Partitioning evapotranspiration fluxes from a Colorado grassland using stable isotopes: Seasonal variations and ecosystem implications of elevated atmospheric CO2

The stable isotopic composition of soil water is controlled by precipitation inputs, antecedent conditions, and evaporative losses. Because transpiration does not fractionate soil water isotopes, the relative proportions of evaporation and transpiration can be estimated using a simple isotopic mass balance approach. At our site in the shortgrass steppe in semi-arid northeastern Colorado, ¹⁸O values of soil water were almost always more enriched than those of precipitation inputs, owing to evaporative losses. The proportion of water lost by evaporation (E/ET) during the growing season ranged from nil to about 40% (to >90% in the dormant season), and was related to the timing of precipitation inputs. The sum of transpiration plus evaporation losses estimated by isotopic mass balance were similar to actual evapotranspiration measured from a nearby Bowen ratio system. We also investigated the evapotranspiration response of this mixed C₃/C₄ grassland to doubled atmospheric [CO₂] using Open-Top Chambers (OTC). Elevated atmospheric [CO₂] led to increased soil-water conservation via reduced stomatal conductance, despite greater biomass growth. We used a non-invasive method to measure the ¹⁸O of soil CO₂ as a proxy for soil water, after establishing a strong relationship between ¹⁸O of soil CO₂ from non-chambered control (NC) plots and ¹⁸O of soil–water from an adjacent area of native grassland. Soil–CO₂ ¹⁸O values showed significant treatment effects, particularly during a dry summer: values in ambient chambers (AC) were more enriched than in NC and elevated chamber (EC) plots. During the dry growing season of 2000, transpiration from the EC treatment was higher than from AC and lower than from NC treatments, but during 2001, transpiration was similar on all three treatments. Slightly higher evaporation rates from AC than either EC or NC treatments in 2000 may have resulted from increased convection across the soil surface from the OTC blowers, combined with lower biomass and litter cover on the AC treatment. Transpiration-use efficiency, or the amount of above-ground biomass produced per mm water transpired, was always greatest on EC and lowest on NC treatments.     

Effects of increased soil water availability on grassland ecosystem carbon dioxide fluxes

There is considerable interest in how ecosystems will respond to changes in precipitation. Alterations in rain and snowfall are expected to influence the spatio-temporal patterns of plant and soil processes that are controlled by soil moisture, and potentially, the amount of carbon (C) exchanged between the atmosphere and ecosystems. Because grasslands cover over one third of the terrestrial landscape, understanding controls on grassland C processes will be important to forecast how changes in precipitation regimes will influence the global C cycle. In this study we examined how irrigation affects carbon dioxide (CO₂) fluxes in five widely variable grasslands of Yellowstone National Park during a year of approximately average growing season precipitation. We irrigated plots every 2 weeks with 25% of the monthly 30-year average of precipitation resulting in plots receiving approximately 150% of the usual growing season water in the form of rain and supplemented irrigation. Ecosystem CO₂ fluxes were measured with a closed chamber-system once a month from May-September on irrigated and unirrigated plots in each grassland. Soil moisture was closely associated with CO₂ fluxes and shoot biomass, and was between 1.6% and 11.5% higher at the irrigated plots (values from wettest to driest grassland) during times of measurements. When examining the effect of irrigation throughout the growing season (May–September) across sites, we found that water additions increased ecosystem CO₂ fluxes at the two driest and the wettest sites, suggesting that these sites were water-limited during the climatically average precipitation conditions of the 2005 growing season. In contrast, no consistent responses to irrigation were detected at the two sites with intermediate soil moisture. Thus, the ecosystem CO₂ fluxes at those sites were not water-limited, when considering their responses to supplemental water throughout the whole season. In contrast, when we explored how the effect of irrigation varied temporally, we found that irrigation increased ecosystem CO₂ fluxes at all the sites late in the growing season (September). The spatial differences in the response of ecosystem CO₂ fluxes to irrigation likely can be explained by site specific differences in soil and vegetation properties. The temporal effects likely were due to delayed plant senescence that promoted plant and soil activity later into the year. Our results suggest that in Yellowstone National Park, above-normal amounts of soil moisture will only stimulate CO₂ fluxes across a portion of the ecosystem. Thus, depending on the topographic location, grassland CO₂ fluxes can be water-limited or not. Such information is important to accurately predict how changes in precipitation/soil moisture will affect CO₂ dynamics and how they may feed back to the global C cycle.     

