丛枝菌根真菌（AMF）对外来植物入侵反馈机制的研究进展

丛枝菌根真菌（AMF）在植物群落竞争演替、物种多样性的形成及群落空间分布格局、植物群落对全球变化的响应中均起着重要的调节作用;同样也能影响外来植物与本地植物的互作,影响外来植物入侵过程中植物群落演替进程,甚至决定入侵的成败。因此,AMF与外来植物共生及其对外来植物入侵的反馈已成为国际上外来植物入侵机制研究的一个热点。本文基于外来植物的入侵过程,从AMF对外来植物生长、外来植物与本地植物竞争关系的影响,以及外来植物入侵对AMF的影响及AMF对入侵的反馈3个方面综述了AMF对外来植物入侵的反馈机制。外来植物可以通过多种途径改变土著AMF的群落结构和功能,而土著AMF也能直接或间接地改变甚至逆转外来植物与入侵地植物的互作关系。未来的研究不仅需要考虑AMF与外来植物共生的菌根特性和对竞争关系的影响,还需要通过大尺度条件下的野外试验及室内补充试验深入探究影响AMF在外来植物与本地植物竞争演替中的作用的生物和非生物因子,以全面解释AMF影响外来植物入侵的反馈机制。     

丛枝菌根真菌（AMF）对外来植物入侵反馈机制的研究进展

丛枝菌根真菌（AMF）在植物群落竞争演替、物种多样性的形成及群落空间分布格局、植物群落对全球变化的响应中均起着重要的调节作用;同样也能影响外来植物与本地植物的互作,影响外来植物入侵过程中植物群落演替进程,甚至决定入侵的成败。因此,AMF与外来植物共生及其对外来植物入侵的反馈已成为国际上外来植物入侵机制研究的一个热点。本文基于外来植物的入侵过程,从AMF对外来植物生长、外来植物与本地植物竞争关系的影响,以及外来植物入侵对AMF的影响及AMF对入侵的反馈3个方面综述了AMF对外来植物入侵的反馈机制。外来植物可以通过多种途径改变土著AMF的群落结构和功能,而土著AMF也能直接或间接地改变甚至逆转外来植物与入侵地植物的互作关系。未来的研究不仅需要考虑AMF与外来植物共生的菌根特性和对竞争关系的影响,还需要通过大尺度条件下的野外试验及室内补充试验深入探究影响AMF在外来植物与本地植物竞争演替中的作用的生物和非生物因子,以全面解释AMF影响外来植物入侵的反馈机制。     

四川攀西地区云南松群落物种多样性和谱系多样性对紫茎泽兰入侵的影响

外来植物入侵严重威胁着入侵地本土植物多样性和生态系统功能, 认识外来物种的入侵机制有助于提高对入侵植物的防控能力。本文以攀西地区云南松(Pinus yunnanensis)林下外来入侵植物紫茎泽兰(Ageratina adenophora)为研究对象, 基于大量野外群落调查, 从群落可入侵性入手, 分析了环境因子和群落物种多样性、谱系多样性等群落生态学特征对紫茎泽兰入侵的影响。结果表明: 海拔、坡向和火烧强度等环境因子和冠层郁闭度、灌木层盖度等生物因子对研究区紫茎泽兰入侵强度没有显著影响(P > 0.05); 但群落灌木层物种多样性和草本层组分种与紫茎泽兰的亲缘关系显著影响紫茎泽兰的入侵强度(P < 0.05), 说明灌木层对光照等环境资源的占用和草本层(同层)物种对相似资源的竞争能够在很大程度上抑制紫茎泽兰的入侵。     

