Resource utilization conditions as biochar of an invasive plant Spartina alterniflora in coastal wetlands of China

Converting feedstocks of invasive plants into biochar is a new and cost‐effective measure for their control, and benefits for the sustainable development of native ecosystems. Spartina alterniflora, an invasive plant widely distributed in coastal wetlands of China, was used to produce biochar. We aimed to analyze how S. alterniflora biochar properties changed with desalination of feedstocks, pyrolysis temperature, and residence time. Results showed that desalting feedstocks increased biochar pH, stability, porosity, and surface area, but diminished biochar yield and polarity. Pyrolysis temperature positively affected biochar pH, surface area, and pore volume, while it had negative effects on biochar yield, oxygen and hydrogen contents, hydrogen/carbon and oxygen/carbon ratios, pore size, and function groups. However, residence time of pyrolysis had slight effects on biochar properties. The results are valuable for optimizing pyrolysis temperature and pretreatment measure of feedstocks, to tune S. alterniflora biochar properties for specific environmental usage.     

Limited seed retention during winter inhibits vegetation establishment in spring,affecting lateral marsh expansion capacity

Coastal systems worldwide deliver vital ecosystem services, such as biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and coastal protection. Effectivity of these ecosystem services increases when vegetation is present. Understanding the mechanisms behind vegetation establishment in bio‐geomorphic systems is necessary to understand their ability to recover after erosive events and potential adaptations to climate change. In this study, we examined how seed availability affects vegetation establishment in the salt marsh–intertidal flat transition zone: the area with capacity for lateral marsh expansion. This requires vegetation establishment; therefore, seed availability is essential. In a 6‐month field experiment, we simulated a before and after winter seed dispersal at two locations, the salt‐marsh vegetation edge and the intertidal flat, and studied seed retention, the seed bank, and the seed viability of three pioneer marsh species: Salicornia procumbens, Aster tripolium, and Spartina anglica. During winter storm conditions, all supplied seeds eroded away with the sediment surface layer. After winter, supplied seeds from all three species were retained, mostly at the surface while 9% was bioturbated downwards. In the natural seed bank, A. tripolium and S. anglica were practically absent while S. procumbens occurred more frequently. The viability of S. procumbens seeds was highest at the surface, between 80% and 90%. The viability quickly decreased with depth, although viable S. procumbens seeds occurred up to 15 cm depth. Only when seeds were supplied after winter, many S. procumbens and some S. anglica individuals did establish successfully in the transition zone. Viable seed availability formed a vegetation establishment threshold, even with a local seed source. Our results suggest that, although boundary conditions such as elevation, inundation, and weather conditions were appropriate for vegetation establishment in spring, the soil surface in winter can be so dynamic that it limits lateral marsh expansion. These insights can be used for designing effective nature‐based coastal protection.     

芦苇、互花米草的生长和繁殖对盐分胁迫的响应

对2种海滨植物——土著种芦苇(Phragmites australis)和外来种互花米草(Sparti-na alterniflora)在淡水、中盐度(15‰)和高盐度(30‰)环境下生长和有性繁殖特征及其年际动态进行了研究,以期探索海滨植物对盐分胁迫的适应机制。结果表明:2年中各盐度处理下互花米草地上部分生物量均高于芦苇,芦苇和互花米草地上部分生物量、株高和分蘖数均随着盐度的升高而显著下降。芦苇第1年没有开花;第2年,只有淡水和中盐度处理下的芦苇开花。各盐分梯度下,第1年互花米草的开花株数没有显著差异,但花序重量在高盐度条件下显著下降;第2年高盐胁迫仍然抑制了互花米草的繁殖。第1年各处理下的芦苇株高均低于互花米草,但第2年淡水和中盐环境中的芦苇株高高于互花米草。除了高盐处理下的芦苇,第2年这2种植物地上部分生物量、株高、开花株数、花序重量显著高于第1年。与芦苇相比,互花米草表现出较高的生长能力和耐盐能力;2种植物的生长和繁殖的能力随着定居时间的增加而提高,但高盐胁迫抑制了芦苇第2年的增长;芦苇第2年在淡水和中盐度条件下表现出株高上的优势。     

养分条件对互花米草表型可塑性的影响

通过栽培实验研究了高、中、低不同养分水平对外来入侵种互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)表型可塑性的影响。结果表明:随着养分含量的增加,互花米草分枝强度不断增加,低养分处理与中、高养分处理间差异显著;间隔子长度随着养分含量的增加而增加,但分枝角度不受养分含量的影响;互花米草生物量分配格局显著受养分水平的影响,随着养分的降低,互花米草对地上部分(茎和叶)的生物量投资减小,而对地下部分(根和根茎)的生物量投资增加。这些结果说明,养分水平对互花米草的克隆生长有显著影响,互花米草对不同的养分条件表现出较强的可塑性。     