How well do single samples reflect rotifer species diversity? A test based on interannual variation of rotifer communities in Big Bend National Park (Texas,USA)

Studies of rotifer community composition and dynamics often rely on limited sampling regimes. To determine how well species richness is reflected in these studies, we examined interannual variation of rotifer species richness and monogonont community structure from 10 aquatic systems comprising four habitat types—springs, rock pools (tinajas), former cattle tanks, and artificial ponds—in Big Bend National Park (Texas, USA). Planktonic, littoral, and benthic samples were collected from all sites at about the same date for each of five summers (2001–2005). Our survey yielded 15 monogonont families including 30 genera and 84 species. Two bdelloid taxa also were designated. Species richness varied widely among these four habitats: range, 1–32; mean (±1 SD), 11.2 ± 8.0. Total Species richness in the habitats also varied considerably: springs (54 taxa) > artificial ponds (35 taxa) > tinajas (19 taxa) > cattle tanks (15 taxa). Sessile species comprised ≈13% of the taxa in our samples. Species turnover indices (STI) of these systems indicate low overall relatedness: mean (±1 S.D.) = 85.2 ± 7.1%. The relative frequency of encounter of most taxa in the four systems was low, with 79 taxa (≈92%) having values ≤2.0%. Singleton rates were quite high, ranging from 46.7 to 71.4%, with an overall mean ≈65.1%. Most importantly, we found that both species richness and STI varied considerably among habitat type. Species richness varied by 2–10× between consecutive years and STI ranged from 64 to 89% over the entire study. Our results indicate that rotifer community composition fluctuates greatly over time, and that rotifer community structure may be more labile than is generally believed. Species richness and thus biodiversity may be dramatically underestimated using single sampling or short-term strategies that are often employed in studies of zooplankton community structure. Guest editors: S. S. S. Sarma, R. D. Gulati, R. L. Wallace, S. Nandini, H. J. Dumont & R. Rico-Martínez Advances in Rotifer Research     

A classification of subtropical riverine grassland and forest in Chitwan National Park,Nepal

Eight grassland associations with ten phases and two riverine forest associations were identified on the floodplains of Chitwan National Park in lowland Nepal. TwoThemeda arundinacea associations were primarily stable edaphic associations on mollic soils, often with aquic moisture regimes.Themeda associations were floristically similar to adjacent sal forest. Four mixed tall-grass associations primarily ofNarenga porphyrocoma, Saccharum bengalense, andSaccharum spontaneum were identified. These andThemeda arundinacea types were characterized by a very weak component of woody species. Two grass-shrub associations ofSaccharum bengalense andNarenga porphyrocoma with a strong woody species component typical of riverine forest were described.Trewia nudiflora-Bombax ceiba riverine forest and mixed riverine forest types also were identified on the basis of understory composition. Mixed tall-grass and grass-shrub associations appeared to represent early and late phases of grassland succession to riverine forest. Trajectories of succession are controlled primarily by fire and wildlife grazing. The classification refines the general classifications applied to the central Terai of Nepal and India, and should provide insight for classification of other Terai riverine grasslands.Abbreviations DS Dabadghao and Shankarnarayan's 1973 grassland classification for India - IMCY Imperata cylindrica - NAFA Narenga fallax - NAPO Narenga porphyrocoma - PHKA Phragmites karka - SABE Saccharum bengalense - SASP Saccharum spontaneum - THAR Themeda arundinacea     

Response of net ecosystem gas exchange to a simulated precipitation pulse in a semi-arid grassland: the role of native versus non-native grasses and soil texture

