Projecting potential future shifts in species composition of European urban plant communities

Aim

Urban floras are composed of species of different origin, both native and alien, and with various traits and niches. It is likely that these species will respond to the ongoing climate change in different ways, resulting in future species compositions with no analogues in current European cities. Our goal was to estimate potential shifts in plant species composition in European cities under different scenarios of climate change for the 21st century.

Location

Europe.

Methods

Potential changes in the distribution of 375 species currently growing in 60 large cities in Southern, Central and Western Europe were modelled using generalized linear models and four climate change projections for two future periods (2041–2060 and 2061–2080). These projections were based on two global climate models (CCSM4 and MIROC‐ESM) and two Representative Concentration Pathways (2.6 and 8.5).

Results

Results were similar across all climate projections, suggesting that the composition of urban plant communities will change considerably due to future climate change. However, even under the most severe climate change scenario, native and alien species will respond to climate change similarly. Many currently established species will decline and others, especially annuals currently restricted to Southern Europe, will spread to northern cities. In contrast, perennial herbs, woody plants and most species with temperate continental and oceanic distribution ranges will make up a smaller proportion of future European urban plant communities in comparison with the present communities.

Main conclusions

The projected 21st century climate change will lead to considerable changes in the species composition of urban floras. These changes will affect the structure and functioning of urban plant communities.

     

Soil arthropod composition differs between old-fields dominated by exotic plant species and remnant native grasslands

Secondary succession after agriculture abandonment (old-fields) is mostly dominated by exotic grass species. Non-native plant invasions may alter soil fauna, potentially inducing plant-soil feedbacks. Despite their importance in nutrient cycling and plant-soil interactions, meso and macrofauna received less attention than bacteria or fungi. Here we compared the composition of the soil arthropod community in native remnants and plant exotic-dominated old-fields grasslands in the Inland Pampa, Argentina. We sampled independent remnants and old-field grassland plots within a 100 km² agricultural landscape to test the hypothesis that the abundance of soil arthropod organisms is related to the quality of the plant biomass, whereas the diversity of the soil biota is related to plant species richness, resulting in a different soil biota composition because of differing plant communities. When compared to non-invaded remnant grasslands, soil activity and soil food-web characteristics of the old-fields sites included: 1. Higher total arthropod abundance, particularly of Isopoda, Pseudoescorpionida and Blattaria; 2. Lower abundance of Hymenoptera and Enthomobryomorpha (Collembola); 3. Lower diversity, and evenness, but similar richness of soil organisms orders; 4. Higher soil respiration rates and soil temperature; and 5. Higher total soil N and K⁺content, but lower soil P content. These results illustrate that soil arthropod composition can vary widely within grasslands patches depending on plant species composition. Also, the more diverse plant community of remnant grasslands supports a more diverse soil biota, although soil activity is slower. Our results support the strong linkage between plant community and soil arthropod composition and suggest that changes in soil biota composition might promote plant-soil feedback interactions inducing the persistence of these alternative grassland states in new agricultural human-modified landscapes.     

Effects of phenolic acids from ginseng rhizosphere on soil fungi structure,richness and diversity in consecutive monoculturing of ginseng

Ginseng yield and quality are seriously compromised by consecutive monoculturing in northeastern China. The imbalance of soil fungi communities and autotoxicity of ginseng are the major factors in consecutive monoculturing ginseng crops. Soil fungal communities were identified using Illumina MiSeq sequencing, applied to soils that consecutively cultured ginseng (CCG) for six years and new forest soil (NFS), or receiving application of phenolic acids (PAs). The CCG field received five treatments with five different phenolic acids, including gallic acid (GA), salicylic acid (SA), 3-phenylpropionic acid (3-PA), benzoic acid (BA) and cinnamic acid (CA), which were detected from ginseng rhizosphere in consecutive cropping soil. Fungal richness, fungi diversity, community composition, relative taxon abundances, root rot disease, and growth rate were compared among the different treatments. 579 fungal operational taxonomic units at 97% ITS sequence identity were found among 201,617 sequence reads derived from 18 separate soil samples. Members of the phylum Ascomycota dominated the soil fungal communities, and putative pathogens, such as Fusarium, Gibberella and Nectriaceae_unclassified which may include the abundant sexual morph of Cylindrocarpon destructans, showed higher relative abundances in the CCG fields. Compared to the CCG and NFS fields, PAs (except CA) enhanced the fungi richness and decreased fungi diversity. Cluster analysis indicated that the PAs (except CA) changed the fungi structure in a uniform way. PAs stimulate root rot disease and enhance disease severity, restricting plant growth. The results suggest that the PAs (except CA) may enhance the fungi richness, decrease the fungi diversity and changed the fungi structure to increase fungal pathogen loads, which could explain the declined yield and quality of ginseng in consecutively monocultured ginseng crops.     

