典型草原区不同生境反硝化菌群的空间特征

【背景】锡林河-河滨湿地-阶地草原是蒙古高原典型草原区代表性的水生-湿生-陆生生境,但不同生境中反硝化菌群的空间分布特征尚不明晰。【目的】阐明典型草原区不同生境反硝化菌群的组成、丰度、空间分布特征及异质性成因。【方法】利用16S rRNA基因测序研究锡林河流域水生、湿生、陆生生境6个样带沉积物/土壤细菌群落组成及相对丰度。基于2014年及以前文献报道的反硝化细菌及16S rRNA基因信息构建参比菌库,筛选生境关联的反硝化菌属。通过典范对应分析等探究反硝化菌群空间异质性成因。【结果】参比菌库包含80种反硝化细菌(65个属),6个样带测序获得的469个细菌属中36个为反硝化细菌属。3种生境共存的反硝化细菌有14个属,其中黄杆菌属(1.65%-14.17%)和噬氢菌属(1.56%-1.69%)是水生和湿生生境共有的优势菌,假单胞菌属(1.85%)是低河漫滩样带的优势菌。空间分布特征显示反硝化菌群沿水生-湿生-陆生生境呈现先升后降的分布趋势,在低河漫滩湿地达到最高值。典范对应分析表明:黄杆菌属、噬氢菌属、气单胞菌属、鞘氨醇单胞菌属等与pH值、水分及沙粒含量呈正相关关系,而芽孢杆菌属、链霉菌属、马杜拉放线菌属等与粘粒、粉粒、有机质、总氮含量等呈正相关关系。【结论】典型草原区反硝化菌群组成及丰度具有明显的生境异质性,低河漫滩湿地是反硝化细菌生长繁殖的最佳生境,由颗粒组成、水分含量和pH等环境因子共同驱动。     

锡林河流域Nitrospira的生态位分化及环境驱动力

【背景】硝化螺菌属(Nitrospira)驱动的全程及半程硝化过程在全球氮循环中发挥关键作用,但关于锡林河流域Nitrospira的生态位分化和环境驱动力及其可能发挥的全程硝化功能尚不明晰。【目的】阐明锡林河流域不同生境Nitrospira的生态位分化及环境驱动力,探究可能的全程硝化功能。【方法】利用16S rRNA基因高通量测序及生物信息学分析研究不同生境沉积物及土壤Nitrospira类群的组成、丰度、生态位分化及其环境驱动力,并预测其全程硝化功能。【结果】共检测到9类Nitrospira,其中Nitrospira 1、2、4主要分布在旱生环境,与沙粒、水分含量、pH及氨氮间存在负相关关系,与硝态氮、可溶性盐、总有机碳、全氮、全磷、粉粒和粘粒含量间存在正相关关系;Nitrospira5、6、7、8、9主要分布在水生及湿生环境,与粉粒等存在负相关关系,与沙粒等存在正相关关系(Nitrospira 9与氨氮存在负相关除外);Nitrospira 3优先分布在河床中心水生环境,仅与沙粉粒含量存在正相关关系,与其他环境因子存在负相关关系。【结论】锡林河流域Nitrospira类群有明显的生态位分化和广泛的生境适应性。Nitrospira 1、2、4最适于营养相对丰富的旱生环境;Nitrospira 5、6、7、8、9最适于相对寡营养的水生及湿生环境;Nitrospira 3偏爱粉沙、自由水及低氨寡营养水生环境。粉粒含量、可溶性盐和氨氮是导致Nitrospira类群生态位分化及空间分异的最主要环境驱动力。推测Nitrospira 3很可能是驱动全程硝化的完全氨氧化菌(comammox),而Nitrospira 1、2、4、5、6、7、8、9是否为Comammox有待探究。     

粉粒氨氮和水分影响浮霉菌门群落的空间分化

【背景】来自浮霉菌门(Planctomycetes)的厌氧氨氧化菌是高氨污染系统安全脱氮的生态友好型微生物,但关于特定生态梯度下Planctomycetes群落结构功能的空间分化以及驱动分化的主要环境因子等问题尚未引起关注。【目的】阐明Planctomycetes群落结构空间分化及影响其分化的主要环境因子。【方法】运用16S rRNA基因高通量测序手段检测温带半干旱区河流系统砂质及粉质沉积物、粉砂质及粉质土壤Planctomycetes群落结构的空间分布变化,统计学方法分析粉粒等理化因子对Planctomycetes群落结构功能分化的影响。【结果】OM190_ub_oo. o1种群主要分布在寡营养的砂质沉积物中,仅由砂粒正向驱动;OM190_ooo. o2和SM1A02. ub5种群主要分布在中营养的粉砂质土壤中,由水分和pH等正向驱动;AKYG587.ub3、Pla4_lineage_oo...     

