Patterns of shrub expansion in Alaskan arctic river corridors suggest phase transition

Recent increases in deciduous shrub cover are a primary focus of terrestrial Arctic research. This study examined the historic spatial patterns of shrub expansion on the North Slope of Alaska to determine the potential for a phase transition from tundra to shrubland. We examined the historic variability of landscape‐scale tall shrub expansion patterns on nine sites within river valleys in the Brooks Range and North Slope uplands (BRNS) between the 1950s and circa 2010 by calculating percent cover (PCTCOV), patch density (PADENS), patch size variability (CVSIZE), mean nearest neighbor distance (MEDIST) and the multi‐scale information fractal dimension (d_I) to assess spatial homogeneity for shrub cover. We also devised conceptual models for trends in these metrics before, during, and after a phase transition, and compared these to our results. By developing a regression equation between PCTCOV and d_I and using universal critical d_I values, we derived the PCTCOV required for a phase transition to occur. All nine sites exhibited increases in PCTCOV. Five of the nine sites exhibited an increase in PADENS, seven exhibited an increase in CVSIZE, and five exhibited a decrease in MEDIST. The d_I values for each site exceeded the requirements necessary for a phase transition. Although fine‐scale heterogeneity is still present, landscape‐scale patterns suggest our study areas are either currently in a state of phase transition from tundra to shrubland or are progressing towards spatial homogeneity for shrubland. Our results indicate that the shrub tundra in the river valleys of the north slope of Alaska has reached a tipping point. If climate trends observed in recent decades continue, the shrub tundra will continue towards homogeneity with regard to the cover of tall shrubs.     

漓江水陆交错带典型灌木群落根系分布与土壤养分的关系

在漓江流域水陆交错带选取一叶萩、细叶水团花、枫杨3种典型灌木群落,对不同土层深度的根长密度,以及根长密度与土壤有机质、全氮、有效磷的相关关系进行了研究,旨在为漓江流域生态修复过程中灌木植被恢复、主要灌木植被配置、快速绿化材料选取等提供科学依据。结果表明:(1)漓江水陆交错带典型灌木群落各土层根长密度差异性显著,分布规律均为:枫杨细叶水团花一叶萩。0—10 cm到40—60 cm土层,各灌木群落根长密度均减小,但不同灌木群落根长密度的差异程度逐渐缩小,表明地形、地表植物类型及生长状况对根长密度分布的影响也随土层深度的增加而逐渐减小。(2)枫杨(25.10g/kg)灌木群落底层腐殖质层厚,有机质含量最高,分别是细叶水团花、一叶萩的1.24、1.87倍。各灌木群落全氮含量从大到小依次是枫杨、细叶水团花、一叶萩,其值分别为:3.23、2.41、1.46 g/kg。土壤有效磷分布规律为一叶萩(11.56 mg/kg)细叶水团花(5.37 mg/kg)枫杨(3.99 mg/kg);一叶萩灌木群落有效磷含量远远大于枫杨和细叶水团花,原因是漓江水长期受人为洗漱影响,导致受江水干扰大的一叶萩灌木群落有效磷含量高。(3)根长密度与有机质、全氮含量呈正相关,与有效磷含量呈负相关,说明适量增加土壤有机质、全氮含量,减少土壤有效磷,有利于土壤根系的生长。根长密度与0L≤1 mm径级的根系所占比例呈极显著正相关,与1L≤2 mm径级的根系所占比例呈显著正相关,表明根系细根越多,根长密度越大。     

