古尔班通古特沙漠生物结皮不同发育阶段中藻类的变化

通过在古尔班通古特沙漠南缘相同的地貌部位,选择裸沙、藻结皮、地衣结皮和苔藓结皮4种不同演替阶段中的生物结皮,研究了藻类的种类组成、优势种和生物量的变化.结果表明:(1)在结皮的不同演替阶段,藻类种类组成不同,其常见物种有一定的差异,如裸沙中藻类常见种是脆杆藻2(Fragilaria sp.2)、威利颤藻(Oscillatoria willei)和奥克席藻(Phormidium okenii),藻结皮的常见种是小聚球藻(Synechococcus parvus)、颗粒常丝藻 (Tychonema granulatum)、韧氏席藻(Phormidium retzli);同时在不同发育阶段亦存在一些特有种.(2)在裸沙发育到成熟生物结皮的过程中,藻类的优势物种也发生相应的变化.裸沙、藻结皮、地衣结皮和苔藓结皮的优势种分别是脆杆藻1(Fragilaria sp.1)、具鞘微鞘藻(Microcoleus vaginatus)、具鞘微鞘藻、眼点伪枝藻(Scytonema ocellatum)或集球藻(Palmellococcus miniatus).(3)藻类生物量在生物结皮不同演替阶段差异极显著(P<0.01),在裸沙中藻类生物量最低,随着生物结皮的逐渐发育,藻类生物量明显升高,地衣结皮最高,约是裸沙的8.3倍,当发育至苔藓结皮时,藻类生物量又有所下降.(4)在裸沙中基本为松散的沙粒,随着生物结皮的演替,丝状种类占明显的优势,尤其是具鞘微鞘藻,另外真菌菌丝和苔藓假根分别在地衣结皮和苔藓结皮中起着重要作用.     

Chlorophytes of biological soil crusts in Gurbantunggut Desert, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, China

In this paper, chlorophytes collected from 253 biological soil crust samples in Gurbantunggut Desert in Xinjiang Autonomous Region, China were studied by field investigation and microscopical observation in lab. The flora composition, ecological distribution of chlorophytes in the desert and dynamic changes of species composition of chlorophytes in different developing stages of biological soil crusts are preliminarily analyzed. Results showed that there were 26 species belonging to 14 genera and 10 families, in which unicellular chlorophytes were dominant. There existed some differences in distribution of varied sand dune positions. The taxa of chlorophytes in leeward of sand dunes are most abundant, but the taxa in windward, interdune and the top of sand dunes reduced gradually. Chlorophytes were mainly distributed within the crust and the taxa of chlorophytes decrease obviously under the crust. In the devel-oping stages of the biological soil crust, species diversity of chlorophytes changed a little, but species composition pre-sented some differences. Chlorococcum humicola, Chlorella vulgaris, Chlamydomonas ovalis and Chlamydomonas sp. nearly existed in all developing stages of biological crusts. In several former stages of the biological soil crust there were spherical chlorophytes and filamentous ones. When moss crust formed, filamentous chlorophytes disappeared, such as Microspora and Ulothrix.     

Chlorophytes of biological soil crusts in Gurbantunggut Desert, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, China

In this paper, chlorophytes collected from 253 biological soil crust samples in Gurbantunggut Desert in Xinjiang Autonomous Region, China were studied by field investigation and microscopical observation in lab. The flora composition, ecological distribution of chlorophytes in the desert and dynamic changes of species composition of chlorophytes in different developing stages of biological soil crusts are preliminarily analyzed. Results showed that there were 26 species belonging to 14 genera and 10 families, in which unicellular chlorophytes were dominant. There existed some differences in distribution of varied sand dune positions. The taxa of chlorophytes in leeward of sand dunes are most abundant, but the taxa in windward, interdune and the top of sand dunes reduced gradually. Chlorophytes were mainly distributed within the crust and the taxa of chlorophytes decrease obviously under the crust. In the developing stages of the biological soil crust, species diversity of chlorophytes changed a little, but species composition presented some differences. Chlorococcum humicola, Chlorella vulgaris, Chlamydomonas ovalis and Chlamydomonas sp. nearly existed in all developing stages of biological crusts. In several former stages of the biological soil crust there were spherical chlorophytes and filamentous ones. When moss crust formed, filamentous chlorophytes disappeared, such as Microspora and Ulothrix. __________ Translated from Arid Zone Research, 2006, 23(2): 189–193 [译自: 干旱区研究]     

