壤含水量变异系数随土层深度增加变化减缓;土壤储水量在生长初期和生长末期枝条覆盖较无覆盖增加27%以上。(3)枝条覆盖使平茬花棒株高、新生枝数、基径、冠幅较无覆盖增加10.91%以上,同时其生物量鲜重和干重较无覆盖分别增加4.45%—24.17%和3.78%—18.93%。尤其丘间低地平茬花棒生物量增加效果更加明显(P0.05)。但枝条覆盖不能改变平茬花棒生物量分配格局;(4)枝条覆盖和平茬对花棒生长均具有积极作用,枝条覆盖对丘间低地平茬花棒生长促进作用最好。     

深圳近海公园植物群落结构特征及其与景观格局的相关性

城市公园植物群落为城市生态系统提供重要的生态服务。对深圳最具代表性的6个近海城市公园进行实地调查,同时结合高分辨率的遥感图像,分析其植物群落结构特征及其与公园内部景观格局的相关关系。结果表明：（1）共调查到近海公园植物108科310属471种,其中乡土植物82科169属231种。草本植物中乡土植物比例较高,而木本中乡土植物占比较低。（2）TS-4和H-1分别是近海公园最常见的乔灌群落类型和草本群落类型,其样地量分别占总量的39%和26%。常见群落的指示种多数具有热带性质并占据主体地位。（3）公园中灌木植物种数低于乔木和草本植物,但群落稳定性较高。（4）半自然型和人工型近海公园各类植物的相似性,以灌木层植物最低。（5）公园整体景观格局中,斑块密度与林地面积比、林地最大斑块面积比呈显著负相关（P<0.05）。（6）各层植物多样性也受到景观格局显著影响：草本层植物多样性与草地、林地的斑块形状复杂程度分别呈显著负相关（P<0.05）;灌木层植物多样性与林地、水体的景观破碎度呈显著负相关（P<0.05）;乔木层植物多样性与草地最大斑块指数呈显著负相关（P<0.05）。公园景观破碎度的增大可能会导致植被景观面积减少。建议在公园植物造景初期就要重视对灌木的运用,尤其是一些生态本底比较脆弱的公园,以提高植物群落的稳定性和低维护性。同时应尽可能保留大面积的核心植被生态斑块,更好地发挥其生态功能。研究结果可为城市公园的规划设计、植物群落的优化配置与城市生物多样性保护提供依据。     

新疆米兰遗址吐蕃时期的植物遗存

米兰遗址位于新疆塔里木盆地东南缘的若羌县,是丝绸之路新疆段南道上的重要遗址之一,延续年代可从吐蕃占领时期上溯至汉朝。遗址群内包含佛寺、屯田、灌溉水利设施、烽燧、戍堡以及城址等15处单体遗迹。2012年,新疆文物考古研究所对米兰遗址再次发掘,其中戍堡内出土了一批植物遗存,年代在距今1200年左右,包括黍、粟、青稞、小麦、桃、稗子、小獐毛和苦豆子等8种。结合植物鉴定和前人研究成果,本文认为吐蕃占领时期的米兰地区微环境较今天更为湿润,米兰戍堡的守卫者有一定的屯垦行为。除栽培谷物外,此地还有一定规模的桃树栽培。     

Repeated measures random forests (RMRF): Identifying factors associated with nocturnal hypoglycemia

Nocturnal hypoglycemia is a common phenomenon among patients with diabetes and can lead to a broad range of adverse events and complications. Identifying factors associated with hypoglycemia can improve glucose control and patient care. We propose a repeated measures random forest (RMRF) algorithm that can handle nonlinear relationships and interactions and the correlated responses from patients evaluated over several nights. Simulation results show that our proposed algorithm captures the informative variable more often than naïvely assuming independence. RMRF also outperforms standard random forest and extremely randomized trees algorithms. We demonstrate scenarios where RMRF attains greater prediction accuracy than generalized linear models. We apply the RMRF algorithm to analyze a diabetes study with 2524 nights from 127 patients with type 1 diabetes. We find that nocturnal hypoglycemia is associated with HbA1c, bedtime blood glucose (BG), insulin on board, time system activated, exercise intensity, and daytime hypoglycemia. The RMRF can accurately classify nights at high risk of nocturnal hypoglycemia.     

亚热带-温带气候过渡区落叶阔叶林物种-生境关联分析

物种-生境关联分析有利于更好地理解物种共存理论和群落构建机制。根据秦岭落叶阔叶林25 hm²固定监测样地的调查数据,将树种分为幼苗、幼树和成树3个生活阶段,利用Torus-translation检验方法分析物种与不同生境类型之间的关联性。结果表明: 生境对各物种的影响不同。与高坡显著关联的物种数最多,其中95.7%为负关联;与低坡呈负相关的物种占89.5%;与山脊呈显著负关联的物种占90.9%;物种与高谷生境多存在显著正关联,呈负相关的只有1种,占0.03%。物种在幼苗、幼树和成树阶段与生境分别存在80、44和23个关联,表明幼苗阶段对生境的依赖程度更大。幼苗阶段的物种中有38个(占总物种数的90.5%)至少与一类生境存在显著的关联性;幼树阶段有25个(占总物种数的58.1%)至少与一类生境存在显著关联;成树阶段只有17个(占总物种数的39.5%)至少与一类生境存在显著关联。同一生境对不同生活史阶段物种的影响存在差异,到生活史阶段后期,生境的影响逐渐减弱。由于特定的环境需求,多数物种在不同生活史阶段表现出不同的生境偏好。     

鄱阳湖流域极端降水时空分布和非平稳性特征

全球变暖背景下的极端天气气候事件显著增加。本研究基于PreWhitening Mann-Kendall(PWMK)、极点对称模态分解法和广义可加模型,利用鄱阳湖流域1959—2019年16个国家级气象站点的逐日降水数据,从极端降水的强度、频率和持续性3个维度系统检测和分析流域极端降水的时空分布和非平稳性特征。结果表明: 研究期间,鄱阳湖流域极端降水强度和频率呈显著增加趋势,持续性呈下降趋势,极端降水整体表现出强度大、频率高、持续时间短的特点;极端降水存在明显的汛期和非汛期时间分异规律,汛期极端降水集中在流域北部和中部,而非汛期多集中于中部,子流域中信江流域降水量增加趋势最显著,达到2.10 mm·a^-1;汛期极端降水的持续时间越长,强度和范围越小,非汛期极端降水则相反;鄱阳湖流域的极端降水强度和频率以平稳性特征为主,持续性表现出非平稳性特征。随着鄱阳湖流域极端降水量的不断增加,其可能引发的灾害风险将进一步增大。