不同林龄木荷-青冈栎混交林幼林土壤活性有机碳库研究

以中国北亚热带地区退化灌木林补植改造7 a和11 a后形成的木荷-青冈栎混交林为研究对象,以保留的灌木林为对照,分析了造林初期林龄对林分土壤活性有机碳含量的影响。结果表明：(1) 7 a和11 a生木荷-青冈栎林0～50 cm各土层土壤总有机碳含量比灌木林分别增加了22.79%~43.34%和52.33%~96.13%,易氧化碳含量增加了11.11%~25.18%和57.89%~100.90%,轻组有机质含量增加了18.18%~85.20%和74.50%~93.75%,水溶性有机碳含量7 a生木荷-青冈栎林比灌木林降低了4.10%~9.53%(10~20 cm除外),而11 a生林分比灌木林增加了0.71%~5.37%。(2) 3种林分土壤活性有机碳在总有机碳中所占的比率大小顺序、水溶性有机碳/土壤总有机碳均为灌木林>7 a生木荷-青冈栎林>11 a生木荷-青冈栎林,易氧化碳/土壤总有机碳为11 a生木荷-青冈栎林>灌木林>7 a生木荷-青冈栎林。（3）3种林分各活性有机碳组分与土壤总有机碳的相关性均达到极显著水平,而水溶性有机碳与总有机碳的相关系数相对较低;各林分土壤总有机碳、易氧化碳、轻组有机质与土壤养分的相关性均达到极显著水平,而灌木林水溶性有机碳与土壤水解氮、速效钾相关性不显著。研究认为,灌木林改造为常绿阔叶人工林,林分土壤有机碳在幼林期已有显著变化,随着林龄增长,人工林有机碳的积累还有待进一步研究。     

陕北沙地3种典型灌木根木质部解剖结构及水力特性

比较了陕北沙地沙柳、柠条和沙棘3种典型灌木不同土壤深度(0～20和30～50 cm)根木质部解剖结构和水力特性.结果表明： 沙柳具有较高的叶水势,根木质部导管平均最大直径(d_max)、平均最小直径(d_min)、平均导管面积(A_lum)以及导管面积占木质部面积比例(A_ves/A_xyl)显著高于柠条和沙棘,根导管密度(VD)与沙棘相当但显著高于柠条;沙柳根的比导水率分别为柠条和沙棘的5.0和2.8倍;沙柳根栓塞脆弱性指数与柠条根相当,但显著高于沙棘根.表明沙柳属耗水型水分利用策略,而柠条和沙棘属节水型水分利用策略,且柠条更耐旱.3种灌木在2个土层深度的d_max、d_min和A_lum无显著差异,但30～50 cm土层根VD和A_ves/A_xyl显著高于表层;30～50 cm土层根比导水率显著高于表层根,但脆弱性指数小于表层根,深层根具有高的水分传输效率和低的水力脆弱性.     

A LIMNOLOGICAL PROFILE OF THE UPPER OKAVANGO DELTA AT LOW WATER LEVEL

Summary

Selected limnological attributes of the Okavango Delta panhandle were measured during a brief summer survey of “open-water” habitats extending from the permanent mainstream channel, through contiguous off-channel lagoons and still backwaters, to seasonally isolated floodplain lagoon and temporary pool biotopes on the left-bank of the Okavango River at Seronga.

Wide ranges in most determinants were evident along this profile:- temperature (27–34°C); conductivity(4–12.7mS m^?1); pH(5.7–9.2); transparency(0.2–>2.5 m Secchi depth); dissolved oxygen (20–220% saturation); PO₄-P (61–110 μg ?^?1): SiO₂—Si (6.9–14.0 mg ?^?1): NH₄-N (30–44 μg ?^?1): chlorophyll (1.3–183 μ.g ?^?1). Zooplankton was variably diverse (species richness from ≥ 3 to 20), comprising both euplanktonic (Bosmina, Ceriodaphnia, Daphnia, Diaphanosoma, Moina, Mesocyclops, Thermocyclops, Tropodiaptomus) and more typical epiphytic crustacean taxa (Alona, Macrothrix, Pleuroxus), along with various rotifers (Brachionus, Hexarthra, Keratella, Trichocera) and other taxa (Arcella, Ostracoda. Chaoborus). Abundance varied widely between habitats. The littoral macrozoobenthos showed surprisingly low diversity, and was dominated by freshwater shrimps (Caridina).

Substantial allochthonous inputs to the Okavango swamps were evident from the significant concentrations of total suspended solids (7.6–12.6 mg ?^?1 , organic content of 33–41%) carried by the mainstream Okavango River during the survey.     

Post‐fire regeneration in alpine heathland: Does fire severity matter?

