氮肥添加对高寒藏嵩草(Kobresia tibetica)沼泽化草甸和土壤微生物群落的影响

以藏嵩草沼泽化草甸为研究对象,利用磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)技术,研究连续6年N素添加对地上植被群落数量特征、土壤微生物群落结构的影响。结果表明:①藏嵩草沼泽化草甸群落生物量、枯枝落叶对施肥处理无明显响应,且莎草科植物对土壤氮素的吸收和利用率较低。②施肥增加了0-10 cm土壤微生物类群PLFAs丰富度尤其细菌和革兰氏阳性菌PLFAs,降低了10-20 cm PLFAs丰富度;③磷脂脂肪酸饱和脂肪酸/单烯不饱和脂肪酸、细菌PLFAs/真菌PLFAs的比值随土壤层次增加而增加;④0-10 cm土层革兰氏阳性菌、真菌PLFAs含量与pH、土壤速效磷、速效氮、土壤有机质显著正相关(P0.05或P0.01);10-20 cm土层,细菌、革兰氏阳性菌、真菌和总PLFAs含量与土壤有机质含量显著正相关(P0.05或P0.01)。表明藏嵩草沼泽化草甸微生物PLFAs含量和丰富度对施肥的响应存在明显的土层梯度效应,土壤微生物PLFAs含量和丰富度主要受表层土壤初始养分含量的影响。     

Nitrogen additions and microbial biomass: a meta-analysis of ecosystem studies

Nitrogen (N) enrichment is an element of global change that could influence the growth and abundance of many organisms. In this meta-analysis, I synthesized responses of microbial biomass to N additions in 82 published field studies. I hypothesized that the biomass of fungi, bacteria or the microbial community as a whole would be altered under N additions. I also predicted that changes in biomass would parallel changes in soil CO2 emissions. Microbial biomass declined 15% on average under N fertilization, but fungi and bacteria were not significantly altered in studies that examined each group separately. Moreover, declines in abundance of microbes and fungi were more evident in studies of longer durations and with higher total amounts of N added. In addition, responses of microbial biomass to N fertilization were significantly correlated with responses of soil CO2 emissions. There were no significant effects of biomes, fertilizer types, ambient N deposition rates or methods of measuring biomass. Altogether, these results suggest that N enrichment could reduce microbial biomass in many ecosystems, with corresponding declines in soil CO2 emissions.     

Bryophyte biomass and species richness on the Park Grass Experiment,Rothamsted, UK

The relationships between bryophyte biomass and species richness and soil pH, nutrient applications and vascular plant biomass and species richness were analyzed for the Park Grass Experiment (Rothamsted, UK). The study examined the abundance of bryophytes in relation to long-term fertilizer and lime application and to fertilizer treatments recently being ceased on some plots. The probability of bryophytes being present on a plot increased with increasing soil pH, and on plots at soil pH 3.3–4.5, the lowest values in this experiment, there were virtually no mosses present. Total bryophyte biomass decreased with increasing vascular plant biomass and vascular plant richness. Both bryophyte biomass and species richness showed a curvilinear response to soil pH. Bryophyte biomass was markedly increased on plots where nitrogen (N) fertilization had recently been ceased. The abundance of the common bryophyte species showed individualistic responses to treatments. N had a negative effect on the abundance of Brachythecium rutabulum. Increasing soil pH, and the application of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilizer together, had a positive effect on Eurhynchium praelongum. This species was also negatively affected by N, but tolerated larger amounts of it (100–150 kg ha^–1 N) than B. rutabulum. An ephemeral moss, Bryum subapiculatum, had a unimodal response to soil pH but showed no response to N, P, K or other explanatory variables.     