湿度盐度pH协同驱动锡林河景观疣微菌群空间异质性

[目的] 为了阐明锡林河不同景观要素间疣微菌群的空间分布异质性及环境驱动力。[方法] 本文基于生境及微地形差异选择水生的河床中心、河床边缘与牛轭湖床,湿生的低河漫滩与高河漫滩,旱生的低阶地与高阶地等景观要素,基于16S rRNA基因高通量测序技术研究不同景观要素土壤疣微菌群的景观异质性,结合土壤湿度等环境变量研究其驱动力。[结果] 景观要素内疣微菌群呈协同的分布特征,景观要素间呈趋异的分布特征。斯巴达杆菌纲的Chthoniobacter成员及疣微菌纲的突柄杆菌属等成员主要分布在水生河床中心,与砂粒含量存在显著正相关关系（P<0.05）;丰祐菌纲成员主要分布在湿生河漫滩,与pH存在正相关关系（P<0.05或P>0.05）;斯巴达杆菌纲的DA101_soil_group成员主要分布在旱生河流阶地,与盐度及养分含量等存在极显著正相关关系（P<0.01）。双组与三组环境变量的变异权重分析表明,湿度、盐度、pH对疣微菌群景观异质性的解释度分别高达24.7%与21.4%、24.3%与22.7%、23.1%与20.8%。[结论] 锡林河流域疣微菌群存在景观异质性。Chthoniobacter和突柄杆菌属等成员是河床中心景观要素的指示生物,DA101_soil_group是阶地景观要素的指示生物。湿度、盐度、pH协同驱动疣微菌群的景观异质性。     

4种理化因子对菌株XH1硝化效果的影响

【背景】基于硝化菌群的富集培养技术可高效稳定地去除养殖水体中的有害氮素,而当前在水产养殖领域有关硝化菌群定向培育及硝化功能菌株的研究较少。【目的】研究不同盐度、pH、温度、通气量条件下硝化菌群分离菌株XH1的生长及其对氨氮和亚硝氮的去除效果。【方法】设置不同梯度的盐度、pH、温度、通气量条件,通过计数菌量、测定氨氮及亚硝氮的浓度变化,比较不同条件下菌株XH1的生长及其对氨氮和亚硝氮的影响。【结果】菌株XH1可在盐度5‰-35‰、pH 6.0-9.0、温度15-45°C和通气量0.5-1 V/(V·min)的条件下生长良好,菌量最高可达2.34×109cells/mL;在盐度5‰-35‰、pH 6.0-9.0、温度15-30°C、通气量0.5 V/(V·min)的条件下,对氨氮的去除效果显著(P0.05),在第1-3天对培养液中氨氮的最高去除率可达86%-97%,但培养液中的氨氮浓度先降后升;对亚硝氮的最高去除率达68%。【结论】菌株XH1对盐度、pH、温度等主要环境因子具有良好的适应性,其对水体氨氮的去除效果良好,可作为中低盐度养殖池塘水体氨氮防控菌剂产品研发的备选菌株。     

