Effects of Epixylic Vegetation Removal on the Dynamics of the Microbial Community Composition in Decaying Logs in an Alpine Forest

Ecosystems - Epixylic vegetation may be important in dead wood decay by altering the microenvironment and, thereby, microbial communities in logs. However, the interaction between epixylic...     

Forest Age and Plant Species Composition Determine the Soil Fungal Community Composition in a Chinese Subtropical Forest

Fungal diversity and community composition are mainly related to soil and vegetation factors. However, the relative contribution of the different drivers remains largely unexplored, especially in subtropical forest ecosystems. We studied the fungal diversity and community composition of soils sampled from 12 comparative study plots representing three forest age classes (Young: 10–40 yrs; Medium: 40–80 yrs; Old: ≥80 yrs) in Gutianshan National Nature Reserve in South-eastern China. Soil fungal communities were assessed employing ITS rDNA pyrotag sequencing. Members of Basidiomycota and Ascomycota dominated the fungal community, with 22 putative ectomycorrhizal fungal families, where Russulaceae and Thelephoraceae were the most abundant taxa. Analysis of similarity showed that the fungal community composition significantly differed among the three forest age classes. Forest age class, elevation of the study plots, and soil organic carbon (SOC) were the most important factors shaping the fungal community composition. We found a significant correlation between plant and fungal communities at different taxonomic and functional group levels, including a strong relationship between ectomycorrhizal fungal and non-ectomycorrhizal plant communities. Our results suggest that in subtropical forests, plant species community composition is the main driver of the soil fungal diversity and community composition.     

Dynamics of Bacterial and Fungal Communities on Decaying Salt Marsh Grass

Both bacteria and fungi play critical roles in decomposition processes in many natural environments, yet only rarely have they been studied as an integrated microbial community. Here we describe the bacterial and fungal assemblages associated with two decomposition stages of Spartina alterniflora detritus in a productive southeastern U.S. salt marsh. 16S rRNA genes and 18S-to-28S internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions were used to target the bacterial and ascomycete fungal communities, respectively, based on DNA sequence analysis of isolates and environmental clones and by using community fingerprinting based on terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis. Seven major bacterial taxa (six affiliated with the α-Proteobacteria and one with the Cytophagales) and four major fungal taxa were identified over five sample dates spanning 13 months. Fungal terminal restriction fragments (T-RFs) were informative at the species level; however, bacterial T-RFs frequently comprised a number of related genera. Amplicon abundances indicated that the salt marsh saprophyte communities have little-to-moderate variability spatially or with decomposition stage, but considerable variability temporally. However, the temporal variability could not be readily explained by either successional shifts or simple relationships with environmental factors. Significant correlations in abundance (both positive and negative) were found among dominant fungal and bacterial taxa that possibly indicate ecological interactions between decomposer organisms. Most associations involved one of four microbial taxa: two groups of bacteria affiliated with the α-Proteobacteria and two ascomycete fungi (Phaeosphaeria spartinicola and environmental isolate “4clt”).     

粤东亚热带森林群落树种组成对苔藓植物分布的影响

为探究森林群落树种组成对苔藓植物分布的影响,利用多元统计方法研究粤东亚热带地区苔藓植物的组成和分布对林分类型的响应。根据森林乔木层的树种组成划分为翻白叶树(Pterospermum heterophyllum)、木荷(Schima superba)+米锥(Castanopsis carlesii)和米锥3种森林类型。结果表明,3种森林类型中苔类(liverworts)和藓类(mosses)植物群落组成特征总体上存在显著差异;双齿裂萼苔(Chiloscyphus latifolius)和细指苔(Kurzia gonyotricha)在3种类型林分中的重要值变化指示了苔类植物群落的差异。3种类型林分中,均以东亚拟鳞叶藓(Pseudotaxiphyllum pohliaecarpum)为优势种。不同林分中藓类植物种类组成主要表现为亚优种分布的不同。这表明森林群落树种组成作为重要的生物因子,对林内苔藓植物的分布和种类组成有重要影响。     

Tree Species Composition Predicts Epiphytic Lichen Communities in an African Montane Rain Forest