Influence of tree species and soil properties on ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) communities

Although Carabidae is among the best-studied families of beetles in Europe from the faunistic point of view, there is still a lack of available information on the ecological requirements of the particular carabid species. The habitat preferences that determine the distribution of species are largely influenced by habitat structure and microclimate. In addition to other factors, these habitat parameters are influenced by the nature of the vegetation. Therefore, our study investigated the influence of tree species on carabid beetle communities. We conducted the research at 9 stands in the Borová Hora Arboretum (Zvolen, Central Slovakia). Each studied site represents a monoculture of one of nine tree species. At each site, some soil and leaf litter attributes (pH, conductivity, and content of H, C, N and P) were evaluated. Ground beetles were collected by pitfall trapping during the vegetation periods in 2008–2011. In total, 3012 individuals of 29 species were obtained. Significant differences in the total dynamic activity and species richness of the carabid beetle communities among the compared forest stands were revealed. The results of the research confirmed statistically significant relationships among 1) the soil conductivity and both the richness and Shannon diversity of the ground beetle communities, 2) the litter and soil N content and richness, the Shannon diversity and the species composition of the ground beetle communities. The Shannon diversity and richness were negatively related to the soil conductivity and positively related with the N content. Our research showed that dominant tree species indirectly influence diversity and composition of carabid communities via the soil properties.     

Microalgae as multi-functional options in modern agriculture: current trends,prospects and challenges

Algae are a group of ubiquitous photosynthetic organisms comprising eukaryotic green algae and Gram-negative prokaryotic cyanobacteria, which have immense potential as a bioresource for various industries related to biofuels, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and feed. This fascinating group of organisms also has applications in modern agriculture through facilitating increased nutrient availability, maintaining the organic carbon and fertility of soil, and enhancing plant growth and crop yields, as a result of stimulation of soil microbial activity. Several cyanobacteria provide nitrogen fertilization through biological nitrogen fixation and through enzymatic activities related to interconversions and mobilization of different forms of nitrogen. Both green algae and cyanobacteria are involved in the production of metabolites such as growth hormones, polysaccharides, antimicrobial compounds, etc., which play an important role in the colonization of plants and proliferation of microbial and eukaryotic communities in soil. Currently, the development of consortia of cyanobacteria with bacteria or fungi or microalgae or their biofilms has widened their scope of utilization. Development of integrated wastewater treatment and biomass production systems is an emerging technology, which exploits the nutrient sequestering potential of microalgae and its valorisation. This review focuses on prospects and challenges of application of microalgae in various areas of agriculture, including crop production, protection and natural resource management. An overview of the recent advances, novel technologies developed, their commercialization status and future directions are also included.     

赤子爱胜蚓对两种土壤中细菌群落结构组成及多样性的影响

本研究探讨赤子爱胜蚓（Eisenia fetida）对不同土壤细菌群落结构的影响,以便利用蚯蚓改善土壤生物学质量。选取华南地区赤红壤和水稻土,分别接种赤子爱胜蚓进行10 d室内盆钵培养,运用16S rDNA Illumina Miseq高通量测序技术对培养前后土壤的细菌群落结构进行分析。结果显示：（1）经赤子爱胜蚓取食后,两种土壤的细菌群落结构均发生了改变。赤红壤中增加了5个非优势细菌门,分别为FBP、纤维杆菌门（Fibrobacteres）、OP11、柔膜菌门（Tenericutes）和Thermi;Cytophagia、Spartobacteria和疣微菌纲（Verrucomicrobiae）从非优势细菌纲变为优势细菌纲;Solibacteres从优势细菌纲变为非优势细菌纲。水稻土中海绵菌门（Poribacteria）为新增加的1个非优势细菌门;螺旋体门（Spirochaetes）从非优势细菌门变为优势细菌门;4个非优势细菌门消失,分别为SBR1093、SC4、WS4和WS5;螺旋体纲（Spirochaetes）和疣微菌纲从非优势细菌纲变为优势细菌纲;浮霉菌纲（Planctomycetia）从优势细菌纲变为非优势细菌纲;酸杆菌门（Acidobacteria）、放线菌门（Actinobacteria）、拟杆菌门（Bacteroidetes）、绿弯菌门（Chloroflexi）、厚壁菌门（Firmicutes）、浮霉菌门（Planctomycetes）、变形菌门（Proteobacteria）和疣微菌门（Verrucomicrobia）依然是两种土壤中的优势类群;（2）赤红壤中酸杆菌门的相对丰度显著下降44.90%,拟杆菌门的相对丰度显著上升14.88%;水稻土中酸杆菌门、绿弯菌门、芽单胞菌门（Gemmatimonadetes）、硝化螺旋菌门（Nitrospirae）、浮霉菌门和疣微菌门等6种细菌类群的相对丰度分别显著下降49.05%、20.44%、64.01%、35.00%、33.56%和24.38%,而拟杆菌门和螺旋体门的相对丰度分别显著上升28.85%和154.17%;（3）两种土壤细菌丰度的变化情况存在差异：赤红壤细菌丰度呈上升趋势,水稻土细菌丰度呈下降趋势,而两种土壤的细菌多样性变化则均呈下降趋势。本研究说明,经赤子爱胜蚓取食后赤红壤和水稻土的细菌群落结构组成和多样性均发生变化,为深入理解蚯蚓与土壤微生物群落的相互作用机制提供参考依据。     