古尔班通古特沙漠生物结皮固氮活性

利用乙炔还原法对新疆古尔班通古特沙漠不同类型的生物结皮(藻结皮、地衣结皮、苔藓结皮)的固氮活性(nmolC2H4m-2h-1)进行了定量研究。结果表明,不仅采样时段和结皮类型对生物结皮的固氮活性具有显著的影响(p<0.05),二者的交互效应同样对生物结皮的固氮活性具有极显著的影响(p<0.01)。各类型生物结皮固氮活性变化趋势表现为:3～5月间,藻结皮(2.26×103)>地衣结皮(6.54×102)>苔藓结皮(6.38×102)。6～10月份,各类型生物结皮的固氮能力显著提高(p<0.05),藻结皮的固氮活性最高(9.81×103),依次为地衣结皮9.06×103、苔藓结皮2.03×103。11月～翌年2月间,月均温都低于0℃,抑制了生物结皮的固氮活性,藻结皮、苔藓结皮的固氮活性降幅极显著(p<0.01),分别低达4.18×102、5.43×102,地衣结皮降低至2.78×103。生物结皮成为古尔班通古特沙漠除豆科植物外重要的氮源,为该沙漠1年生浅根系草本植物的种子萌发与植物体的生长提供丰富的有机质源,从而有利于这些植物种群的繁衍与更新,并与之共同促进对沙面的固定。     

古尔班通古特沙漠生物土壤结皮对土壤氮库垂直分布特征的影响

生物土壤结皮在干旱区氮素地球化学循环中具有重要作用,研究不同生物土壤结皮下不同形态氮素含量的变化,解析生物土壤结皮对土壤养分影响过程和范围,有助于进一步理解生物土壤结皮的生态功能。本研究以古尔班通古特沙漠藻-地衣混生结皮和藓类结皮两种生物土壤结皮为研究对象,以裸沙为对照,测定生物土壤结皮层和0—100 cm内8个土层全氮、无机氮、可溶性有机氮、游离态氨基酸氮、微生物生物量氮等氮库含量,和土壤脲酶、硝酸盐还原态酶、亮氨酸氨基肽酶等土壤胞外酶活性。结果表明：1)结皮层各形态氮素含量和各土壤酶活性显著高于其下层土壤,结皮层和结皮下各层土壤氮库整体上表现为藓类结皮>藻-地衣混生结皮>裸沙;土壤氮库各形态氮素含量和土壤酶活性在垂直分布上均呈现先显著下降(0—20 cm)后稳定(20—100 cm)的趋势;在20—30 cm土层,除裸沙的无机氮、铵态氮以及藻-地衣混生结皮的硝态氮外,其余速效氮(无机氮、硝态氮、铵态氮)含量具有增加的特点。2)土壤各氮库含量与全磷、有机碳、电导率、土壤脲酶和亮氨酸氨基肽酶活性呈正相关,与pH、土壤含水率呈负相关。3)利用氮循环相关指标建立土壤氮循环多功能...     

Diazotrophic community structure and function in two successional stages of biological soil crusts from the Colorado Plateau and Chihuahuan Desert