The ecology of many tropical rain forest organisms, not the least in Africa, remains poorly understood. Here, we present a detailed ecological study of epiphytic lichens in the equatorial montane rain forest of Bwindi National Park (331 km²), Uganda. We evaluated all major lichen growth forms, including selected groups of crustose lichens. In 14 transects at elevations of 1290 m to 2500 m, we sampled 276 trees belonging to 60 species. We recorded all lichen species on each tree trunk between ground level and 2 m above the ground, yielding 191 lichen species in 67 genera, with a mean of 4.7 species per tree. We used non‐metric multi‐dimensional scaling to separate epiphytic lichen assemblages according to tree species composition and elevation. Structural equation modeling indicated that elevation influenced tree species composition and that tree species composition largely determined lichen species composition. Thus, elevation acted indirectly on the lichen assemblages. Further studies examining factors such as bark properties and lichen colonization ecology may clarify what determines the association between tree species and lichen assemblages. The link between lichen assemblages and large‐scale elevation patterns, as well as disturbance and regrowth histories, warrants further study. An analysis of lichen species composition on individual tree species that occur over large elevation ranges would distinguish the effect of tree species on lichen assemblages from the effect of elevation and thus climate. Our study highlights the limited extent of our knowledge of tropical epiphytic lichens.     

Impact of Future Climate on Radial Growth of Four Major Boreal Tree Species in the Eastern Canadian Boreal Forest

Immediate phenotypic variation and the lagged effect of evolutionary adaptation to climate change appear to be two key processes in tree responses to climate warming. This study examines these components in two types of growth models for predicting the 2010–2099 diameter growth change of four major boreal species Betula papyrifera, Pinus banksiana, Picea mariana, and Populus tremuloides along a broad latitudinal gradient in eastern Canada under future climate projections. Climate-growth response models for 34 stands over nine latitudes were calibrated and cross-validated. An adaptive response model (A-model), in which the climate-growth relationship varies over time, and a fixed response model (F-model), in which the relationship is constant over time, were constructed to predict future growth. For the former, we examined how future growth of stands in northern latitudes could be forecasted using growth-climate equations derived from stands currently growing in southern latitudes assuming that current climate in southern locations provide an analogue for future conditions in the north. For the latter, we tested if future growth of stands would be maximally predicted using the growth-climate equation obtained from the given local stand assuming a lagged response to climate due to genetic constraints. Both models predicted a large growth increase in northern stands due to more benign temperatures, whereas there was a minimal growth change in southern stands due to potentially warm-temperature induced drought-stress. The A-model demonstrates a changing environment whereas the F-model highlights a constant growth response to future warming. As time elapses we can predict a gradual transition between a response to climate associated with the current conditions (F-model) to a more adapted response to future climate (A-model). Our modeling approach provides a template to predict tree growth response to climate warming at mid-high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.     

Vegetation Composition Determines Microbial Activities in a Boreal Forest Soil

Abstract Forest soil ecology was studied in Fennoscandinavian dry Scots pine forests grazed by reindeer to varying extents (ungrazed, lichen-dominated-sites; grazed sites; and bryophyte-dominated sites). We hypothesized that the productivity parameters of the site (i.e., tree growth and soil nutrient concentrations), the vegetation composition, and the microbial activities are directly correlated. Since the productivity of the lichen-dominated ecosystem is low, microbial activities are assumed to be naturally low. Grazing was expected to decrease both the amount of Scots pine fine roots and the soil microbial activities. Several variables on the characteristics of the soil microbial community, Scots pine fine roots, soil nutrients, and tree growth were studied in relation to vegetation composition by using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). Basal respiration (Bas), metabolic quotient of the microbial community (qCO2), and pine fine root parameters increased toward the ungrazed, nutrient-poor, lichen-dominated sites, which were grouped at one end of the first axis in the NMDS ordination. Soil nutrient and tree growth parameters and thickness of the humus layer increased toward bryophyte-dominated sites, which were grouped at the other end of the first axis in the ordination. The grazed sites fell between them. These were characterized by lower Bas and qCO2 values and longer lag, compared to ungrazed lichen- or bryophyte-dominated sites, probably due to decreased carbon input and microclimatic change (the soil without lichen carpet is exposed to direct sunlight and wind). Microbial biomass (Cmic), fungal biomass (ergosterol concentration), and the specific growth rate (μCO2) were not related to vegetation ordination. The high fine root production is the most plausible explanation for the high microbial activities at nutrient-poor, lichen-dominated sites, which produce qualitatively poor and slowly decomposing litter, as fine roots secrete considerable amounts of organic substances. At bryophyte-dominated sites, the higher soil nutrient concentrations and the higher production of easily decomposable substrates are likely to maintain the microbial activities.     

