干旱与半干旱区灌丛微生境中红砂枯落物分解特征及中小型节肢动物的作用

在干旱区(内蒙古乌拉特后旗)和半干旱区(宁夏盐池)荒漠草原区,选择柠条灌丛内外微生境为研究样地,以红砂枯落物为研究对象,利用2种规格网孔分解袋(30目和250目网孔),探索中小型节肢动物在红砂枯落物分解过程中的作用规律,研究灌丛微生境中红砂枯落物质量损失变化特征及节肢动物群落的贡献。结果表明：(1)在干旱与半干旱区,红砂枯落物分解常数K均表现为灌丛内外微生境间无显著差异,且有无节肢动物参与对K的影响均较小。(2)分解至12个月时,无节肢动物参与的情况下,干旱与半干旱区红砂枯落物残留率均表现为裸地显著低于灌丛;但有节肢动物参与时,枯落物残留率则表现为灌丛内外微生境间无显著差异。分解至44个月时,无节肢动物参与的情况下,仅在干旱区枯落物残留率表现为裸地显著高于灌丛;而有节肢动物参与时,干旱与半干旱区枯落物残留率均表现为灌丛内外微生境间无显著差异。(3)节肢动物对红砂枯落物质量损失的贡献率呈现单峰值现象,且在分解至24个月时达到峰值。枯落物分解至12个月时,仅半干旱区节肢动物对红砂枯落物分解的贡献率表现为裸地显著低于灌丛;分解至44个月时,仅干旱区节肢动物对红砂枯落物分解的贡献率表现为裸地显...     

The relative contributions of termites and microarthropods to fluff grass litter disappearance in the Chihuahuan Desert

Summary We tested the hypotheses that both subterranean termites and soil microarthropods are important in the disappearance of fluff grass (Erioneuron pulchellum) litter on the soil surface by an experiment designed to separate termite and microarthropod effects. Subterranean termites (Gnathamitermes tubiformans) removed more than 50% of the fluff grass litter in one year.Since there was no difference in mass loss of fluff grass with microarthropods present or excluded, they had no effect on decomposition of fluff grass litter. Microarthropod densities increased during the first 3 months then slowly decreased. The densities of microarthropods in fluff grass litter were too low to have a measurable effect on decomposition even if we assumed that the microarthropods consumed litter equivalent to their body weight each day.     

西双版纳热带季节雨林凋落叶分解与土壤动物群落：两种网孔分解袋的分解实验比较

 以西双版纳热带湿性季节沟谷雨林混合凋落叶作为分解基质,在不同位置季节雨林样地,采用不同网孔（ 2和0.15 mm）分解袋,开展大中型土壤动物对雨林凋落叶分解影响的实验,测定了不同网孔分解袋土壤动 物多样性、凋落叶分解速率和主要养分元素释放状况。结果显示：2 mm网孔分解袋土壤动物类群相对密度 年均值为2.67～2.83目•g－1凋落物干重,个体相对密度年均值为22.3～21.77个•g－1凋落物干重,显著 高于0.15 mm网孔分解袋的类群相对密度0.27～0.28目•g－1凋落物干重和个体相对密度2.88～2.77个•g－ 1凋落物干重（p<0.01）,并且0.15 mm网孔分解袋中极少量的动物个体主要为小型类群弹尾目和蜱螨目（ 原生动物、湿生土壤动物线虫不计）,由此我们视2 mm网孔分解袋凋落叶分解由绝大多数土壤动物和其它 土壤生物共同作用,而0.15 mm网孔分解袋基本排除了大中型土壤动物对袋内凋落叶分解的影响。2 mm网 孔分解袋凋落叶物质失重率（71%左右）、分解率指数（1.88～2.44）和主要养分元素释放率明显高于 0.15 mm分解袋（34%～35%,0.48～0.58）。通过比较两种不同网孔分解袋凋落叶失重率和元素释放率的 差异,显示出季节雨林大中型土壤动物群落对凋落叶物质损失的贡献率为年均值46%左右,并使凋落叶C/N 和C/P明显降低,而对不同元素释放率的影响不同,其中对N、S和Ca元素释放率的影响较大,而对K素释放 的影响作用最小。相关分析显示,2 mm网孔分解袋内土壤动物群落类群和个体的相对密度与凋落叶物质残 留率有较好的负相关关系,而群落香农多样性指数与凋落叶分解率指数表现出一定的正相关关系。     