The objective of this study was to characterize the community structure and activity of N2-fixing microorganisms in mature and poorly developed biological soil crusts from both the Colorado Plateau and Chihuahuan Desert. Nitrogenase activity was approximately 10 and 2.5 times higher in mature crusts than in poorly developed crusts at the Colorado Plateau site and Chihuahuan Desert site, respectively. Analysis of nifH sequences by clone sequencing and the terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism technique indicated that the crust diazotrophic community was 80 to 90% heterocystous cyanobacteria most closely related to Nostoc spp. and that the composition of N2-fixing species did not vary significantly between the poorly developed and mature crusts at either site. In contrast, the abundance of nifH sequences was approximately 7.5 times greater (per microgram of total DNA) in mature crusts than in poorly developed crusts at a given site as measured by quantitative PCR. 16S rRNA gene clone sequencing and microscopic analysis of the cyanobacterial community within both crust types demonstrated a transition from a Microcoleus vaginatus-dominated, poorly developed crust to mature crusts harboring a greater percentage of Nostoc and Scytonema spp. We hypothesize that ecological factors, such as soil instability and water stress, may constrain the growth of N2-fixing microorganisms at our study sites and that the transition to a mature, nitrogen-producing crust initially requires bioengineering of the surface microenvironment by Microcoleus vaginatus.     

生物结皮影响下沙漠土壤表面凝结水的形成与变化特征

在水资源匮乏的沙漠生境,凝结水是植物、生物结皮、无脊椎和脊椎小动物的重要水分来源之一.采用微渗计法对比研究3种生物结皮类型(藻结皮、地衣结皮和苔藓结皮)和自然裸沙对地表凝结水量及凝结水蒸散过程的影响.微渗计的规格为内径6 cm,高3.5 cm的PVC管.研究结果表明:不同类型地表的总凝结水量之间存在极显著的差异(P < 0.01),总凝结水量随生物结皮发育水平呈显著增加的趋势,依次为:裸沙 < 藻结皮 < 地衣结皮 < 苔藓结皮,即生物结皮的存在有利于沙漠地表凝结水的形成.不同类型地表凝结水量的日均值有所差异.对于同一地表类型,凝结水量的最大值为最小值的数倍.黎明时,苔藓结皮的凝结水量最大,而裸沙的凝结水量最小,地衣结皮和藻结皮居中.凝结现象自20:00～22:00,次日8:00～9:00结束.大多数日出后凝结现象仍继续发生.不同类型地表的凝结及蒸散过程经历2个阶段:日出前凝结水量呈缓慢增加的趋势,日出后随温度的升高凝结水量快速减少,其中以苔藓结皮凝结水量下降最为迅速.凝结水量主要受温度、大气湿度、凝结面类型、气象条件和生境等方面因素的影响.     

古尔班通古特沙漠生物土壤结皮下土壤有机碳垂直分布特征及影响因素

为了探究沙漠不同生物土壤结皮类型覆盖下土壤有机碳(SOC)垂直分布特征及与土壤理化因素的关系,解析影响因素,以古尔班通古特沙漠腹地藻类、藓类生物土壤结皮和裸沙三种不同地被覆盖类型为研究对象,通过野外采集不同类型结皮样品及其下层0-2 cm、2-5 cm、5-10 cm、10-20 cm、20 -30 cm、30-50 cm、50-70 cm以及70-100 cm土层土壤(裸沙对照),测定不同土层的SOC含量及土壤理化指标,开展相关研究。结果表明:(1)不同地被类型下0-100 cm SOC含量随着土壤深度增加呈减小的趋势,在10-30 cm 土层存在SOC含量升高的现象,藓类、藻类和裸沙三种地被类型0-100 cm土层SOC含量范围分别在:1.61-2.70、1.41-2.56、1.21-1.92 g/kg;(2)不同地被类型下同一土层SOC含量在0-5 cm土层存在显著差异,5-100 cm土层SOC整体无显著差异,同层SOC含量均表现为:藓类>藻类>裸沙对照;(3)Pearson法分析结果表明不同地被覆盖下SOC含量与养分(全氮、全磷)呈现正相关关系,与pH和电导率(EC)呈现负相关关系。通过结构方程模型结果表明,土壤养分和粒径(砂粒占比)是影响垂直分布的主要因子,其中粒径是裸沙和藻类的最主要影响因子,藓类最重要的影响因子是养分(全磷)。生物土壤结皮的发育会逐步提高土壤碳的积累,改变SOC的垂直分布特征,对SOC的影响主要集中在5 cm以上土层,土壤理化特征对垂直分布特征具有调控作用。     

Population dynamics of Echinops gmelinii Turcz. at different successional stages of biological soil crusts in a temperate desert in China