锡林河流域潜在不产氧光合细菌陆向分异特征及影响因素

【目的】为探明锡林河流域潜在不产氧光合细菌（anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria,AnPB）的陆向分异特征及影响因素。【方法】本研究沿着陆向梯度依次采集水生湍流带、缓流带、滞流带、水偏湿生样带、湿偏旱生样带、旱生样带土壤样品。基于文献建立AnPB在科水平的数据库,运用16S rRNA基因高通量测序筛选科水平潜在AnPB类群及其组成丰度的陆向分异,运用皮尔逊相关性及冗余分析等研究土壤理化因子对潜在AnPB陆向分异的影响。【结果】紫色硫细菌（外硫红螺菌科）和紫色非硫细菌（红杆菌科、红环菌科、醋酸杆菌科、丛毛单胞菌科、全噬菌科）主要分布在水生及水偏湿生生境,其相对丰度与湿度呈显著（P<0.05）或极显著（P<0.01）正相关关系;紫色非硫细菌（红螺菌科、慢生根瘤菌科、生丝微菌科、红菌科）、芽单胞菌科、酸杆菌科、绿色非硫细菌（蔷薇菌科）等主要分布在湿偏旱生和旱生环境中,其相对丰度与盐度和全氮含量呈显著（P<0.05）或极显著（P<0.01）正相关关系;多元回归树分析显示,盐度、湿度、全氮对潜在AnPB陆向分异的总解释度分别为62.39%、...     

龙凤湿地与珰奈湿地底泥细菌古菌多样性及其对环境因子的响应

【背景】城市湿地和天然湿地受到人为扰动影响的程度显著不同。【目的】研究2种不同类型湿地底泥微生物多样性及种类的差异。【方法】采集冬夏两季城市湿地(龙凤湿地)和天然湿地(珰奈湿地)的底泥样品,使用16S rRNA基因测序技术测定底泥中细菌和古菌群落结构,分析2种湿地底泥的细菌、古菌差异及环境因素与微生物的相关性。【结果】龙凤湿地底泥中的硫杆菌属(Thiobacillus)、芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)和鞘氨醇单胞菌属(Sphingomonas)丰度显著高于珰奈湿地(P<0.05);Methanoregula在珰奈湿地底泥中的丰度高于龙凤湿地;冬季厌氧绳菌属(Anaerolinea)和甲烷八叠球菌属(Methanosarcina)在珰奈湿地底泥中的丰度显著高于龙凤湿地(P<0.05)。【结论】龙凤湿地与珰奈湿地的差异主要影响湿地底泥中参与元素循环的细菌和产甲烷古菌的丰度,人为干扰和低温会降低湿地中微生物的多样性,pH、盐分和碱性磷酸酶是显著影响微生物多样性的环境因素。     

青海湖3种类型高寒湿地甲烷氧化菌群落特征

【背景】甲烷氧化菌在维持湿地生态系统碳平衡方面发挥着重要作用,青海湖高寒湿地具有十分重要的生态地位,但目前有关该地区甲烷氧化菌的研究相对较少。【目的】探究不同类型高寒湿地土壤甲烷氧化菌的群落特征与驱动因素。【方法】以青海湖流域内的小泊湖沼泽湿地、鸟岛湖滨湿地、瓦颜山河源湿地为研究对象,通过高通量测序技术对土壤甲烷氧化菌进行检测。【结果】3种不同类型高寒湿地土壤甲烷氧化菌的优势菌门均为变形菌门(Proteobacteria)。鸟岛湖滨湿地与瓦颜山河源湿地的甲烷氧化菌α多样性存在显著差异(P<0.05),而小泊湖沼泽湿地与二者的甲烷氧化菌α多样性的差异不显著(P>0.05)。LEfSe分析表明,不同类型高寒湿地共存在40个差异菌群,尤以瓦颜山河源湿地差异菌群数量最多,从门到属水平均存在显著差异。冗余分析(redundancy analysis,RDA)表明,甲烷氧化菌菌群变化的主要驱动因子为土壤温度、土壤水分、电导率。【结论】整体而言,青海湖3种类型高寒湿地土壤理化性质及甲烷氧化菌群落多样性均存在差异,且部分菌群的相对丰度具有显著性差异(P<0.05)。     