Physiological activity and structural dynamics in arid and semi-arid ecosystems are driven by discrete inputs or pulses of growing season precipitation. Here we describe the short-term dynamics of ecosystem physiology in experimental stands of native (Heteropogon contortus) and invasive (Eragrostis lehmanniana) grasses to an irrigation pulse across two geomorphic surfaces with distinctly different soils: a Pleistocene-aged surface with high clay content in a strongly horizonated soil, and a Holocene-aged surface with low clay content in homogenously structured soils. We evaluated whole-ecosystem and leaf-level CO₂ and H₂O exchange, soil CO₂ efflux, along with plant and soil water status to understand potential constraints on whole-ecosystem carbon exchange during the initiation of the summer monsoon season. Prior to the irrigation pulse, both invasive and native grasses had less negative pre-dawn water potentials ( _pd), greater leaf photosynthetic rates (A _net) and stomatal conductance (g _s), and greater rates of net ecosystem carbon exchange (NEE) on the Pleistocene surface than on the Holocene. Twenty-four hours following the experimental application of a 39 mm irrigation pulse, soil CO₂ efflux increased leading to all plots losing CO₂ to the atmosphere over the course of a day. Invasive species stands had greater evapotranspiration rates (ET) immediately following the precipitation pulse than did native stands, while maximum instantaneous NEE increased for both species and surfaces at roughly the same rate. The differential ET patterns through time were correlated with an earlier decline in NEE in the invasive species as compared to the native species plots. Plots with invasive species accumulated between 5% and 33% of the carbon that plots with the native species accumulated over the 15-day pulse period. Taken together, these results indicate that system CO₂ efflux (both the physical displacement of soil CO₂ by water along with plant and microbial respiration) strongly controls whole-ecosystem carbon exchange during precipitation pulses. Since CO₂ and H₂O loss to the atmosphere was partially driven by species effects on soil microclimate, understanding the mechanistic relationships between the soil characteristics, plant ecophysiological responses, and canopy structural dynamics will be important for understanding the effects of shifting precipitation and vegetation patterns in semi-arid environments.     

Interactive effects of light,leaf temperature,CO2 and O2 on photosynthesis in soybean

A biochemical model of C ₃photosynthesis has been developed by G.D. Farquhar et al. (1980, Planta 149, 78–90) based on Michaelis-Menten kinetics of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylase-oxygenase, with a potential RuBP limitation imposed via the Calvin cycle and rates of electron transport. The model presented here is slightly modified so that parameters may be estimated from whole-leaf gas-exchange measurements. Carbon-dioxide response curves of net photosynthesis obtained using soybean plants (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) at four partial pressures of oxygen and five leaf temperatures are presented, and a method for estimating the kinetic parameters of RuBP carboxylase-oxygenase, as manifested in vivo, is discussed. The kinetic parameters so obtained compare well with kinetic parameters obtained in vitro, and the model fits to the measured data give r ²values ranging from 0.87 to 0.98. In addition, equations developed by J.D. Tenhunen et al. (1976, Oecologia 26, 89–100, 101–109) to describe the light and temperature responses of measured CO₂-saturated photosynthetic rates are applied to data collected on soybean. Combining these equations with those describing the kinetics of RuBP carboxylase-oxygenase allows one to model successfully the interactive effects of incident irradiance, leaf temperature, CO₂ and O₂ on whole-leaf photosynthesis. This analytical model may become a useful tool for plant ecologists interested in comparing photosynthetic responses of different C₃ plants or of a single species grown in contrasting environments.Abbreviations PCO photorespiratory carbon oxidation - PCR photosynthetic carbon reduction - PPFD photosynthetic photon-flux density - RuBP ribulose bisphosphate     