• The effects of biological soil crusts (BSC) on vascular plant growth can be positive, neutral or negative, and little information is available on the impacts of different BSC successional stages on vascular plant population dynamics.
• We analysed seedling emergence, survival, plant growth and reproduction in response to different BSC successional stages (i.e. habitats: bare soil, cyanobacteria, lichen and moss crusts) in natural populations of Echinops gmelinii Turcz. in the Tengger Desert of northwest China. The winter annual E. gmelinii is a dominant pioneer herb after sand stabilisation.
• During the early stages of BSC succession, the studied populations of E. gmelinii were characterised by high density, plant growth and fecundity. As the BSC succession proceeded beyond moss crusts, the fecundity decreased sharply, which limited seedling recruitment. Differences in seedling survival among the successional stages were not evident, indicating that BSC have little effect on survival in arid desert regions. Moreover, E. gmelinii biomass allocation exhibited low plasticity, and only reproductive allocation was sensitive to the various habitats. Our results further suggest that the negative effects of BSC succession on population dynamics are primarily driven by increasing topsoil water‐holding capacity and decreasing rain water infiltration into deeper soil.
• We conclude that BSC succession drives population dynamics of E. gmelinii, primarily via its effect on soil moisture. The primary cause for E. gmelinii population decline during the moss‐dominated stage of BSC succession is decreased fecundity of individual plants, with declining seed mass possibly reducing the success of seedling establishment.

     

生物结皮对3种荒漠草本植物光合生理特性的影响

通过人工去除生物结皮实验,研究古尔班通古特沙漠生物结皮对3种荒漠草本植物生理特性的影响,根据生物结皮对土壤养分和水分的影响,综合分析生物结皮对3种草本植物光合生理特性的影响。结果表明,生物结皮对3种荒漠草本植物光合生理的影响基本一致,在植物生长早期,生物结皮区的尖喙牻牛儿苗（Erodium oxyrrhynchum M.Bieb.）、条叶庭荠（Alyssum linifolium Steph.ex Willd.）和琉苞菊（Hyalea pulchella（Ldb.） C.Koch）的叶片相对含水量（RWC）、净光合速率（P_n）、气孔导度（G_s）、蒸腾速率（E）、水分利用效率（WUE）、PSⅡ最大光化学量子效率（F_v/F_m）、PSⅡ实际光化学效率（φ_PSⅡ）和叶绿素（Chl）含量均高于去除生物结皮区;但是,在植物生长后期,却是去除生物结皮区的各项生理指标高。生物结皮对3种荒漠草本植物光合生理过程的影响与其对植物生长的影响基本一致,这与土壤养分和水分状况的变化密切相关。     

生物结皮影响下的土壤有机质分异特征

对新疆古尔班通古特沙漠生物结皮影响下的土壤有机质分异特征进行了定量研究。结果表明,该沙漠典型沙垄不同部位具有不同的土壤有机质特征,且土壤有机质含量具有明显的分层特征。无论是结皮覆盖区还是非覆盖区,土壤有机质的积累均以表层0~5cm土层为主,由表及里呈递减趋势。这种地表有机质分布的规律在该沙漠地表普遍存在。虽然如此,生物结皮却强烈影响着地表0~5cm土层有机质的含量的积累,它的存在使得该层有机质含量极显著地高于无结皮覆盖区0~5cm土层的有机质含量(t检验,p<0.01),表明生物结皮能显著增加地表0~5cm土层的有机质含量;而无论结皮覆盖区还是非结皮覆盖区,两者5~10cm土层之间和10~30cm土层之间的有机质含量无显著差异(t检验,p>0.05),说明生物结皮对土壤有机质含量的影响范围仅限于表层0~5cm,对更深层次土壤的有机质含量则无显著影响。     

Winter snowfall can have a positive effect on photosynthetic carbon fixation and biomass accumulation of biological soil crusts from the Gurbantunggut Desert,China