怒江大峡谷怒江州段土壤放线菌多样性

【背景】怒江大峡谷怒江州段凭借独特的地理环境、丰富的动植物多样性以及极少的人为干扰,拥有很高的生物多样性调查价值,但对于该生境中的放线菌多样性研究尚未见相关报道。【目的】研究怒江大峡谷怒江州段土壤放线菌多样性情况。【方法】利用Illumina Hi Seq平台对怒江州段土壤样品放线菌免培养多样性进行高通量测序,通过相对丰度、物种聚类、主成分分析对不同样品中放线菌组成及其相似性进行了分析。同时通过9种不同类型培养基结合有效的预处理方法和非目的菌抑制剂进行放线菌的纯培养分离。【结果】高通量测序共获得Tag数目474 203条,OTU数目15 671个,它们分布于细菌域下的47个门90个纲170个目320个科561个属。通过不同样品的比较,发现BS、F-G、F-L、L样品的放线菌免培养多样性普遍优于丙中洛样点的BB、BT、BH样品。纯培养分离共获得351株放线菌,分布于放线菌纲下8个目14个科26个属。所用9种培养基中,YIM171培养基的分离效果最好。通过比较不同样品的放线菌纯培养多样性,丙中洛混合样明显优于其他样品。【结论】怒江大峡谷怒江州段土壤样品中放线菌多样性丰富,应进一步挖掘其放线菌资源潜力,为今后放线菌次生代谢产物的开发提供有效的菌株资源。     

黄土丘陵沟壑区不同植被类型土壤有效水和持水能力

以黄土丘陵沟壑区坊塌流域不同植被类型为研究对象,在野外调查的基础上,利用离心机法测定不同植被类型0—10、10—20 cm土层不同吸力下的土壤含水率,并利用Van Gennuchten模型对土壤水分特征曲线进行拟合,对比分析了不同植被类型不同土层土壤水分特征曲线、土壤水分有效性和持水性。结果表明:随着植被恢复的进行,不同植被类型土壤水分特征曲线出现了明显的差异,但是其斜率基本不变且不同植被类型0—10、10—20 cm土层土壤水分特征曲线都呈近似的"S"型;不同植被类型0—10、10—20 cm土层土壤有效水范围分别为22.65%—26.80%、23.97%—28.13%,除白羊草群落和刺槐林外呈现出多年生蒿禾类群落低于灌木群落而高于一年生草本群落的变化趋势;不同植被类型土壤持水能力在0—10 cm土层没有显著性差异,在10—20 cm呈现出多年生蒿禾类群落低于灌木群落而高于一年生草本群落,其中白羊草群落最大,刺槐林最低。刺槐林有效水分和土壤持水能力都较低,建议适当采取间伐并促进其近自然化恢复来实现土壤水分的可持续利用,尽量避免在阳坡缺水地区种植刺槐。对于研究地区土壤水分的可持续利用、植被恢复和科学合理的进行植被配置具有重要意义。     

苏北地区丹顶鹤越冬种群数量及栖息地分布动态变化

利用资料追踪和历史时期土地利用变化数据深入研究了有资料记载以来苏北地区丹顶鹤越冬种群数量变化与栖息地分布的时空响应。结果显示,20世纪80年代之初,丹顶鹤越冬种群广泛分布于苏北地区,尤其是长江中下游的内陆湖泊、沼泽及江苏沿海滩涂湿地;20世纪90年代之后丹顶鹤分布区域逐渐向沿海滩涂湿地转移,主要分布于盐城市的射阳县境内;进入21世纪,丹顶鹤分布区域集中于盐城国家级珍禽保护区核心区。与此同时,丹顶鹤越冬种群数量也经历了十分明显的变化过程,与20世纪90年代相比,数量减少50%以上。丹顶鹤越冬种群数量及栖息地分布变化与栖息地分布点周围的土地利用方式及人为干扰有关,栖息地面积丧失和景观破碎化是丹顶鹤越冬种群数量减少的主要原因。