Effects of Revegetation on Soil Microbial Biomass,Enzyme Activities,and Nutrient Cycling on the Loess Plateau in China

Revegetation is a traditional practice widely used for soil and water conservation on the Loess Plateau in China. However, there has been a lack of reports on soil microbial–biochemical indices required for a comprehensive evaluation of the success of revegetation systems. In this study, we examined the effects of revegetation on major soil nutrients and microbial–biochemical properties in an artificial alfalfa grassland, an enclosed natural grassland, and an artificial shrubland (Caragana korshinskii), with an abandoned cropland as control. Results showed that at 0–5, 5–20, and 20–40 cm depths, soil organic carbon, alkaline extractable nitrogen and available potassium were higher in natural grassland and artificial shrubland compared with artificial grassland and abandoned cropland. Soil microbial biomass C (Cmic) and phosphorous (Pmic) substantially decreased with depth at all sites, and in abandoned cropland was significantly lower than those of natural grassland, artificial grassland, and artificial shrubland at the depth of 0–5 cm. Soil microbial biomass N (Nmic) was higher in artificial shrubland and abandoned cropland compared with that in natural and artificial grasslands. Both Cmic and Pmic were significantly different between the 23‐year‐old and the 13‐year‐old artificial shrublands at the 0–5 cm depth. The activities of soil invertase, urease, and alkaline phosphatase in natural grassland and artificial shrubland were higher than those in artificial grassland and abandoned cropland. This study demonstrated that the regeneration of both natural grassland and artificial shrubland effectively preserved and enhanced soil microbial biomass and major nutrient cycling, thus is an ecologically beneficial practice for recovery of degraded soils on the Loess Plateau.     

青藏高原长花马先蒿的细胞地理学研究

对青藏高原长花马先蒿9个居群的核型及细胞地理学进行研究,所有居群的染色体数目均为2n=16,染色体基数为x=8。现有的细胞学资料表明:分布于云南中甸的居群可能为较原始的类群,而分布于西藏日土和青海门源的居群较为进化。长花马先蒿的9个居群均为二倍体,并未出现多倍化现象,可能是由于在末次冰期青藏高原存在广泛的避难所,二倍体得到很好的保存,冰期对它们的影响不是很大; 也可能是对环境的选择压力造成的。     

青藏高原高寒草地退化与人工恢复过程中植物群落的繁殖适应对策

以三江源区不同退化程度高寒草甸和不同恢复年限人工草地作为研究对象,通过野外调查与采样、实验室分析,探究了高寒地区退化天然草地与人工恢复草地的植被群落繁殖构件数量变化.结果表明:在群落水平上,天然草地退化和人工草地建植会对植物繁殖构件的数量和生物量产生影响.随着天然草地退化程度的增加,营养枝数量和生物量则明显下降,而繁殖枝的数量和生物量明显升高(P＜0.05);随着人工草地恢复年限的增加,营养枝的数量和生物量逐渐增加,而繁殖枝的数量和生物量则逐渐降低(P＜0.05);随着恢复年限的增加,人工草地繁殖构件的变化逐渐接近未退化天然草地.在功能群水平上,植物繁殖构件数量亦随草地退化程度和人工恢复年限而变化.随着恢复年限的增加,禾本科、莎草科、杂类草的营养枝数量和生物量均呈现显著增加(P＜0.05),而繁殖枝数量和生物量则显著下降,禾本科的繁殖构件数量远远大于莎草科和杂类草;随着退化程度的增加,三大功能群的营养枝枝数和生物量显著增加(P＜0.05),而繁殖枝则呈现相反的趋势.实证了草地退化和人工恢复改变植物群落繁殖分配对策的科学假设,为高寒草地植被恢复重建技术的发展和更新提供理论支撑.     

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。     

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.     

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.     

Availability and contributions of soil phosphorus to forage production of seeded alfalfa in semiarid Loess Plateau

The availability of soil phosphorus was studied in response to the forage production of seeded alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), established by the ridge and furrow water-harvesting technique in the semiarid Loess Plateau of China. The following 5 treatments were set up in this study: (1) conventional cultivation in a flat plot without mulch (CK); (2) plastic mulched ridge with 30 cm width of ridge and furrow (M30); (3) plastic mulched ridge with 60 cm width of ridge and furrow (M60); (4) bare ridge with 30 cm width of ridge and furrow (B30); (5) bare ridge with 60 cm width of ridge and furrow (B60). The forage yield, evapotranspiration (ET), soil organic carbon (SOC), total phosphorus, available phosphorus and the ratio of soil organic C to available P (C/P) were measured in the experiment. Results showed that the positive correlation occurred between the decrease in soil available P and the total forage yield of alfalfa after three-year alfalfa stand. M30 and M60 were higher than those of conventional flat cultivation (CK) by 10.7% and 40.3%, respectively, whereas the yield of two bare treatments (B30 and B60) was lower than that of CK by 14.2% and 28.3%, respectively. After a 3-year alfalfa stand, the trend of the decrease in soil available P was in the order of M60 (55.5%) > M30 (51.5%) > CK (34.6%) > B30 (23.4%) > B60 (17.5%). Moreover, after 3-year alfalfa growth, the C/P ratio increased significantly in all of the treatments by comparing with that before sowing. The C/P ratios of M30 (1165.1) and M60 (1326.1) were significantly higher than those of the other treatments. More interesting finding was that the increase in SOC in dry years promoted the accumulation of soil available P. However, in wet years, the increase of SOC limited the accumulation of soil available P. Therefore, to further increase the forage yield of alfalfa, the effective technique must be developed to increase the soil available P.     

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。     

黄土高原归一化植被指数与自然环境因子的空间关联性——基于地理探测器

植被对改善黄土高原脆弱的生态环境有着关键作用,系统研究黄土高原归一化植被指数(NDVI)空间分布和环境因子的空间关联性,可为新时代黄土高原植被高质量建设提供科学依据。以黄土高原2000-2017年年均植被NDVI为研究对象,选取气候要素、地形因素、土壤类型和植被类型等自然环境因子,运用GIS和地理探测器技术手段,在剔除土地利用类型发生变化栅格的基础上,研究黄土高原年均NDVI与环境因子的空间关联性,结果表明:2000-2017年黄土高原年均NDVI值在0.016-0.72之间,呈地带性分布,由西北部向东南部逐渐升高,大于0.3的区域占50.23%;2000-2017年黄土高原年均植被NDVI分布具有空间异质性,且在不同植被区、地貌区、土壤区和气候区中,NDVI空间分布的主要环境驱动因子具有差异性。年均降雨量对NDVI空间分布具有强解释力,是黄土高原85.20%的区域植被生长的主要制约因子;约12.01%的区域主要受土壤类型影响,为中等解释力,其余区域的植被生长主要受年均气温,日照时数或海拔影响。建议综合考虑不同环境条件下植被NDVI的空间分布与环境影响因子的空间关联性,明确不同区域中植被NDVI的环境制约因子,以制约因子定植,在防止土壤干燥化、贫瘠化的前提下,提高植被覆盖率和生物多样性,以期促进黄土高原植被建设高质量发展。