施氮对桉树人工林生长季土壤温室气体通量的影响

施肥是维持短期轮伐人工林生产量的重要手段,为了提高肥料利用效率,缓释氮肥逐渐成为广泛采用的氮肥种类。评估缓释肥施用对人工林生长季土壤温室气体通量的影响对于全面评估人工林施肥的环境效应具有重要意义。以我国南方广泛种植的桉树林为对象,采用野外控制实验研究了4种施氮处理(对照CK:0 kg/hm2;低氮L:84.2 kg/hm2;中氮M:166.8 kg/hm2;高氮H:333.7 kg/hm2)对土壤-大气界面3种温室气体(CO2、N2O和CH4)通量的影响,结果表明:(1)4种施氮水平下CO2排放通量、N2O排放通量和CH4吸收通量分别为276.84—342.84 mg m-2h-1、17.64—375.34μg m-2h-1和29.65—39.70μg m-2h-1;施氮显著促进了N2O的排放(P0.01),高氮处理显著增加CO2排放和显著减少CH4吸收(P0.05),且CO2排放通量与CH4吸收通量随着施氮量的增加分别呈现增加和减少的趋势;(2)生长季CO2和N2O排放呈现显著正相关(P0.01),CO2排放和CH4吸收呈现显著负相关(P0.05),N2O排放和CH4吸收呈现显著负相关(P0.01);(3)土壤温度和土壤水分是影响CO2、N2O排放通量和CH4吸收通量的主要环境因素。结果表明:施用缓释肥显著增加了桉树林生长季土壤N2O排放量,且高氮处理还显著促进CO2排放和显著抑制CH4吸收,上述研究结果可为人工林缓释肥对土壤温室气体通量评估提供参数。     

模拟增温对羊草生态系统土壤呼吸速率的影响

草地是陆地生态系统的重要组成部分,研究草地系统土壤呼吸速率对全球气候变暖的响应,对预测全球碳循环具有重要作用。采用高度分别为0.5 m（T1）和1.85 m（T2）的开顶式增温箱（OTCs）对羊草生态系统进行模拟增温,仔细观察羊草的生育期,在每个生育期的同一天的晨间t₁时段（9：00-11：00）、午间t₂时段（13：30-15：30）和晚间t₃时段（17：00-19：00）监测土壤呼吸速率。分析不同增温幅度下土壤呼吸速率的变化规律,明确影响土壤碳排放的主要因素,探讨土壤呼吸速率与影响因素间存在的关系。结果显示：1）相对于空白对照C,模拟增温T1和T2导致0-10 cm土壤温度分别显著提高1.18和2.37℃;导致0-10 cm土壤湿度降低2.27%和4.57%;2）在羊草生长阶段,土壤呼吸速率呈现明显的季节性变化特征,同一天的t₁时段、t₂时段和t₃时段土壤呼吸速率峰值分别出现在结实期、抽穗期和开花期。非生长阶段土壤呼吸速率无显著差异;3）不同处理下土壤呼吸速率与近地表气温、0-10 cm土壤温度和地下生物量呈指数正相关关系,与0-10 cm的土壤湿度呈显著二次项负相关关系,与地上生物量表现为二次项正相关关系。研究结果明确了羊草生态系统中土壤碳排放对增温的响应,可为草原生态系统应对气候变化及可持续发展提供理论依据。     

增加降水对干旱河谷区云南松人工林土壤呼吸的影响

2013年5月至2014年6月,对干旱河谷区云南松(Pinus yunnanensis)人工林进行增加降水试验,试验设置对照(CK,0 mm m~(-2)a~(-1))、增水10%(A1,80 mm m~(-2)a~(-1))、增水20%(A2,160 mm m~(-2)a~(-1))和增水30%(A3,240 mm m~(-2)a~(-1))4个处理水平。采用LI-8100开路式土壤碳通量测量系统测定每月土壤呼吸速率。结果表明,4个处理云南松人工林土壤呼吸速率均呈明显的季节变化,7月最高,2月最低。与CK相比,A1年均土壤呼吸速率无显著性差异(P0.05),A2显著增加了12.88%(P0.05),而A3明显减少了17.71%(P0.05)。3个增水处理均提高了土壤呼吸的温度敏感性,减弱了土壤呼吸与土壤湿度的关系。与土壤温度相比,土壤湿度对土壤呼吸的影响相对较小。增水增加了湿季土壤微生物碳、氮含量,干季对微生物碳含量无影响,但明显降低了微生物氮含量。这说明,降水增加对干旱河谷区云南松人工林土壤呼吸的影响是不尽相同的,适当的增水会促进土壤呼吸,而过量的增水会抑制土壤呼吸。     

Carbon dioxide exchange of Antarctic crustose lichens in situ measured with a CO2/H2O porometer