Fire severity is thought to be an important determinant of landscape patterns of post‐fire regeneration, yet there have been few studies of the effects of variation in fire severity at landscape scales on floristic diversity and composition, and none within alpine vegetation. Understanding how fire severity affects alpine vegetation is important because fire is relatively infrequent in alpine environments. Globally, alpine ecosystems are at risk from climate change, which, in addition to warming, is likely to increase the severity and frequency of fire in south‐eastern Australia. Here we examine the effects of variation in fire severity on plant diversity and vegetation composition, 5 years after the widespread fires of 2003. We used floristic data from two wide‐spread vegetation types on the Bogong High Plains: open heathland and closed heathland. Three alternative models were tested relating variation in plant community attributes (e.g. diversity, ground cover of dominant species, amount of bare ground) to variation in fire severity. The models were (i) ‘linear’, attributes vary linearly with fire severity; (ii) ‘intermediate disturbance’, attributes are highest at intermediate fire severity and lowest at both low‐ and high‐severity; and (iii) ‘null’, attributes are unaffected by fire severity. In both heathlands, there were few differences in floristic diversity, cover of dominant species and community composition, across the strong fire severity gradient. The null model was most supported in the vast majority of cases, with only limited support for either the linear and intermediate disturbance models. Our data indicate that in both heathlands, vegetation attributes in burnt vegetation were converging towards that of the unburnt state. We conclude that fire severity had little impact on post‐fire regeneration, and that both closed and open alpine heathlands are resilient to variation in fire severity during landscape scale fires.     

荒漠草原-灌丛镶嵌体的植被稳态转变特征

以柠条锦鸡儿（Caragana korshinskii）灌丛引入形成荒漠草原-灌丛地镶嵌体为研究对象,选择其内部荒漠草地（DG）、草地边缘（GE）、灌丛边缘（SE）、灌丛地（SL）为试验样地,开展荒漠草原向灌丛地人为稳态转变过程土壤水分与植被变化特征研究。结果如下：各样地0-200 cm土层水分含量随着转变过程呈显著降低趋势（P<0.05）,其中荒漠草地、草地边缘和灌丛边缘样地的土壤水分均在秋季雨水补充期增加,灌丛地由于深层土壤水分过度消耗而愈加降低,且灌丛边缘和灌丛地深层水分显著低于荒漠草地、草地边缘（P<0.05）,垂直动态不显著;地上植被随样地转变除优势度指数表现为灌丛地多样性、均匀度、丰富度指数均显著低于各样地（P<0.05）,多年生优势草本蒙古冰草（Agropyron mongolicum）、短花针茅（Stipa breviflora）逐渐被一年生草本刺藜（Dysphania aristata）、猪毛蒿（Artemisia scoparia）所代替;土壤种子库萌发种类随样地转变逐渐减少,种子库密度则显著升高（P<0.05）,灌丛地以一年生草本植物为主（占总密度的97.51%）,荒漠草地则以多年生草本萌发为主,且各样地土壤萌发种子库及多年生草本多集中于0-5 cm土层（P<0.05）;转变过程荒漠草原和灌丛地植被地上地下相似度分别为0.14和0.19,均显著低于两边缘样地0.35,较两边缘样地群落更为稳定,呈现草原灌丛化过程中草地-灌丛共存的植被双稳态特征。     

