Trade-offs and synergies between ecosystem productivity and stability in temperate grasslands

Aim

It is crucial to monitor how the productivity of grasslands varies with its temporal stability for management of these ecosystems. However, identifying the direction of the productivity–stability relationship remains challenging because ecological stability has multiple components that can display neutral, positive or negative covariations. Furthermore, evidence suggests that the direction of the productivity–stability relationship depends on the biotic interactions and abiotic conditions that underlie ecosystem productivity and stability. We decipher the relationships between grassland productivity and two components of its stability in four habitat types with contrasting environments and flora.

Location

France.

Time period

2000–2020.

Major taxa

Grassland plant species.

Methods

We used c. 20,000 vegetation plots spread across French permanent grasslands and remotely sensed vegetation indices to quantify grassland productivity and temporal stability. We decomposed stability into constancy (i.e., temporal invariability) and resistance (i.e., maximum deviation from average) and deciphered the direct and indirect effects of abiotic (namely growing season length and nitrogen input) and biotic (namely plant taxonomic diversity, trait diversity and community-weighted mean traits) factors on productivity–stability relationships using structural equation models.

Results

We found a positive relationship between productivity and constancy and a negative relationship between productivity and resistance in all habitats. Abiotic factors had stronger effects on productivity and stability compared with biotic factors. A longer growing season enhanced grassland productivity and constancy. Nitrogen input had positive and negative effects on grassland productivity and resistance, respectively. Trait values affected the constancy and resistance of grassland more than taxonomic and trait diversity, with effects varying from one habitat to another. Productivity was not related to any biotic factor.

Main conclusions

Our findings reveal how vital it is to consider both the multiple components of stability and the interaction between environment and biodiversity to gain an understanding of the relationships between productivity and stability in real-world ecosystems, which is a crucial step for sustainable grassland management.     

热岛效应下亚热带城市植被叶气孔权衡特征及其与叶功能性状的关系

叶片气孔不仅是植物平衡光合-蒸腾关系的重要门户,也是影响大气碳循环与水循环的关键结构。分析热岛效应下福州市乔木、灌木、草本3种生活型和常绿、落叶2种叶习性植物的气孔性状间的差异及其与其他叶功能性状间的权衡关系有助于探究不同类型植物在热环境下的适应策略。以福州市区的自然和半自然植被为研究对象,测定441个植物样本的气孔特征、化学计量特征和形态特征,结果表明：（1）3种生活型、2种叶习性植物的气孔长度（SL）、气孔密度（SD）差异显著（P<0.05）,潜在气孔导度指数（PCI）不存在显著差异（P>0.05）。草本的SL高于灌木和乔木,乔木的SD最高,灌木次之,草本最低;落叶植物的SL高于常绿植物,SD低于常绿植物。（2）SL与SD间的权衡关系稳定存在于3种生活型和2种叶习性植物中,且随着不同生活型和落叶习性植物的生态策略而呈现各异的权衡特征,即当SL一定时,乔木的SD最大,灌木的SD最小,常绿植物的SD大于落叶植物。（3）气孔性状和叶片形态、化学计量特征紧密联系,SL与比叶面积（SLA）正相关（P<0.01）,与叶面积（LA）负相关（P<0.01）;SD与叶氮含量（LNC）、叶磷含量（LPC）、SLA负相关（P<0.01）,与LA正相关（P<0.01）;PCI与LNC、SLA负相关（P<0.01）,与叶厚度（LT）正相关（P<0.05）。（4）复杂的环境是气孔性状变异的重要驱动因素,SL、PCI均与年均温（MAT）负相关（P<0.05）。     

