Forest/environment relationships in Yosemite National Park,California, USA

Forest compositional patterns in Yosemite National Park, California, were related to environmental factors through numerical classification of forest types, arrangement of forest types along elevational and topographic gradients, and development of regression models relating basal area of common tree species to environmental variables. The eight forest types are differentiated primarily by elevation zone and secondarily by topographic setting. Lower montane forests (1200–1900 m) were divided into the Abies concolor/Calocedrus type occurring primarily on mesic sites and the Pinus ponderosa/Calocedrus type predominantly on xeric sites. Upper montane forests (1900–2500 m) included the Abies concolor/Abies magnifica type on mesic sites, the Abies magnifica/Pinus type on somewhat more xeric sites, and Juniperus occidentalis/Pinus jeffreyi woodlands on granitic domes. Subalpine forests (2500–3300 m) embraced three types: Tsuga mertensiana/Pinus forests on mesic sites, monotypic Pinus contorta forests on drier sites, and Pinus albicaulis/Pinus contorta groves at treeline. Regression models consistently included elevation and soil magnesium content as explanatory variables of species basal area totals. The two Abies spp. were negatively correlated with soil magnesium levels, whereas other montane species (e.g. Calocedrus decurrens, Pinus lambertiana, and Pinus ponderosa) exhibited positive correlation with soil magnesium. Topography and soil physical properties were only infrequently incorporated into species regression models.Abbreviations DBH= diameter at breast height (1.4 m) - DCA= detrended correspondence analysis - TWINSPAN= two-way indicator species analysis     

Tropical rain forest fragmentation and its ecological and species diversity changes in southern Yunnan

Three fragmented rain forests and one primary forest in southern Yunnan were plotted. The microclimate and soil conditions of these forests were also studied. The following conclusions were drawn: (1) The microclimatic differences between inside and outside forest are less in the fragmented forests than in the primary forest, which indicates that the buffer effects to climatic change have been reduced in the fragmented forests. The soil has deteriorated to some extent due to forest fragmentation. (2) In species composition, especially the abundance of some species and the dominant ranks of some families have changed with fragmentation. Barringtonia macrostachya, the most dominant species in the control primary forest, disappeared from the fragmented forests, while Antiaris toxicaria, which is a characteristic but not dominant species in the primary forest, is dominant in fragmented forests. (3) The total number of species per plot was reduced in the fragmented forests and the more seriously disturbed the fragment was, the more the species richness diminished. (4) In life form spectra, the liana and microphanerophyte species increased, but epiphyte, megaphanerophyte, mesophanerophyte and chamaephyte species decreased in the fragmented forests. (5) The plant species diversity is generally lower in the fragmented forests than in the primary forest, although for some life forms it could be higher. (6) The tree species with small populations could be lost first in the process of rain forest fragmentation. (7) The heliophilous or pioneer tree species increased and the shade-tolerant species were reduced in the fragmented forests.     

Effects of position, understorey vegetation and coarse woody debris on tree regeneration in two environmentally contrasting forests of north-western Patagonia: a manipulative approach

Aim To investigate the differential effects of position within gaps, coarse woody debris and understorey cover on tree seedling survival in canopy gaps in two old‐growth Nothofagus pumilio (Poepp. & Endl.) Krasser forests and the response of this species to gaps in two forests located at opposite extremes of a steep rainfall gradient. Location Nahuel Huapi National Park, at 41° S in north‐western Patagonia, Argentina. Methods In both study sites, seedlings were transplanted to experimental plots in gaps in three different positions, with two types of substrate (coarse woody debris or forest floor), and with and without removal of understorey vegetation. Survival of seedlings was monitored during two growing seasons. Soil moisture and direct solar radiation were measured once in mid‐summer. Seedling aerial biomass was estimated at the end of the experiment. Results Mid‐summer soil water potential was lowest in the centre of gaps, in plots where the understorey had been removed, and highest at the northern edges of gaps. Direct incoming radiation was highest in gap centres and southern edges, and lowest at northern edges. Seedling mortality was highest in gap centres, in both sites. Coarse woody debris had a positive effect on seedling survival during summer in the mesic forest and during winter in the xeric forest. The removal of understorey cover had negative effects in gap centres during summer. Seedling final aerial biomass was positively affected by understorey removal and by soil substrate in both sites. In the dry forest gaps, seedling growth was highest in northern edges, whereas it was highest in gap centres in the mesic forest. Overall growth was positively related to survival in the xeric forest, and negatively related in the mesic forest. Main conclusions Survival and growth were facilitated by the shade of gap‐surrounding trees only in the xeric forest. Understorey vegetation of both forests facilitated seedling survival in exposed microsites but competed with seedling growth. Nurse logs were an important substrate for seedling establishment in both forests; however, causes of this pattern differed between forests. Water availability positively controls seedling survival and growth in the xeric forest while in the mesic forest, survival and growth are differentially controlled by water and light availability, respectively. These two contrasting old‐growth forests, separated by a relatively short distance along a steep rainfall gradient, had different yet unexpected microenvironmental controls on N. pumilio seedling survival and growth. These results underscore the importance of defining microscale limiting factors of tree recruitment in the context of large‐scale spatial variation in resources.     