荒漠草原土壤微生物矿化对灌丛引入过程及水分的响应

以宁夏荒漠草原封育草地（封育14年）、放牧地为对照,开展不同年限（3a、12a、22a）和间距（40 m、6 m、2 m）柠条地（Caragana korshinskii）灌丛引入过程土壤微生物矿化及对不同水分梯度（自然降雨、前期饱和、持续干旱）响应特征研究。结果表明：灌丛地0-20 cm和0-100 cm土层土壤全氮含量均高于放牧地且随年限和密度增加呈增高趋势,分别为0.28-0.42、0.27-0.42 g/kg和0.28-0.51、0.27-0.51 g/kg,但在22年且密度增至2 m间距的灌丛地与封育草地相比差异不显著或呈降低趋势;微生物量氮变化分别为0.041-0.057、0.041-0.081 mg/kg,且22年灌丛地呈显著降低,2 m间距灌丛地呈显著增加,但均显著低于封育草地0.079 mg/kg和放牧地0.103 mg/kg （P<0.05）;真菌/细菌比值随灌丛地年限和密度增加变化为0.06-0.33,均高于封育草地0.04和放牧地0.03（P<0.05）,微生物变化改变了灌丛地的矿化过程,相较封育草地0.003 mg kg^-1 d^-1和放牧地-0.068 mg kg^-1 d^-1的净矿化速率,不同年限/间距灌丛地虽分别降低为-0.155--0.084、-0.116--0.061 mg kg^-1 d^-1,但均表现为前期加速硝化过程,使得硝态氮则随年限和密度增加呈增加趋势显著高于两样地,而铵态氮变化则较为稳定;封育草地对干旱具缓冲作用,持续矿化,而放牧地和灌丛地净矿化速率对水分降低响应积极,分别降低280.3%和440.2%,其中放牧地和灌丛地以硝化作用变化尤为显著,特别是灌丛地则随干旱加剧净硝化速率均呈显著降低趋势（P<0.05）,其净矿化速率变化以硝化过程占主导。     

祁连山北坡灌木群落数量分类与排序

植物群落的空间分布格局是异质生境条件下物种种间相互作用的结果,其分异规律及其与环境因子的关系研究有助于认识植物的生态适应性。本文基于祁连山北坡28个样地的调查数据,采用双向指示种分析法(TWINSPAN)和典范对应分析(CCA)法探讨了灌木群落的空间分布与环境因子间相互关系。结果表明:(1)TWINSPAN分类将祁连山北坡灌木植被划分为盐爪爪+珍珠猪毛菜(Ass.Kalidium foliatum+Lyonia ovalifolia)、灌木亚菊+合头草(Ass.Ajania fruticulosa+Sympegma regelii)、合头草+茵陈蒿(Ass.Sympegma regelii+Artemisia capillaries)、珍珠猪毛菜+多根葱(Ass.Lyonia ovalifolia+Allium polyrhizum)、甘蒙锦鸡儿+针茅(Ass.Caragana opulens+Stipa capillata)、鬼箭锦鸡儿+高山柳(Ass.Caragana jubata+Salix cupularis)和金露梅+珠芽蓼(Ass.Dosiphora fruticosa+Polygonum viviparum)等7个群丛类型;(2)CCA排序结果表明,海拔和土壤全盐量是影响祁连山北坡灌木群落分布的主要环境因子,有机质、土壤含水量、土壤容重和p H值是次要因子,速效磷和速效钾对植物群落的影响较弱。     

宁夏东部荒漠草原-灌丛地转变过程土壤氮素响应

选取近30年荒漠草原灌丛引入形成的典型草地-灌丛镶嵌体内部的荒漠草地、草地边缘、灌丛边缘、灌丛地为研究样地,对各样地及其微生境(植丛与空斑)相关土壤指标进行测定,以了解荒漠草地向灌丛地转变过程中土壤氮素的响应特征。结果表明: 随草地灌丛化转变,草本与灌丛生物量均增加,其中一年生草本随灌丛引入增加明显;土壤水分、全碳、全氮及微生物生物量均呈降低趋势,微生物数量在草地边缘与灌丛边缘降低,而在灌丛地增加并略高于荒漠草地;从荒漠草地转变至灌丛地,硝态氮显著升高52.3%,最高为28.45 mg N·kg^-1,铵态氮显著降低10.4%,最低为4.81 mg N·kg^-1。微生物生物量氮与土壤水分呈显著正相关,而矿化氮与土壤水分响应关系则随着植被转变呈非线性变化,即硝态氮和铵态氮与土壤水分在荒漠草地和草地边缘呈正相关,而在灌丛边缘和灌丛地呈负相关。荒漠草地向灌丛地近30年的转变过程中,土壤全氮、微生物生物量氮呈降低趋势,而矿化氮显著增加,其中硝态氮尤为明显,表现出从荒漠草地土壤氮素的硝化抑制向灌丛地硝化加速转变。