冰川棘豆(Oxytropis glacialis)根系土壤细菌多样性特征

冰川棘豆是青藏高原高寒草原和荒漠草原主要伴生毒草之一,对青藏高原草地退化及畜牧业的发展产生严重影响。对4种不同生态环境中冰川棘豆根系土壤细菌的16S rRNA进行高通量测序及生物信息学分析,结合土壤的理化性质,分析了不同生态环境下冰川棘豆根系土壤细菌群落多样性及其与土壤理化因子的关系,探讨了根系土壤细菌对冰川棘豆在高寒生态系统中形成优势种可能的影响。结果表明,在不同生态环境下冰川棘豆根系土壤细菌多样性丰富,且受土壤pH和有机物影响最大,同时,能够保持稳定的核心菌群网络,对冰川棘豆在高寒生态系统中形成优势种具有促进作用。     

高寒地区不同退化草地植被特性和土壤固氮菌群特性及其相关性

选取东祁连山不同退化程度的高寒草地为研究对象,调查研究其植物种类、植被盖度、高度、地上生物量等植物指标以及土壤好气性自生固氮菌和嫌气性自生固氮菌数量,在此基础上,采用real-time PCR的方法扩增nifH基因,测定不同退化程度草地土壤中固氮菌相对于土壤总细菌的量,以探讨草地退化过程中植被及土壤固氮菌群的变化规律,结果发现:随着退化程度的加深,草地植物种类逐渐减少,并且优势植物发生变化,毒杂草逐渐增多,植被的高度、盖度、地上生物量都逐渐降低。对土壤固氮菌的研究则表明,土壤好气性自生固氮菌和嫌气性自生固氮菌的数量在不同退化草地随草地退化程度的加重而减少,在同一退化程度草地土壤则是随土层深度加深而下降。对土壤固氮菌nifH基因扩增的结果也表明随着退化加剧,土壤固氮菌相对于土壤总细菌的比例在降低,进一步说明草地退化过程中土壤固氮菌不仅是数量上的下降,更是群落结构层面的变化。对植被特性和土壤固氮菌含量的相关分析表明,植被特性和土壤中固氮菌含量呈显著相关。研究从土壤固氮菌群的角度研究了草地退化的过程,说明了二者具有协同性,研究和治理草地退化必须重视土壤功能菌群尤其是固氮菌群的作用。     

植被与土壤特征对青藏高原不同程度退化草地的响应

高寒草地作为青藏高原高寒生态系统的重要组分之一,其退化已严重影响到高原的可持续发展和草地恢复重建。搜集了2004—2022年间关于青藏高原高寒草地退化的64篇研究结果,包含土壤有机碳、生物量和多样性指数等16个指标的1403组数据,运用meta分析解析了草地退化对土壤理化性质、植被生产力和物种多样性的影响,并对重度退化草地的土壤理化性质和植物生物量进行线性回归分析。结果表明：随着草地退化的加剧,土壤有机碳、全氮、全磷、有效氮、有效磷、有效钾、土壤含水量、地上生物量、地下生物量和植被高度显著下降;土壤容重显著上升;土壤pH、全钾在各个退化阶段没有明显差异;Shannon多样性指数、Pielou均匀度指数和Margalef丰富度指数整体呈下降趋势。土壤有机碳、全氮、全磷、有效氮、有效磷、有效钾和土壤含水量与地上生物量、地下生物量存在显著的正相关;土壤容重与地上生物量、地下生物量呈显著的负相关;土壤pH与地上生物量、地下生物量呈负相关。因此,青藏高原高寒草地退化通过改变土壤理化性质而改变地上群落多样性和生物量,为阐明植被与土壤特征对草地退化的响应机制以及高寒退化草地的恢复提供了科学依据。     

Seasonal abundance of soil-surface arthropods in relation to some meteorological and edaphic variables of the grassland and tree-planted areas in a tropical semi-arid savanna