Leaf litter identity rather than diversity shapes microbial functions and microarthropod abundance in tropical montane rainforests

In tropical forest ecosystems leaf litter from a large variety of species enters the decomposer system, however, the impact of leaf litter diversity on the abundance and activity of soil organisms during decomposition is little known. We investigated the effect of leaf litter diversity and identity on microbial functions and the abundance of microarthropods in Ecuadorian tropical montane rainforests. We used litterbags filled with leaves of six native tree species (Cecropia andina, Dictyocaryum lamarckianum, Myrcia pubescens, Cavendishia zamorensis, Graffenrieda emarginata, and Clusia spp.) and incubated monocultures and all possible two‐ and four‐species combinations in the field for 6 and 12 months. Mass loss, microbial biomass, basal respiration, metabolic quotient, and the slope of microbial growth after glucose addition, as well as the abundance of microarthropods (Acari and Collembola), were measured at both sampling dates. Leaf litter diversity significantly increased mass loss after 6 months of exposure, but reduced microbial biomass after 12 months of exposure. Leaf litter species identity significantly changed both microbial activity and microarthropod abundance with species of high quality (low C‐to‐N ratio), such as C. andina, improving resource quality as indicated by lower metabolic quotient and higher abundance of microarthropods. Nonetheless, species of low quality, such as Clusia spp., also increased the abundance of Oribatida suggesting that leaf litter chemical composition alone is insufficient to explain variation in the abundances of soil microarthropods. Overall, the results provide evidence that decomposition and microbial biomass in litter respond to leaf litter diversity as well as litter identity (chemical and physical characteristics), while microarthropods respond only to litter identity but not litter diversity.     

Mixed leaf litter effects on decomposition rates and soil microarthropod communities in an oak–pine stand in Japan

Rates of decomposition, and soil faunal abundance and diversity associated with single-species and mixed-species litters were studied in a litter bag experiment in an oak–pine forest. We used two canopy species of leaf litter, pine and oak, and one shrub species, Sasa, and compared decomposition rates, and soil microarthropod abundance and community structure of oribatid mites in the litter bags. Mass loss of single species decreased in the order: oak > pine > Sasa. While the total mass loss rates of mixed litter were intermediate between those of the constituent species, enhancement of mass loss from the three-species mixture and from mixed slow-decomposing litters (pine and Sasa) was observed. Faunal abundance in litter bags was higher in mixed-species litter than in those with single-species litter, and species richness of oribatid mites was also higher in the three-species mixed litter. Faunal abundance in single-species litter bags was not correlated with mass loss, although enhancement of mass loss in mixed litter bags corresponded with higher microarthropod abundance. Habitat heterogeneity in mixed litter bags seemed to be responsible for the more abundant soil microarthropod community.     