产甲烷条件下岩溶湿地沉积物中古菌群落的变化规律

【背景】桂林会仙湿地位于喀斯特峰丛洼地和峰丛平原的过渡区,主要由岩溶地下河补给,水质呈现富钙偏碱特征,是一处典型的岩溶湿地环境,湿地沉积物以厌氧环境为主,独特的环境特征使之成为研究新型厌氧微生物的理想场所。氢型产甲烷菌和乙酸型产甲烷菌是环境中有机质厌氧降解的重要参与者,但目前会仙湿地产甲烷菌生理生态功能的研究十分有限。【目的】揭示乙酸盐营养型产甲烷条件和氢气营养型产甲烷条件下岩溶湿地环境古菌群落结构的变化规律和产甲烷菌的主要类群,探讨岩溶环境古菌的功能和相互关系。【方法】以会仙岩溶湿地沉积物为研究材料,分别以乙酸盐和氢气为唯一能源物进行富集培养,结合未添加任何能源底物的对照处理,动态监测产甲烷通量,分别构建了3个共包含146条古菌16S rRNA基因全长序列的文库,以及3个共包含138条甲基辅酶M还原酶基因mcr A基因序列的文库,通过构建系统发育树比较分析不同产甲烷底物培养条件下典型岩溶湿地古菌群落的变化规律。【结果】从乙酸型和氢型产甲烷条件培养物顶空气中都检测到了几乎等浓度的甲烷产生,甲烷八叠球菌是mcr A文库中主要的古菌类群,其中包含了Methanosarcina属古菌、Zoige Cluster I (ZC-I)和ANME-2d Cluster (AD)类群古菌,以及两个相对独立且不包含任何参考序列的分支KT-I和KT-II,可能代表产甲烷菌的新类群;经过两种产甲烷条件的富集培养后,ZC-I、AD和KT-II类群古菌的序列数占比有较为显著的增加(45%–155%);深古菌(Bathyarchaeota)是所有古菌16Sr RNA基因文库的优势类群,序列占比为88%–100%,其中MCG-11亚群最为丰富,占所有深古菌的84%,并且在乙酸盐产甲烷条件下增加了17%。【结论】会仙湿地沉积物中蕴涵着丰富的新型古菌序列,沉积物中主要的氢型产甲烷菌和乙酸型产甲烷菌都来自甲烷八叠球菌目,深古菌在岩溶环境和乙酸型产甲烷条件下可能都发挥着重要的作用。     

我国8个典型水稻土中产甲烷古菌群落组成的空间分异特征

【目的】产甲烷古菌主导稻田甲烷生成,是稻田生态系统的模式微生物类群之一,具有重要的生态学意义。然而,水稻土产甲烷古菌群落组成的空间分异却鲜有报告。【方法】本研究沿20.55°N至47.43°N梯度,采集了我国不同纬度上8个典型水稻土,利用PCR-DGGE指纹图谱和系统发育树分析揭示不同地点水稻土中产甲烷古菌群落的组成;结合多个环境因子,利用生物信息学,典范对应分析(Canonical Correspondence Analysis,CCA)和维恩图(Venn diagram)明确产甲烷古菌的空间分异规律。【结果】研究发现p H值是驱动水稻土中产甲烷古菌群落组成分异的主要因子;此外,沿纬度梯度,8个地区的产甲烷古菌群落组成也呈现出规律性变化。【结论】本研究首次阐明了稻田中产甲烷古菌群落分布情况,并揭示其主要驱动因子。该认知不仅有助于我们更好地了解产甲烷古菌的生物地理学分布,还有助于从微生物学机制上阐明我国温度梯度带上有机质转化空间的差异。     

Spatio‐temporal variation of salt marsh seedling establishment in relation to the abiotic and biotic environment

Contrary to our expectations, soil salinity and moisture explained little of the spatial variation in plant establishment in the upper intertidal marsh of three southern California wetlands, but did explain the timing of germination. Seedlings of 27 species were identified in 1996 and 1997. The seedlings were abundant (maximum densities of 2143/m² in 1996 and 1819/m² in 1997) and predominantly annual species. CCAs quantified the spatial variation in seedling density that could be explained by three groups of predictor variables: (1) perennial plant cover, elevation and soil texture (16% of variation), (2) wetland identity (14% of variation) and (3) surface soil salinity and moisture (2% of variation). Increasing the spatial scale of analysis changed the variables that best predicted patterns of species densities. Timing of germination depended on surface soil salinity and, to a lesser extent, soil moisture. Germination occurred after salinity had dropped below a threshold or, in some cases, after moisture had increased above a critical level. Between 32% and 92% of the seedlings were exotic and most of these occurred at lower soil salinity than native species. However, Parapholis incurva and Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum were found in the same environments as the native species. In 1997, the year of a strong El Niño/Southern Oscillation event with high rainfall and sea levels, the elevation distribution of species narrowed and densities of P. incurva and other exotic species decreased but densities of native and rare species did not change. The ‘regeneration niche’ of wetland plant communities includes the effects of multiple abiotic and biotic factors on both the spatial and temporal variations in plant establishment.     