Seasonality of relative population abundance in different groups of soil-surface arthropods was investigated monthly by pit-fall traps during a 2-year period in the grassland and tree-planted areas of a tropical semi-arid savanna at Warangal (south India). Densities of most groups were lowest during summer and highest during the rainy season. They were less abundant during winter. Arthropods were recorded in higher numbers in tree-planted compared to grassland areas. Certain arthropods that were found only during part of the year were recorded for a longer period in the tree-planted area. Formicidae,Monomorium indicum Forel,Crematogaster sp. andPachycondyla? tesserinoda (Emery), and Coleoptera,Pachycera sp. reached maximum densities in the rainy season and minimum numbers during winter and summer in the grassland area. However, these species had lower densities during the rainy season and reached maximum densities during winter and summer in the tree-planted area. The seasonal abundance of arthropods showed significant linear correlations with different abiotic environmental variables such as rainfall, soil moisture, organic matter, soil and air temperatures, soil pH, relative humidity at the soil surface, and potassium and phosphorus of surface soil. Soil moisture and rainfall were generally the strongest correlates with densities, particularly in the grassland area.     

生态恢复和经济发展悖论中毒害草的地位及悖论解决途径

探讨了毒害草存在的生态价值、利用价值及毒害草防治的弊端。认为过度放牧是畜牧业陷入困境的主要原因,毒害草的繁衍只是草原退化的直接反映,防除缺乏依据。现有的防治措施存在各种弊端,对环境和生物多样性保护不利;并指出毒害草可以覆盖地面、减少水土流失,对草原生态系统的保护和恢复有利,故认为毒害草的大量繁衍是草原生态系统与放牧系统协同进化的结果,是草原生态系统发展的防御机制,具有极大生态价值。同时提出草原生态系统可持续发展要从人的生存和经济发展着眼,要改变现有生活模式,发展多种经营,实行跨区域经济补偿;要控制人口数量,对现有人口要实现城镇化。     

天祝高寒草地植被、土壤及土壤微生物时间动态的比较

对天祝高寒草地21a前（1982年）、后（2003年）植被状况、土壤理化性质、土壤三大类微生物（细菌、放线菌和真菌）和各生理群微生物（硝化细菌、好气性固氮菌和好气性纤维素分解菌）及不同退化程度（围栏内、围栏外和鼠丘地）草地土壤微生物数量变化特点进行了对比研究。结果表明：（1）与1982年相比,目前该区天然草地植被总盖度、主要优良牧草种类、产草量等显著下降,草地植被退化明显;（2）草地土壤pH升高,土壤含水量、有机质、氮、磷含量均下降,草地土壤理化性质劣于1982年;（3）目前该区天然草地土壤三大类微生物数量及各生理群微生物数量变化十分明显,1982年土壤细菌、放线菌和真菌及微生物总数分别是2003年的153．6、5．5、4．1倍和151．2倍;土壤硝化细菌、好气性固氮菌和好气性纤维素分解菌数量分别是2003年的5．7、43．3倍和94．4倍;（4）轻度退化草地（围栏内）土壤各类微生物数量明显高于严重退化草地（围栏外、鼠丘地）,其数量前者一般为后者的1．5—4．5倍。     

近30年来青藏高原高寒草地NDVI动态变化对自然及人为因子的响应

草地生态系统是陆地生态系统的重要组成部分,在调节气候、水土保持、防风固沙、保护生物多样性等方面发挥着重要作用。青藏高原是全球海拔最高的独特地域单元,平均海拔超过4000 m,素有“世界第三极”之称,亦是我国重要的生态安全屏障,其对气候变化敏感且易受人类活动的影响,属于气候变化敏感区和生态脆弱带。近年来,由于气候变化和人类活动的不断加剧,青藏高原区域气候和环境发生了重大变化,气候变暖、水污染、草地退化和沙化等问题已严重阻碍了当地社会经济的可持续发展。高寒草地是青藏高原主要的植被类型,在气候变化和人类活动加剧的背景下,青藏高原高寒草地植被的动态变化受到人们的广泛关注。归一化植被指数（Normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI）因能有效地反映植被覆盖程度和生长状况而被广泛应用于植被动态的研究中。气温与降水被认为是影响青藏高原植被动态的主要气候因子,放牧强度与人口数量则是主要人为因子。因此,研究高寒草地植被对气候变化和人类活动的响应机制对预测未来草地变化有着重要的意义。基于青藏高原生长季草地的NDVI、气温、降水、放牧强度及人口数量等数据,在县区尺度上,采用趋势分析法探究了1982—2013年青藏高原143个县区生长季草地NDVI动态变化、气候变化及人类活动的变化,同时采用面板数据模型分析了32年来青藏高原143个县区气候、人为因子变化对草地NDVI变化的相对贡献。研究结果显示：（1）青藏高原高寒草地生长季NDVI总体呈增长趋势,草地植被生长状态呈现“整体改善、局部退化”趋势;（2）青藏高原生长季平均气温与降水量整体增加,气候呈现“暖湿化”趋势;（3）在长时间尺度上,气候因子主导了青藏高原高寒草地NDVI的变化,降雨和气温的增加促进草地NDVI的增加,放牧强度的持续增加则导致草地NDVI的减少。     