Comparing forest structure and biodiversity on private and public land: secondary tropical dry forests in Costa Rica

Secondary forests constitute a substantial proportion of tropical forestlands. These forests occur on both public and private lands and different underlying environmental variables and management regimes may affect post‐abandonment successional processes and resultant forest structure and biodiversity. We examined whether differences in ownership led to differences in forest structure, tree diversity, and tree species composition across a gradient of soil fertility and forest age. We collected soil samples and surveyed all trees in 82 public and 66 private 0.1‐ha forest plots arrayed across forest age and soil gradients in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. We found that soil fertility appeared to drive the spatial structure of public vs. private ownership; public conservation lands appeared to be non‐randomly located on areas of lower soil fertility. On private lands, areas of crops/pasture appeared to be non‐randomly located on higher soil fertility areas while forests occupied areas of lower soil fertility. We found that forest structure and tree species diversity did not differ significantly between public and private ownership. However, public and private forests differed in tree species composition: 11 percent were more prevalent in public forest and 7 percent were more prevalent in private forest. Swietenia macrophylla, Cedrela odorata, and Astronium graveolens were more prevalent in public forests likely because public forests provide stronger protection for these highly prized timber species. Guazuma ulmifolia was the most abundant tree in private forests likely because this species is widely consumed and dispersed by cattle. Furthermore, some compositional differences appear to result from soil fertility differences due to non‐random placement of public and private land holdings with respect to soil fertility. Land ownership creates a distinctive species composition signature that is likely the result of differences in soil fertility and management between the ownership types. Both biophysical and social variables should be considered to advance understanding of tropical secondary forest structure and biodiversity.     

Inhibition of an invasive plant (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Mikania micrantha</Emphasis> H.B.K.) by soils of three different forests in lower subtropical China

Biological invasion represents one of the most serious threats to biodiversity, and invasion ecology research has become one of the central issues of contemporary environmental science. However, the relative role of soil development as correlated with succession in influencing variation in invasion resistance has seldom been examined. We hypothesized that the invasion potential of exotic plants depends on soil conditions. In this study, we explored variation among soils of three forest types in their resistance to invasion by Mikania micrantha H.B.K. in lower subtropical China; this species is one of the top ten most invasive weeds in the world. In model systems of soils from different forests, M. micrantha performed worst on undisturbed late-successional stage forest (monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest, MEBF) soils and did not appear to take advantage of abundant soil nutrients. These results could reflect that a potential inhibitory effect was driven by MEBF soil. Plant litter is an important component of soils, litter bioassay and addition experiments demonstrated native plant species from different forests differentially confer invasion resistance and affect the performance of exotic plants. Naturally, other factors such as the relative abundances of nutrients, microbial feedbacks, could have contributed to these results as well. Our results challenge the notion that forests are not immune to invasion and suggest that maintaining late-successional plant communities in lower subtropical China, which could be related to increased productivity and stability, should be a primary objective of land managers.     

