高寒植物叶片性状对模拟降水变化的响应

降水变化对高寒草甸生态系统产生了显著影响,植物叶片性状特别是叶脉特征对降水变化非常敏感,然而高寒植物叶片性状特征如何响应降水变化还知之较少。采用集雨棚模拟增减50%降水的条件,以高寒草甸8种主要植物叶片为研究对象,研究了降水变化对叶片的叶脉率、叶脉密度、叶片大小、比叶质量、叶片总有机碳含量、叶片全氮含量、叶片碳同位素相对含量和碳氮比等叶片性状的影响。发现增水显著增加了植物的叶片大小、稳定碳同位素千分值、总有机碳含量、全氮含量,但显著降低了叶脉密度;而减水显著降低了叶片大小、稳定碳同位素千分值。植物叶片性状各指标对降水变化的响应存在协同变化和相互制约。不同水分生态类型的植物对降水变化的响应存在差异,中生植物通过增加叶片大小和减少叶脉密度积极应对降水的增加,矮生嵩草的叶片大小分别增加了200.3%,叶脉密度减小了17.5%,而旱中生植物通过减少叶片大小和增加叶脉密度应对降水的减少,垂穗披碱草和异针茅的叶片大小分别减少54.9%和30.7%,其叶脉密度分别增加25%和22.4%。羽状叶脉植物增加叶脉密度和稳定碳同位素千分值以适应增水条件,花苜蓿、异叶米口袋的叶脉密度的增加了7.8%和4.0%,稳定碳同位素千分值增加2.5%和3.3%,但增水条件下平行叶脉植物的叶脉密度不变或降低和稳定碳同位素千分值保持不变;减水增加了平行叶脉植物叶脉密度并减低了稳定碳同位素千分值,异针茅的叶脉密度增加了22.4%,稳定碳同位素千分值减小2.9%,而对羽状叶脉植物的叶脉密度和稳定碳同位素千分值减少或不变。植物叶片性状对增水的敏感性显著大于对减水的敏感性,增水的效应约为减水的2倍;叶片大小的敏感性显著大于其它叶片性状,约为其它叶片性状的10倍。因此,植物在应对短期降水变化时,植物形态可塑性的作用凸显,放大或缩小叶片大小是植物应对降水变化的最有效的途径,但是不同水分生态类型和叶脉类型植物可塑性的方向存在显著差异。     

降水变化与氮添加对晋北盐碱化草地土壤净氮矿化的影响

于2018年在晋北典型农牧交错带盐碱化草地设置增减降水和氮添加处理试验, 2019年生长季(5—9月)采用原位顶盖PVC埋管法测定不同水、氮处理下土壤净氮矿化速率,研究盐碱化草地土壤净氮矿化速率对降水格局变化和氮沉降的响应。结果表明: 土壤净氮矿化速率表现出明显的季节动态。单独增减降水(±50%)和氮添加(10 g·m^-2·a^-1)以及氮添加+增加50%降水处理对土壤净氮矿化速率影响不显著,氮添加+减少50%降水处理显著提高土壤净硝化速率和净氮矿化速率,分别提高10.8和8.6倍。土壤净氮矿化速率与土壤含水量呈显著正相关,与土壤pH值呈显著负相关。氮添加在不同降水条件下对晋北盐碱化草地土壤氮矿化速率的影响存在差异,土壤含水量与pH值是晋北盐碱化草地土壤净氮矿化速率的主要影响因素。因此,全面评估草地土壤氮矿化过程对全球变化的响应模式,需要考虑降水格局变化与氮沉降增加的交互作用,以及盐碱化草地土壤理化性质的特殊性。     

模拟降水量变化对荒漠草原土壤酶活性的影响及其相关因素分析

为明确荒漠草原土壤酶活性对降水格局改变的响应机制, 该研究基于宁夏荒漠草原降水量不同梯度变化(减少50%、减少30%、自然降水、增加30%和增加50%)的野外试验(2014年开始试验), 于2016年5-7月采样, 测定分析不同降水梯度2年后对土壤酶活性的影响, 并分析酶活性与植物生物量、微生物生物量C∶N∶P生态化学计量特征以及土壤理化性质的关系。结果表明: (1)与自然降水量相比, 减少30%降水量对3种土壤酶活性均无显著影响, 减少50%降水量显著降低了土壤蔗糖酶活性(^P < 0.05); 增加降水量显著提高了土壤蔗糖酶和磷酸酶活性(^P < 0.05), 但对脲酶活性无显著影响。(2)减少降水量对植物生物量影响较小(尤其减少30%降水量), 但不同程度地降低了微生物生物量C、N、P, 提高了微生物生物量C∶N和C∶P; 增加降水量则不同程度提高了植物生物量及微生物生物量C、N、P。(3)土壤蔗糖酶和磷酸酶活性随植物及微生物生物量增加而增加; 对土壤酶活性影响显著的土壤因子包括: 含水量、NO₃^- N、NH₄⁺ N、C∶P、有机C、全N、C∶N和pH (P < 0.05)。研究认为, 减少降水量(尤其是减少30%降水量)对土壤酶活性影响较小, 增加降水量促进了植物的生长、刺激微生物活性, 进而提高了土壤酶活性, 但随着植物生物量增加, 土壤有机C输入增多, 磷酸酶活性相应增强并促进了有机P的矿化, 导致土壤微生物P限制增加。     