The effect and implication of human disturbances on altitudinal variation of non-structural carbohydrates in Kobresia pygmaea

Non-structural carbohydrates in plant organs can mirror the plant overall carbon supply status and balance and can also provide evidence for their health evaluation in the ecosystem. Non-structural carbohydrates in Kobresia pygmaea, one dominant herbaceous species on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, were measured to investigate altitudinal variation in non-structural carbohydrate accumulations, as well as engineering disturbance on the stability of the alpine grassland ecosystem. An increasing trend with elevation in total soluble sugars, fructose, and sucrose was detected in the K. pygmaea growing in both undisturbed and disturbed sites. However, there were higher amounts and a more distinctly altitudinal trend of non-structural carbohydrates with a minor fluctuation in undisturbed sites compared to disturbed sites. In addition, the altitudinal trend of sucrose is similar to that in sucrose phosphate synthase and sucrose synthase activities, while it is opposite to that in neutral invertase and soluble acid invertase activities, suggesting that the sucrose accumulation was primarily related to its synthesis. These results revealed that human disturbance resulted in a reduced carbon supply and altered the balance of carbohydrate utilization in plants on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.     

青藏高原东缘高寒草原有毒植物分布与高原鼠兔、高原鼢鼠的相关性

青藏高原高寒草原生态系统是我国特有的生态系统类型,由于受到人为破坏的影响,目前该地区草原生态系统功能退化,优良牧草减少,有毒植物蔓延。高原鼠兔(Ochotona curzoniae)和高原鼢鼠(Myospalax baileyi)是青藏高原东缘高寒草原中最重要的两种小型哺乳动物,其采食行为和挖掘洞穴的生活特性必然对生态系统产生影响,但其与有毒植物之间的互作关系尚未揭示。基于此,在甘肃省玛曲县河曲马场自然生长的高寒草原生态系统中开展了有毒植物的分布与高原鼠兔、高原鼢鼠之间的相关性研究。结果表明,该高寒草原生态系统中分布有毒植物27种,分属于菊科、豆科、毛茛科等11科。在此基础上,测定了该地区有毒植物的生物多样性指数、均匀度指数和丰富度指数,并探究了单位面积条件下有毒植物的分布特征与高原鼠兔和高原鼢鼠种群密度之间的相关性,发现该地区高寒草原有毒植物的蔓延与高原鼠兔的密度之间存在密切的负相关关系(P0.05),而与高原鼢鼠的相关性不显著(P0.05)。     

SPATIAL HETEROGENEITY AND SIMILARITY OF ADULT PLANTS AND SEEDLINGS IN 'BLACK SOIL LAND' SECONDARY WEED COMMUNITY, QINGHAI-TIBETAN PLATEAU

 在样线调查基础上, 用半方差函数、分形维数、空间自相关等方法对青藏高原“黑土滩”次生毒杂草群落地上成体植株、幼苗空间的异质性, 二者物种构成的相似性及其尺度特征进行分析。结果表明, “黑土滩”次生毒杂草群落在较大尺度上地上成体植株物种数的空间依赖性强, 异质性高, 而个体密度则较均匀; 幼苗物种数在小尺度上空间异质性高, 幼苗密度在大尺度上空间异质性较高, 幼苗密度独立于其物种分布, 高密度的幼苗分布在微地形下和群落间隙中, “黑土滩”毒杂草植物幼苗充分利用空余生态位进行群落补充; “黑土滩”群落在不同尺度上地上成体植株与幼苗物种构成相似性变化的规律性不大; “黑土滩”群落幼苗靠其高密度特征完成群落更新, 植物群落幼苗更新力强, 导致“黑土滩”毒杂草群落趋于稳定。因此, 建议加强干扰以减弱“黑土滩”次生毒杂草群落稳定趋势, 这对恢复“黑土滩”具有重要指导意义。     