Summary Photosynthesis and respiration of crustose lichens in their natural situation were measured by means of a Walz porometer with a modified cuvette and a plexiglass ring. Habitat influence and the specific performance of three maritime Antarctic species were demonstrated by diurnal courses of microclimate and CO₂ exchange during rainy days. In further field experiments the photosynthetic response to soaking with water was tested. Haematomma erythromma is rain-exposed at its natural habitat on coastal rocks but tends to dry out quickly. The photosynthetic efficiency of the chlorophyll of this photophilous species was high. Lecidea sciatrapha appears to be chionophilous and had a low light compensation point of its net photosynthesis. The photosynthetic rates per surface area of these two species were low compared with those of Caloplaca sublobulata. According to its habitat selection C. sublobulata is typified as an ombrophobous lichen. This characterization was confirmed experimentally by our gas exchange measurements.     

Effects of elevated CO2 and nitrogen fertilization pretreatments on decomposition on tallgrass prairie leaf litter

Standing dead and green foliage litter was collected in early November 1990 from Andropogon gerardii (C₄), Sorghastrum nutans (C₄), and Poa pratensis (C₃) plants that were grown in large open-top chambers under ambient or twice ambient CO₂ and with or without nitrogen fertilization (45 kg N ha⁻¹). The litter was placed in mesh bags on the soil surface of pristine prairie adjacent to the growth treatment plots and allowed to decay under natural conditions. Litter bags were retrieved at fixed intervals and litter was analyzed for mass loss, carbon chemistry, and total Kjeldahl nitrogen and phosphorus. The results indicate that growth treatments had a relatively minor effect on the initial chemical composition of the litter and its subsequent rate of decay or chemical composition. This suggests that a large indirect effect of CO₂ on surface litter decomposition in the tallgrass prairie would not occur by way of changes in chemistry of leaf litter. However, there was a large difference in characteristics of leaf litter decomposition among the species. Poa leaf litter had a different initial chemistry and decayed more rapidly than C₄ grasses. We conclude that an indirect effect of CO₂ on decomposition and nutrient cycling could occur if CO₂ induces changes in the relative aboveground biomass of the prairie species.     

Effects of elevated CO2 and O3 on leaf litter phenolics and subsequent performance of litter-feeding soil macrofauna

Two field-growing silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) clones (clone 4 and 80) were exposed to elevated CO₂ and O₃ for three growing seasons (1999–2001). The phenolic compounds of naturally abscised leaf litter were analyzed in order to determine the possible CO₂- and O₃-induced changes in the litter quality. The potential litter-mediated CO₂ and O₃ effects on litter-feeding soil macrofauna (detritivore) performance were assessed in microcosm experiments, i.e., the relative growth rates (RGR) of Lumbricus terrestris and Porcellio scaber, the relative consumption rates (RCR) of P. scaber, and mortality of the test animals were measured. The leaf litter grown under elevated CO₂ had increased concentrations (weight per mass unit) and contents (weight per leaf) of phenolic acids, flavonol glycosides, condensed tannins and total measured phenolics. Elevated O₃ increased the concentrations of 3,4’-dihydroxypropiophenone 3-β-d-glucoside (DHPPG) and flavonoid aglycones but only under ambient CO₂. However, elevated O₃ effects on the content of some low-molecular-weight phenolic (LMWP) compounds (i.e. phenolic acids, DHPPG, flavonoid aglycones) and total LMWP changed over time emphasizing the importance of conducting long-term (>3 years) exposure studies. In general, RGR of young L. terrestris was affected by the litter quality changes induced by elevated CO₂ and O₃, as the animal growth rates were reduced when they were fed with CO₂- and O₃-exposed leaf litter of clone 80 in Experiment 1. P. scaber RCR or RGR responses to CO₂- and O₃-induced changes in litter quality were more variable and inconsistent, and neither were there any litter-mediated CO₂ and O₃ effects on animal mortality in these microcosm experiments. In conclusion, elevated CO₂ has the potential to alter silver birch leaf litter quality, but the possible O₃ effects on phenolic compounds and litter-mediated CO₂ and O₃ effects on detritivores are more difficult to validate.     