西双版纳外来入侵植物及其共存种叶片氮、磷化学计量特征

诊断外来植物和本地种的资源利用方式是入侵生态学研究的热点问题。叶片氮(N)、磷(P)含量和化学计量特征可以反映受侵地区植物的N、P吸收能力和限制状况, 为把握外来植物的入侵能力、为本地植物共存或消失的机制提供基础科学依据。该研究以我国西南地区典型外来入侵植物(飞机草(Chromolaena odorata)、紫茎泽兰(又叫破坏草, Ageratina adenophora))及其共存的本地植物为对象, 探讨不同入侵条件下入侵种及其共存的本地植物的N、P利用策略。在云南西双版纳孔明山研究区, 调查了无入侵条件下和飞机草与紫茎泽兰的不同入侵程度(按入侵种生物量比例划分)下的物种数量和生物量, 分析了主要植物的叶片N、P含量和N:P值。结果显示: 尽管群落地上生物量随飞机草和紫茎泽兰入侵程度增加而增加, 但本地植物种数随飞机草和紫茎泽兰入侵程度增加而显著减少。飞机草与紫茎泽兰的叶片N、P平均含量无显著差异, 但均显著高于无入侵条件下的本地植物以及与其共存的本地植物。两种入侵植物的N、P含量均随它们所占样方总生物量的比例增大而升高, 本地植物N含量也有相似的变化趋势。当对比入侵和无入侵两类样方的同种植物N、P和N:P变化时发现多数本地种叶片P含量呈降低趋势, N含量和N:P呈升高趋势。根据叶片N、P绝对含量和N:P值及其随入侵的变化规律, 推测入侵可能提高了植物的N可利用性, 但本地植物仍然受N限制; 入侵植物N:P值总体小于10与其具有相对于N吸收的较高的P吸收能力有关。该研究揭示了西南典型外来入侵植物具有较强的N、P吸收富集能力。     

广西九万山国家级自然保护区外来入侵和本地草本植物多样性垂直分布格局

外来入侵植物快速扩散、蔓延, 有些种类已进入到国家级自然保护区, 威胁保护区的生物多样性。本文基于九万山国家级自然保护区134个草本样方的调查数据, 对比分析了外来入侵草本和本地草本物种多样性的空间分布格局, 并阐明了气候因素对物种丰富度分布格局的影响。本研究共记录本地草本143种, 隶属于54科115属; 外来入侵草本16种, 隶属于7科13属。本地草本的物种丰富度和Shannon-Wiener指数随海拔上升显著增加(P < 0.05), 而外来入侵草本的物种丰富度和Shannon-Wiener指数随海拔升高呈下降趋势(P > 0.05)。本地草本和入侵草本的均匀度随海拔升高变化均不显著(P > 0.05)。在不同海拔梯度, 本地草本的Shannon-Wiener指数均显著高于外来入侵草本, 均匀度则相反。回归分析表明, 温度和降水量共解释了本地草本物种丰富度差异的41.6%, 其中温度解释率为21.4%, 降水量解释率为10.7%, 且温度的影响达到显著水平(P < 0.05)。温度和降水量对外来入侵草本的物种丰富度均无显著影响(P > 0.05), 单一因子解释率均较低, 分别为0.9%和0.4%。这些结果表明, 九万山国家级自然保护区外来入侵草本与本地草本物种多样性随海拔变化呈截然相反的空间分布格局, 且气候因素对两者分布格局的影响不同。外来入侵草本植物在海拔800-1,000 m地区具有相对多样的群落组成和较稳定的群落结构, 可能会威胁本地植物多样性, 建议加强此海拔区间外来入侵草本植物的管理。     

中国西南纵向岭谷区外来入侵植物对生物多样性的影响

论述中国西南纵向岭谷区外来入侵植物对生物多样性的影响。中国西南纵向岭谷区是我国生物多样性保护的关键地区。目前,该区域已成为外来植物入侵的重灾区,外来入侵植物种类多达70余种,其中,紫茎泽兰Ageratina adenophora（Eupatoriumadenophorum）、飞机草Chromolaena odorata（Eupatorium odoratum）和肿柄菊Tithonia diversifolia等在该区域危害严重,该区域的生态系统的结构与功能遭受破坏,本地物种面临灭绝,农、林、牧生产乃至区域的生态安全受到威胁。该区域的外来入侵植物的危害居全国之冠。研究该区域的外来入侵植物,揭示其危害规律,遏制其危害速度,最终清除该区域的外来入侵植物,恢复该区域的生态平衡,具有十分重要的现实意义和科学价值。文中详细论述了外来入侵植物对植物物种多样性、植物群落多样性、生态系统多样性、农牧业及林业的影响,最后指出消除和控制外来入侵植物的途径。     