Winter snowfall is an important factor in the growth and development of biological soil crusts (BSCs) in temperate desert regions of China. In this study, intact algae, lichen, and moss crusts from the Gurbantunggut Desert were collected and exposed to five experimental treatments—snow removal (0S), snow decrease to half that of ambient conditions (1/2S), ambient snow (S), snow increase to 1.5 times that of ambient conditions (3/2S), and snow increase to twice that of ambient conditions (2S)—to evaluate the effect of snowfall on the ecophysiological parameters of the BSCs during the melt and at the end of the growing period. The results clearly identified differences in physiological and ecological indexes between snowfall manipulation treatments in March, and further found that the values of most of the ecophysiological indexes were influenced by snow removal/reduction treatments, the type of BSC and their interaction effect. The chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, chlorophyll content, and the rates of photosynthesis and respiration of all three types of crust declined because of decreased soil water content with decreased snow cover, and this effect would likely be even greater under conditions of decreased precipitation. The rates of photosynthesis and respiration of the main types of BSC were changed by variations in the winter snowfall, and confirmed the existence of long-term snowfall impacts on photosynthetic carbon fixation and biomass accumulation. These results provide a foundation for future studies to assess the potential effects of snowfall on the carbon sequestration of BSCs from arid and semi-arid regions.     

腾格里沙漠东南缘不同生物土壤结皮细菌多样性及其季节动态特征

微生物多样性对于生物土壤结皮在沙漠生态系统中改善局部环境以及提升生态功能具有重要作用。本研究对腾格里沙漠东南缘沙坡头地区藻结皮、藓结皮及其下层的四季样品进行了16S rDNA高通量测序, 以期阐明细菌多样性及其在生物土壤结皮演替过程中的季节变化规律。结果表明4种类型样品的细菌丰富度在夏季显著低于其他3个季节。4种类型样品中主要的细菌类群为变形菌门、放线菌门、绿弯菌门、酸杆菌门、蓝细菌门等, 其中变形菌门和放线菌门为优势类群, 夏季时变形菌门的相对多度显著高于春季、秋季、冬季, 且在结皮层中相对多度显著高于结皮下层。放线菌门的相对多度在春季、夏季显著高于秋季、冬季, 且结皮下层相对多度高于结皮层。生物土壤结皮演替过程中细菌多样性及其相对多度季节动态变化表明其对沙漠土壤局部环境的变化作出了响应, 这为深入理解生物土壤结皮在沙漠生态系统中的生态功能提供了微生物多样性数据。     

库布齐沙漠东部不同生物结皮发育阶段土壤温室气体通量

以流动沙地为对照,采用时空替代法分析库布齐沙漠东部固定沙地上不同发育阶段生物结皮藻类结皮和地衣结皮土壤温室气体通量特征及其与环境因子之间的关系,研究生物结皮发育对荒漠土壤温室气体通量的影响.结果表明: 荒漠土壤CO₂排放通量大小为地衣结皮(128.5 mg·m^-2·h^-1)>藻结皮(70.2 mg·m^-2·h^-1)>流动沙地(48.2 mg·m^-2·h^-1),CH₄吸收通量大小为地衣结皮(30.4 μg·m^-2·h^-1)>藻结皮(21.2 μg·m^-2·h^-1)>流动沙地(18.2 μg·m^-2·h^-1),N₂O排放通量大小为地衣结皮(6.6 μg·m^-2·h^-1)>藻结皮(5.4 μg·m^-2·h^-1)>流动沙地(2.5 μg·m^-2·h^-1).CO₂排放具有明显的季节变化,生长季显著大于非生长季;CH₄和N₂O季节变化差异不显著,前者生长季吸收大于非生长季,后者非生长季排放大于生长季.土壤有机碳和全氮含量、土壤微生物数量均是影响温室气体通量的重要因素,环境水热因子是影响土壤CO₂排放的关键因子,但CH₄和N₂O通量对水热因子的变化不敏感.随着植被恢复和生物结皮发育,荒漠土壤温室气体累积通量的不断增大导致其百年尺度的全球增温潜势亦显著提高,依次为地衣结皮(1135.7 g CO₂-e·m^-2·a^-1)>藻结皮(626.5 g CO₂-e·m^-2·a^-1) >流动沙地(422.7 g CO₂-e·m^-2·a^-1).     

