The alternative oxidase from Euglena gracilis

We still have a rudimentary understanding about the mechanism by which plant roots may stimulate soil microbial interactions. A biochemical model involving plant-derived biochemical fractions, such as exudates, has been used to explain this "rhizosphere effect" on bacteria. However, the variable response of other soil microbial groups, such as protozoa, to the rhizosphere suggests that other factors could be involved in shaping their communities. Thus, two experiments were designed to (a) obtain a better understanding of the mechanism by which ciliate species richness and abundance differ among plant species and (b) to determine whether this mechanism is maintained via stimulatory and/or inhibiting factors associated with particular plant species. Bacterial and chemical slurries were reciprocally exchanged between two plant species known to differ in terms of ciliate species richness and abundance (i.e., Canella winterana and plantation Tectona grandis ). The ANOVA showed that the bacteria plus nutrients, and the nutrients-only treatment have no significant effect on the overall ciliate species richness and abundance when compared to the control treatment. However, the use of only colpodean species to increase the taxonomic resolution of treatment effects showed that bacterial slurries have a significant effect on colpodean ciliate species richness. These results suggest that for particular rhizosphere ciliates, biological properties, such as bacterial diversity or abundance, may have a strong influence on their diversity and possibly abundance. These results are consistent with a model of soil bacteria-mediated mutualism between plants and protozoa.     

Effects of plant species richness and evenness on soil microbial community diversity and function

Understanding the links between plant diversity and soil communities is critical to disentangling the mechanisms by which plant communities modulate ecosystem function. Experimental plant communities varying in species richness, evenness, and density were established using a response surface design and soil community properties including bacterial and archaeal abundance, richness, and evenness were measured. The potential to perform a representative soil ecosystem function, oxidation of ammonium to nitrite, was measured via archaeal and bacterial amoA genes. Structural equation modeling was used to explore the direct and indirect effects of the plant community on soil diversity and potential function. Plant communities influenced archaea and bacteria via different pathways. Species richness and evenness had significant direct effects on soil microbial community structure, but the mechanisms driving these effects did not include either root biomass or the pools of carbon and nitrogen available to the soil microbial community. Species richness had direct positive effects on archaeal amoA prevalence, but only indirect impacts on bacterial communities through modulation of plant evenness. Increased plant evenness increased bacterial abundance which in turn increased bacterial amoA abundance. These results suggest that plant community evenness may have a strong impact on some aspects of soil ecosystem function. We show that a more even plant community increased bacterial abundance, which then increased the potential for bacterial nitrification. A more even plant community also increased total dissolved nitrogen in the soil, which decreased the potential for archaeal nitrification. The role of plant evenness in structuring the soil community suggests mechanisms including complementarity in root exudate profiles or root foraging patterns.     

Contrasting Soil Ciliate Species Richness and Abundance between Two Tropical Plant Species: A Test of the Plant Effect

We still have a rudimentary understanding about the mechanism by which plant roots may stimulate soil microbial interactions. A biochemical model involving plant-derived biochemical fractions, such as exudates, has been used to explain this “rhizosphere effect” on bacteria. However, the variable response of other soil microbial groups, such as protozoa, to the rhizosphere suggests that other factors could be involved in shaping their communities. Thus, two experiments were designed to: (1) determine whether stimulatory and/or inhibiting factors associated with particular plant species regulate ciliate diversity and abundance and (2) obtain a better understanding about the mechanism by which these plant factors operate in the rhizosphere. Bacterial and chemical slurries were reciprocally exchanged between two plant species known to differ in terms of ciliate species richness and abundance (i.e., Canella winterana and plantation Tectona grandis). Analysis of variance showed that the bacteria plus nutrients and the nutrients only treatment had no significant effect on overall ciliate species richness and abundance when compared to the control treatment. However, the use of only colpodean species increased the taxonomic resolution of treatment effects revealing that bacterial slurries had a significant effect on colpodean ciliate species richness. Thus, for particular rhizosphere ciliates, biological properties, such as bacterial diversity or abundance, may have a strong influence on their diversity and possibly abundance. These results are consistent with a model of soil bacteria-mediated mutualisms between plants and protozoa.     