Elevated [CO2], temperature increase and N supply effects on the turnover of below-ground carbon in a temperate grassland ecosystem

The effects of elevated [CO₂] (700 μl l^-1 CO₂) and temperature increase (+3 °C) on carbon turnover in grassland soils were studied during 2.5 years at two N fertiliser supplies (160 and 530 kg N ha^-1 y^-1) in an experiment with well-established ryegrass swards (Lolium perenne) supplied with the same amounts of irrigation water. During the growing season, swards from the control climate (350 μl l^-1 [CO₂] at outdoor air temperature) were pulse labelled by the addition of ¹³CO₂. The elevated [CO₂] treatments were continuously labelled by the addition of fossil-fuel derived CO₂ (^{13 C} of -40 to -50 ‰). Prior to the start of the experimental treatments, the carbon accumulated in the plant parts and in the soil macro-organic matter (‘old’ C) was at −32‰. During the experiment, the carbon fixed in the plant material (‘new’ C) was at −14 and −54‰ in the ambient and elevated [CO₂] treatments, respectively. During the experiment, the ¹³C isotopic mass balance method was used to calculate, for the top soil (0–15 cm), the carbon turnover in the stubble and roots and in the soil macro-organic matter above 200 μ (MOM). Elevated [CO₂] stimulated the turnover of organic carbon in the roots and stubble and in the MOM at N+, but not at N−. At the high N supply, the mean replacement time of ‘old’ C by ‘new’ C declined in elevated, compared to ambient [CO₂], from 18 to 7 months for the roots and stubble and from 25 to 17 months for the MOM. This resulted from increased rates of ‘new’ C accumulation and of ‘old’ C decay. By contrast, at the low N supply, despite an increase in the rate of accumulation of ‘new’ C, the soil C pools did not turnover faster in elevated [CO₂], as the rate of ‘old’ C decomposition was reduced. A 3 °C temperature increase in elevated [CO₂] decreased the input of fresh C to the roots and stubble and enhanced significantly the exponential rate for the ‘old’ C decomposition in the roots and stubble. An increased fertiliser N supply reduced the carbon turnover in the roots and stubble and in the MOM, in ambient but not in elevated [CO₂]. The respective roles for carbon turnover in the coarse soil OM fractions, of the C:N ratio of the litter, of the inorganic N availability and of a possible priming effect between C-substrates are discussed. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of six years atmospheric CO2 enrichment on plant,soil, and soil microbial C of a calcareous grassland

Stimulated plant production and often even larger stimulation of photosynthesis at elevated CO₂ raise the possibility of increased C storage in plants and soils. We analysed ecosystem C partitioning and soil C fluxes in calcareous grassland exposed to elevated CO₂ for 6 years. At elevated CO₂, C pools increased in plants (+23%) and surface litter (+24%), but were not altered in microbes and soil organic matter. Soils were fractionated into particle size and density separates. The amount of low-density macroorganic C, an indicator of particulate soil C inputs from root litter, was not affected by elevated CO₂. Incorporation of C fixed during the experiment (C_new) was tracked by C isotopic analysis of soil fractions which were labelled due to ¹³C depletion of the commercial CO₂ used for atmospheric enrichment. This data constrains estimates of C sequestration (absolute upper bound) and indicates where in soils potentially sequestered C is stored. C_new entered soils at an initial rate of 210±42 g C m^–2 year^–1, but only 554±39 g C_new m^–2 were recovered after 6 years due to the low mean residence time of 1.8 years. Previous process-oriented measurements did not indicate increased plant–soil C fluxes at elevated CO₂ in the same system (¹³C kinetics in soil microbes and fine roots after pulse labelling, and minirhizotron observations). Overall experimental evidence suggests that C storage under elevated CO₂ occurred only in rapidly turned-over fractions such as plants and detritus, and that potential extra soil C inputs were rapidly re-mineralised. We argue that this inference does not conflict with the observed increases in photosynthetic fixation at elevated CO₂, because these are not good predictors of plant growth and soil C fluxes for allometric reasons. C sequestration in this natural system may also be lower than suggested by plant biomass responses to elevated CO₂ because C storage may be limited by stabilisation of C_new in slowly turned-over soil fractions (a prerequisite for long-term storage) rather than by the magnitude of C inputs per se.     

