Patterns of above- and belowground biomass allocation in China’s grasslands: Evidence from individual-level observations

Above- and belowground biomass allocation not only influences growth of individual plants, but also influences vegetation structures and functions, and consequently impacts soil carbon input as well as terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycling. However, due to sampling difficulties, a considerable amount of uncertainty remains about the root: shoot ratio (R/S), a key parameter for models of terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycling. We investigated biomass allocation patterns across a broad spatial scale. We collected data on individual plant biomass and systematically sampled along a transect across the temperate grasslands in Inner Mongolia as well as in the alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau. Our results indicated that the median of R/S for herbaceous species was 0.78 in China’s grasslands as a whole. R/S was significantly higher in temperate grasslands than in alpine grasslands (0.84 vs. 0.65). The slope of the allometric relationship between above- and belowground biomass was steeper for temperate grasslands than for alpine. Our results did not support the hypothesis that aboveground biomass scales isometrically with belowground biomass. The R/S in China’s grasslands was not significantly correlated with mean annual temperature (MAT) or mean annual precipitation (MAP). Moreover, comparisons of our results with previous findings indicated a large difference between R/S data from individual plants and communities. This might be mainly caused by the underestimation of R/S at the individual level as a result of an inevitable loss of fine roots and the overestimation of R/S in community-level surveys due to grazing and difficulties in identifying dead roots. Our findings suggest that root biomass in grasslands tended to have been overestimated in previous reports of R/S.     

Survival of Rio Grande Wild Turkeys on the Edwards Plateau of Texas

Abstract: The southeastern portion of the Edwards Plateau of Texas, historically a stronghold of Rio Grande wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo intermedia), has seen a decline in turkey numbers since the 1970s. Because adult and juvenile survival are key parameters affecting turkey population dynamics, we used radiotagged individuals to compare Rio Grande wild turkey survival in areas of suspected decline versus stable portions of the Edwards Plateau during 2001–2003. Reproductive period (breeding or nonbreeding) had an impact on survival, but differences in age, sex, or region did not influence survival. Model averaged estimates of monthly survival were 0.97 (SE = 0.005) for nonbreeding periods and 0.96 (SE = 0.007) for breeding periods. Our results indicate juvenile and adult survival in the declining areas was similar to survival in the stable areas of the Edwards Plateau. This suggests causes of the decline might be associated with differences during other life-history stages, such as nest success or poult survival, although we cannot rule out the possibility juvenile or adult survival contributed to the decline in the past. This situation demonstrates why wildlife managers should be cognizant of the implications of initiating long-term monitoring programs after changes in population status occur, rather than initiating them in expectation of such changes.     

鄂尔多斯高原蒙古族食用野生植物传统知识的研究

运用民族植物学＂5W＋1H＂提问法,结合访谈方法和野外调查进行编目,研究了鄂尔多斯高原蒙古族食用野生植物的传统知识。结果：1）鄂尔多斯蒙古族传统食用植物22科32属50种,其中野生粮用植物14种、野生蔬菜13种、野果植物18种、野果酒植物3种、野生调味植物5种、野生薰净植物2种、催化乳制品植物1种。2）鄂尔多斯蒙古族野生食用植物传统知识包括7个方面,其中用植物薰净和消毒奶食器具的传统知识、用冷蒿催化加速油脂成分从奶子中分离的传统知识是蒙古族植物饮食文化的创新。具有鲜明的民族特色、简单、快捷的＂果实＋奶食＂酿果酒文化,能够说明蒙古族祖先在生产实践中掌握了开发和利用植物资源的更高水平的技术和文化。食用芨芨草颖果、选用中间锦鸡儿韧皮部和白沙蒿的果实做面食粘合剂的传统知识是区域特色的文化。3）因生态环境条件的不同,山区、沙区、盐渍区和丘陵区蒙古族牧民的传统食用植物知识表现出多样性,反映了生态环境条件的多样性。4）鄂尔多斯蒙古族野生食用植物传统知识丰富了蒙古族饮食文化,对蒙古族文化的发展做出了贡献。开展搜集、研究、保护和科学分析鄂尔多斯蒙古族植物传统知识的工作,将对社会经济的可持续发展产生十分积极的直接影响。     