杉木林改造成乡土阔叶林对林下植物物种组成和多样性的影响

把杉木林改造成乡土阔叶林,不仅能提供高价值木材,而且能够提升生态系统服务功能,是我国目前改造退化针叶林最常见的经营模式之一,但这些改变对其林下植物物种组成和多样性的影响及机制我们尚知之甚少。以南亚热带杉木林采伐迹地上重新种植的杉木林、红锥林和米老排林为研究对象,调查研究其灌木层和草本层植物物种组成和多样性,结果表明：（1）和杉木林相比,改造后的红锥林和米老排林灌木层的植物物种丰富度和多样性均呈极显著降低（P<0.01）,但其草本层植物只有物种丰富度极显著降低（P<0.01）,多样性均无显著变化（P>0.05）;（2）主成分分析（PCA）表明改造后的林分灌木层和草本层的植物物种组成发生明显的变化,冗余分析（RDA）确定导致林分灌木层植物物种组成发生变化的主要原因是杉木林改造成红锥林和米老排林后的冠层透光率、土壤碳氮比、土壤含水量和凋落物碳氮比的显著变化,而冠层透光率和土壤碳氮比的显著变化是导致其林下草本层植物物种组成发生明显变异的主要因子;（3）方差分解结果显示微地形、乔木特性和土壤理化性质的独立效应对灌木层和草本层植物物种组成的影响高于它们的交互效应。该研究为科学经营管理人工林和提高人工林生态系统多功能性提供科学依据。     

川西亚高山三种天然次生林土壤微生物多样性变化特征

开展川西亚高山相似土壤母质背景下天然次生林土壤微生物群落结构及其多样性探究,可加深次生林更新过程中土壤微生物群落结构变化的认知。选取川西米亚罗林区20世纪60年代采伐后经自然更新恢复形成的3种天然次生林（槭-桦阔叶林,ABB;桦-槭-冷杉针阔混交林,BAA;岷江冷杉林,AFF）,分析林下表层（0-20 cm）土壤微生物群落结构变化及其影响因素,结果显示：（1）3种林型土壤细菌Chao1和Shannon指数均极显著高于真菌,但仅真菌群落的Shannon指数差异显著,表现为BAA > ABB > AFF;（2）细菌群落优势门主要为变形杆菌门、酸杆菌门、疣微菌门、拟杆菌门、绿弯菌门,相对丰度占比超过82%;真菌群落则为子囊菌门和担子菌门,占比超过85%,AFF担子菌门相对丰度最高而子囊菌门最低。（3） RDA分析显示,土壤pH和乔木物种多样性（Shannon指数）是影响微生物群落结构变化的主导因子;土壤养分元素对细菌群落影响不显著,真菌群落主要受TN、TP含量显著影响。总体上,林型间乔木层物种多样性、土壤酸碱度及其氮磷含量是导致微生物群落结构变化的关键因素。     

Succession in the southern part of the Canadian boreal forest

Forest succession following fire in a forest mosaic of northwestern Quebec has been studied in order to: (1) describe the successional pathways using communities of different ages and (2) evaluate convergence of successional pathways and possible effect of fire suppression on the establishment of steady-state communities. As a first step, ordination and classification techniques were used in order to remove changes in forest composition which are related to abiotic conditions. Then, ordinations based on tree diameter distributions were used to study shifts in species composition in relation to time since the last fire.Even under similar abiotic conditions, successional pathways are numerous. However, regardless of forest composition after fire, most stands show convergence toward dominance of Thuja occidentalis and Picea mariana on xeric sites and dominance of Abies balsamea and Thuja occidentalis on more mesic sites. Stable communities of >300 yr occur on xeric sites while on mesic sites directional succession still occurs after 224 yr. Nearly all species involved in succession are present in the first 50 yr following fire. Only Abies balsamea and Thuja occidentalis increase significantly in frequency during succession. Following initial establishment, successional processes can generally be explained by species longevity and shade tolerance. Early successional species may be abundant in the canopy for more than 200 yr while the rapid decrease of Picea glauca, a late successional species could be related to spruce budworm outbreaks. Considering the short fire rotation observed (about 150 yr), a steady-state forest is unlikely to occur under natural conditions, though it may be possible if fire is controlled.     