Ants and plants as indicators of biodiversity,ecosystem services,and conservation value in constructed grasslands

Grasslands are constructed for soil and wildlife conservation in agricultural landscapes across Europe and North America. Constructed grasslands may mitigate habitat loss for grassland-dependent animals and enhance ecosystem services that are important to agriculture. The responses of animal species richness and abundance to grassland habitat quality are often highly variable, however, and monitoring of multiple taxa is often not feasible. We evaluated whether multiple animal taxa responded to variation in constructed grassland habitats of southwest Ohio, USA, in ways that could be predicted from indicators based on quality assessment indices, Simpson diversity, and the species richness of ants and plants. The quality assessment indices included a widely used Floristic Quality Assessment (FQA) index, and a new Ant Quality Assessment (AntQA) index, both based on habitat specificity and species traits. The ant and plant indicators were used as predictor variables in separate general linear models of four target taxa—bees, beetles, butterflies and birds—with response variables of overall species richness and abundance, and subsets of taxa that included the abundance of ecosystem-service providers and grassland-associated species. Plant Simpson diversity was the best-fitting predictor variable in models of overall bee and beetle abundance, and the abundance of bees classified as ecosystem-service (ES) providers. FQA and plant richness were the best predictors of overall butterfly species richness and abundance. Ant species richness was the best predictor of overall bird species richness and abundance as well as the abundance of ES birds, while the AntQA index was the best predictor for the abundance of grassland bird and butterfly species. Thus, plant Simpson diversity and ant species richness were the most effective indicators for complementary components of grassland animal communities, whereas quality assessment indices were less robust as indicators and require more knowledge on the habitat specificity of individual ant and plant species.     

Differential responses of soil bacteria,fungi, archaea and protists to plant species richness and plant functional group identity

Plants are known to influence belowground microbial community structure along their roots, but the impacts of plant species richness and plant functional group (FG) identity on microbial communities in the bulk soil are still not well understood. Here, we used 454‐pyrosequencing to analyse the soil microbial community composition in a long‐term biodiversity experiment at Jena, Germany. We examined responses of bacteria, fungi, archaea, and protists to plant species richness (communities varying from 1 to 60 sown species) and plant FG identity (grasses, legumes, small herbs, tall herbs) in bulk soil. We hypothesized that plant species richness and FG identity would alter microbial community composition and have a positive impact on microbial species richness. Plant species richness had a marginal positive effect on the richness of fungi, but we observed no such effect on bacteria, archaea and protists. Plant species richness also did not have a large impact on microbial community composition. Rather, abiotic soil properties partially explained the community composition of bacteria, fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), archaea and protists. Plant FG richness did not impact microbial community composition; however, plant FG identity was more effective. Bacterial richness was highest in legume plots and lowest in small herb plots, and AMF and archaeal community composition in legume plant communities was distinct from that in communities composed of other plant FGs. We conclude that soil microbial community composition in bulk soil is influenced more by changes in plant FG composition and abiotic soil properties, than by changes in plant species richness per se.     

Effects of plant diversity on Collembola in an experimental grassland ecosystem

The response of species numbers and density of Collembola to manipulation of plant species richness (1, 2, 4, 8, 32 species) and number of plant functional groups (grasses, legumes and non-legume herbs) was studied in an experimental grassland at the Swiss BIODEPTH site (Lupsingen, Switzerland) in October 1997. Plant species richness or number of plant functional groups did not affect total diversity of Collembola, however, the number of Collembola species increased in the presence of legumes and the grass Trisetum flavescens . The abundance of Protaphorura armata increased but that of Hypogastruridae/Neanuridae significantly decreased with increasing number of plant functional groups. Other groups including the herbivorous Symphypleona did not respond to plant species richness and plant functional groups. Possibly, Hypogastruridae/Neanuridae species are weak competitors declining in density if the density of other Collembola groups increase. In general, the effect of the number of plant functional groups on the densities of collembolan taxa was stronger than that of plant species richness. Changes in Collembola density and diversity in part was likely caused by increased soil microbial and fine root biomass in treatments with higher plant functional group diversity. The presence of legumes resulted in an increase in the densities of total Collembola, Symphypleona/Neelipleona and Isotomidae indicating that they benefited from the high litter quality and the increased microbial biomass in the rhizosphere of legumes. The results suggest that microbivorous soil invertebrates are controlled by food quality rather than quantity. Furthermore, they indicate that presence of certain plant species and functional groups may be more important for collembolan community structure than the diversity of plant species and functional groups per se.     