陇东黄土高原塬区农业气象要素的变化特征

对1971—2000年陇东塬区气象资料分析表明,该区气温呈现出明显的线性上升趋势,且以冬季和春季增温为主。增温表现为平均气温、最高气温和最低气温同时上升。最高气温以季节转换时升幅最大,最低气温多数时间呈现上升趋势,且升温较最高气温显著。最高气温和最低气温均以12月上升最为显著。在气候变暖的趋势下,蒸发量显著增大,界限温度初日提前、终日推后,气温稳定通过0℃和10℃积温增加,无霜期延长,春秋土壤水分减少等。降水量、日照时数、太阳辐射和空气相对湿度等农业气象要素的整体变化不显著。认为气候变暖引起的多要素变化对农业的影响有利有弊,农业管理部门应根据当地气候变化特征,及时调整种植结构,优化种植模式,趋利避害,充分挖掘气候资源潜力,提高农业经济效益。     

青藏高原丽蝇科昆虫物种多样性初探

本文从种数、特有物种和区系构成等角度分析了青藏高原丽蝇科昆虫的物种多样性。青藏高原已知丽蝇5亚科35属120种,占中国已知种数的44.28%,其中特有种55种,占该地区总种数的45.83%;区系构成以特有种、古北界 东洋界共同种及典型的东洋界种和古北界种为主,但澳洲界、新北界、非洲界和新热带界共同种也占一定比例。文中讨论了该地区特有种丰富的原因及地质历史环境对其的影响,分析了区系构成中各种区系成分的比例及形成原因。     

Mitochondrial and chloroplast phylogeography of Picea crassifolia Kom. (Pinaceae) in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and adjacent highlands

The disjunct distribution of forests in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) and adjacent Helan Shan and Daqing Shan highlands provides an excellent model to examine vegetation shifts, glacial refugia and gene flow of key species in this complex landscape region in response to past climatic oscillations and human disturbance. In this study, we examined maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA (nad1 intron b/c and nad5 intron 1) and paternally inherited chloroplast DNA (trnC-trnD) sequence variation within a dominant forest species, Picea crassifolia Kom. We recovered nine mitotypes and two chlorotypes in a survey of 442 individuals from 32 populations sampled throughout the species' range. Significant mitochondrial DNA population subdivision was detected (G(ST) = 0.512; N(ST) = 0.679), suggesting low levels of recurrent gene flow through seeds among populations and significant phylogeographical structure (N(ST) > GST, P < 0.05). Plateau haplotypes differed in sequence from those in the adjacent highlands, suggesting a long period of allopatric fragmentation between the species in the two regions and the presence of independent refugia in each region during Quaternary glaciations. On the QTP platform, all but one of the disjunct populations surveyed were fixed for the same mitotype, while most populations at the plateau edge contained more than one haplotype with the mitotype that was fixed in plateau platform populations always present at high frequency. This distribution pattern suggests that present-day disjunct populations on the QTP platform experienced a common recolonization history. The same phylogeographical pattern, however, was not detected for paternally inherited chloroplast DNA haplotypes. Two chlorotypes were distributed throughout the range of the species with little geographical population differentiation (G(ST) = N(ST) = 0.093). This provides evidence for highly efficient pollen-mediated gene flow among isolated forest patches, both within and between the QTP and adjacent highland populations. A lack of isolation to pollen-mediated gene flow between forests on the QTP and adjacent highlands is surprising given that the Tengger Desert has been a geographical barrier between these two regions for approximately the last 1.8 million years.     

黄土高原典型区植被冗亏

选择了黄土高原中部典型区——泾河流域为研究区域。采用Holdridge潜在蒸发方法计算出了泾河流域的气候干燥度指数,构建了遥感植被指数与气候干燥度指数之间的回归模型。通过该模型反衍出了泾河流域潜在植被指数,提出以该指数为基础的植被冗亏格局的评价新方法。通过该评价方法发现,在泾河流域西北部的大部分子流域的植被冗亏指数小于-0.2,植被亏缺较为严重;在自然环境较差的流域北部,植被冗亏指数介于-0.20到-0.10之间,植被亏缺较轻;而流域东南部山区的大部分子流域的植被冗亏指数介于-0.10到0.10之间,植被亏缺最轻。从植被冗亏的时间尺度上分析,植被亏缺主要发生在植被生长旺盛的6~9月份,其中农田植被亏缺最大,冗亏指数在7月份可达到-0.51;稀疏草原植被亏缺较小,其冗亏指数最小值在-0.18左右;森林植被的冗亏指数接近于0。     

Factors influencing the distribution of Subantarctic deep-sea benthic foraminifera,Campbell and Bounty Plateaux,New Zealand