浙江水源地水库浮游动物丰度和生物量与水质参数的通径分析

为探明浙江水源地水库浮游动物群落特征及与环境因子的关系, 达到用浮游动物群落参数监测水源地水库水质的目的。于2014年1月至2016年10月, 对10个饮用水源地水库(K1—K10)展开了水质参数、浮游动物丰度和生物量的季节调查。采用多元逐步回归与通径分析的方法, 研究了浙江水源地水库环境因子与浮游动物群落之间的相互关系和作用过程。结果表明, 2014—2016年水库浮游动物平均密度97.5 ind./L, 主要由桡足类无节幼体(占36.3%)、轮虫(28.4%)和剑水蚤(20.0%)组成。平均生物量289.3 μg/L, 主要由枝角类(占39.3%)、剑水蚤(29.0%)和哲水蚤(14.5%)组成。Chl. a含量是春、夏季水库浮游动物丰度的决策因子, TP含量是秋、冬季群落丰度波动的限制因子, 春季TN通过N﹕P比率影响群落丰度。DO含量是冬季和夏季水库浮游动物生物量发展的决策因子, 冬季DO通过降低N﹕P比促进群落生物量发展。水库浮游动物现存量受到了TP含量消长、N﹕P比率变化, 以及最终反映的水体Chl.a含量共同影响。     

根结线虫病土引入秸秆碳源对土壤微生物生物量和原生动物的影响

研究了添加秸秆碳源在连续种植条件下对根结线虫病害严重土壤中微生物生物量和原生动物丰富度的影响. 供试作物为番茄, 设置3个梯度的小麦秸秆添加量\[1N(2.08 g·kg^-1)、2N (4.16 g·kg^-1)和4N(8.32 g·kg^-1)\].结果表明: 添加秸秆碳源对微生物生物量碳、氮和原生动物丰富度具有显著影响,且这种影响呈现为4N>2N>1N>CK.添加秸秆碳源对原生动物群落结构也具有显著影响,各处理鞭毛虫、肉足虫和纤毛虫的平均比例分别为36.0%、59.5%和4.5%.在相同秸秆添加量下,土壤微生物量碳氮、微生物碳氮比和原生动物丰富度随种植年限的延长而提高.     

The effect of nitrogen additions on bracken fern and its insect herbivores at sites with high and low atmospheric pollution

The impact of atmospheric pollution, including nitrogen deposition, on bracken fern herbivores has never been studied. Bracken fern is globally distributed and has a high potential to accumulate nitrogen in plant tissue. We examined the response of bracken fern and its herbivores to N fertilization at a high and low pollution site in forests downwind of Los Angeles, California. Foliage from the high pollution site had higher total N and nitrate than the low pollution site. Bracken fern biomass, foliar N and herbivore abundance were all affected by fertilization treatments. Biomass and herbivore responses were greatest during a year of high precipitation. N additions at the low pollution site were primarily associated with decreased fern biomass, and with transient impacts on herbivore abundance. N additions significantly affected bracken fern and its herbivores at the high pollution site where foliar N and nitrate decreased in response to N addition treatments, while biomass and herbivore abundance increased. High atmospheric deposition and fertilization were both associated with increased herbivore richness. Herbivore abundance was most impacted by fertilization during the early expansion of fern fronds. The most abundant chewing herbivore, a sawfly, was positively associated with plant nitrogen at the low pollution site, but negatively associated with plant nitrogen at the high pollution site, where concentrations of both total N and nitrate were high. While overall growth and herbivore impacts in this xeric location were limited, the variable response we observed associated with rainfall, may indicate impacts could be larger in more mesic environments.     

Effects of nitrogen and foliar biomass on population parameters of cabbage insects

The effects of different nitrogen (N) fertilization rates (0, 45, 90, and 168 kg N/ha), plant nitrogen concentration, and plant biomass on abundance and population growth of diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hübner), cabbage budworm, Hellula phidilealis (Walker), imported cabbageworm, Artogeia rapae (L.), and cross-striped cabbageworm, Evergestis rimosalis (Guenée), were investigated in Homestead and Sanford, Florida in 1987. The effects of these factors on the parasitization of P. xylostella were also examined. In Homestead, abundance of most insect pests and parasitized P. xylostella increased with an increase in the level of N applied and with an increase in plant biomass. Similar results were found in Sanford, although results were not consistently significant. Abundance of most insect pests was significantly positively correlated with plant N concentration. Multiple regression analyses indicated that foliar biomass was significantly more important than N fertilization rate and subsequent plant N concentration at predicting abundance of insect pests and parasitized P. xylostella on cabbage.     

