Phytoplankton ecology in an unusually stable environment (Montezuma Well,Arizona, U.S.A.)

Relatively minor annual amplitudes of change in certain major nutrients, and especially pH and water temperature were measured in the spring-fed system of Montezuma Well, Arizona during a four year study. phytoplankton diversity was low but for the most part, composition was spatially and temporally constant; total seasonal phytoplankton density was significantly correlated with regional incident light. Phytoplankton species composition changed briefly during and for a short period following the summer monsoon. Ultraplankton (<5 µm diam.) numerically comprised nearly 80% of the phytoplankton community throughout most of the year. The limited residence time of water in the Well may have provided a competitive advantage for cells with high surface area:volume ratios and correspondingly rapid division rates. Nannochloris bacillaris Naum. and Coccomyxa minor Skuja were perennial dominants. Diatom populations did not increase with annual increases in vernal solar radiation. Low pH, high dissolved CO₂, and limited residence time for metabolic inhibitors are considered to be largely responsible for the reduced blue-green populations in the Well. The only flagellated photosynthetic group present in Montezuma Well was the Cryptophyta. Desmid populations were minimal, even though pH was consistently below circumneutral (6.5) and free CO₂ concentrations high. The role of grazing by an amphipod, Hyalella montezuma, on annual phytoplankton abundance is examined.     

七种云南地衣植物的化学成分

本文报道分属于三个科的七种云南产地衣植物的化学成分。这些植物是亚洲树发(Alectoria asiatica DR.)、沟树发(Alectoria sulcata Nyl.)、长茎松萝(Usnea longissimaAch.)、胡子松萝(Usnea comosa(Ach.)Rohl.)、林石蕊(Cladonia arbuscula(Rabh.)Rabh.)、砖孢发(Oropogon loxensis(Fee.)Th.Fr.)和卷梢雪花衣(Anaptychiaboryi(Fee.)Mass.)。根据光谱数据测定,其化学成分为:松萝酸(Usnic acid)(1),维任西酸(Virensic acid)(2),赤星衣酸乙酯(Ethyl haematommate)(3),瑞藏酸(Rhizonic acid)(4),赤星衣酸(Haematommic acid)(5),扁枝衣酸乙酯(Ethyleverninate)(6),黑茶渍素(Atranorin)(7)和泽屋萜(Zeorin)(8)。上述资料,对开发利用这些植物资源提供了科学依据。     

Nematodes (Longidorus sp. andTylenchorhynchus microphasmis loof) in growth and nodulation of sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.)

Summary Hippophaë rhamnoides seedlings were grown in sterilized and unsterilized soil from a decliningH. rhamnoides scrub, to which different numbers ofLongidorus sp. andTylenchorhynchus microphasmis were added. In sterilized and unsterilized soil, retardation of growth, content of dry matter in the shoots, and incidence of deformed short lateral roots of test plants were positively correlated with counts of both nematode species. Nitrogen content in the shoots, nodulation on the roots of test plants and increase increase in nematodes were negatively correlated with the initial number of both nematode species in sterilized soil. In unsterilized soil, an unknown biotic factor was present that reduces growth ofH. rhamnoides, nodulation and multiplication of the nematodes. This factor seems to interact with the nematodes in reducing growth ofH. rhamnoides.Deceased.     

Vegetation dynamics in the fens of Chautagne (Savoie,France) after the cessation of mowing

The mechanisms controlling secondary succession on eutrophic peat are analyzed on an area of 500 ha marsh near the Lac du Bourget in the Rhône floodplain between Geneva and Lyon. After describing the succession, the authors compare the succession with that described for fens in England.During succession, three categories of phenomena occur:-Predictable phenomena based on the occurrence of well-established relationships between species with a high cover density. When mowing ceases, populations with increasingly higher biomasses reach dominance one by one.-Phenomena which were to be expected although the manner in which they occurred were more difficult to predict, such as the conditions in which woody plants take over.-Phenomena hidden in the framework of a synchronic analysis. The lowering of the water table, for example, can modify the entire community of species occurring in the sequence as well as the competition between species. The pecularities of each type of ecological situation made it difficult to develop general models.     

Carbon-cycling changes during regeneration of a decinduous broadleaf forest after clear-cutting II. Aboveground net production

Growth and death rates of aboveground plant parts were measured in a mature forest and four different-aged deciduous broadleaf forests regeneratede after clear-cutting, with special reference to rates for woody parts (stems and branches) of different diameters (ø) in rerms of the pipe model theory (Shinozaki et al., 1964). The total biomass increment of woody parts of trees higher than 1.3 m varied within a range of 2.1-4.6 ton ha^?1 yr^?1, the increase beingdue largely to the growth of canopy trees exposed to direct sunlight. Biomass increments of small (ø<1 cm) and medium (1≤ø<5 cm) woody parts were negligibly small except in the youngest forest, and changes in aboveground woody biomass with forest age after clear-cutting mainly resulted from accumulation of large (5 cm<ø) woody parts of canopy trees. Biomass loss of trees due to death and grazing increased with forest age from 4.0 to 8.3 ton ha^?1 yr^?1. Recovery of leaf and small wood falls was observed at the early stage of regeneration, while large wood falls increased during regeneration. Flower and fruit fall was markedly higher in the mature forest than in the other four forest types. Mortality of woody parts became higher with forest age and was 20, 5.0 and 0.46% yr^?1 for small, medium and large parts, respectively, at the mature stage. Aboveground net production of the forest was in therange 7.6-13.3 ton ha^?1 yr^?1 with the undergrowth vegetation lower than 1.3 m being 0.4-1.4 ton ha^?1 yr^?1. Production recovered rapidly at an early stage of regeneration and was highest in mature forest.     