高寒草甸植物群落功能多样性对不同生长期干旱的响应机制

植物对干旱胁迫的响应表现为各功能性状的差异化表达。全球气候变化下,青藏高原地区降水格局发生改变,高寒草甸群落功能性状及功能多样性在不同生长期干旱事件下的响应机制对加深高寒草甸适应气候变化认知具有重要意义。以藏北高寒草甸为研究对象,设置截雨棚模拟生长季前期（ED）、中期（MD）和非生长季时期（ND）干旱事件,通过观测群落物种功能性状,分析高寒草甸群落功能多样性对不同生长期干旱的响应机制。结果表明：（1）叶片功能性状对干旱存在差异响应,表现为叶片小而厚且寿命长,同化速率降低,并受氮元素限制加剧;（2）生长季前期干旱对高寒草甸群落功能性状的影响最强,生长季中期干旱次之,非生长季干旱的影响最弱;（3）生长季干旱处理显著改变了群落的功能多样性,ED处理下功能分散度指数（FDiv）和功能分异度指数（FDis）显著降低（P<0.05）,而Rao二次熵指数（RaoQ）显著升高（P<0.05）,MD处理下功能均匀度指数（FEve）显著降低（P<0.05）;（4）相关性分析得出,群落功能性状与功能多样性对干旱的响应之间存在着联系。本研究发现高寒草甸植物功能性状与群落功能多样性对生长季前期和中期干旱存在差异化响应,指示着高寒草甸植物群落在响应不同时期干旱时可能采取不同的生存策略,即对生长季前期干旱采用耐旱策略、对生长季中期干旱采用避旱策略。探讨了高寒草甸植物群落功能多样性对不同生长时期干旱胁迫的响应机制,为预测未来季节性干旱事件对青藏高原高寒草甸植物功能性状、群落特征和功能多样性的影响提供科学依据。     

林隙对香樟和枫香幼苗早期生长阶段功能性状的影响

探究林隙对不同需光性树种早期生长特征和功能性状的影响,对揭示林隙微生境影响次生林内幼苗更新机制具有重要意义。以亚热带次生林中耐荫常绿树种香樟和阳性落叶树种枫香幼苗为试验对象,研究大林隙(D/H介于1.5—2.0)、中林隙(D/H介于1.0—1.5)和小林隙(D/H介于0.5—1.0)对不同需光树种幼苗早期(1—3年生)生长特征和功能性状的影响。结果表明：(1)林隙大小对两种幼苗的生长均有显著影响。其中,中林隙可显著促进香樟2—3年生幼苗的生长,大林隙对枫香1—3年生幼苗的生长均具有显著促进作用。(2)对林隙环境因子与幼苗功能性状的关系进行冗余分析表明,香樟幼苗功能性状的变化与林隙土壤有机质含量、水解性氮含量、酸碱度和有效磷含量密切相关,而枫香幼苗功能性状则主要受林隙土壤酸碱度、有机质含量、水解性氮含量、土壤含水率、冠层透光率和土壤有效磷含量的影响。(3)维持较高的根重比、细根比根长、叶碳氮比和叶碳磷比是幼苗应对林隙环境影响的重要生理生态调节机制。     

荒漠植物不同功能群性状特征及其与土壤环境的关系

研究不同功能群植物性状差异及其与土壤环境关系对于充分掌握植物的环境适应策略至关重要。以艾比湖流域为研究区,利用荒漠植物的植物高度、叶片碳、氮、磷、硫、钾、钙、钠、镁含量等9个性状,将高、低土壤水盐环境下的植物划分为5个功能群,分析不同功能群的植物组成、性状差异及其与土壤环境的关系。结果表明：(1)不同土壤水盐环境下,其植物功能群组成不同;其中白刺、胡杨和罗布麻在两个土壤水盐环境下的功能群中均存在。(2)植物的功能性状在不同土壤水盐环境下也发生了适应性的变化。高土壤水盐环境下3个功能群的植物高度、叶片碳、氮、磷和钙含量显著高于低土壤水盐环境功能群(P<0.05);低土壤水盐环境下2个功能群的植物叶片硫、钠和镁含量高于高土壤水盐环境功能群。(3)土壤含水量(SVWC)、电导率(EC)、pH以及土壤磷含量对荒漠植物功能性状影响较大。在高土壤水盐环境下,EC、pH与植物高度,叶片钾、钙含量正相关,与叶片硫含量负相关;在低土壤水盐环境下,SVWC、EC与植物高度呈显著正相关(P<0.05)。研究有助于理解荒漠植物对极端环境的适应对策,为保护荒漠地区生物多样性提供理论依据。     

Vertically stratified frugivore community composition and interaction frequency in a liana fruiting across forest strata

Vertical stratification is a key feature of tropical forests and structures plant–frugivore interactions. However, it is unclear whether vertical differences in plant-frugivore interactions are due to differences among strata in plant community composition or inherent preferences of frugivores for specific strata. To test this, we observed fruit removal of a diverse frugivore community on the liana Marcgravia longifolia in a Peruvian rain forest. Unlike most other plants, Marcgravia longifolia produces fruits across forest strata. This enabled us to study effects of vertical stratification on fruit removal without confounding effects of plant species and stratum. We found a high number of visits of a few frugivore species in the understorey and a low number of visits of many different frugivores in the canopy and midstorey. Whereas partial and opportunistic frugivores foraged across strata with differing frequencies, obligate frugivores were only found eating fruits in the higher strata. Avian frugivores foraging in the canopy were mainly large species with pointed wings, whereas under- and midstorey avian foragers were smaller with rounded wings. Our findings suggest a continuous shift in the frugivore community composition along the vertical gradient, from a few generalized frugivores in the understorey to a diverse set of specialized frugivores in the canopy. This shift in the frugivore community leads to correlated, reciprocal changes from specialized to generalized plant-frugivore interactions. Thus, we conclude that vertical niche differentiation between species in tropical forests persists even when food resources are available across strata. This highlights its role for promoting biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.     