The population dynamics of pike,Esox lucius,and perch,Perca fluviatilis,in a simple predator-prey system

Synopsis The population dynamics and predator-prey relationship of pike, Esox lucius, and perch, Perca fluviatilis, were examined in simple fish communities in two adjacent shallow lakes, Lochs Kinord and Davan, Deeside, Scotland. Few perch survive to age 3 but Z is low for fish > 3 years and perch live up to 17 years. Population fecundity remained relatively high and constant in perch because of the multi-age spawning stock and the presence of older more fecund perch. Growth rates of perch in both lochs are relatively high as a consequence of low stock abundance. The N, B, and P of adult perch were unusually low. The age range of pike, and N, B, P, and growth were in the range of values reported elsewhere. There was little variation in the strength of pike year classes and the importance of cannibalism and low occurrence of alternative prey in the lochs suggest that the populations were self-regulating. Cannibalism by adults was responsible for most of mortality in perch larvae, and predation by pike and adult perch was responsible for the majority of juvenile losses. This conclusion is supported by the high biomass ratios of pike:juvenile perch of 1.0–30.8. While the number of adult fish was almost equal, the biomass of adult pike was 2–3 × that of perch in Kinord and 6 × in Davan. In L. Kinord, where year class strength was stable, high predation pressure from perch and pike reduced perch abundance rather than eliminated year classes. Perch year classes fluctuated in abundance in L. Davan and were eliminated in the first summer in two sampling years. The pike, and particularly the perch populations, have features characteristic of fish communities in unperturbed ecosystems: namely, a wide range of age classes, stability in biomass with variation dampened by longevity, and low production.     

氮磷养分共同添加促进退化典型草原恢复的机制

土壤养分含量降低是我国草原退化的主要原因之一,养分添加是退化草原恢复的有效措施,但过量养分添加会导致物种多样性降低。为了探讨适宜的养分添加量以及养分添加促进退化草原恢复的机制,本研究选择内蒙古典型草原的退化群落,通过氮(N)磷(P)养分共同添加梯度试验,研究了退化典型草原在群落、功能群和物种3个组织水平上对养分添加的响应。结果表明: 在群落水平,养分添加显著促进了退化典型草原生物量,但没有降低物种多样性;群落生物量随养分添加水平表现为饱和曲线响应,在12.0 g N·m^-2、3.8 g P·m^-2水平趋于饱和;物种多样性在低养分添加水平(N<9.6 g·m^-2、P<3.0 g·m^-2)较对照显著增加,在其余养分添加水平未发生显著变化。在功能群水平,随着养分添加量的增加,多年生根茎禾草在群落中优势度增加,生物量和密度均显著提高;一年生植物生物量和密度在高养分水平添加下显著增加,多年生丛生禾草和杂类草无显著变化。在物种水平,6个物种对养分添加响应不同,羊草通过增加种群密度和个体大小显著增加了种群生物量;大针茅、冰草和糙隐子草种群生物量没有显著变化;星毛委陵菜和黄囊苔草分别因为降低个体大小和种群密度减少了种群生物量。养分添加作为草原恢复的措施,可以显著增加退化草原生物量和物种多样性,降低植物群落中退化指示种,增加多年生根茎禾草。     

The effects of fertilization on the trait-abundance relationships in a Tibetan alpine meadow community