古尔班通古特沙漠不同区域藻类结皮微生物结构和潜在功能

藻类结皮形成和发育,能够提高土壤稳定性并增加土壤有机质含量,为微生物生长、繁殖和草本植物拓殖创造条件。因此,藻类结皮潜在功能对后续生物结皮及生态系统演替具有重要意义。然而,古尔班通古特沙漠藻类结皮营养循环相关微生物及潜在功能机制尚不清楚。以古尔班通古特沙漠不同区域藻类结皮为研究对象,采用宏基因组测序技术,研究藻类结皮微生物群落及碳氮循环功能基因特征。研究结果表明蓝藻菌门、变形菌门、放线菌门是藻类结皮中主要微生物类群,在沙漠固碳和氮循环中起到重要作用。微生物α多样性结果显示仅物种丰富度指数在三个区域内存在显著差异。β多样性结果显示藻类结皮未因沙漠局部气候及理化因子差异产生微生物群落分化。而微生物群落功能基因对环境变化响应要比微生物群落更为敏感,沙漠东部和西部藻类结皮功能基因产生显著分化。三个区域微生物功能基因中还原型三羧酸循环是自养生物固碳主要途径,而卡尔文循环是光合生物固碳的主要途径,其中rpiA和rbcS基因更易受到降水影响。鞘脂单胞菌属、念珠藻属和伪枝藻属在参与固碳过程中表现出的差异,可能是导致固碳功能基因产生分化的原因之一。氮循环主要途径以硝酸盐还原为主,大部分氮素通过硝酸盐同化作用被土壤微生物转化为铵盐,少量氮素被反硝化为一氧化二氮和一氧化氮流失。沙漠藻类结皮固氮作用较弱,仅有念珠藻属和伪枝藻属参与,且存在nifH、nifD、nifK三个功能基因。这些固氮功能基因更易受到土壤中硝态氮含量的影响。硝化过程仅注释到氨单加氧酶或甲烷单加氧酶编码pmoABC-amoABC基因,而hao和nxrA、nxrB基因均未注释获得。     

古尔班通古特沙漠原生梭梭根区土壤水分变化特征

研究原生梭梭根区土壤水分动态变化对深入理解古尔班通古特沙漠水文过程与植被的相互作用具有重要意义.2007年8月至2008年7月,利用TDR土壤水分测定系统测定古尔班通古特沙漠南缘梭梭林地的土壤体积含水量,分析梭梭根区土壤水分时空分布及其变化规律.结果表明:梭梭根区土壤存在湿岛效应,根区60 cm土层水分储量是裸地的1.49倍,这种差异夏季比春季、降雨后比降雨前明显.春季积雪融化后,古尔班通古特沙漠土壤水分最丰富,而冬季的土壤水分含量最低.土壤水分年内变化可分为春季(3—5月)土壤水分迅速补充-消耗期、夏秋(6—9月)土壤水分缓慢消耗期和秋冬(10月至次年2月)土壤水分稳定期.经小波计算,根区和裸地土壤水分含量分别出现43 d、40 d的小周期和110 d、103 d的大周期.树冠的遮荫和自集水效应,以及根区土壤良好的渗透性是梭梭根区土壤水分相对丰富的主要原因.     