Nonlinear responses of productivity and diversity of alpine meadow communities to degradation北大核心CSCD

Aims The alpine meadow degradation could have profound effects on the grassland productivity. The aim of our study is to clarify the dynamic response of community productivity and species diversity in the process of alpine meadow degradation. Methods In the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Northern Tibetan Grassland Ecosystem Research Station (Nagqu station), we conducted stages experiments with multiple degradation levels: control, mild degraded meadow, moderate degraded meadow, severe degraded meadow and serious sandy meadow. Important findings The response of aboveground biomass to alpine meadow degradation showed a linear or nonlinear increased response patterns, but the belowground biomass and total biomass decreased nonlinearly. As observed in measurement of aboveground biomass, Margalef index, Simpson index, Shannon-Wiener index and Pielou evenness index also exhibit a nonlinear increased response to degradation. The results of structural equation models showed that belowground biomass has a positive relationship with soil carbon content (p < 0.05) and volume water content (p < 0.1). However, soil nutrient and soil physical properties had no significant impact on aboveground biomass (p < 0.1). Compared with soil physical properties, soil nutrition is an important factor influencing the diversity index. In our study, the nonlinear responses of productivity and diversity of alpine meadow were described by using the multiple levels of degradation in space. The results suggested that aboveground productivity cannot interpret the degree of degradation of alpine meadow, and by contrast, alpine meadow degradation should be measured by the change of plant functional groups, such as edible grasses and poisonous forbs. © 2018 Editorial Office of Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology. All rights reserved.     

地表水热要素在青藏高原草地退化中的作用

在全球气候变暖和频繁的人类活动影响下,青藏高原草地生态系统发生了生产力下降、生物多样性减少及生态功能退化等一系列现象。与传统观测技术相比,遥感技术具有大范围、快速和连续监测等优点,因此被广泛用于区域尺度的草地植被长时间序列监测。以往对青藏高原草原植被影响因子的研究多集中在气温与降水,而相比较于气温和降水,地表温度和土壤湿度直接作用于植物的根部,对植物种子的萌芽和植株的生长也都有着重要影响,所以地表温度和土壤湿度与植被生长的关系更加紧密。基于遥感技术,利用青藏高原草地区域的MODIS和AVHRR数据,选择草地植被覆盖度作为草地退化的遥感监测指标,建立了青藏高原草地退化遥感监测和评价指标体系,并对青藏高原2001-2017年的草地退化状况进行了遥感监测和评价。同时,利用遥感数据获取青藏高原区域尺度的地表温度和温度植被干旱指数数据,用于指示地表水热状况,最后基于回归方法分析了地表水热要素在青藏高原草地退化中的作用。结果表明：从2001-2017年,青藏高原植被退化程度空间差异明显,柴达木盆地和青海湖附近退化较为严重,喜马拉雅山脉北部、昆仑山脉南部、冈底斯山脉北部交汇的地区退化也较严重。在2001-2017年间,青藏高原草地未退化面积从50.60%上升到59.00%,说明青藏高原草地整体上在朝着改善的方向发展。2001-2017年内,青藏高原草地整体上大部分时间处于轻度退化状态,但是2001年和2015年这两个年份青藏高原草地退化整体上达到中等退化水平。通过回归分析发现,土壤湿度主导的对青藏高原草地的影响面积达到14.04%。地表温度主导的影响面积达到草地总面积的约36.61%。但地表温度与植被之间相互影响,且主要呈现负相关关系。其中,在温性草甸地区,当植被覆盖度较低时,地表温度正向影响植被生长。     

Diversity of Bacterial Communities in a Profile of a Winter Wheat Field: Known and Unknown Members