A meta-analysis on morphological,physiological and biochemical responses of plants with PGPR inoculation under drought stress

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can help plants to resist drought stress. However, the mechanisms of how PGPR inoculation affect plant status under drought remain incompletely understood. We performed a meta-analysis of plant response to PGPR inoculation by compiling data from 57 PGPR-inoculation studies, including 2, 387 paired observations on morphological, physiological and biochemical parameters under drought and well-watered conditions. We compare the PGPR effect on plants performances among different groups of controls and treatments. Our results reveal that PGPR enables plants to restore themselves from drought-stressed to near a well-watered state, and that C4 plants recover better from drought stress than C3 plants. Furthermore, PGPR is more effective underdrought than well-watered conditions in increasing plant biomass, enhancing photosynthesis and inhibiting oxidant damage, and the responses of C4 plants to the PGPR effect was stronger than that of C3 plants under drought conditions. Additionally, PGPR belonging to different taxa and PGPR with different functional traits have varying degrees of drought-resistance effects on plants. These results are important to improve our understanding of the PGPR beneficial effects on enhanced drought-resistance of plants.     

开垦对阿拉善荒漠啮齿动物群落功能多样性的影响

开垦会导致荒漠化的加剧,并对动物群落产生严重的影响。而功能多样性恰恰能体现环境或干扰胁迫导致的群落结构差异。但有关啮齿动物群落功能多样性的研究并不多见,为此,我们在2018至2020年的4月、7月和10月利用铗日法对开垦区和未开垦区的啮齿动物群落进行调查,选择并量化了与其营养、生活史、生理、形态及活动节律等相关的5个功能性状,以探讨开垦对啮齿动物群落组成的影响,以及性状组成和功能多样性变化。研究结果表明：(1)开垦区群落的丰富度指数、多样性指数和均匀度指数均低于未开垦区,开垦改变了啮齿动物群落性状组成;(2)阿拉善荒漠啮齿动物群落组成与蛰眠、繁殖周期和食性等功能性状显著相关;(3)开垦区春、秋季群落功能丰富度和功能均匀度高于未开垦区,各季节群落功能离散度显著高于未开垦区;而未开垦区夏季群落功能丰富度高于开垦区,秋季群落功能均匀度高于开垦区;(4)开垦区和未开垦区群落功能丰富度最高值均出现在夏季,二者在不同季节间差异较大;开垦区群落功能均匀度最高值出现在春季、功能离散度最高值出现在秋季,二者在季节间差异均较小;未开垦群落功能均匀度最高值出现在秋季、功能离散度最高值出现在夏季,二者在季节间差异均较大。上述结果说明,阿拉善荒漠区啮齿动物群落功能多样性变化与土地开垦和季节相关联,开垦会从啮齿动物群落的生态空间利用程度、资源利用、种间竞争及生态位等方面影响群落功能多样性。     

五种矿质元素对草菇菌丝生长和活性氧清除能力的影响

【背景】菌种退化是草菇生产中面临的难题,探究一种简单高效的复壮方法是草菇产业亟须解决的问题。【目的】探讨外源添加5种矿质元素对草菇退化菌株的菌丝性状和活性氧(reactive oxygen species, ROS)清除能力的影响。【方法】筛选出5种矿质元素的最佳浓度并添加于PDA培养基中,测定草菇菌落形态、菌丝生长速度、菌丝生物量、ROS含量、抗氧化酶活性及抗氧化物质含量。【结果】MnSO4、Na2SeO3、CaSO4、FeSO4可有效提高草菇退化菌株D1和D2的菌丝生长速度和生物量;降低O2·-、H2O2等ROS的含量,并增加还原型谷胱甘肽(glutathione, GSH)、氧化型谷胱甘肽(glutathionedisulfide,GSSG)的含量及超氧化物歧化酶(superoxidedismutase,SOD)、过氧化氢酶(catalase, CAT)、谷胱甘肽...