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。     

兰州兴隆山土壤微生物的分布及其相关特性分析

目的以兰州兴隆山不同区域的土壤微生物为研究对象,分析比较土壤微生物数量与土壤酶活性之间的相关性。方法利用不同方法测定土壤理化性质、微生物数量以及土壤相关酶活特性;采用三区划线法进行土壤微生物的分离与纯化,通过16S rDNA和ITS方法进行优势菌株鉴定。结果兰州兴隆山土壤中微生物菌群数量由多到少依次为细菌、放线菌、真菌。通过分离纯化后,对其中的2株优势菌进行了鉴定,初步推断X2为萎缩芽胞杆菌属(Bacillus atrophaeus)细菌,Z2为栎生青霉属(Penicillium glandicola)真菌。从酶活特性可知,阳面的土壤过氧化氢酶活性比阴面高;随着海拔高度的增加,过氧化氢酶活性呈现增加趋势;阳面的土壤脱氢酶活性总体比阴面高,并且随着海拔梯度的升高,土壤脱氢酶活性也在不断升高。从相关性分析可知,不同海拔土样间微生物数量与酶活性之间表现出明显的相关性。结论兰州兴隆山土壤微生物数量丰富,且细菌数量居多;不同阴、阳面土壤微生物的层次分布以及活性也各有不同。以上研究可为兰州兴隆山土壤生态系统演替等提供参考依据,并为土壤生态环境的治理做铺垫。     

降雨变化对高寒草甸不同植物功能群凋落物质量及其分解的影响

凋落物分解是生态系统物质循环的重要过程, 探究降雨变化对高寒草甸不同植物功能群凋落物分解的影响, 有助于了解高寒草甸物质循环对降雨变化的响应规律和机制。该研究设置减雨90% (Pr-90)、减雨50% (Pr-50)、减雨30% (Pr-30)、自然降雨(CK)和增雨50% (Pr+50) 5个降雨处理, 采用网袋分解法, 对青藏高原东部高寒草甸的3种植物功能群(禾本科、莎草科、杂类草)及群落凋落物的化学性质、质量损失和养分释放动态进行研究。结果表明: 1)减雨处理(Pr-90、Pr-50和Pr-30)显著增加禾本科凋落物的初始氮(N)含量, 显著降低碳氮比(C:N)和木质素氮比(木质素:N); 增雨处理(Pr+50)显著增加各类型凋落物初始磷(P)含量。2)根据Olson负指数模型拟合, 不同降雨处理下, 杂类草凋落物分解最快, 分解95%的时间为3.49-7.45年; 群落和莎草科次之, 分别为4.07-8.05和4.65-7.74年; 禾本科分解最慢, 为5.84-11.18年。3)极端减雨(Pr-90)抑制各类型凋落物分解, 适度降雨变化(Pr-50、Pr-30和Pr+50)抑制禾本科分解而对莎草科、杂类草和群落无显著影响, 仅增雨(Pr+50)明显促进杂类草分解。4)各类型凋落物C释放在减雨(Pr-90和Pr-30)下受到抑制, 增雨或减雨均促进禾本科N和P释放, 对于莎草科、杂类草和群落凋落物而言, Pr-30促进N释放, Pr-90抑制P释放, Pr+50促进P释放。5)结构方程模型(SEM)表明, 质量和养分残留率受降雨量的直接负效应, 也受凋落物初始C、N、P和木质素、纤维素、半纤维素含量的间接影响。综上所述, 高寒草甸凋落物质量损失及养分释放受凋落物类型和降雨量的共同影响。考虑到禾本科分解最慢且对降雨变化的响应最为敏感, 未来应关注气候变化尤其是极端减雨下禾本科的质量损失及养分释放对高寒草甸有机质输入及C、N、P循环的影响。     