Aims Comparisons of the trait–abundance relationships from various habitat types are critical for community ecology, which can offer us insights about the mechanisms underlying the local community assembly, such as the relative role of neutral vs. niche processes in shaping community structure. Here, we explored the responses of trait–abundance relationships to nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilization in an alpine meadow.Methods Five fertilization treatments (an unfertilized control and additions of N, P, K and NPK respectively) were implemented using randomized block design in an alpine Tibetan meadow. Species relative abundance (SRA), plant above-ground biomass and species richness were measured in each plot. For 24 common species, we measured species functional traits: saturated height, specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf dry matter content (LDMC) in each treatment but seed size only in the unfertilized control. Standard major axis (SMA) regression and phylogenetically independent contrasts (PICs) analysis were used to analyse species trait–abundance relationships in response to different fertilization treatments.Important findings Positive correlations between SRA and saturated height were raised following N, P and NPK fertilizations, which indicated an increase in light competition in these plots. In P fertilized plots, SRA was also positively correlated with LDMC because tall grasses with a nutrients conservation strategy often have a relative competitive advantage in capturing limited light and soil nutrients. In K fertilized plots, neither the trait–abundance relationships nor above-ground biomass or species richness significantly differed from that in the control, which suggests that K was not a limiting resource in our study site. These significant correlations between species traits and relative abundance in fertilized treatment suggest that trait-based selection plays an important role in determining species abundance within local communities in alpine meadows.     

A Cross-System Comparison of Bacterial and Fungal Biomass in Detritus Pools of Headwater Streams

The absolute amount of microbial biomass and relative contribution of fungi and bacteria are expected to vary among types of organic matter (OM) within a stream and will vary among streams because of differences in organic matter quality and quantity. Common types of benthic detritus [leaves, small wood, and fine benthic organic matter (FBOM)] were sampled in 9 small (1st-3rd order) streams selected to represent a range of important controlling factors such as surrounding vegetation, detritus standing stocks, and water chemistry. Direct counts of bacteria and measurements of ergosterol (a fungal sterol) were used to describe variation in bacterial and fungal biomass. There were significant differences in bacterial abundance among types of organic matter with higher densities per unit mass of organic matter on fine particles relative to either leaves or wood surfaces. In contrast, ergosterol concentrations were significantly greater on leaves and wood, confirming the predominance of fungal biomass in these larger size classes. In general, bacterial abundance per unit organic matter was less variable than fungal biomass, suggesting bacteria will be a more predictable component of stream microbial communities. For 7 of the 9 streams, the standing stock of fine benthic organic matter was large enough that habitat-weighted reach-scale bacterial biomass was equal to or greater than fungal biomass. The quantities of leaves and small wood varied among streams such that the relative contribution of reach-scale fungal biomass ranged from 10% to as much as 90% of microbial biomass. Ergosterol concentrations were positively associated with substrate C:N ratio while bacterial abundance was negatively correlated with C:N. Both these relationships are confounded by particle size, i.e., leaves and wood had higher C:N than fine benthic organic matter. There was a weak positive relationship between bacterial abundance and streamwater soluble reactive phosphorus concentration, but no apparent pattern between either bacteria or fungi and streamwater dissolved inorganic nitrogen. The variation in microbial biomass per unit organic matter and the relative abundance of different types of organic matter contributed equally to driving differences in total microbial biomass at the reach scale.     