In soils, bacteria are very abundant and diverse. They are involved in various agro-ecosystem processes such as the nitrogen cycle, organic matter degradation, and soil formation. Yet, little is known about the distribution and composition of bacterial communities through the soil profile, particularly in agricultural soils, as most studies have focused only on topsoils or forest and grassland soils. In the present work, we have used bar-coded pyrosequencing analysis of the V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene to analyze bacterial diversity in a profile (depths 10, 25, and 45 cm) of a well-characterized field of winter wheat. Taxonomic assignment was carried out with the Ribosomal Database Project (RDP) Classifier program with three bootstrap scores: a main run at 0.80, a confirmation run at 0.99, and a run at 0 to gain information on the unknown bacteria. Our results show that biomass and bacterial quantity and diversity decreased greatly with depth. Depth also had an impact, in terms of relative sequence abundance, on 81 % of the most represented taxonomic ranks, notably the ranks Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteridae, and Acidobacteria. Bacterial community composition differed more strongly between the topsoil (10 and 25 cm) and subsoil (45 cm) than between levels in the topsoil, mainly because of shifts in the carbon, nitrogen, and potassium contents. The subsoil also contained more unknown bacteria, 53.96 % on the average, than did the topsoil, with 42.06 % at 10 cm and 45.59 % at 25 cm. Most of these unknown bacteria seem to belong to Deltaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Rhizobiales, and Acidobacteria.     

Changes in some soil properties induced by re-conversion of cropland into grassland in the semiarid steppe zone of Inner Mongolia, China

Aims

“Grain for Green Program” (GGP), i.e., re-conversion of cropland into forest or grassland, initiated by Chinese government has a profound impact on mitigating environmental degradation. The objectives of this study were to assess the changes of some soil properties during the processes of re-conversion from cropland to grassland over time in the semiarid steppe region of north China.

Methods

Two sites with different ages of re-conversion were selected for measurements of organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN) and phosphorus (TP), bulk density (BD) and grain size distribution. Saturated hydraulic conductivity was determined by the constant hydraulic head method and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity by disc infiltrometer at tensions of 30, 60 and 150 mm. Soil water content was measured using the gravimetric method. Wetting front depths in the soil after rainfall were also recorded at the study sites.

Results

Natural grasslands had higher belowground biomass than re-converted grasslands. Re-converted grasslands had lower SOM and TN at depths of 0–20 cm and higher saturated hydraulic conductivity at depths of 0–10 cm than natural grassland. The natural grassland soils had higher soil water contents in the surface soil (0–20 cm) and lower soil water contents at deeper depths than re-converted grassland soils. Soil aggregate stability reached the natural steppe level 12 years after re-conversion.

Conclusions

The recovery of soil properties after GGP appeared to be slow, and these properties did not return to natural grassland status before cultivation after 12 years of re-conversion.     

Characterization of the spatial distribution of plateau pika burrows along an alpine grassland degradation gradient on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Plateau pika burrows are common feature of degraded grassland in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) and serve as an important indicator of pika activity and grassland degradation. However, the current understanding of the spatial pattern changes of pika burrows and their critical thresholds across a degradation gradient in alpine grassland is deficient. In this study, we investigated and quantified changes in the spatial pattern of plateau pika burrows under typical degraded alpine shrub meadows in the northeastern QTP using an unmanned aerial vehicle and landscape pattern metrics. The degradation of the alpine shrub meadow leads to a change in landscape pattern from a two‐layered structure of alpine shrub and alpine meadow to a mosaic of alpine meadow and bare soil, with plateau pika burrows scattered throughout. Moderate degradation is the tipping point for changes in surface landscape patterns, followed by the disappearance of alpine shrub, the retreat of alpine meadows and the encroachment of bare soil, and the increasing density and size of pika burrows. The area characteristics of alpine meadows have influenced changes in the spatial pattern of pika burrow, and maintaining its proportional area is a vital measure to control the threat of pika burrows to pastures. The results of this paper provide a methodological reference and guidance for the sustainable utilization of grassland on the QTP.     

The relationship between the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and grazing in a meadow steppe

Aims

To study the relationship between changes in soil properties and plant community characters produced by grazing in a meadow steppe grassland and the composition and diversity of spore-producing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF).

Methods

A field survey was carried out in a meadow steppe area with a gradient of grazing pressures (a site with four grazing intensities and a reserve closed to grazing). The AMF community composition (characterized by spore abundance) and diversity, the vegetation characters and soil properties were measured, and root colonization by AMF was assessed.