Archaeal Communities in Boreal Forest Tree Rhizospheres Respond to Changing Soil Temperatures

Temperature has generally great effects on both the activity and composition of microbial communities in different soils. We tested the impact of soil temperature and three different boreal forest tree species on the archaeal populations in the bulk soil, rhizosphere, and mycorrhizosphere. Scots pine, silver birch, and Norway spruce seedlings were grown in forest humus microcosms at three different temperatures, 7–11.5°C (night–day temperature), 12–16°C, and 16–22°C, of which 12–16°C represents the typical mid-summer soil temperature in Finnish forests. RNA and DNA were extracted from indigenous ectomycorrhiza, non-mycorrhizal long roots, and boreal forest humus and tested for the presence of archaea by nested PCR of the archaeal 16S rRNA gene followed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiling and sequencing. Methanogenic Euryarchaeota belonging to Methanolobus sp. and Methanosaeta sp. were detected on the roots and mycorrhiza. The most commonly detected archaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences belonged to group I.1c Crenarchaeota, which are typically found in boreal and alpine forest soils. Interestingly, also one sequence belonging to group I.1b Crenarchaeota was detected from Scots pine mycorrhiza although sequences of this group are usually found in agricultural and forest soils in temperate areas. Tree- and temperature-related shifts in the archaeal population structure were observed. A clear decrease in crenarchaeotal DGGE band number was seen with increasing temperature, and correspondingly, the number of euryarchaeotal DGGE bands, mostly methanogens, increased. The greatest diversity of archaeal DGGE bands was detected in Scots pine roots and mycorrhizas. No archaea were detected from humus samples from microcosms without tree seedling, indicating that the archaea found in the mycorrhizosphere and root systems were dependent on the plant host. The detection of archaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences from both RNA and DNA extractions show that the archaeal populations were living and that they may have significant contribution to the methane cycle in boreal forest soil, especially when soil temperatures rise.     

Fungal Community Shifts in Structure and Function across a Boreal Forest Fire Chronosequence

Forest fires are a common natural disturbance in forested ecosystems and have a large impact on the microbial communities in forest soils. The response of soil fungal communities to forest fire is poorly documented. Here, we investigated fungal community structure and function across a 152-year boreal forest fire chronosequence using high-throughput sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region and a functional gene array (GeoChip). Our results demonstrate that the boreal forest soil fungal community was most diverse soon after a fire disturbance and declined over time. The differences in the fungal communities were explained by changes in the abundance of basidiomycetes and ascomycetes. Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi contributed to the increase in basidiomycete abundance over time, with the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) representing the genera Cortinarius and Piloderma dominating in abundance. Hierarchical cluster analysis by using gene signal intensity revealed that the sites with different fire histories formed separate clusters, suggesting differences in the potential to maintain essential biogeochemical soil processes. The site with the greatest biological diversity had also the most diverse genes. The genes involved in organic matter degradation in the mature forest, in which ECM fungi were the most abundant, were as common in the youngest site, in which saprotrophic fungi had a relatively higher abundance. This study provides insight into the impact of fire disturbance on soil fungal community dynamics.     

4种不同演替阶段森林群落物种组成和多样性的比较研究

通过空间变化代替时间差异和样方法等手段,对浙江省马尾松林针叶（针叶林）、马尾松针阔叶混交林、中龄常绿阔叶林和近熟常绿阔叶林4种不同演替阶段森林群落的物种组成和多样性、群落间相似性进行了研究。结果表明,23个样地共记录维管植物53科105属170种。随着演替的进行,群落物种数、各层次的Shannon-Wiener多样性指数基本上呈现先下降后上升的趋势,并以针阔叶混交林最低,估计跟先锋物种的消失和后期物种的出现这一更替有关。随着演替的进行,各群落间的Jaccard相似性系数逐渐降低,其中针阔叶混交林和中龄常绿阔叶林之间的相似性系数最高,马尾松与近熟常绿阔叶林之间的相似性系数最低。群落主成分分析也得出相似的结果。群落之间的差异主要体现在物种组成尤其是乔木层的组成上;针阔叶混交林是物种丰富度和物种多样性较低的一个群落,但它与其它群落间的相似性较高,并已储存了常绿阔叶林中的大部分物种,对演替起着承前启后的作用。     