天然林和人工林外来入侵和本地植物对比研究: 以弄岗国家级自然保护区为例

外来植物的入侵严重威胁了自然保护区的生物多样性。为探讨自然保护区内天然林和人工林林下外来植物入侵状况及其与本地优势植物的种间关系, 本研究以弄岗国家级自然保护区为研究区域, 结合保护区内4种生境72个样方的野外调查数据, 利用生态位宽度、生态位重叠和种间联结指数比较了不同生境中外来入侵草本植物的多样性和生态位宽度以及外来入侵草本植物与本土优势草本植物的生态位重叠和种间联结。结果表明: 弄岗国家级自然保护区4种生境共记录6种外来入侵草本植物, 隶属于3科6属, 其中菊科物种数量最多。外来入侵植物多样性呈现出秋枫(Bischofia javanica)人工林 > 麻竹(Dendrocalamus latiflorus)次生林 > 人面子(Dracontomelon duperreanum)人工林 > 广西澄广花(Orophea polycarpa)次生林的特征。除广西澄广花次生林生境的外来入侵草本植物丰富度与本土草本植物丰富度呈显著正相关外, 其余生境均无显著的相关关系。三叶鬼针草(Bidens pilosa)的生态位宽度最大, 为4种生境均有分布的外来入侵植物。4种生境的外来入侵植物与本土优势植物生态位重叠和种间联结程度均较低, 种间竞争较弱。本研究明确了弄岗国家级自然保护区天然林和人工林中外来入侵草本植物的分布及其与本土草本植物的种间关系。     

水盾草入侵沉水植物群落的季节动态

水盾草(cabomba caroliniana)是原产美国和南美巴西等地的多年生植物。自1993年作为新记录报道以来,在中国华东水网地带大面积扩散,并在江苏太湖流域、浙江杭嘉湖平原、宁绍平原等水域成为很多沉水植物群落的优势种。课题组在其分布区的苏州太湖乡、湖州道场乡、杭州五常乡、绍兴陶堰镇、柯岩镇和宁波方桥镇等6个地点设置固定样地对水盾草入侵群落进行了9个季节的调查,分析了不同季节群落种类组成与生物量的变化等。结果表明：各群落优势种在不同季节有变化,有些群落在所调查季节中主要优势种都为水盾草(五常乡、柯岩镇和方桥镇),另一些群落优势种则发生季节及年际变化(太湖乡、道场乡和陶堰镇),如太湖乡冬季优势种均为菹草、其它季节为水盾草。水盾草的生物量在样地、季节间变化很大,最高一般在秋季,变幅达近50倍。水盾草生物量的季节动态显示3种情况：一是由于人为干扰大幅下降,二是处于相对稳定的平衡状态,三是大幅上升。其中后两种情况下人为干扰较小,是群落自身演替的结果。从种类组成来看,种类组成单一的群落,水盾草重要值均在50％以上;种类组成复杂的群落,其重要值随季节而变化。说明群落物种丰度与其对水盾草的易感性间有较密切的联系,水盾草易于入侵组成单一的群落,并迅速成为优势种。本地种与水盾草的生物量最大值出现在不同水深下,水盾草的最适生长水深在1．6m左右的水域,而本地种金鱼藻、苦草和黑藻的最适水深在0．8～1m左右。水盾草4个季节最适水深比本地种都要大,表明在它们在沉水植物群落中处于不同生态位。较低的群落物种多样性与空间生态位空缺可能是水盾草成功入侵的主要原因。清淤等人为控制是防治水盾草入侵成功的有效手段,但这也将使本地种的生存受到威胁。     