内蒙草原不同植物功能群及物种对土壤微生物组成的影响

为了分析不同植物群落组成对内蒙古典型草原土壤微生物群落组成的影响,本研究利用植物功能群剔除处理实验平台,采用荧光定量PCR(real-timePCR)和自动核糖体间隔区基因分析(automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis,ARISA)技术,对不同植物功能群组成的非根际土壤和常见物种的根际土壤中细菌和真菌的数量及群落结构进行了分析。结果表明,在非根际土壤中,不同植物功能群组成对细菌数量有显著影响,而对真菌数量及细菌和真菌的群落结构影响不明显;在根际土壤中,不同植物物种对细菌、真菌的数量都有显著影响。此外,聚类分析表明,不同物种的根际土中细菌和真菌的群落结构也有所不同,尤其以细菌的群落结构变化较为明显。研究结果表明不同植物物种可以通过根系影响土壤微生物群落组成。     

Forest vascular plants as indicators of plant species richness: A data analysis of a flora atlas from northwestern Germany

Abstract

Our study had the objective to examine whether the number of forest vascular plants in a forest-poor region may be indicative of total plant species richness and of the number of threatened plant species. We also related forest plant species richness to geological and soil variables. The analysis was based on a regional flora atlas from the Weser-Elbe region in northwestern Germany including incidence data of species in a total of 1109 grid cells (each ca. 2.8 × 2.8 km²). All taxa were classified either as forest or non-forest species. Total species richness in the grid cells ranged from 65 to 597, with a mean value of 308. The number of forest species varied between 20 and 309 (mean 176). Grid cells with or without particular geological units differed in total and forest species richness, with those containing peatland and marshland being particularly species-poor. Indicator value analysis showed that both total and forest species richness in the grid cells were related to soil acidity and nitrogen in a hump-backed manner, with the highest number of species found at moderately low values for nitrogen and at intermediate values of pH. Forest species richness was highly positively correlated with the number of non-forest species and threatened non-forest species. Indicators for high species richness were primarily those species that are confined to closed semi-natural forests with a varied topography and relatively base- and nutrient-rich soils. Grid cells including historically ancient forest exhibited a higher species richness than grid cells lacking ancient forest, indicating the importance of a long habitat continuity for a high phytodiversity. The “habitat coincidence” of high species richness is best explained by similar responses of forest species and species of other habitats to the main environmental gradients. It is suggested that the regional patterns found for the Weser-Elbe region can be transferred also to other forest-poor regions in Central Europe.     

Plant species richness, elevated CO2, and atmospheric nitrogen deposition alter soil microbial community composition and function

We determined soil microbial community composition and function in a field experiment in which plant communities of increasing species richness were exposed to factorial elevated CO₂ and nitrogen (N) deposition treatments. Because elevated CO₂ and N deposition increased plant productivity to a greater extent in more diverse plant assemblages, it is plausible that heterotrophic microbial communities would experience greater substrate availability, potentially increasing microbial activity, and accelerating soil carbon (C) and N cycling. We, therefore, hypothesized that the response of microbial communities to elevated CO₂ and N deposition is contingent on the species richness of plant communities. Microbial community composition was determined by phospholipid fatty acid analysis, and function was measured using the activity of key extracellular enzymes involved in litter decomposition. Higher plant species richness, as a main effect, fostered greater microbial biomass, cellulolytic and chitinolytic capacity, as well as the abundance of saprophytic and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. Moreover, the effect of plant species richness on microbial communities was significantly modified by elevated CO₂ and N deposition. For instance, microbial biomass and fungal abundance increased with greater species richness, but only under combinations of elevated CO₂ and ambient N, or ambient CO₂ and N deposition. Cellobiohydrolase activity increased with higher plant species richness, and this trend was amplified by elevated CO₂. In most cases, the effect of plant species richness remained significant even after accounting for the influence of plant biomass. Taken together, our results demonstrate that plant species richness can directly regulate microbial activity and community composition, and that plant species richness is a significant determinant of microbial response to elevated CO₂ and N deposition. The strong positive effect of plant species richness on cellulolytic capacity and microbial biomass indicate that the rates of soil C cycling may decline with decreasing plant species richness.     