福建北部近海浮游动物数量分布与水团季节变化的关系

根据2015—2016年在福建北部近海水域(120.10°E—120.65°E, 26.35°N—27.07°N)夏、秋、冬、春4个季节的海洋生态调查资料, 探讨了该水域浮游动物的数量分布、季节变化及其与水团变化的关系。结果表明, 调查水域浮游动物的平均生物量依次是: 夏季(479.51 mg/m3)>秋季(257.37 mg/m3)>春季(241.86 mg/m3)>冬季(84.05 mg/m3), 平均丰度依次是: 夏季(156.36 ind./m3)>春季(91.57 ind./m3)>秋季(40.34 ind./m3)>冬季(21.82 ind./m3), 生物量和丰度均值都呈现出夏季、秋季到冬季依次减少, 春季增多的趋势, 不同的是秋季生物量均值高于春季, 而丰度均值低于春季。在夏、冬和春三季, 浮游动物的总生物量和总丰度的分布总体较为一致; 而在秋季, 浮游动物的总生物量和总丰度的分布几乎相反。百陶箭虫(Sagitta bedoti)和微剌哲水蚤(Canthocalanus pauper)是影响夏季总丰度分布最主要的种类; 链钟水母(Desmophyes annectens)是影响秋季总丰度分布最主要的种类; 驼背隆哲水蚤(Acrocalanus gibber)、亚强真哲水蚤(Eucalanus subcrassus)和百陶箭虫对冬季总丰度的分布起到了重要影响; 五角水母(Muggiaea atlantica)和微剌哲水蚤是春季占总丰度比例较高的种类。浮游动物数量各季不同分布模式的根本原因是台湾暖流和浙闽沿岸流水团的季节性变化所致。研究结果不仅对了解与评价区域海洋生态系统动态和生物多样性变化具有重要的理论意义, 而且还可以丰富我国近海水域浮游动物的生态特征与水团变化之间的关系。     

生物质炭与氮肥配施对红壤线虫群落的影响

利用生物质炭改良土壤近年来受到关注,但仍缺乏对土壤动物群落变化的认识.基于野外定位试验,研究了不同用量的生物质炭(0、10、20、30、40 t·hm^-2)与氮肥(60、90、120 kg N·hm^-2)配施对干旱期和湿润期红壤理化性质和线虫群落的影响.结果表明： 施用生物质炭在干旱期和湿润期均显著影响土壤含水量和pH.随生物质炭施用量的增加,土壤含水量先增加后降低,而土壤pH保持增加的趋势.土壤微生物生物量碳氮、碳氮比及基础呼吸均受到生物质炭和氮肥的显著影响,且低量生物质炭对微生物生物量碳氮、碳氮比及基础呼吸有刺激作用,而高量生物质炭则对其有抑制作用.如生物质炭施用量低于30 t·hm^-2时,在干旱期和湿润期均促进土壤微生物活性.此外,生物质炭的效果也依赖于不同采样时期.如在施用量高于30 t·hm^-2时,微生物生物量碳在干旱期显著高于对照,在湿润期与对照无显著差异;而微生物生物量氮则呈相反趋势.可溶性有机物和矿质氮在干旱期受到生物质炭和氮肥的显著影响,但是在湿润期仅受到氮肥的影响.生物质炭、氮肥及二者的交互作用在干旱期和湿润期均显著影响线虫数量及营养类群的结构.高量生物质炭和氮肥配施能够提高土壤线虫的数量.值得注意的是,生物质炭显著提高了干旱期食真菌线虫的比例,尤其在干旱期趋势明显,暗示在生物质炭作用下土壤食物网结构趋向于以真菌主导的能流通道.总之,生物质炭对红壤的效果呈现出复杂的影响趋势,不仅依赖于生物质炭的施用量及与氮肥的交互作用,而且与红壤的采样时期有关,表明今后生物质炭的研究应结合多种生态因子.     