Results

AMF diversity (richness and evenness) was higher under light to moderate grazing pressure and declined under intense grazing pressures. Results of multiple regressions indicated that soil electrical conductivity was highly associated with AMF diversity. The variation in AMF diversity was partially associated to the density of tillers of the dominant grass (Leymus chinensis), the above and below-ground biomass and the richness of the plant community.

Conclusions

We propose that the relationship between plants and AMF is altered by environmental stress (salinity) which is in turn influenced by animal grazing. Direct and indirect interactions between vegetation, soil properties, and AMF community need to be elucidated to improve our ability to manage these communities.     

Changes of soil organic and inorganic carbon in relation to grassland degradation in Northern Tibet

The effect of livestock grazing on grassland degradation and the resulting impact on soil carbon concentration is an important factor in carbon estimation. We addressed this issue using field observations and laboratory analysis of samples from Tibetan grassland. Based on the field measurements, we investigated the soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil inorganic carbon (SIC) under two contrasting degradation states: lightly or non-degraded grasslands (LDG) and heavily degraded grasslands (HDG). We assessed their relationships with environmental factors using data collected from 99 sites across Northern Tibet during 2011–2012. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model and one-way ANOVA. The results showed that: (1) SOC concentration decreased and SIC concentration increased following grassland degradation, especially at soil depths in the range of 0–10 cm (P < 0.05); (2) the major environmental factors affecting SOC and SIC were soil pH and plant biomass; (3) spatially, the SOC density increased with the mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation, whereas SIC exhibited the opposite trend; (4) the SOC density increased at first and then decreased with increasing grazing intensity, with an opposite trend in SIC; and (5) soil carbon storage in this region was 0.14 Pg smaller in the HDG than in the LDG. This study suggests that grassland degradation can significantly affect the vertical distribution and storage of SOC and SIC. The carbon sequestration capacity of the top 100 cm of soil in Northern Tibet was estimated as 0.14 Pg.     

甘南州不同退化程度高寒草甸植被及土壤特性的演化规律

为明确甘南州退化高寒草甸植被及土壤特性的演化规律,本研究以甘南藏族自治州碌曲县、夏河县和合作市不同退化程度高寒草甸为研究对象,调查其植被特征并采集土壤样品,测定土壤理化性质、酶活性及微生物数量。结果表明,随退化程度加深,莎草科、蔷薇科和毛茛科等科属毒杂草逐渐代替禾本科优质牧草优势位,植被高度、盖度、草产量、多样性指数降低,重度退化草地较轻度退化草地草产量降低了约2000 kg/hm²;土壤理化性质全氮、全磷、全钾、孔隙度、粉粒含量下降,pH值、全盐、容重及黏粒含量升高,由轻度至重度退化草地土壤全磷含量下降了0.67 g/kg,土壤全钾含量下降0.62 g/kg;土壤脲酶活性、蔗糖酶活性、碱性磷酸酶活性降低,蔗糖酶活性由轻度至重度退化草地降幅最大,可达0.45 mg/g/24h;土壤细菌和放线菌数量降低,真菌数量增加,重度退化草地较轻度而言细菌数量降低约5×10⁶ cfu/g,放线菌降低约5×10⁵ cfu/g,真菌增加约2×10³ cfu/g;相关性分析发现各因子与退化程度的相关性性强,相关系数在0.92以上,多为0.99甚至1。因此,甘南州高寒草甸随退化程度加深,总体呈现出草地优势种消失,植被高度、盖度、草产量、多样性下降,土壤养分及活性降低,并呈现向盐碱化、荒漠化演替的趋势。本研究为甘南州高寒草甸生态系统退化预测、管理、恢复等方案的制定提供理论依据。     

Soil bacterial communities of different natural forest types in Northeast China

Background and aims

The types of natural forests have long been suggested to shape below-ground microbial communities in forest ecosystem. However, detailed information on the impressionable bacterial groups and the potential mechanisms of these influences are still missing. The present study aims to deepen the current understanding on the soil microbial communities under four typical forest types in Northeast Asia, and to reveal the environmental factors driving the abundance, diversity and composition of soil bacterial communities.