Current plant diversity but not its soil legacy influences exotic plant invasion

植物多样性而非其土壤遗留效应影响外来植物入侵 植物多样性可以影响外来植物入侵,然而植物多样性的土壤遗留效应是否能够影响外来植物入侵目前仍不清楚。植物多样性能够改变土壤微生物群落和土壤理化性质,这种遗留效应可能会对该土壤中外来植物的生长产生影响。因此,我们假设植物多样性的土壤遗留效应会影响外来植物的入侵。为了检验该假说,我们开展了一个两阶段的植物-土壤反馈实验。在土壤驯化阶段,我们将12个植物物种(4种禾草植物、3种豆科植物和5种杂类草植物)分别单独种植,或者随机选择8个物种(包含3个功能型)混合种植在土壤中。在反馈阶段,我们将入侵植物三叶鬼针草(Bidens pilosa)分别与本地禾草荩草(Arthraxon hispidus)、本地杂类草翅果菊(Pterocypsela indica)或者同时与荩草和翅果菊种植在被驯化过的土壤中。研 究结果显示,三叶鬼针草相对于其本地竞争植物的生长取决于驯化植物和竞争植物物种的功能型。驯化植物的多样性对三叶鬼针草与其本地竞争植物之间的生长差异没有显著影响。然而,随着本地竞争植物物种多样性的增加,三叶鬼针草相对于其本地竞争植物的生长显著降低。这些结果表明,当前的植物多样性可以通过增加入侵植物和本地植物之间的生长不平衡性来减少外来植物的入侵。但是,植物多样性的土壤遗留效应对外来植物入侵的影响可能很小。     

Relative abundance of invasive plants more effectively explains the response of wetland communities to different invasion degrees than phylogenetic evenness

入侵植物的相对多度比群落系统发育均匀度更能解释湿地群落对不同入侵程度的响应 本地植物群落普遍受到入侵植物不同程度的入侵。然而,入侵植物相对多度与群落系统发育均匀度对不同入侵程度下湿地植物群落响应入侵的相对贡献尚不明确。此外,这种贡献是否随淹水等环境 条件的变化而变化也不清楚。为了探讨这些问题,我们选择空心莲子草(Alternanthera philoxeroides)作为入侵植物,通过改变植物群落物种组成,构建了4个不同的入侵程度,并且设置了水淹和无水淹两种处理。 改变群落入侵程度的同时改变了空心莲子草的相对多度和群落的系统发育均匀度。研究结果表明,不同的入侵程度显著影响了空心莲子草和一些本地物种的单株生物量。变异分割结果表明,无论淹水情况结果如何,空心莲子草相对多度对植物群落指标变异的贡献都大于系统发育均匀度。斯皮尔曼等级相关检验结果表明,空心莲子草的相对多度与空心莲子草和部分本地物种的单株生物量显著负相关;群落系统发育均匀度仅与少数本地种性状显著正相关。其相关强度和显著性均受特定的物种和水淹环境的影响。总之,这些研究结果表明：无论淹水情况如何,入侵植物(空心莲子草)的相对多度都比群落的系统发育均匀度更能有效地解释湿地植物群落对不同入侵程度的响应。     

The invasive grass,Melinis minutiflora,inhibits tree regeneration in a Neotropical savanna

Abstract Exotic grasses are becoming increasingly abundant in Neotropical savannas, with Melinis minutiflora Beauv. being particularly invasive. To better understand the consequences for the native flora, we performed a field study to test the effect of this species on the establishment, survival and growth of seedlings of seven tree species native to the savannas and forests of the Cerrado region of Brazil. Seeds of the tree species were sown in 40 study plots, of which 20 were sites dominated by M. minutiflora, and 20 were dominated by native grasses. The exotic grass had no discernable effect on initial seedling emergence, as defined by the number of seedlings present at the end of the first growing season. Subsequent seedling survival in plots dominated by M. minutiflora was less than half that of plots dominated by native species. Consequently, at the end of the third growing season, invaded plots had only 44% as many seedlings as plots with native grasses. Above‐ground grass biomass of invaded plots was more than twice that of uninvaded plots, while seedling survival was negatively correlated with grass biomass, suggesting that competition for light may explain the low seedling survival where M. minutiflora is dominant. Soils of invaded plots had higher mean Ca, Mg and Zn, but these variables did not account for the higher grass biomass or the lower seedling survival in invaded plots. The results indicate that this exotic grass is having substantial effects on the dynamics of the tree community, with likely consequences for ecosystem structure and function.     