We investigate the combination of environmental factors that influence the distribution patterns of benthic foraminiferal tests (> 63 μm) in a topographically varied region crossed by both the Subtropical and Subantarctic Fronts, south-east of New Zealand. Seafloor sample sites, extending from outer shelf (50 m) to abyssal (5000 m) depths, are bathed by five different water masses, and receive phytodetritus from Subtropical, Subantarctic and Circumpolar surface water masses. Eight mappable associations are recognised by Q-mode cluster analysis of the benthic foraminiferal census data. Similar associations are identified using cluster analysis based solely on the presence or absence of species. Canonical correspondence analysis and a correlation coefficient matrix were used to relate the faunal data to a set of environmental proxies. These show that factors related to water depth (especially decreasing food supply with increasing depth) are the most significant in determining the overall foraminiferal distribution. Other contributing factors include surface water productivity and its seasonality; bottom water ventilation; energetic state of the benthic boundary layer and resulting substrate texture; and bottom water carbonate corrosiveness. Three shallow-water associations (50–700 m), dominated by Cassidulina carinata, Trifarina angulosa, Globocassidulina canalisuturata, Gavelinopsis praegeri, and Bolivina robusta, occur in coarse substrates on the continental shelf, and on the crests and upper slopes of four seamounts under well-oxygenated, high energy regimes, and high food input. Three mid bathyal to upper abyssal associations (500–3300 m), dominated by Alabaminella weddellensis, C. carinata, and Epistominella exigua, occur in biopelagic sandy mud, beneath a region of strongly seasonal food supply, with their composition influenced by total food flux, ventilation (Oxygen Minimum Zone), and bottom current strength. An unusual lower bathyal association (1200–2100 m), dominated by T. angulosa and Ehrenbergina glabra, occurs in a belt of coarser sandy substrate that runs along the crest of the submarine plateaux slopes beneath the strongly-flowing Subantarctic Front-related currents. A deep abyssal association (3500–5000 m), dominated by Nuttallides umbonifer and Globocassidulina subglobosa, occurs on the abyssal plain beneath oligotrophic lower Circumpolar Water south-east of the Subantarctic Front and is strongly influenced by the cold, carbonate-corrosive conditions.     

黄土丘陵区坡耕地与撂荒地土壤水分对降雨的响应特征

为了揭示黄土丘陵区不同土地覆被方式下土壤含水量对不同强度降雨的响应过程,选取山西省冯家沟小流域农耕地和撂荒地为研究对象,基于2019年4—10月降雨和土壤含水量以小时为单位的观测数据,分析了土壤含水量对不同强度降雨的响应规律。结果表明:(1)小雨、中雨、大雨和暴雨对土层的影响深度分别为20、20、60 cm和60 cm,研究区降雨最主要的形式—小雨对土壤水分的补给作用较小。(2)各强度降雨过程中,除0—10 cm土层外,农耕地土壤含水量均大于撂荒地,且大雨条件下农耕地各土层土壤含水量变化较显著,而撂荒地仅0—10 cm和10—20 cm土层土壤含水量有所增加。(3)不同土层土壤含水量对降雨的响应不同,表层响应相对明显而深层相对减弱;农耕地土壤平均含水量最大值出现在50—60 cm土层,而撂荒地出现在30—40 cm土层。(4)本地区农耕地土壤含水量高于撂荒地,表明在该地区适当的作物种植有较好的储存土壤水分的作用。本研究的结果对地区水资源的高效利用和水土流失防控提供了一定的科学依据。     

青藏高原不同牧草人工草地对土壤线虫群落的影响

为缓解草蓄矛盾,青藏高原人工草地得到快速发展。土壤线虫对环境变化敏感,是草地生态系统的重要组成部分。然而,不同牧草人工草地对土壤线虫群落的影响尚不明确。2016年7月,对多年生禾本科(垂穗披碱草Elymus nutans Griseb.、老芒麦Elymus sibiricus L.、早熟禾Poa annua L.和羊茅Festuca ovina L.)、一年生禾本科燕麦Avena sativa L.和多年生豆科紫花苜蓿Medicago sativa L.等6种单播牧草人工草地(建植期4年)和天然草地(对照)的土壤线虫群落进行了调查。结果表明：(1)土壤线虫隶属于2纲8目32科58属,平均密度为1754个/100 g干土;紫花苜蓿样地的线虫密度最低,为949个/100 g干土;燕麦样地最高,为3267个/100 g干土;(2)与天然草地相比,燕麦样地的线虫群落总密度、多样性以及植食性和杂食-捕食性线虫密度显著增加,而其他人工草地的线虫群落密度、多样性以及植食性、食真菌和食细菌线虫密度均无显著变化;(3)土壤线虫总密度以及各营养类群密度在不同人工草地间差异显著,且均在燕麦样地最高;(4)建...