Effect of Tree Species and Mycorrhizal Colonization on the Archaeal Population of Boreal Forest Rhizospheres

Group 1.1c Crenarchaeota are the predominating archaeal group in acidic boreal forest soils. In this study, we show that the detection frequency of 1.1c crenarchaeotal 16S rRNA genes in the rhizospheres of the boreal forest trees increased following colonization by the ectomycorrhizal fungus Paxillus involutus. This effect was very clear in the fine roots of Pinus sylvestris, Picea abies, and Betula pendula, the most common forest trees in Finland. The nonmycorrhizal fine roots had a clearly different composition of archaeal 16S rRNA genes in comparison to the mycorrhizal fine roots. In the phylogenetic analysis, the 1.1c crenarchaeotal 16S rRNA gene sequences obtained from the fine roots formed a well-defined cluster separate from the mycorrhizal ones. Alnus glutinosa differed from the other trees by having high diversity and detection levels of Crenarchaeota both on fine roots and on mycorrhizas as well as by harboring a distinct archaeal flora. The similarity of the archaeal populations in rhizospheres of the different tree species was increased upon colonization by the ectomycorrhizal fungus. A minority of the sequences obtained from the mycorrhizas belonged to Euryarchaeota (order Halobacteriales).     

南岭国家级自然保护区不同保护条件下林分的组成和立木结构

研究了在南岭国家级自然保护区中不同程度的保护条件下(试验区中的群落Ⅰ、缓冲区中的群落Ⅱ、核心区中的群落Ⅲ)3种群落类型的组成和立木结构.结果表明,3种群落的区系成分相似,都是以泛热带分布、热带亚洲(印度-马来西亚)分布、东哑和北美洲间断分布为主.群落Ⅰ的优势度在3种群落中最为明显.经F检验表明3种群落的丰富度和立木胸径都有极显著差异(P<0.001).受保护程度最低的群落Ⅰ的丰富度和平均胸径都最小,中等保护程度的群落Ⅱ的平均立木胸径和受保护程度最高的群落Ⅲ在丰富度和区系成分上表现出优势.频繁的人类活动的干扰对群落的丰富度、结构和区系成分的负面影响是明显的,但并非保护程度越高,群落的组成和结构越好.自然保护区的管理必须考虑到该地区的可持续性,结合当地的自然社会经济条件,控制好人为干扰的程度,以维持林分群落较高的丰富度和高大的乔木,禁止对森林造成破坏的人为干扰.     

闽北地区森林群落物种多样性的测定

采用8个物种多样性指数对闽北地区的8个森林群落类型物种多样性进行测定,并选用4个种一多度关系模型(对数正态分布、Weibull分布、对数级数分布、生态位优先占领模型)分析其物种-多度关系,把多样性指数与对数正态分布、Weibull分布和生态位优先占领模型的有关参数进行线性回归,以分析多度模型参数描述物种多样性的可行性。结果表明：(1)多数物种多样性指数对群落的测度是一致的,(2)对数正态分布、Weibull分布和生态位优先占领模型对8个群落的物种多度拟合效果很好;(3)对数正态分布、Weibull分布和生态位优先占领模型有关模型参数与部分物种多样性指数的线性关系达显著或极显著水平。通过闽北地区8个类型森林群落物种多样性指数测定,使生物多样性较准确地数量化,同时还说明采用改进单纯形法进行非线性分布函数的拟合是简单有效的,可推广应用。     