黄河三角洲不同类型盐生植物土壤真菌群落结构特征

盐生植物种类及其所具有的不同耐盐调节方式影响着根际微生物群落的结构与组成。为明确不同类型盐生植物根际与非根际土壤中真菌群落结构与组成的差异及其与土壤环境间的相互关系,该研究采集了黄河三角洲地区芦苇、盐地碱蓬、獐毛3种不同类型盐生植物0～20 cm土层的根际和非根际土壤,通过高通量测序对其真菌群落多样性和结构进行了分析,以探究真菌群落特征与土壤理化因子间的关系。结果表明：(1)3种不同类型盐生植物根际土壤真菌群落丰富度显著大于各自非根际土,且獐毛根际土壤真菌群落丰富度显著大于芦苇和盐地碱蓬的根际土。(2)距离热图分析表明,芦苇和盐地碱蓬非根际土壤真菌群落间的相似性最大。(3)土壤真菌多样性和丰富度与土壤总碳、总氮、有效磷、pH呈正相关关系,与土壤盐分含量呈负相关关系。(4)3种不同类型盐生植物的根际与非根际土壤中,球囊菌门(Glomeromycota)均为绝对优势门,盾巨孢囊霉属(Scutellospora)为优势属。(5)RDA分析表明,土壤盐分含量是影响土壤真菌群落结构的重要因子,球囊菌门丰度与土壤总氮、总碳、有效磷、有机碳、pH呈正相关关系,与盐分呈负相关关系。(6)植物土壤真菌群...     

Inorganic soil nitrogen under grassland plant communities of different species composition and diversity

We measured aboveground plant biomass and soil inorganic nitrogen pools in a biodiversity experiment in northern Sweden, with plant species richness ranging from 1 to 12 species. In general, biomass increased and nitrate pools decreased with increasing species richness. Transgressive overyielding of mixed plant communities compared to the most productive of the corresponding monocultures occurred in communities with and without legumes. N₂-fixing legumes had a fertilizing function, while non-legumes had a N retaining function. Plant communities with only legumes had a positive correlation between biomass and soil nitrate content, whereas in plant communities without legumes they were negatively correlated. Both nitrate and ammonium soil pools in mixed non-legume communities were approximately equal to the lowest observed in the corresponding monocultures. In mixed legume/non-legume communities, no correlation was found for soil nitrate with either biomass or legume biomass as percentage of total biomass. The idea of complementarity among species in nitrogen acquisition was supported in both pure non-legume and mixed non-legume/legume communities. In the latter, however, facilitation through increased nitrogen availability and retention, was probably dominating. Our results suggest that diversity effects on biomass and soil N pools through resource use complementarity depend on the functional traits of species, especially N₂ fixation or high productivity.     

Short-term plant species impact on microbial community structure in soils with long-term agricultural history

The goal of our study was to capture the short-term effects of individual plant species on an established microbial community in a soil with a well-defined agricultural history. Using biochemical and molecular techniques we quantified the effects of plant species on changes in the soil microbial community over an 8-week time-course. We conducted a greenhouse experiment using field soil from a site that was managed as a Zea mays monoculture for over 50 years. The conditioned soil provided a baseline from which changes in microbial community composition through the effects of newly introduced plants could be determined. Within a short time frame (8 weeks), introduced plants influenced the soil microbial community in ways unique to each plant. Some species (Fagopyrm esculentum and xTriticosecale spp.) resulted in an increase of total microbial community richness, diversity and the stimulation of new microbial species not associated with the legacy vegetation. Other plants (Vicia villosa and Lolium multiflorum) tended to reduce community diversity. We suggest root surface area is good general predictor of rhizosphere microbial community diversity, but in some cases other plant traits may have dominant influence on plant-induced changes in microbial community composition.     