Factors Driving Potential Ammonia Oxidation in Canadian Arctic Ecosystems: Does Spatial Scale Matter?

Ammonia oxidation is a major process in nitrogen cycling, and it plays a key role in nitrogen limited soil ecosystems such as those in the arctic. Although mm-scale spatial dependency of ammonia oxidizers has been investigated, little is known about the field-scale spatial dependency of aerobic ammonia oxidation processes and ammonia-oxidizing archaeal and bacterial communities, particularly in arctic soils. The purpose of this study was to explore the drivers of ammonia oxidation at the field scale in cryosols (soils with permafrost within 1 m of the surface). We measured aerobic ammonia oxidation potential (both autotrophic and heterotrophic) and functional gene abundance (bacterial amoA and archaeal amoA) in 279 soil samples collected from three arctic ecosystems. The variability associated with quantifying genes was substantially less than the spatial variability observed in these soils, suggesting that molecular methods can be used reliably evaluate spatial dependency in arctic ecosystems. Ammonia-oxidizing archaeal and bacterial communities and aerobic ammonia oxidation were spatially autocorrelated. Gene abundances were spatially structured within 4 m, whereas biochemical processes were structured within 40 m. Ammonia oxidation was driven at small scales (<1m) by moisture and total organic carbon, whereas gene abundance and other edaphic factors drove ammonia oxidation at medium (1 to 10 m) and large (10 to 100 m) scales. In these arctic soils heterotrophs contributed between 29 and 47% of total ammonia oxidation potential. The spatial scale for aerobic ammonia oxidation genes differed from potential ammonia oxidation, suggesting that in arctic ecosystems edaphic, rather than genetic, factors are an important control on ammonia oxidation.     

Biotic communities of freshwater marshes and mangroves in relation to saltwater incursions: implications for wetland regulation

An ecosystem-level study was conducted in the Guandu wetlands insubtropical coastal Taiwan to examine how salinity influences the abundance,diversity, and structure of biotic communities. We surveyed eight permanentstudy sites, spanning freshwater marshes, to the gate on the dyke, andmesohaline mangroves representing a gradient of the extent of saltwaterincursions. Analyses of abiotic variables showed that salinity was the primarydetermining factor for discriminating habitat types in the wetlands, butcommunities differed in their sensitivity to salinity. The composition of plantand insect communities was most affected by the salinity gradient, suggestingthe utility of these communities for ecological monitoring of saltwaterincursions. However, spatial changes in communities at higher trophic levels,including macrobenthos, mollusks, fish, and birds, could not be explained simplyby the salinity gradient. Instead, changes in these communities were morerelevant to the composition of other biotic communities. Our results show thatspecies richness and diversity of plant communities were higher in the marshesthan in the mangroves. Nevertheless, insect communities censused in themangroves had higher diversity, despite lower abundance and species richness.Macrobenthos surveyed in the mangroves showed higher biomass and number of taxa.Mollusks and fish were also more abundant at sites near the gate compared to themarsh sites. This suggests that maintaining a tidal flux by means of gateregulation is necessary for conserving the spatial heterogeneity andbiodiversity of coastal wetlands.     

Landscape-scale variation in the seed banks of floodplain wetlands with contrasting hydrology in China

1. At a local scale, the species composition, diversity and spatial variation of wetland plant communities are determined primarily by spatial and temporal heterogeneity in their environments. Less is known about variation at a landscape‐level. The floodplain of the Changjiang (Yangtze) River in China includes hydrologically connected, subtropical wetlands with different hydrological characteristics. 2. We examined seed‐bank species composition and richness in marshes of two contrasting hydrological types: permanent marshes, fed by local runoff, and lakeshore marshes more closely connected to the regulated river. Lakeshore marshes are flooded annually to depth of approximately 1 m and during flooding they support an alternate, aquatic vegetation type. The soil seed bank in March was a comparative estimator of species diversity. At the beginning of the growing season it included seeds from both phases of alternating vegetation types associated with the annual hydrological cycle. 3. A regional pool of 101 species was detected in the seed banks of six wetlands associated with the river and its tributaries: 56 occurred in permanent marshes and 59 in lakeshore marshes, with only 15 common to both. Species rarefaction curves indicated that more species occurred in permanent than lakeshore marshes at equal numbers of individuals sampled. However, the more heterogeneous lakeshore seed banks were estimated (Chao 2) to have greater total species richness (81) than permanent marsh (60). 4. Analysis using Sørensen's coefficient of similarity and DCA ordination revealed complex variation, with much greater differences between hydrological types than within them, irrespective of geographical distance. The types also differed significantly in the composition of four functional groups of species. 5. Despite the potential for dispersal of propagules via the annually pulsing river system (hydrochory), at a regional and landscape scale, diversity is maintained largely by large‐scale temporal hydrological heterogeneity and smaller scale spatial and topographic heterogeneity.     