Methods

Four forest types from Changbai Nature Reserve, representing mixed conifer-broadleaf forest and its natural secondary forest, evergreen coniferous forest, and deciduous coniferous forest were selected for this study. Namely, Broadleaf-Korean pine mixed forest (BLKP), secondary Poplar-Birch forest (PB), Spruce-Fir forest (SF), and Larch forest (LA), respectively. Soil bacterial community was analyzed using bar-coded pyrosequencing. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) was used to illustrate the clustering of different samples based on both Bray-Curtis distances and UniFrac distances. The relationship between environmental variables and the overall community structure was analyzed using the Mantel test.

Results

The two mixed conifer-broadleaf forests (BLKP and PB) displayed higher total soil nutrients (organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus) and soil pH, but a lower C/N ratio as compared to the two coniferous forests (SF and LA). The mixed conifer-broadleaf forests had higher alpha-diversity and had distinct bacterial communities from the coniferous forests. Soil texture and pH were found as the principle factors for shaping soil bacterial diversity and community composition. The two mixed conifer-broadleaf forests were associated with higher proportion of Acidobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Bacteroidetes, and Chloroflexi. While the SF and LA forests were dominated by Proteobacteria and Gemmatimonadetes.

Conclusions

Different natural forest type each selects for distinct microbial communities beneath them, with mixed conifer-broadleaf forests being associated with the low-activity bacterial groups, and the coniferous forests being dominated by the so-called high-activity members. The differentiation of soil bacterial communities in natural forests are presumably mediated by the differentiation in terms of soil properties, and could be partially explained by the copiotroph/oligotroph ecological classification model and non-random co-occurrence patterns.     

围栏对青藏高原不同类型草地土壤原核微生物多样性的影响

草地退化是草地植被的倒退演替,导致生物多样性丧失和生态系统功能退化,围栏是恢复退化草地生态系统功能的有效管理措施。微生物是土壤中的重要组成部分,在维持草地生态系统稳定性和功能方面发挥着重要作用。然而,目前尚不清楚围栏如何影响不同类型草地土壤微生物群落。以青藏高原草甸、草原和荒漠草地三种草地类型的退化草地为研究对象,设置围栏和放牧两种处理,采用Illumina HiSeq高通量测序技术研究了围栏对土壤原核微生物群落多样性和群落结构的影响。结果表明：围栏未显著影响草甸土壤原核微生物的丰富度、Shannon多样性和均匀度,但显著增加了草原土壤的原核微生物的丰富度、Shannon多样性和均匀度（P<0.05）,稍降低了荒漠草地土壤原核微生物的丰富度、Shannon多样性和均匀度（P=0.086、0.072和0.099）。在围栏处理的草地中,土壤原核微生物丰富度、Shannon多样性和均匀度与年均温、干旱度和pH显著负相关（P<0.01）,与年平均降水量、溶解性有机碳、地上生物量和植物多样性显著正相关（P<0.01）。在放牧处理的草地中,土壤原核微生物丰富度、Shannon多样性和均匀度与年均温和干旱度显著负相关（P<0.05）,但原核微生物丰富度和Shannon多样性与所有土壤理化和植被因素均无显著相关性。冗余分析（RDA）表明,不同类型草地土壤原核微生物群落结构发生了显著的变化,并沿草甸、草原和荒漠草地的过渡逐渐转变（P<0.001）。方差分解分析（VPA）进一步表明,原核微生物群落结构变化主要受年均温、年平均降水量、干旱度和pH的驱动。围栏显著改变了不同类型草地中部分样点土壤原核微生物群落结构。三种草地类型的主要原核微生物优势门均为放线菌门（Actinobacteria）、变形菌门（Proteobacteria）和酸杆菌门（Acidobacteria）。放线菌门（Actinobacteria）的相对丰度在荒漠草地土壤中最高,而变形菌门（Proteobacteria）和酸杆菌门（Acidobacteria）的相对丰度在草甸土壤中最高。此外,不同类型围栏和放牧草地土壤原核微生物类群的相对丰度均无显著差异。研究表明不同类型草地土壤原核微生物群落对围栏的响应不同,这为因地制宜制定草地管理措施提供了数据支持,为草地退化的防治提供了理论支持。