Climate effects on nesting phenology in Nebraska turtles

A frequent response of organisms to climate change is altering the timing of reproduction, and advancement of reproductive timing has been a common reaction to warming temperatures in temperate regions. We tested whether this pattern applied to two common North American turtle species over the past three decades in Nebraska, USA. The timing of nesting (either first date or average date) of the Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) was negatively correlated with mean December maximum temperatures of the preceding year and mean May minimum and maximum temperatures in the nesting year and positively correlated with precipitation in July of the previous year. Increased temperatures during the late winter and spring likely permit earlier emergence from hibernation, increased metabolic rates and feeding opportunities, and accelerated vitellogenesis, ovulation, and egg shelling, all of which could drive earlier nesting. However, for the Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta), the timing of nesting was positively correlated with mean minimum temperatures in September, October, December of the previous year, February of the nesting year, and April precipitation. These results suggest warmer fall, and winter temperature may impose an increased metabolic cost to painted turtles that impedes fall vitellogenesis, and April rains may slow the completion of vitellogenesis through decreased basking opportunities. For both species, nest deposition was highly correlated with body size, and larger females nested earlier in the season. Although average annual ambient temperatures have increased over the last four decades of our overall fieldwork at our study site, spring temperatures have not yet increased, and hence, nesting phenology has not advanced at our site for Chelydra. While Chrysemys exhibited a weak trend toward later nesting, this response was likely due to increased recruitment of smaller females into the population due to nest protection and predator control (Procyon lotor) in the early 2000s. Should climate change result in an increase in spring temperatures, nesting phenology would presumably respond accordingly, conditional on body size variation within these populations.     

A Novel Method for Separation of Caseins from Milk by Phosphates Precipitation

Milk protein of farm animals is difficult to isolate because of the presence of casein micelles, which are hard to separate from whey by using centrifugation or filtration. Insoluble casein micelles also create an obstacle for purification instruments to operate efficiently. The conventional method, to precipitate caseins by lowering pH to 4.6 and then recover the whey fraction for further purification using chromatography techniques, is not applicable to proteins having an isoelectric point similar to caseins. In addition, the acid condition used for casein removal usually leads to significantly poor yields and reduced biological activities. In this study, a novel method of precipitating caseins under neutral or weak acidic conditions is presented. The method employs a phosphate salt and a freeze–thaw procedure to obtain a casein-free whey protein fraction. This fraction contains more than 90% yield with little loss of bioactivity of the target protein, and is readily available for further chromatographic purification. This method was successfully applied to purify recombinant human factor IX and recombinant hirudin from the milk of transgenic pigs in the presented study. It is an efficient pretreatment approach prior to chromatographic purification of milk protein from farm animals and particularly of great value to collect those recombinants secreted from transgenic livestock.     

Climate warming and precipitation redistribution modify tree–grass interactions and tree species establishment in a warm‐temperate savanna

Savanna tree–grass interactions may be particularly sensitive to climate change. Establishment of two tree canopy dominants, post oak (Quercus stellata) and eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana), grown with the dominant C₄ perennial grass (Schizachyrium scoparium) in southern oak savanna of the United States were evaluated under four climatic scenarios for 6 years. Tree–grass interactions were examined with and without warming (+1.5 °C) in combination with a long‐term mean rainfall treatment and a modified rainfall regime that redistributed 40% of summer rainfall to spring and fall, intensifying summer drought. The aim was to determine: (1) the relative growth response of these species, (2) potential shifts in the balance of tree–grass interactions, and (3) the trajectory of juniper encroachment into savannas, under these anticipated climatic conditions. Precipitation redistribution reduced relative growth rate (RGR) of trees grown with grass. Warming increased growth of J. virginiana and strongly reduced Q. stellata survival. Tiller numbers of S. scoparium plants were unaffected by warming, but the number of reproductive tillers was increasingly suppressed by intensified drought each year. Growth rates of J. virginiana and Q. stellata were suppressed by grass presence early, but in subsequent years were higher when grown with grass. Quercus stellata had overall reduced RGR, but enhanced survival when grown with grass, while survival of J. virginiana remained near 100% in all treatments. Once trees surpassed a threshold height of 1.1 m, both tiller number and survival of S. scoparium plants were drastically reduced by the presence of J. virginiana, but not Q. stellata. Juniperus virginiana was the only savanna dominant in which neither survival nor final aboveground mass were adversely affected by the climate scenario of warming and intensified summer drought. These responses indicate that climate warming and altered precipitation patterns will further accelerate juniper encroachment and woody thickening in a warm‐temperate oak savanna.     

Predicting species‐specific responses of fungi to climatic variation using historical records

Although striking changes have been documented in plant and animal phenology over the past century, less is known about how the fungal kingdom's phenology has been changing. A few recent studies have documented changes in fungal fruiting in Europe in the last few decades, but the geographic and taxonomic extent of these changes, the mechanisms behind these changes, and their relationships to climate are not well understood. Here, we analyzed herbarium data of 274 species of fungi from Michigan to test the hypotheses that fruiting times of fungi depend on annual climate and that responses depend on taxonomic and functional groups. We show that the fungal community overall fruits later in warmer and drier years, which has led to a shift toward later fruiting dates for autumn‐fruiting species, consistent with existing evidence. However, we also show that these effects are highly variable among species and are partly explained by basic life‐history characteristics. Resulting differences in climate sensitivities are expected to affect community structure as climate changes. This study provides a unique picture of the climate dependence of fungal phenology in North America and an approach for quantifying how individual species and broader fungal communities will respond to ongoing climate change.