Changes in the understory during 14 years following catastrophic windthrow in two Minnesota forests

Abstract. We studied the effects of windthrow on the understory plant species composition of a pine forest (dominated by Pinus strobus) and an oak forest (dominated by Quercus ellipsoidalis). We recorded the presence of vascular plant species in randomly located quadrats in the two forests, and in three microsite types associated with tipup mounds (pit, old soil and new soil) in the pine forest at irregular intervals over the course of 14 years. The understories of the two forests remained distinct throughout the study. The frequency of occurrence of a number of forest floor species considerably increased; few species decreased. The disturbance specialists Rubus idaeus and Polygonum cilinode increased in frequency throughout the study in the pine forest, but are beginning to decline in the less disturbed oak forest. Annuals and biennials preferentially colonized the disturbed soil of microsites on tipups, and declined in frequency after about 7 yr. Both forests have increased in understory species richness, but have not changed substantially in the distribution of growth forms. Despite early differences in species composition, microsite types associated with tipup mounds became more similar through time. Although small in magnitude, there was a directional change in understory composition at both forests, with no apparent sign of a return to pre‐disturbance conditions.     

生境片段化对千岛湖马尾松林内土壤种子库的影响

土壤种子库是森林群落更新的主要来源之一,对森林的演替和恢复等具有重要意义。生境片段化现象正日益严重地影响着森林群落,并可影响森林土壤种子库。研究了千岛湖地区的大陆及岛屿次生马尾松林内土壤种子库的组成及其影响因素(e.g.,岛屿面积,形状指数,隔离度和距岛屿边缘距离等)。根据大陆和岛屿的面积及边缘梯度,采用大数量小样方法,分别在土壤种子库最大化(初冬,2015年12月)和最小化(晚春,2016年4月)时期对马尾松林内土壤进行了机械取样。对土壤样品进行萌发实验,检测了两个时期的土壤种子库上层(0—2 cm)和下层(2—5 cm)种子组成,并通过广义线性混合效应模型等手段分析其影响因素。结果显示:(1)所有316个土壤样本中,萌发出幼苗1422株,隶属于29科、40属、41种。其中,木本植物幼苗占13种1024株,草本占28种398株。(2)Jaccard指数和相关性分析均显示初冬、晚春时期的土壤种子库组成具有很高的相似性;土壤种子库上、下层组成的相似性也很高。(3)广义线性混合效应模型分析显示,在大陆和岛屿上,土壤种子库下层种子含量低于上层;而大陆样地土壤种子库中的木本植物种子数较岛屿样地高。岛屿上,土壤种子库中的种子数随土层的加深而降低;随边缘梯度升高也下降,尤其是草本植物的种子。对于岛屿上的木本植物,不耐阴种的种子数量远大于耐阴种,尤其是土壤下层。表明千岛湖地区马尾松林内土壤种子库组成受到生境片段化的影响,进而可能作用于该类型森林群落的演替。     

湖南省森林土壤有机碳密度及碳库储量动态

基于2000—2014年文献和著作资料中的湖南省森林土壤剖面有机碳含量数据,湖南会同杉木林生态系统国家野外科学观测研究站近15年的实测数据,分析了湖南省主要森林类型土壤有机碳密度,结合1983年至2009年湖南省4次森林资源清查数据,研究了湖南省森林土壤有机碳库储量的动态特征。结果表明:湖南省主要森林类型土壤有机碳算术平均含量在9.53—22.86g/kg之间,灌木林最高,土壤有机碳含量的分异主要发生在0—40 cm土层,0—80 cm土壤层有机碳密度在95.44—181.30 t C/hm2之间,平均为137.15 t C/hm2,主要分布在0—40 cm土层中,随土壤深度增加,各森林类型土壤有机碳密度的差异下降,受森林类型的影响减弱。从1983—1987年到2009年,湖南省乔木林土壤层(0—80 cm)有机碳库储量净增加了414.86×106t C,面积加权平均有机碳密度提高了10.98 t C/hm2,不同乔木林土壤层(0—80 cm)有机碳库储量的差异随着时间进程逐渐增大,主要分布在杉木林、松木林、阔叶林。天然林是湖南省乔木林土壤有机碳库储量的主要贡献者,人工林土壤有机碳储量正逐步提高,经济林、竹林、灌木林对湖南省森林土壤层(0—80 cm)有机碳库储量贡献不同,且动态变化趋势也不同。森林土壤层有机碳库储量的变化与各森林类型面积的变化密切相关,而各森林类型面积的增减,与各项林业政策的实施密切相关。因此,人类活动深刻影响森林土壤的碳汇功能。     

Impacts of nitrogen-fixing and non-nitrogen-fixing tree species on soil respiration and microbial community composition during forest management in subtropical China