Alien Plant Invasions,Introduced Ungulates,and Alternative States in a Mesic Forest in Hawaii

Restoration by natural successional processes after removal of perturbations may not be feasible for many degraded ecosystems. Controlling major ecological threats such as non‐native ungulates is often a critical first step toward restoring native communities but past degradation, interactions with alien species and abiotic features may create conditions requiring additional intervention to ensure effective conservation. We monitored a series of fenced plots within diverse mesic forest on western Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands from 1998 to 2005 to determine the effects of ungulate removal on native and alien plant species. Relative to unfenced control plots, germination of seedlings and frequency of understory species of both native and alien species increased in the fenced plots. Density of both native and alien canopy and understory species declined more in unfenced than fenced plots, but density of native species declined more than alien species density in both fenced and unfenced plots. In fenced plots, the frequency of larger alien woody species and cover of an alien, mat‐forming fern species increased over time, indicating that fencing may encourage alien species that could interfere with regeneration of native species. Our study suggests that effective conservation of this and other remnant native Hawaiian forests will require both ungulate exclusion, removal of alien plant species with especially detrimental effects on native species, and proactive restoration programs for native species without natural sources of propagules. As the effects of invasive species continue to escalate, continental ecosystems lacking high endemism may also require similar interventions to preserve their biodiversity.     

Evaluating nurse plants for restoring native woody species to degraded subtropical woodlands

Harsh habitats dominated by invasive species are difficult to restore. Invasive grasses in arid environments slow succession toward more desired composition, yet grass removal exacerbates high light and temperature, making the use of “nurse plants” an appealing strategy. In this study of degraded subtropical woodlands dominated by alien grasses in Hawai'i, we evaluated whether individuals of two native (Dodonaea viscosa, Leptocophylla tameiameia) and one non‐native (Morella faya) woody species (1) act as natural nodes of recruitment for native woody species and (2) can be used to enhance survivorship of outplanted native woody species. To address these questions, we quantified the presence and persistence of seedlings naturally recruiting beneath adult nurse shrubs and compared survival and growth of experimentally outplanted seedlings of seven native woody species under the nurse species compared to intact and cleared alien‐grass plots. We found that the two native nurse shrubs recruit their own offspring, but do not act as establishment nodes for other species. Morella faya recruited even fewer seedlings than native shrubs. Thus, outplanting will be necessary to increase abundance and diversity of native woody species. Outplant survival was the highest under shrubs compared to away from them with few differences between nurse species. The worst habitat for native seedling survival and growth was within the unmanaged invasive grass matrix. Although the two native nurse species did not differentially affect outplant survival, D. viscosa is the most widespread and easily propagated and is thus more likely to be useful as an initial nurse species. The outplanted species showed variable responses to nurse habitats that we attribute to resource requirements resulting from their typical successional stage and nitrogen fixation capability.     

Seed bed treatment effects on vegetation and seedling establishment in a New Zealand pasture one year after seeding with native woody species

Summary Efforts to re‐establish indigenous forests in pastoral New Zealand have increased as the value of native biodiversity has been realized. Direct seeding of woody species is preferable to transplanting, as labour and material costs are less. However, the success rate of direct seeding in pasture has been variable due to intense competition from adventive species. We initiated an experiment in pasture plots adjacent to a forest fragment where seed bed treatments (increasing in degree of disturbance from herbicide application to turf removal and topsoil removal) in combination with mulch treatments (wood chip shavings with and without forest floor organic material) were seeded with a mixture of New Zealand lowland forest species. The objective of the study was to determine if early successional plant communities, and ultimately seedling establishment, differed as a result of seed bed preparation after 1 year. Coprosma robusta (Karamu) and Kunzea ericoides (Kanuka) seedlings established on plots in significant numbers: both species were most abundant on topsoil‐removed plots where bare substrate was greatest and plant cover least. Both seed bed treatments and mulching treatments led to measurable differences in overall composition of early successional plant communities. However, absence of plant cover and low soil fertility (both associated with the topsoil‐removed treatment) were the most important factors in seedling success.     