互花米草入侵对土壤生态系统的影响

互花米草是全球海岸滩涂湿地生态系统最成功的入侵植物之一,对中国沿海湿地土壤生态系统也产生了重大影响.本文主要从入侵地土壤生态系统的结构组分(土壤微生物和土壤动物)与物质循环(土壤碳循环、氮循环、磷循环和重金属元素)两大方面,综述了近年来国内外互花米草入侵对沿海滩涂与河口地区土壤生态系统的影响.此外,本文还指出了未来互花米草的研究方向,包括加强互花米草对入侵地土壤微生物的影响的研究,整合互花米草对地上、地下资源竞争和生态过程影响的研究,以及互花米草在全球变化大背景下入侵动态预测.     

Retraction of invasive Spartina alterniflora and its effect on the habitat loss of endangered migratory bird species and their decline in YNNR using remote sensing technology

Wetland environment and habitat loss increase the rate of biodiversity decline and affect our ecosystems. Yancheng National Nature Reserve (YNNR) is a protected area dedicated to endangered migratory bird species to overwinter. However, it currently has a record low influx of migrating birds and might therefore be losing its founding purpose. We used remote sensing technology to assess and quantify the impacts and effects of invasive halophytes Spartina alterniflora in the habitat loss and shrinkage of endangered bird wintering habitat from 2003 to 2018. We also attempted to ascertain the causes and triggers of avian population decline and its relationship with habitat loss, as these phenomena threaten and endanger species both locally and globally. Our study shows how YNNR has lost about 80% of migratory bird habitat to invasive S. alterniflora and Phragmites australis, a native halophyte plant in the reserve. Furthermore, shoreline erosion triggered the retraction of S. alterniflora and its backward growth toward Suaeda Salsa, the preferred foraging habitat for migratory birds in the zone, which is a possible cause of their decline.     

互花米草入侵对胶州湾河口湿地土壤总铁分布的影响

互花米草是胶州湾滨海湿地典型的入侵物种,为进一步了解互花米草入侵对胶州湾河口湿地土壤总铁含量分布的影响,于2017年3月、5月、7月、9月和11月分别在互花米草湿地和光滩采集土壤样品,并对土壤总铁含量、有机质含量、土壤可溶性盐、pH、含水率、容重和土壤粒度进行测定与分析。结果表明:互花米草入侵显著提高了土壤总铁含量,两样区0—50 cm土层土壤总铁含量差异显著(P0.05),5月和7月互花米草湿地总铁含量在垂直方向上呈先上升后下降趋势;与光滩在同一采样月份相比,互花米草湿地土壤总铁含量增幅分别为25.36%、29.50%、17.52%、30.28%和14.48%。相关性分析表明,互花米草湿地和光滩土壤总铁含量均与有机质含量和可溶性盐呈显著正相关(P0.01);并且光滩土壤总铁含量与含水率呈显著正相关(P0.01),与容重呈显著负相关(P0.01),表明两样区土壤总铁含量受有机质含量和可溶性盐影响较大。     

Morphology and biomass production of prairie cordgrass on marginal lands

Prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata Link.) is indigenous throughout most of the continental United States and Canada to 60°N latitude and is well suited to marginal land too wet for maize (Zea mays L.) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). Evaluations of prairie cordgrass in Europe and North America indicated it has high potential for biomass production, relative to switchgrass, in short‐season areas. Our objective was to describe morphology and biomass production and partitioning in mature stands of ‘Red River’ prairie cordgrass and determine biomass production of natural populations on marginal land. This study was conducted from 2000 to 2008 in eastern South Dakota. Mean biomass production of mature stands of Red River was 12.7 Mg ha^?1. Leaves composed >88% of the biomass, and 60% of the tillers had no internodes. Belowground biomass to a depth of approximately 25 cm, not including roots, was 21 Mg ha^?1. Tiller density ranged from 683 tillers m^?2 for a 10‐year‐old stand to 1140 tillers m^?2 for a 4‐year‐old stand. The proaxis was composed of about eight phytomers, with rhizomes originating at proximal nodes and erect tillers at distal nodes. Vegetative propagation was achieved by both phalanx and guerilla growth. Differences among natural populations for biomass were expressed on gravelly marginal land. However, production, averaged across populations, was low (1.37 Mg ha^?1) and comparable to ‘Cave‐In‐Rock’ switchgrass (1.67 Mg ha^?1) over a 4‐year period. The large carbon storage capacity of prairie cordgrass in proaxes and rhizomes makes it useful for carbon sequestration purposes. Prairie cordgrass should be compared with switchgrass and other C₄ perennial grasses along environmental gradients to determine optimum landscape positions for each and to maximize bioenergy production and minimize inputs.