Forest management with N-fixing trees can improve soil fertility and tree productivity, but have little information regarding belowground carbon processes and microbial properties. We aimed to evaluate the effects of three forest management regimes, which were Erythrophleum fordii (N-fixing tree), Pinus massoniana (non-N-fixing tree), and their mixed forest, on soil respiration and microbial community composition in subtropical China, using Barometric Process Separation and phospholipid fatty acid profiles, respectively. We found that the inclusions of N-fixing species in forests significantly increased the soil respiration, but have no effects on SOC and ecosystem total C stock. In addition, soil microbial communities were obviously different among the three forest management regimes. For instance, total and bacterial PLFAs were higher in the E. fordii and mixed forest than in the P. massoniana forest. Conversely, fungal PLFAs in the P. massoniana forest were elevated versus the other two forests. Soil total N, nitrate-N and pH were the key determinants shaping the microbial community composition. Our study suggests that variations in soil respiration in the studied forests could be primarily explained by the differences of root biomass and soil microbial biomass, but not soil organic carbon. Although soil fertility and microbial biomass were promoted, N-fixing plantings also brought on increased CO₂ emissions in laboratory assays. The future decision of tree species selection for forest management in subtropical China therefore needs to consider the potential influences of tree species on CO₂ emissions.     

Increasing phosphorus limitation along three successional forests in southern China

Background and Aims

Phosphorus (P) is commonly one of most limiting nutrients in tropical and subtropical forests, but whether P limitation would be exacerbated during forest succession remains unclear.

Methods

Soil phosphatase activity is often used as an indicator of P limitation. Here we examined soil acid phosphatase activity (APA) underneath tree species in pine forest (PF), mixed pine and broadleaf forest (MF) and monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest (MEBF) which represented the early, middle and late successional stages of subtropical forests in China, respectively. We also analyzed other indicators of P status (soil available P and N and P stoichiometry of the tree species).

Results

APA or APA per unit soil organic carbon under tree species was relatively low in the early successional forest. Different from PF and MF, soil available P beneath the tree species was lower than in the bulk soils in MEBF. Soil APA was closely related to N:P ratios of tree species across all three forests.

Conclusions

Our results imply that P limitation increases during forest succession at our site. The dominant tree species with low soil APAs in MEBF are likely more P-limited than other tree species.     

THE OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF ACRASIEAE IN FORESTS OF SUBTROPICAL AND TROPICAL AMERICA

Forests of the subtropical and tropical regions of North America harbor cellular slime molds not found in the soils of temperate deciduous forests investigated previously. However, most species found in the temperate forest are common in the tropics. Although the diversity of forms is greater in the soils of tropical forests the numbers of Acrasieae per unit of soil are comparable. Characteristic of tropical and subtropical forest soils are Acrasieae bearing crampon bases, of which four new species of Dictyostelium are presently known. Also present, but less frequently isolated, are two other new species of the genus Dictyostelium and two still undescribed species of the Guttulinaceae. Occasional isolates of D. purpureum and D. discoideum were found that produce macrocysts, which seem, also, to be confined to tropical and subtropical areas. Macro-cysts were previously known only in D. mucoroides and D. minutum isolated from temperate forest soils. The occurrence and distribution of Acrasieae in warm temperate desert and mesquite-scrub, in subtropical hammock, and in tropical thorn, deciduous, seasonal evergreen, rain, and cloud forests were investigated. Acrasieae were well represented in all of these forests except desert. The number of species and the total populations were largest in seasonal evergreen forests. The composition of the cellular slime mold populations and the dominant species within these populations could be related to the soil environment as expressed by the dominant vegetation.     