普达措国家公园2个针叶树种径向生长对温度和降水的响应

基于树轮年代学方法,利用普达措国家公园海拔上、下限丽江云杉(Picea likiangensis)和长苞冷杉(Abies georgei)树轮宽度资料,构建差值年表并分析其与温度和降水的关系,阐明影响该区域2个主要针叶树种径向生长的主要气候要素。结果表明:(1)海拔下限丽江云杉径向生长同时受到温度和降水的影响:与上年11月平均温、当年生长季后期(9—10月)平均温和上年7月降水呈显著正相关;(2)海拔上限丽江云杉径向生长只受温度影响,与上年生长季后期平均温呈显著负相关,与当年生长季盛期(6—8月)平均温呈显著正相关;(3)长苞冷杉径向生长只与温度表现出显著相关性,海拔下限的生长与上年11月平均温呈显著正相关,海拔上限的生长与当年生长季盛期平均温呈显著正相关。结果可为气候变化对滇西北高原树木生长影响研究提供参考,为滇西北高原森林生态系统管理与保护提供理论依据。     

Elevated CO2 and nutrient addition after soil N cycling and N trace gas fluxes with early season wet-up in a California annual grassland

We examined the effects of growth carbon dioxide (CO₂)concentration and soil nutrient availability on nitrogen (N)transformations and N trace gas fluxes in California grasslandmicrocosms during early-season wet-up, a time when rates of Ntransformation and N trace gas flux are high. After plant senescenceand summer drought, we simulated the first fall rains and examined Ncycling. Growth at elevated CO₂ increased root productionand root carbon:nitrogen ratio. Under nutrient enrichment, elevatedCO₂ increased microbial N immobilization during wet-up,leading to a 43% reduction in gross nitrification anda 55% reduction in NO emission from soil. ElevatedCO₂ increased microbial N immobilization at ambientnutrients, but did not alter nitrification or NO emission. ElevatedCO₂ did not alter soil emission of N₂O ateither nutrient level. Addition of NPK fertilizer (1:1:1) stimulatedN mineralization and nitrification, leading to increased N₂Oand NO emission from soil. The results of our study support a mechanisticmodel in which elevated CO₂ alters soil N cycling and NOemission: increased root production and increased C:N ratio in elevatedCO₂ stimulate N immobilization, thereby decreasingnitrification and associated NO emission when nutrients are abundant.This model is consistent with our basic understanding of how C availabilityinfluences soil N cycling and thus may apply to many terrestrial ecosystems.     

藏香猪放牧对滇西北高原湿地土壤CO2通量的影响

高原湿地是生态系统中重要的碳汇。土壤CO_2通量作为高原湿地生态系统碳收支的重要组成部分,碳的释放对区域碳平衡发挥着重要的作用。藏香猪放牧是我国高海拔藏区一种特有的放牧方式,是导致高原湿地土壤退化的重要干扰因素之一,并影响着土壤CO_2通量的变化。采用土壤CO_2通量自动测量系统(LI-8100A,LI-COR,USA),分别在不同季节对滇西北布伦、哈木谷、伊拉草原上藏香猪干扰和对照(非干扰土壤)CO_2通量变化进行监测,研究发现,藏香猪干扰型放牧降低了土壤CO_2排放通量,且表现出明显的日波动变化特征。相比旱季,雨季不同放牧方式影响下的土壤CO_2通量差异性更为明显,其中布伦、哈木谷、伊拉草原较对照分别降低了70.4%、87.5%、60.7%。CO_2排放通量与土壤理化性状及植物生物量的回归分析表明,对照样地的土壤容重、孔隙度、pH、总活性碳、植物生物量与土壤CO_2通量具有显著的相关性(P0.01)。通过植物-土壤指数(plant-soil index,PSI)分析了藏香猪干扰型放牧对高原湿地的影响,总体来看,对照样地中土壤CO_2通量与PSI之间具有较好的线性关系,可以用来很好的预测未来高原湿地土壤CO_2通量的变化。该研究结果不仅有效估算了强干扰放牧影响下的高原湿地土壤碳排放量,而且为加强藏香猪放牧的科学管理,高原湿地生态系统的保护、恢复及重建提供了理论支持。     