Plants for nitrogen management in riparian zones: A proposed trait‐based framework to select effective species

Restoring plants to the riparian zone is regarded as management best practice in river restoration and has the potential to reduce the impact of nitrogen (N) pollution on aquatic organisms and improve water quality for human use. Plant characteristics and the interplay of hydrology and biogeochemistry control N retention in the riparian zone. The balance between processes such as denitrification and plant assimilation determines riparian N retention. Plant traits are likely to mediate these N removal processes through variations in root form, growth character, foliage production (quantity, quality and rate of return to the soil) and by altering conditions in the rhizosphere soil. Vegetation can slow N transfer via direct plant uptake of N (during periods of rapid vegetation growth) and changes induced to soil hydrology, nutrient cycling and microbial activity, principally denitrification. Few studies have focused on species‐dependent effects on N movement through soil and across boundaries. We propose a new framework, based on a literature review of plant traits with respect to N cycling, which can be used to select plant species with traits likely to maximise N removal during transport through the riparian zone. In the proposed framework, inter‐specific differences in traits known to influence N mobility: root form, growth rate, foliar characteristics and rhizosphere processes, are used to describe species’ potential impact on N removal. Plant trait data may be drawn from studies outside the riparian zone; for example forest ecology, horticulture or forestry research, and candidate species are scored to predict N removal efficiency. We apply the framework to New Zealand's native riparian plant assemblages to demonstrate the trait‐based approach. This framework can guide restoration management decisions and investment in riparian revegetation in a manner that is not restricted to geographically specific or well‐studied species.     

Fungal diversity increases soil fungistasis and resistance to microbial invasion by a non resident species

Biodiversity decline is a major concern for ecosystem functioning. Recent research efforts have been mostly focused on terrestrial plants, while, despite their importance in both natural and artificial ecosystems, little is known about soil microbial communities. This work aims at investigating the effects of fungal species richness on soil invasion by non resident microbes. Synthetic fungal communities with a species diversity ranging from 1 to 8 were assembled in laboratory microcosms and used in three factorial experiments to assess the effect of diversity on soil fungistasis, microbial invasion of soil amended with plant litter and of plant rhizosphere. The capability of different microbes to colonize environments characterized by different resident microbial communities was measured. The number of microbial species in the microcosms positively affected soil fungistasis that was also induced more rapidly in presence of synthetic communities with more species. Moreover, the increase of resident fungal diversity dramatically reduced the invasibility of both soil and plant rhizosphere. We found lower variability of soil fungistasis and invasibility in microcosms with higher species richness of microbial communities. Our study pointed out the existence of negative relationships between fungal diversity and soil invasibility by non resident microbes. Therefore, the loss of microbial species may adversely affect ecosystem functionality under specific environmental conditions.     

Rhizosphere microbial community and its response to plant species and soil history

The plant rhizosphere is a dynamic environment in which many parameters may influence the population structure, diversity and activity of the microbial community. Two important factors determining the structure of microbial community present in the vicinity of plant roots are plant species and soil type. In the present study we assessed the structure of microbial communities in response to four plant species (i.e. maize (Zea mays L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and commercial grass mix) planted in soil with different land use history (i.e. arable land under crop rotation, maize monoculture and permanent grassland). Both factors, plant species and land use history, showed clear effects on microbial community and diversity as determined by PCR-DGGE fingerprinting with universal and group-specific bacterial primers. Moreover, we explored the rhizosphere effect of these plant species on the abundance of bacterial antagonists of the potato pathogen Rhizoctonia solani AG3. The data showed that the abundance and taxonomic composition of antagonists differed clearly between the different plants. The highest percentages of antagonists were found in maize and grass rhizosphere. When antagonistic Pseudomonas populations were compared, the highest, abundance and diversity of antagonists were detected in barley and oat rhizospheres, as compared to maize and grass rhizosphere. The results obtained in our study demonstrate clearly that plant species and soil type are two important factors affecting the structure of total bacterial, Pseudomonas and Bacillus community.     