中亚热带几种典型森林土壤养分含量分析及综合评价

分析及综合评价不同森林植被对土壤养分因子的影响,对揭示森林植被与土壤养分的相互关系,全面衡量森林土壤养分水平具有重要的意义。以中亚热带杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)纯林、木荷(Schima superb)纯林、木荷+楠木(Phoebe ahenre)混交林、木荷+杉木混交林、青冈栎(Cyclobalanopsis glauca)天然次生林、毛竹(Phyllostachys edulis)林6种森林类型为研究对象,在分析不同森林类型土壤养分特征状况差异的基础上,采用结构方程模型确定土壤养分因子权重,对其土壤养分水平进行综合评价。结果表明:(1)6种森林类型0-60 cm土壤有机质、全氮、碱解氮和有效磷的含量分别为8.24-28.17 g/kg、0.67-1.31 g/kg、44.88-89.31 mg/kg和1.24-6.50mg/kg,其含量最高的都是青冈栎天然次生林,土壤有机质和碱解氮含量最低的是毛竹林,土壤全氮和有效磷的含量最低的分别为杉木纯林和木荷纯林,0-60 cm土壤全磷和速效钾的含量分别为0.15-0.21 g/kg和35.54-54.32mg/kg,其含量最高的都是木荷+楠木混交林,含量最低的分别为木荷纯林和毛竹林;(2)土壤有机质、全氮、全磷和有效磷的含量在6种森林类型中都一致表现出随土层加深而逐渐减小的规律,而碱解氮和速效钾含量在土壤垂直剖面的变化却因森林类型而异,没呈现出具体的变化规律;(3)栎类天然次生林的土壤养分等级综合评分值为3.47,评价等级属于中上水平,杉木纯林、木荷纯林、木荷+楠木混交林、木荷+杉木混交林的土壤养分等级综合评分值分别为2.45、2.76、2.83、2.68,评价等级均属于中下水平,而毛竹林的土壤养分等级综合评分值仅为1.95,评价等级属于土壤养分缺乏。     

Soil-inhabiting Tardigrade Communities in Forests of Central Japan

This study was carried out for the purpose of detecting the relationship between soil-inhabiting tardigrade communities and environmental factors of various forests. Nine forests in the southern part of Kanagawa Prefecture, Central Japan, were selected for this study. Four vegetation types were designated; broadleaved (evergreen/deciduous), coniferous and orchard. In these sites, dry weight of leaf litter, soil pH, soil hardness, soil moisture content and porosity ratio were measured. Wet soil faunal frequencies were also described. The Baermann funnel method was adopted for collecting tardigrades, and DIC microscopy was used for specific identification. To clarify the correlation between environmental variables and tardigrade faunae, multivariate analysis was applied. The tardigrade fauna occurred as two distinct groups. The first group primarily contained Macrobiotus species. The second group contained the genus Diphascon (e.g. D. nobilei, D. patanei, D. prorsirostre). An exception to this was D. pingue, included in the former. Most of the Diphascon species were concentrated in Nebu (coniferous forest site), while, Macrobiotus species were dominant in other sites. Distinct environmental factors could not be identified, but the nematodal frequency was recognized as the main factor in forming these groups. The uniqueness of Nebu, which does not correspond to large-scaled vegetational classification, was substantiated by statistical data. Nebu’s coniferous forest apparently has created a unique environment for sustaining rare species (Diphascon species). This study concluded that forests should be evaluated not only by the macroscopic factors, such as landscape, but also by the microscopic communities, such as those including the tardigrades.     

中亚热带森林转换对土壤磷积累的影响

磷是植物生长的必需元素之一,是维持亚热带森林生态系统生产力的关键因子。研究森林转换后土壤因素对磷素的影响,对生态系统的稳定和森林经营具有重要意义。选取由亚热带常绿阔叶林转换而成的米槠次生林(SF)、米槠人促林(AR)和杉木人工林(CF)为研究对象,测定了土壤理化性质、铁铝氧化物、各形态磷含量以及酸性磷酸酶活性,旨在探究土壤磷对森林转换的响应和驱动土壤磷变化的影响因子。结果显示:米槠人促林土壤的全磷、有机磷和微生物生物量磷显著高于米槠次生林和杉木人工林;冗余分析(RDA)发现,土壤含水量、总氮和无定型铁是影响淋溶层土壤磷的主要因子,而在淀积层,则是酸性磷酸酶、游离型铁和总氮起主要作用;土壤生物化学属性和微生物特性都会影响着不同形态土壤P的积累,其中土壤中的水分和酸性磷酸酶活性是调控土壤磷的关键因子。研究表明,中亚热带地区天然林转换为人促更新林更有利于森林土壤磷的储存和供应,有助于维持本区域森林生态系统的稳定。     

Growth dynamics of oak seedlings (Quercus macrocarpa Michx. and Quercus muhlenbergii Engelm.) from gallery forests: implications for forest expansion into grasslands