Does environmental heterogeneity drive functional trait variation? A test in montane and alpine meadows

While community‐weighted means of plant traits have been linked to mean environmental conditions at large scales, the drivers of trait variation within communities are not well understood. Local environmental heterogeneity (such as microclimate variability), in addition to mean environmental conditions, may decrease the strength of environmental filtering and explain why communities support different amounts of trait variation. Here, we assess two hypotheses: first, that more heterogeneous local environments and second, that less extreme environments, should support a broader range of plant strategies and thus higher trait variation. We quantified drivers of trait variation across a range of environmental conditions and spatial scales ranging from sub‐meter to tens of kilometers in montane and alpine plant communities. We found that, within communities, both environmental heterogeneity and environmental means are drivers of trait variation. However, the importance of each environmental factor varied depending on the trait. Our results indicate that larger‐scale trait–climate linkages that hold across communities also apply at small spatial scales, suggesting that microclimate variation within communities is a key driver of community functional diversity. Microclimatic variation provides a potential mechanism for helping to maintain diversity in local communities and also suggests that small‐scale environmental heterogeneity should be measured as a better predictor of functional diversity.     

The influence of habitat heterogeneity on freshwater bacterial community composition and dynamics

Multiple forces structure natural microbial communities, but the relative roles and interactions of these drivers are poorly understood. Gradients of physical and chemical parameters can be especially influential. In traditional ecological theory, variability in environmental conditions across space and time represents habitat heterogeneity, which may shape communities. Here we used aquatic microbial communities as a model to investigate the relationship between habitat heterogeneity and community composition and dynamics. We defined spatial habitat heterogeneity as vertical temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) gradients in the water column, and temporal habitat heterogeneity as variation throughout the open-water season in these environmental parameters. Seasonal lake mixing events contribute to temporal habitat heterogeneity by destroying and re-creating these gradients. Because of this, we selected three lakes along a range of annual mixing frequency (polymictic, dimictic, meromictic) for our study. We found that bacterial community composition (BCC) was distinct between the epilimnion and hypolimnion within stratified lakes, and also more variable within the epilimnia through time. We found stark differences in patterns of epilimnion and hypolimnion dynamics over time and across lakes, suggesting that specific drivers have distinct relative importance for each community.     

Small-scale Environmental Heterogeneity and Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Seedling Establishment in a Semiarid Degraded Ecosystem

In semiarid environments, surface soil properties play a major role in ecosystem dynamics, through their influence on processes such as runoff, infiltration, seed germination, and seedling establishment. Surface soil properties usually show a high degree of spatial heterogeneity in semiarid areas, but direct tests to evaluate the consequences of this heterogeneity on seedling establishment are limited. Using a combination of spatial analysis by distance indices (SADIE) and principal components analysis (PCA) we quantified the spatiotemporal patterns of seedling survival of a Mediterranean native shrub (Pistacia lentiscus) during the first 3 years after planting on a semiarid degraded site in southeastern Spain. We used a variation partitioning method to identify environmental variables associated with seedling survival patterns. Three years after planting, only 36% of the seedlings survived. During the first summer, one-third of the seedlings died, with secondary major mortality in the 3rd summer after planting. The spatial pattern of survival became strongly clumped by the end of the first summer, with clearly defined patches (areas of high survival) and gaps (areas of low survival). The intensity of this pattern increased after subsequent high-mortality periods. Of the 14 variables, the ones most strongly coupled to seedling survival were bare soil cover, sand content, and soil compaction. These findings contribute to our understanding of the linkages between the spatial heterogeneity of abiotic factors and the response of plant populations in semiarid degraded ecosystems and can be used to optimize restoration practices in these areas.