Mechanisms of plant species impacts on ecosystem nitrogen cycling

Plant species are hypothesized to impact ecosystem nitrogen cycling in two distinctly different ways. First, differences in nitrogen use efficiency can lead to positive feedbacks on the rate of nitrogen cycling. Alternatively, plant species can also control the inputs and losses of nitrogen from ecosystems. Our current understanding of litter decomposition shows that most nitrogen present within litter is not released during decomposition but incorporated into soil organic matter. This nitrogen retention is caused by an increase in the relative nitrogen content in decomposing litter and a much lower carbon‐to‐nitrogen ratio of soil organic matter. The long time lag between plant litter formation and the actual release of nitrogen from the litter results in a bottleneck, which prevents feedbacks of plant quality differences on nitrogen cycling. Instead, rates of gross nitrogen mineralization, which are often an order of magnitude higher than net mineralization, indicate that nitrogen cycling within ecosystems is dominated by a microbial nitrogen loop. Nitrogen is released from the soil organic matter and incorporated into microbial biomass. Upon their death, the nitrogen is again incorporated into the soil organic matter. However, this microbial nitrogen loop is driven by plant‐supplied carbon and provides a strong negative feedback through nitrogen cycling on plant productivity. Evidence supporting this hypothesis is strong for temperate grassland ecosystems. For other terrestrial ecosystems, such as forests, tropical and boreal regions, the data are much more limited. Thus, current evidence does not support the view that differences in the efficiency of plant nitrogen use lead to positive feedbacks. In contrast, soil microbes are the dominant factor structuring ecosystem nitrogen cycling. Soil microbes derive nitrogen from the decomposition of soil organic matter, but this microbial activity is driven by recent plant carbon inputs. Changes in plant carbon inputs, resulting from plant species shifts, lead to a negative feedback through microbial nitrogen immobilization. In contrast, there is abundant evidence that plant species impact nitrogen inputs and losses, such as: atmospheric deposition, fire‐induced losses, nitrogen leaching, and nitrogen fixation, which is driven by carbon supply from plants to nitrogen fixers. Additionally, plants can influence the activity and composition of soil microbial communities, which has the potential to lead to differences in nitrification, denitrification and trace nitrogen gas losses. Plant species also impact herbivore behaviour and thereby have the potential to lead to animal‐facilitated movement of nitrogen between ecosystems. Thus, current evidence supports the view that plant species can have large impacts on ecosystem nitrogen cycling. However, species impacts are not caused by differences in plant quantity and quality, but by plant species impacts on nitrogen inputs and losses.     

The roles of biotic resistance and nitrogen deposition in regulating non-native understory plant diversity

Understanding the mechanisms that allow for plant invasions is important for both ecologists and land managers, due to both the environmental and economic impacts of native biodiversity losses. We conducted an observational field study in 2008 to examine the relationship between native and non-native forest understory plant species and to investigate the influence of soil nitrogen (N) on plant community richness and diversity. In 2009, we conducted a companion fertilization experiment to investigate how various forms of N deposition (inorganic and organic) influenced native and non-native species richness and diversity. We found that native species richness and diversity were negatively correlated with 1) non-native species richness and diversity and 2) higher total soil inorganic N. In the deposition experiment, adding organic N fertilizers decreased native richness and diversity compared to inorganic N fertilizers. Together, these results indicate that increasing soil N can be detrimental to native species; however, native species richness and diversity may counteract the N-stimulation of non-native species. Furthermore, the negative effects of organic N deposition on native plants may be just as strong, if not stronger, than the effects of inorganic N deposition.     