Removal of invasive shrubs alters light but not leaf litter inputs in a deciduous forest understory

The establishment and spread of non‐native, invasive shrubs in forests poses an important obstacle to natural resource conservation and management. This study assesses the impacts of the physical removal of a complex of woody invasive shrub species on deciduous forest understory resources. We compared leaf litter quantity and quality and understory light transmittance in five pairs of invaded and removal plots in an oak‐dominated suburban mature forest. Removal plots were cleared of all non‐native invasive shrubs. The invasive shrubs were abundant (143,456 stems/ha) and diverse, dominated by species in the genera Ligustrum, Viburnum, Lonicera, and Euonymus. Annual leaf litter biomass and carbon inputs of invaded plots were not different from removal plots due to low leaf litter biomass of invasive shrubs. Invasive shrub litter had higher nitrogen (N) concentrations than native species; however, low biomass of invasive litter led to low N inputs by litter of invasive species compared to native. Light transmittance at the forest floor and at 2 m was lower in invaded plots than in removal plots. We conclude that the removal of the abundant invasive shrubs from a native deciduous forest understory did not alter litter quantity or N inputs, one measure of litter quality, and increased forest understory light availability. More light in the forest understory could facilitate the restoration of forest understory dynamics.     

Seasonal Effects of Four Control Methods on the Invasive Morrow's Honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii) and Initial Responses of Understory Plants in a Southwestern Pennsylvania Old Field

The first step in restoration often involves the removal of invasive plants, but few studies have determined if the response of plant communities matches management goals. The shrub Morrow's honeysuckle ( Lonicera morrowii Gray) is one of a suite of exotic bush honeysuckle species that have become pervasive woody invaders in eastern North America. In 2004, we tested four control methods (cut, mechanical removal, stump application of glyphosate, and foliar application of glyphosate) during late spring and early autumn within a degraded meadow at Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Our restoration goals are to control Morrow's honeysuckle, restore native vegetation, and mimic the conditions present in the mid-1700s. We established forty-five 5 × 5–m plots to measure woody species; five plots of each treatment method were treated in spring, whereas the remaining five were treated in autumn. We maintained five control plots. Before control, mean density of Morrow's honeysuckle was 67,920 ± 4,480 shrubs/ha. Foliar application of herbicide and mechanical removal were most effective at reducing the number of shrubs (≥62%). Overall, our treatments were less successful (26–68% reduction) than reported control efforts of other bush honeysuckle species; the sheer number of shrubs coupled with their open habitat made control efforts difficult. Spring treatments, particularly cut and mechanical treatments, had higher metrics of herbaceous community quality. However, continued restoration efforts, including follow-up treatments, White-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) control, and the planting of native seeds and saplings, should be employed to favor the establishment of native seedlings and herbs.     

Survival,growth, and photosynthesis of tree seedlings competing with herbaceous vegetation along a water-light-nitrogen gradient

In herbaceous dominated patches and ecosystems, tree establishment is influenced partly by the ability of woody seedlings to survive and grow in direct competition with herbaceous vegetation. We studied the importance of season long wet and dry spells on the competitive interactions between herbaceous vegetation and oak seedlings along a light and nitrogen gradient in an infertile secondary successional grassland in central North America. We conducted a field experiment in which seedlings of bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) and northern pin oak (Q. ellipsoidalis) were exposed to two levels of light (full sun and 80% shade), three levels of nitrogen input (0, 5, 15 g m^–1 yr^–1), and three levels of water input (low, medium and high). In addition, seedlings were grown with and without the presence of surrounding herbaceous vegetation under both light and all three water levels. Seedling survival, growth, and rate of photosynthesis were significantly affected by competition with herbaceous vegetation and these effects varied along the multiple resource gradient. Overall, seedling survival of both species was significantly greater in wetter and shaded plots and when surrounding herbaceous vegetation was removed and was lower in nitrogen enriched plots. We found that soil water was significantly affected by varying inputs of water, light, and the presence or absence of herbaceous vegetation, and that seedling survival and rate of photosynthesis were highly correlated with available soil water. Our findings show that the impact of season long wet and dry spells on tree seedling success in grasslands can be affected by light and soil nitrogen availability.     