减量施氮对玉米-大豆套作系统下作物氮素吸收和利用效率的影响

为探索玉米-大豆套作系统中作物对N素吸收的差异特性,揭示减量施N对玉米-大豆套作系统的N高效利用机理。利用15N同位素示踪技术,结合小区套微区多年定位试验,研究了玉米单作(MM)、大豆单作(SS)、玉米-大豆套作(IMS)及不施N(NN)、减量施N(RN:180 kg N/hm2)、常量施N(CN:240 kg N/hm2)下玉米、大豆的生物量、吸N量、N肥利用率及土壤N素含量变化。结果表明,与MM(SS)相比,IMS下玉米茎叶及籽粒的生物量、吸N量降低,15N%丰度及15N吸收量增加,大豆籽粒及植株的生物量、吸N量及15N吸收量显著提高;IMS下玉米、大豆植株的N肥利用率、土壤N贡献率、土壤15N%丰度降低,15N回收率显著增加。施N与不施N相比,显著提高了单、套作下玉米、大豆植株的生物量、吸N量、15N丰度及15N吸收量;RN与CN相比,IMS下,RN的玉米、大豆植株总吸N量提高13.4%和12.4%,N肥利用率提高213.0%和117.5%,土壤总N含量提高12.2%和11.6%,土壤N贡献率降低12.0%和11.2%,玉米植株15N吸收量与15N回收率提高14.4%和52.5%,大豆的则降低57.1%和42.8%,单作与套作的变化规律一致。玉米-大豆套作系统中作物对N素吸收存在数量及形态差异,减量施N有利于玉米-大豆套作系统对N肥的高效吸收与利用,实现作物持续增产与土壤培肥。     

Experimental studies of the effect of beaver (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Castor fiber</Emphasis> L.) vital activity products on the formation of zooplankton structure (by the example of growth of two cladoceran species of different sizes)

Experiments in microcosms have demonstrated that beaver vital activity products (BVAPs) promote an increase in concentrations of total nitrogen (N) and total phosphorus (P), a decrease in the N/P value in water, and an increase in the abundance and biomass of bacterioplankton. Under such conditions, the abundance and biomass of small Ceriodaphnia dubia Richard and large Daphnia (Ctenodaphnia) magna Straus, which live separately, increase. The coexistence of these cladocerans in microcosms under the BVAP influences results in a high increase in the abundance and biomass of D. magna; in similar experiments without the influence of BVAP, Ceriodaphnia dubia becomes more abundant. The results of bioassay demonstrate that the number of newborns of Ceriodaphnia dubia decreases in water where Daphnia magna is numerous owing to BVAPs. It is suggested that the vital activity products of large representatives of the genus Daphnia inhibit the fecundity of small species of Cladocera. This fact, along with the high competitiveness of large cladoceran species under conditions of a high level of nutritive base, determine the formation of zooplankton communities in beaver ponds which are characterized by a high abundance and biomass and low uniformity     

15N enrichment as an integrator of the effects of C and N on microbial metabolism and ecosystem function

Organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) are essential for heterotrophic soil microorganisms, and their bioavailability strongly influences ecosystem C and N cycling. We show here that the natural ¹⁵N abundance of the soil microbial biomass is affected by both the availability of C and N and ecosystem N processing. Microbial ¹⁵N enrichment correlated negatively with the C : N ratio of the soil soluble fraction and positively with net N mineralization for ecosystems spanning semiarid, temperate and tropical climates, grassland and forests, and over four million years of ecosystem development. In addition, during soil incubation, large increases in microbial ¹⁵N enrichment corresponded to high net N mineralization rates. These results support the idea that the N isotope composition of an organism is determined by the balance between N assimilation and dissimilation. Thus, ¹⁵N enrichment of the soil microbial biomass integrates the effects of C and N availability on microbial metabolism and ecosystem processes.     

Measurement of body size and abundance in tests of macroecological and food web theory