Seedling growth dynamics of Quercus macrocarpa Michx. and Quercus muhlenbergii Engelm. were compared over a 3-month period under optimal growth conditions. These two species are the dominant trees at the western limit of the eastern deciduous forest, and are typically confined to gallery forests along stream beds in tallgrass prairie. Since tallgrass prairie is characterized by a highly variable climate and is prone to periodic drought, we hypothesized that these oaks would have rapid root growth and produce deep taproots as seedlings, enabling them to avoid drought stress and persist in this region. These traits may also facilitate forest expansion into the more xeric tallgrass prairie if fires are suppressed. Taproots of Q. macrocarpa and Q. muhlenbergii grew to approximately 140 cm and 100 cm in length, respectively, after 104 days. In both species, 65% or more of seedling biomass was allocated below ground, and root/total biomass was significantly greater in Q. muhlenbergii at 0-20 and 21-40 days after germination. The seedling taproot elongation rates reported here are much greater than rates reported in other eastern deciduous forest trees. Long-term precipitation data and soil moisture patterns from tallgrass prairie, when combined with rapid taproot elongation rates, suggest that soil moisture may not limit oak establishment or growth in tallgrass prairie in most years, although water uptake by roots was not measured in this study. Other factors, such as fire, herbivory, and seed predation and dispersal may be equally important in constraining the distribution of these species to gallery forests.     

Interspecific variation in sapling mortality in relation to growth and soil moisture

To examine the causes of landscape variation in forest community composition, we have quantified sapling mortality as a function of growth and soil moisture for seven dominant species in transition oak-northern hardwood forests of the northeastern USA. We located saplings in sites that encompassed a wide range of variation in soil moisture and light availability. In mesic conditions, the probability of mortality decays rapidly with increasing growth among shade tolerant species and more gradually among shade intolerant species: the rank order of survivorship at low growth rates is Tsuga canadensis > Fagus grandifolia > Acer saccharum > Fraxinus americana > Acer rubrum > Quercus rubra > Pinus strobus . The relationship between probability of mortality and growth does not vary with soil moisture among species insensitive to drought: Tsuga canadensis , Quercus rubra, and Pinus strobus . However, probability of mortality increases substantially with decreasing soil water availability for the other four species. Acer saccharum and Fagus grandifolia have high mortality rates under xeric conditions even when their growth is not suppressed. Acer rubrum and Fraxinus americana exhibited a steady but more gradual increase in the probability of mortality with decreasing soil moisture. Among the five deciduous hardwood species we examined there is a weak inverse relationship between the ability to survive growth suppression, a measure of shade tolerance, and the ability to survive in xeric conditions, a measure of drought tolerance. Tsuga canadensis , however, is tolerant of growth suppression and exhibits high survivorship in xeric conditions, while Pinus strobus is intolerant of growth suppression but insensitive to soil moisture. Species differences in water-dependent mortality are consistent with the species distributions across landscape gradients of soil water availability.     

帽儿山干扰系列次生林碳密度恢复

干扰作为森林恢复和生态演替的重要影响因子,通过其改变植被群落的组成和微环境,进而影响森林生态系统碳动态及固碳潜力。针对帽儿山地区阔叶红松原始林不同时期皆伐后形成的次生林干扰系列,包括林木采伐一次(NS,林龄56a)、采伐两次(MS,林龄25a)和采伐两次且扰动表层土壤(YD,林龄15a)的次生林,采用森林清查和异速生长方程结合的方法,旨在量化干扰方式对温带森林恢复进程中生态系统碳密度及分配格局的影响。结果表明：YD、MS和NS的0—50 cm各层次土壤有机碳含量的波动范围依次分别为10.46—29.27 mg/g、6.37—108.40 mg/g、5.21—114.34 mg/g;且随土层的加深土壤有机碳含量显著降低。表层土壤(0—20 cm)有机碳含量在各干扰处理间存在显著差异(P<0.01),而深层土壤有机碳含量差异不显著;土壤有机碳含量与容重呈显著负相关关系。表层土壤有机碳密度占土壤总有机碳密度(0—100 cm)的50%以上,YD的表层土壤有机碳密度(30.91 t/hm²)显著低于MS(54.09 t/hm²)和NS(55.1...