浙江仙居俞坑森林群落物种多样性研究

分别采用物种丰富度、物种多样性指数和群落均匀度指标对浙江省仙居县俞坑森林群落的物种多样性进行测定和分析。结果表明：本木植物的物种多样性以生境优越的常绿阔叶林为高,木本植物的物种丰富度、物种多样性指数明显大于草本植物。在群落垂直结构中,木本植物等2层的物种丰富度、物种多样性指数均显著大于第1层。物种丰富度以木本第3层最大,草本层最小;而物种多样性指数、群落均匀度则以木本第2层最大、草本层最小。木本植物各层次、草本层的物种多样性各项指标在群落各样地间均有一定的差异。     

太行山南段油松群落物种多样性研究

油松是太行山区重要的植树造林树种。本文以太行山南段为研究区域,采用随机取样法对武乡、黎城、襄垣、平顺、壶关、屯留6个地区油松的物种多样性与群落多样性进行了分析比较。结果表明:(1)6个地区油松群落中共有种子植物34科70属81种,包含乔木4科4属5种、灌木7科12属15种、草本23科54属61种;(2)太行山南段油松群落种子植物属的区系成分类型多样,以温带成分占绝对优势;(3)武乡、黎城、襄垣、平顺、壶关5个地区油松群落的物种多样性表现出较为一致的变化趋势,即草本层灌木层乔木层,而屯留的不同功能群物种多样性表现为草本层=灌木层乔木层;(4)6个地区油松群落多样性从高到低依次为平顺黎城襄垣武乡屯留壶关;(5)油松群落多样性和物种多样性水平受群落演替进程、地理环境、人为干扰等诸多因子的协同作用。     

The Impact of Selective-Logging and Forest Clearance for Oil Palm on Fungal Communities in Borneo

Tropical forests are being rapidly altered by logging, and cleared for agriculture. Understanding the effects of these land use changes on soil fungi, which play vital roles in the soil ecosystem functioning and services, is a major conservation frontier. Using 454-pyrosequencing of the ITS1 region of extracted soil DNA, we compared communities of soil fungi between unlogged, once-logged, and twice-logged rainforest, and areas cleared for oil palm, in Sabah, Malaysia. Overall fungal community composition differed significantly between forest and oil palm plantation. The OTU richness and Chao 1 were higher in forest, compared to oil palm plantation. As a proportion of total reads, Basidiomycota were more abundant in forest soil, compared to oil palm plantation soil. The turnover of fungal OTUs across space, true β-diversity, was also higher in forest than oil palm plantation. Ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungal abundance was significantly different between land uses, with highest relative abundance (out of total fungal reads) observed in unlogged forest soil, lower abundance in logged forest, and lowest in oil palm. In their entirety, these results indicate a pervasive effect of conversion to oil palm on fungal community structure. Such wholesale changes in fungal communities might impact the long-term sustainability of oil palm agriculture. Logging also has more subtle long term effects, on relative abundance of EcM fungi, which might affect tree recruitment and nutrient cycling. However, in general the logged forest retains most of the diversity and community composition of unlogged forest.     

林分因子对神木垒不同森林群落林下植物多样性的影响

为探究神木垒不同森林群落林下植物多样性的差异,本研究采用典型样地法,以夹金山神木垒的5种主要森林群落：云杉林、丽江云杉林、红杉林、针阔混交林、阔叶林为研究对象,对不同森林群落林下植物物种组成和物种多样性进行比较,并对林分因子和林下植物多样性进行冗余分析,确定影响林下植物多样性的主要林分因子,为当地森林经营管理提供理论依据。结果表明：（1）在研究区内共记录林下植物147种,隶属于61科,108属;云杉林群落林下植物的科属种组成最丰富。（2）各类型群落的H值、H"值、D值、JSW值均为：草本层＞灌木层;灌木层多样性最高的群落为云杉林群落,草本层多样性最高的群落为丽江云杉林群落,针阔混交林群落、阔叶林群落林下植物多样性较差。（3）平均枝下高与林分密度是影响灌木层物种多样性的主要林分因子（P<0.01）,平均枝下高与灌木层的D值、H值、H"值呈负相关关系,林分密度与灌木层4个多样性指数均呈正相关关系;平均枝下高是影响草本层物种多样性的主要林分因子（P<0.01）,平均枝下高与草本层H值、H"值、JSW值呈正相关关系。本研究认为,云杉林群落与丽江云杉林群落的林下植物多样性水平较高,平均枝下高与林分密度是影响神木垒不同森林群落林下植物多样性的主要林分因子。