1. Mean body mass (W) and mean numerical (N) or biomass (B) abundance are frequently used as variables to describe populations and species in macroecological and food web studies. 2. We investigate how the use of mean W and mean N or B, rather than other measures of W and/or accounting for the properties of all individuals, can affect the outcome of tests of macroecological and food web theory. 3. Theoretical and empirical analyses demonstrate that mean W, W at maximum biomass (W(mb)), W when energy requirements are greatest (W(me)) and the W when a species uses the greatest proportion of the energy available to all species in a W class (W(mpe)) are not consistently related. 4. For a population at equilibrium, relationships between mean W and W(me) depend on the slope b of the relationship between trophic level and W. For marine fishes, data show that b varies widely among species and thus mean W is an unreliable indicator of the role of a species in the food web. 5. Two different approaches, 'cross-species' and 'all individuals' have been used to estimate slopes of abundance-body mass relationships and to test the energetic equivalence hypothesis and related theory. The approaches, based on relationships between (1) log(10) mean W and log(10) mean N or B, and (2) log(10) W and log(10) N or B of all individuals binned into log(10) W classes (size spectra), give different slopes and confidence intervals with the same data. 6. Our results show that the 'all individuals' approach has the potential to provide more powerful tests of the energetic equivalence hypothesis and role of energy availability in determining slopes, but new theory and empirical analysis are needed to explain distributions of species relative abundance at W. 7. Biases introduced when working with mean W in macroecological and food web studies are greatest when species have indeterminate growth, when relationships between W and trophic level are strong and when the range of species'W is narrow.     

Responses of temporal distribution of gastropods to individual and combined effects of elevated CO2 and N deposition in annual grassland

Terrestrial gastropods have been shown to exert major impacts on the plant structure and species composition of temperate grasslands and other terrestrial plant communities. In order to develop predictions of plant community responses to changing environments, it is critical to understand how factors structuring plant communities will be influenced by global changes. Nevertheless, little is known about the potential for the size and abundance of gastropods to be altered by the individual and combined effects of elevated atmospheric CO₂ and increased deposition of N. Previous work suggests that responses of herbivore abundance to these global changes seem likely to depend, in part, upon the changes in the quantity of plant biomass available for consumption, and changes in the nutritional quality of this plant material for gastropod survival, development, and reproduction. Therefore, in this study we investigated the effect of elevated CO₂ and increased N deposition on gastropod size and abundance, as well as the effects on plant community production and N status. Elevated CO₂ depressed the size of gastropods early in the growing season by 29% to 42%, increased mid-season gastropod abundance by 38% to 43%, and depressed abundance late in the growing season by 21% to 29%. These changes in gastropod size and abundance were due largely to the modification of plant tissue quality and quantity. Increased N deposition, in contrast, influenced neither gastropod abundance nor per capita biomass during any part of the growing season. Neither elevated CO₂ nor increased N deposition disrupted the temporal synchrony between plant production and slug abundance.     

Short-term effects of wildfire on microbial biomass and abundance in black pine plantation soils in Turkey

Measurement of soil microbial biomass and abundance offers a means of assessing the response of all microbial populations to changes in the soil environment after a fire. We examined the effects of wildfire on microbial biomass C and N, and abundance of bacteria and fungi 2 months after a fire in a pine plantation. Soil organic carbon (C_org), total nitrogen (N_tot), and electrical conductivity (EC) increased following the fire. In terms of microbial abundance, the overall results showed that burned forest soils had the most bacteria and fungi. Microbial biomass C and N from soil in the burned forest were not significantly different from their unburned forest counterparts. However, microbial indices indicated that fire affects soil microbial community structure by modifying the environmental conditions. The results also suggested that low-intensity fire promotes microorganism functional activity and improves the chemical characteristics of soils under humid climatic conditions.     

A temporal comparison of a benthic infaunal community southwest of St. Lawrence Island, Bering Sea between 2006 and 1970–1974

Benthic infaunal biomass and abundance may be changing in Bering Sea communities. This study compared benthic infaunal biomass, abundance, and community composition southwest of St. Lawrence Island in an important forage area for benthic-feeding birds and mammals between 1970–1974 and 2006. Invertebrate biomass and abundance were significantly greater in 2006 than in 1970–1974 primarily due to high nuculid (Bivalvia) biomass and abundance that contributed 13.2% (biomass) and 8.5% (abundance) to differences in community structure between the sampling periods. This is in contrast to St. Lawrence Island Polynya studies conducted in the 1980s and 1990s that documented decreases in benthic biomass and abundance. Spatial scale of sampling, selective predation, a strong recruitment event, and/or sampling design may account for the difference in trends among the studies.