古尔班通古特沙漠生物土壤结皮对氨氧化微生物生态位的影响

生物结皮作为荒漠地表的重要覆被类型, 在荒漠生态系统的氮素循环中扮演重要角色。融雪期为古尔班通古特沙漠生物结皮的复苏和生长提供了充足的水分, 也成为该沙漠氮素固定和转化的重要时期, 但该时期生物结皮如何影响驱动氨氧化转化的微生物群落动态尚未明确。因此, 我们利用荧光定量PCR (fluorescent quantitative PCR, qPCR)方法分析融雪期生物结皮与去除结皮不同土层(0-2, 2-5, 5-10和10-20 cm)氨氧化菌群丰度特征, 结合潜在硝化速率和土壤理化参数, 探究融雪期生物结皮对荒漠土壤氮素转化作用。结果表明: 氨氧化古菌(ammonia-oxidizing archaea, AOA)是古尔班通古特沙漠土壤优势氨氧化菌, 生物结皮对0-2 cm层土壤中AOA、氨氧化细菌(ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, AOB) amoA基因丰度具有显著抑制作用(P < 0.01), 对10-20 cm层土壤中AOA amoA基因丰度具有显著促进作用(P < 0.01)。冗余分析(redundancy analysis, RDA)表明, AOA、AOB amoA基因丰度主要受土壤含水量和铵态氮含量的影响, 占总条件效应的54.90%。氨氧化速率分析发现, 去除生物结皮显著降低古尔班通古特沙漠土壤硝化作用潜力(P < 0.001), 证实生物结皮对荒漠土壤氮素转化具有重要的调控作用。综上所述, 古尔班通古特沙漠氨氧化微生物的分布规律受环境因子调控, 特别是生物结皮可以通过调节土壤含水量和铵态氮含量影响AOA和AOB的空间生态位分化, 促进沙漠土壤的硝化作用。     

Habitat stress initiates changes in composition,CO2 gas exchange and C-allocation as life traits in biological soil crusts

Biological soil crusts (BSC) are the dominant functional vegetation unit in some of the harshest habitats in the world. We assessed BSC response to stress through changes in biotic composition, CO₂ gas exchange and carbon allocation in three lichen-dominated BSC from habitats with different stress levels, two more extreme sites in Antarctica and one moderate site in Germany. Maximal net photosynthesis (NP) was identical, whereas the water content to achieve maximal NP was substantially lower in the Antarctic sites, this apparently being achieved by changes in biomass allocation. Optimal NP temperatures reflected local climate. The Antarctic BSC allocated fixed carbon (tracked using ¹⁴CO₂) mostly to the alcohol soluble pool (low-molecular weight sugars, sugar alcohols), which has an important role in desiccation and freezing resistance and antioxidant protection. In contrast, BSC at the moderate site showed greater carbon allocation into the polysaccharide pool, indicating a tendency towards growth. The results indicate that the BSC of the more stressed Antarctic sites emphasise survival rather than growth. Changes in BSC are adaptive and at multiple levels and we identify benefits and risks attached to changing life traits, as well as describing the ecophysiological mechanisms that underlie them.     

腾格里沙漠东南缘生物土壤结皮的固氮潜力

以腾格里沙漠东南缘广泛分布的3类典型生物土壤结皮(藻类结皮、地衣结皮和藓类结皮)为研究对象,在野外环境下连续一年(2010年6月至2011年5月)测定了不同类型结皮的固氮潜力、季节变化,及其对环境因子的响应特征.结果表明：整个试验期间,藻类、地衣和藓类结皮的固氮活性分别为14～133、20～101和4～28 mol·m^-2·h^-1,差异显著,这种差异主要是由结皮种类组成的差异所致.3类结皮固氮活性对环境因子的响应特征基本一致.3类结皮固氮活性与降水量关系不显著,但与试验前3天小于3 mm的降水量均呈显著的正相关关系,说明该地区3类结皮在3 mm降水条件下即可达到最大固氮速率.3类结皮固氮活性与试验期温度均呈显著的二次函数关系,随气温升高均呈先上升后下降的趋势,藻类和地衣结皮的固氮活性在超过30 ℃后即迅速下降,而藓类结皮的固氮活性在超过25 ℃后即开始下降,说明不同类型结皮具有不同的固氮适宜温度区间.3类结皮固氮活性的季节变化均表现为秋季>春季>夏季>冬季,夏季高温和冬季低温抑制了结皮固氮酶活性,而春末秋初适宜的水热条件促进了其固氮活性的提高,结皮固氮活性的季节变化主要受水热因子的共同调控.温带荒漠区生物土壤结皮在湿润条件下全年均具有固氮能力,环境因子对其氮固定的控制作用层次分明,水分是影响其固氮速率和持续时间的关键因子,在水分和碳源充足的条件下,温度则是制约其固氮能力的主要因子.