Establishing Native Grasses in a Big Sagebrush–Dominated Site: An Intermediate Restoration Step

Many semiarid rangelands in the Great Basin, U.S.A., are shifting dominance to woody species as a consequence of land degradation including intense livestock grazing and fire suppression. Whereas past rehabilitation efforts in Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) steppes removed the shrub and added introduced forage grasses to successfully shift communities from shrublands to grasslands, current consensus is that native species should be included in restoration projects and that retention of some woody plants is desirable. We examined the potential for interseeding grasses into dense shrub communities as a precursor to thinning shrubs and releasing grasses from shrub interference. We compared seedling establishment of the native grass, Bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata), with that of the Eurasia grass, Crested wheatgrass (Agropyron desertorum), in dense Ar. tridentata stands. Shrubs may play an important role as nurse plants for seedling establishment (reduced solar radiation, “island of fertility” effect) but result in highly contrasting light environments and root interference for seedlings. In experimental plots, we examined effects of Ar. tridentata shade levels (0, 40, 70, and 90% reduction of solar radiation) and initial root exclusion (present/absent) on the establishment and growth of P. spicata and Ag. desertorum seedlings. With this design we evaluated the interference effects of Ar. tridentata on the two grasses and identified the most beneficial microsites for grass restoration in Ar. tridentata–dominated communities. We predicted seedling survival and growth to be greater under moderate shade (40% reduction) and limited root competition than under no or strong shade conditions (0 and 90%) and unrestricted root interactions. Fifty to 85% of the P. spicata and Ag. desertorum seedlings survived the dry summer months of 1995 and 1996 and the intervening winter. Neither shading nor root exclusion from Ar. tridentata affected final seedling survival of either species. Seedling biomass of both grass species was negatively affected by initial root interactions with Ar. tridentata. However, the analysis of seedling biomass variability (coefficient of variation) indicated that in all shade and root‐exclusion treatments, some seedlings of both species developed to large individuals to survive in Ar. tridentata–dominated rangelands. Thus, the use of interseeding techniques shows promise for restoring herbaceous species in dense Ar. tridentata stands and should be given further consideration when shrub retention is an important consideration.     

Successional patterns of woody plants in catchment areas in a semi-arid region

Patterns of woody plants dispersal in a semi-arid nature reserve situated in Eastern Transvaal, South Africa, revealed that trees have spread from core areas and converted previously open grasslands to densely vegetated woodlands. These patterns were found in catchment areas of the gently undulating terrain which characterizes the region.Two plant communities dominated by Acacia senegal-Acacia tortilis and Euclea divinorum-Acacia nilotica were distinguished. Analysis of nearest-neighbour distances, dispersal patterns of seedlings and mature woody plants identified successional processes. These were manifested through intra and interspecific competition among the dominant tree species. Within each plant community, a transition of relative abundance was occurring namely, A. senegal became dominant in areas previously dominated by A. tortilis while E. divinorum was replacing previous A. nilotica dominance.Comparative assessment of the two plant communities was facilitated by the summary of competition and seedling dispersal indices in a multivariate analysis. Results indicated that tree species had characteristic dispersal strategies. Identification the patterns of woody plants establishment could advance the evaluation of successional dynamics and management of savannas in areas prone to bush encroachment.     

Changes over 46 years in plant community structure in a cleared brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) forest

Plant succession theory underpins the development of strategies for the conservation and regeneration of native communities. Current theory has been based largely on space‐for‐time rather than long‐term monitoring data, which have known limitations. There is general consensus that more site‐specific studies are needed to corroborate existing hypotheses. The target vegetation is a brigalow (Acacia harpophylla, Mimosaceae) forest in one of Australia's most endangered ecosystems, which was cleared and burnt in 1963. Forty quadrats were placed systematically within each of six 20 m × 20 m permanent plots. Presence, density and per cent canopy cover data were recorded for each species at 18 times over 46 years. Brigalow dominated the original vegetation, assumed dominance soon after clearing through massive root suckering and remained dominant throughout the study. It achieved maximum density within two years when severe intraspecific competition led to self‐thinning. After approximately 30 years, vacant niches appeared. Woody understorey species were slow to recolonise. Species richness and other diversity indices increased rapidly to a maximum after 2–4 years, declined until the 30th year when they again increased. This was the pattern of the species‐rich herbaceous layer; woody species showed a steady monotonic increase. The ‘hump‐shaped’ relationship between cover (biomass) and species richness was confirmed. This example fits the inhibition model for which few examples have been described. While the long‐term successional pattern is slightly confounded by climatic variability preceding sample surveys, this space‐for‐time study not only supports a bimodal pattern of diversity over time but also indicates that the relative species richness of the herbaceous and woody layers may explain the extreme variability reported in the literature.