土壤纤毛虫群落对不同退还模式生态恢复的响应

为了探究土壤纤毛虫群落对不同退还模式生态恢复的响应及利用其群落特征来评价退还效果,于2014年4月至2015年7月在甘肃省天祝藏族自治县朵什乡退耕还林区选取了3个不同退还林型样点(云杉、沙棘混交林A1,云杉林A2,沙棘林B1)和2个对照耕地样点(小麦地A0,豌豆地B0)为研究样地,采用"非淹没培养皿法"、活体观察法和培养直接计数法对土壤纤毛虫群落特征进行了研究,同时测定了各样点土壤的相关环境因子,并分析了不同恢复模式下土壤纤毛虫群落特征与植被群落参数、土壤环境因子间的相关性。研究共鉴定到125种土壤纤毛虫,隶属于9纲19目29科34属。结果显示:退还样点和对照样点的土壤纤毛虫群落结构特征存在明显差异(P0.05),退还样点间的物种相似性减小,群落组成复杂化;退还样点土壤纤毛虫物种数、密度、物种多样性指数、均匀度指数和丰富度指数均明显增高(P0.05),且各样点间表现为A1B1A2B0A0;各样点优势类群的演替趋势,由对照样点的肾形目演替为退还样点的散毛目。相关性分析和冗余分析结果表明,退耕还林后,对纤毛虫群落结构稳定影响最主要的是有机质、含水量和全氮的含量,不同林型间土壤纤毛虫群落组成差异较大,表明土壤纤毛虫群落结构可作为对退耕还林生态恢复的评价指标。     

Forest plant community as a driver of soil biodiversity: experimental evidence from collembolan assemblages through large‐scale and long‐term removal of oak canopy trees Quercus petraea

Plant–soil interactions are increasingly recognized to play a major role in terrestrial ecosystems functioning. However, few studies to date have focused on slow dynamic ecosystems such as forests. As they are vertically stratified by multiple vegetation strata, canopy tree removal by thinning operations could alter forest plant community through tree canopy opening. Very little is known about cascading effects on soil biodiversity. We conducted a large‐scale, multi‐site assessment of collembolan assemblage response to long‐term canopy tree removal in sessile oak Quercus petraea temperate forests. A total of 33 experimental plots were studied covering a large gradient of canopy tree basal area, stand age and local abiotic contexts. Collembolan abundance strongly declined with canopy tree removal in early forest successional stage and this was mediated by negative effect of understory plant community composition changes, i.e. shift from moss and forb to tree seedling, fern, shrub and grass species. Negative effect of this composition shift on collembolan species richness was largely offset by positive effect of the increase in understory plant species richness. This gives support to both the plant mass‐ratio and functional diversity hypotheses. Collembolan functional groups had contrasting response patterns, which were mediated by different ecological factors. Epedaphic (r‐strategist) abundance and species richness increased with canopy tree removal in relation with the increase in understory plant species richness. In contrast, euedaphic (K‐strategist) abundance and species richness declined with canopy tree removal in early forest successional stage in relation with changes in understory plant community composition and species richness, as well as microclimatic conditions. Overall, our study provides experimental evidence that forest plant community can be a strong driver of collembolan assemblages. It also emphasizes the role of trees as foundation species of forest ecosystems that can shape soil biodiversity through their regulation of understory plant community and ecosystem abiotic conditions.     

Species richness and soil properties in Pinus ponderosa forests: A structural equation modeling analysis

Question: How are the effects of mineral soil properties on understory plant species richness propagated through a network of processes involving the forest overstory, soil organic matter, soil nitrogen, and understory plant abundance? Location: North‐central Arizona, USA. Methods: We sampled 75 0.05‐ha plots across a broad soil gradient in a Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine) forest ecosystem. We evaluated multivariate models of plant species richness using structural equation modeling. Results: Richness was highest at intermediate levels of understory plant cover, suggesting that both colonization success and competitive exclusion can limit richness in this system. We did not detect a reciprocal positive effect of richness on plant cover. Richness was strongly related to soil nitrogen in the model, with evidence for both a direct negative effect and an indirect non‐linear relationship mediated through understory plant cover. Soil organic matter appeared to have a positive influence on understory richness that was independent of soil nitrogen. Richness was lowest where the forest overstory was densest, which can be explained through indirect effects on soil organic matter, soil nitrogen and understory cover. Finally, model results suggest a variety of direct and indirect processes whereby mineral soil properties can influence richness. Conclusions: Understory plant species richness and plant cover in P. ponderosa forests appear to be significantly influenced by soil organic matter and nitrogen, which are, in turn, related to overstory density and composition and mineral soil properties. Thus, soil properties can impose direct and indirect constraints on local species diversity in ponderosa pine forests.