The habitat diversity and fish reproductive function of floodplain ecosystems

Synopsis Fish reproduction in floodplain ecosystems, based on relative abundance and total biomass of 0+ juveniles, was studied using the synchronic approach to typological analysis in conjunction with Point Abundance Sampling by modified electrofishing. In 3 different flood plains of the Upper Rhône River, 1015 point samples yielding 4573 juveniles (0+) from 21 species were collected from 48 ecosystems of various geomorphological origin. The results demonstrate the lotic-to-lentic succession of floodplain ecosystems to be a series of non-sequential reproductive zones, with spawning conditions being reflected by the specific composition and guild structure of the YOY fish assemblages. The habitat diversity and the fish reproductive potential of floodplain ecosystems are strongly influenced by geomorphological origin and by past and present hydrological conditions. The YOY assemblages of autogenically driven ecosystems (usually of anastomose or meander origin) tend to differ both in composition and in quantity from those found in allogenically driven ecosystems (generally of braided origin). Ecosystems of intermediate character, and fish reproduction thereof, occur as the result of either ecosystem rejuvenation or senescence: autogenically driven ecosystems by allogenic mechanisms, or allogenically driven ecosystems by anthropic and/or autogenic mechanisms, respectively. Because of co-occurrence of ecosystems at similar and at different successional status, the flood plain as an entity is seen as stable with respect to fish reproduction.     

Plant-soil interactions in primary succession at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Summary Plant nutrient status and physiological processes were examined in relation to soil nutrient characteristics under individuals of five species colonizing a young cinder deposit in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Two exotic species, Buddeleja asiatica and Myrica faya, had high photosynthetic rates and high nitrogen concentrations and relatively easily decomposed leaves; soils under them had high concentrations of nitrogen, cations, and organic matter and high rates of net nitrogen mineralization. At the other extreme, the natives Metrosideros polymorpha and Vaccinium reticulatum had low plant concentrations and photosynthetic rates, and low concentrations and turnover rates of N in the soil. Thus, a strong correlation exists between soil processes and plant processes, suggesting a positive feedback cycle.     

Growth and vitality of epiphytic lichens

 We tested the hypothesis that changed microclimate at induced forest edges causes reduced growth of epiphytic lichens. Two foliose, green algal lichens were transplanted to the lower canopy of a mature Picea abies forest at six distances (2, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 m) from a clearcut. The biomass growth in Platismatia glauca (6.2% in 16 months) was 41% higher than in Lobaria pulmonaria (4.4%). We found no growth reduction near the forest edge. In contrast, the highest growth in both species occurred within 12 m from the edge. Further, fluorescence and chlorophyll measurements showed that lichen vitality was unaffected by distance from edge. The light intensity was 4.3 times higher at the edge than in the interior during the growing season, but there were only minor differences in air temperature and relative humidity. Monitoring of thallus water content revealed clear differences in both number and length of wetting and drying cycles. However, the total time with water content sufficient for photosynthetic activity was only slightly higher at the edge. The data thus indicate that our gradient in microclimate was too small to significantly affect lichen growth, and that lichens are largely metabolically inactive when large edge-interior contrasts in microclimate occur. Lichen response to forest edge microclimate results from intricate interactions among several biotic and abiotic factors. Linking data on lichen growth, microclimate and thallus water content with physiological measurements provides a framework for future studies of the mechanisms behind abiotic edge effects. Received: 15 April 1996 / Accepted: 21 June 1996     

Dendrochronological analysis of the canopy history of two Ohio old-growth forests

This study examined the temporal patterns of establishment, suppression, and release of major tree species in two old-growth Ohio forest remnants as a means to determine the past disturbance history of these forests. Increment cores were taken from a total of 154 trees from two well-drained, upland plots and two poorly-drained, bottomland plots in each of the two forested areas. Acer saccharum and Fagus grandifolia exhibited multiple episodes of suppression and release prior to becoming canopy trees, and could tolerate suppressions as long as 84 years. In contrast, Quercus macrocarpa, Q. muehlenbergii, Prunus serotina, and Acer saccharinum rerely exhibited any tolerance to suppression and appeared to have entered the canopy after single disturbances had opened large areas of canopy. There was clear synchrony in the temporal pattern of establishment and final release from suppression among trees from bottomland plots scattered throughout the stands, indicating that relatively large disturbances were important in these poorly-drained areas. In contrast, there was little synchrony among trees from well-drained upland plots, except in a single instance where selective cutting of Quercus trees opened the canopy. Thus, the canopy of upland site was likely subjected only to small disturbances resulting from the death of one or a few trees. At the whole of forest level, there was evidence of episodic recruitment of canopy trees in both forests. Establishment of Fraxinus spp. and Quercus spp. were particularly episodic, and few Fraxinus or Quercus trees alive today established during the last century. These data suggest that large disturbances have affected canopy dynamics of both upland and bottomland areas prior to 1900 and in bottomland forests through this century. In contrast, disturbances in upland areas during this century have been restricted to small, treefall-generated canopy gaps.