Alleviation of salt-induced stress on seed emergence using soil additives in a greenhouse

Use of sodium chloride (NaCl) as a deicing salt results in high concentrations of ions in roadside soils, which decreases seedling emergence in these areas. Greenhouse experiments performed in soil culture tested the efficacy of three soil fertilizers, gypsum (CaSO₄), potash (potassium chloride, KCl) and potassium nitrate (KNO₃), in alleviating NaCl stress on seedling emergence of three grass species exhibiting a range of salt tolerance, Poa pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass), Bouteloua gracilis (blue grama), and Puccinellia distans (alkali grass). Two-factor factorial designs were utilized for each species-fertilizer combination. Treatments of 5000 mg/L (0.086 M) NaCl with or without fertilizer, in concentrations that were equal to 0.5, 1, and 2 times the molar equivalent of 5000 mg/L NaCl were applied biweekly. Salt stress on Poa pratensis emergence was alleviated by all fertilizers with CaSO₄ having the greatest effect in alleviating NaCl stress and potash and potassium nitrate alleviating stress at lower treatment levels. Emergence of Bouteloua gracilis and Puccinellia distans was in most cases negatively effected by soil amendments.     

Effect of long-term nitrogen fertilization on mycorrhizal fungi associated with a dominant grass in a semiarid grassland

We studied the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in semiarid grassland and the effect of long-term nitrogen (N) fertilization on this fungal community. Root samples of Bouteloua gracilis were collected at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge (New Mexico, USA) from control and N-amended plots that have been fertilized since 1995. Small subunit rDNA was amplified using AMF specific primers NS31 and AM1. The diversity of AMF was low in comparison with other ecosystems, only seven operational taxonomic units (OTU) were found in B. gracilis and all belong to the genus Glomus. The dominant OTU was closely related to the ubiquitous G. intraradices/G. fasciculatum group. N-amended plots showed a reduction in the abundance of the dominant OTU and an increase in AMF diversity. The greater AMF diversity in roots from N-amended plots may have been the result of displacement of the dominant OTU, which facilitated detection of uncommon AMF. The long-term implications of AMF responses to N enrichment for plant carbon allocation and plant community structure remain unclear.     

降雨量改变对常绿阔叶林干旱和湿润季节土壤呼吸的影响

通过野外原位试验,研究降雨量改变对华西雨屏区常绿阔叶林干旱和湿润季节土壤呼吸速率的影响。采用LI-8100土壤碳通量分析系统(LI-COR Inc.,USA)测定干旱和湿润季节对照(CK)、增雨10%(LA)、增雨5%(TA)、减雨10%(LR)、减雨20%(MR)、减雨50%(HR)6个处理水平的土壤呼吸速率,并通过回归方程分析温度和湿度与土壤呼吸速率间的关系。结果表明:湿润季节土壤呼吸速率高于干旱季节,HR处理对干旱季节土壤呼吸速率影响较大,而LA处理对湿润季节土壤呼吸速率的影响较大。TA和LR处理使土壤呼吸的温度敏感性增加,而HR、LA和MR处理使土壤呼吸的温度敏感性降低,干旱季节Q10值高于湿润季节。各处理湿润季节土壤微生物量碳氮含量显著高于干旱季节,HR、MR和LA处理减少土壤微生物生物量碳、氮的含量,而TA和LR处理增加土壤微生物生物量碳、氮的含量。与湿润季节相比,干旱季节土壤水分对土壤呼吸速率的影响较大;而与土壤温度相比,土壤水分对土壤呼吸速率的影响较小。在降雨量改变的背景下,华西雨屏区常绿阔叶林无论是干旱还是湿润季节,适当增雨和减雨都会促进土壤呼吸速率,而较高量的增雨和减雨会抑制土壤呼吸速率。