Microbiota, fauna, and mesh size interactions in litter decomposition

Plant litter decomposition is a key process in carbon and nutrient cycling. The critical role of soil-faunal community composition in decomposition has been demonstrated using different mesh size litterbags to control exposure of litter to different faunal size classes. However, the faunal community surrounding the litterbags has not been manipulated despite potentially large indirect effects of their activity on biotic and abiotic processes that control litter decomposition at the habitat-scale.
We combined microcosm and litterbag techniques to facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of the role of direct and indirect effects of soil-faunal community composition on litter decomposition. We placed litterbags of three mesh sizes across model grassland miniecosystems manipulated to enable communities containing 1) microfauna; 2) micro- and meso-fauna; 3) micro-, meso- and macro-fauna. All communities contained bacteria and fungi. The approach permitted correction of mesh size artefacts inherent to field studies. Indirect effects have been divided into two separate terms, direct-indirect effects and indirect effects.
Decomposition in micromesh litterbags was significantly decreased by the indirect effects of meso- and macro-fauna. In macrofauna communities, increased mesh size significantly increased decomposition through mesh size per se and faunal effects. Relative effects of manipulated faunal community composition on litter mass loss and C:N ratio were equivalent for green and senesced litter. The presence of meso- and macro-fauna increased litter decomposition rate overall despite inhibiting decomposition by microfauna, bacteria and fungi through indirect effects.     

The role of microarthropods and nematodes in decomposition in a semi-arid ecosystem

Summary We sampled the soil microarthropod community monthly in the oak-mesquite sand hill ecosystem. Small fungiphagous prostigmated mites (pyemotids, lordalychids and tarsonemids) that dominated the soil fauna in winter were replaced by large predaceous mites (rhodacarids and laelapids) in summer and autumn.We compared organic matter loss and microarthropod and nematode populations in shinnery oak (Quercus harvardii) using insecticide and untreated litter in fiberglass litterbags.Microarthropods extracted from litterbags showed a seasonal pattern similar to the soil cores except that collembolans and psocopterans were abundant in the litter and not in the soil cores. Numbers of free living nematodes were consistently greater than from untreated litter. The ratio of non-stylet to stylet bearing nematodes extracted from litter decreased from 4:1 in one month bags to 0.8:1.0 in the one year bags. Laboratory experiments showed that rhodacarid mites fed voraciously on nematodes.Untreated litter exhibited higher rates of organic matter loss than the insecticide treated litter; 20% and 35% respectively.We suggest that the abundant mesostigmatid mites prey on free living nematodes and that eliminating the predators allows the nematodes to overgraze the fungi and bacteria. The soil modifies the microclimate in buried litter allowing for higher biological activity, hence higher rates of decomposition.     

Soil microarthropod contribution to forest ecosystem processes: the importance of observational scale

Investigations of the role of microarthropods (Acari and Collembola) in organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling have shown that they may contribute to primary productivity in nutrient poor conditions. The potential of microarthropods to affect other ecosystem properties, such as above ground plant diversity or succession, lags somewhat. In this contribution we demonstrate: (1) that the effect on the mobilization of nutrients promoted by microarthropods must be measured at the microhabitat scale appropriate to the scale of the faunal activity, and (2) that small changes in the structure of microarthropod assemblages can have significant effects on the local mobilization of nutrients. In the first of two experiments we measured the nutrients leaching from field mesocosms containing litter and mineral soil, with and without fauna. After eight months, the C:N ratios of the litter differed significantly indicating that the fauna were effective in altering the decomposition rate. However, the patterns of release over time and the concentration of the measured nutrients differed little between the two sets of mesocosms. In a second experiment microarthropod assemblages, which differed only slightly, were introduced into laboratory microcosms and the nutrient fluxes were measured over a ten week period. Significant differences were detected in the concentration of nitrogen, K and Mg leached and in CO2 evolved. We suggest that when the potential influence of microarthropods on ecosystem properties is being assessed, specific knowledge of the relevant details of interactions at the smallest scale must be considered. These details can be incorporated or dismissed when interactions on the next level of the ecological hierarchy are examined. Using such analysis we suggest that the creation of soil nutrient hot-spots by microarthropods may have implications for maintaining plant species of lowered competitive ability in a given system.     

季节性冻融期间土壤动物对高山草甸两种凋落叶失重的贡献

季节性冻融期间高山草甸凋落叶的分解可为生长季节植物生长提供必要的养分,对于维持生态系统物质循环和养分平衡具有重要作用。然而,土壤动物对凋落叶分解是否具有明显的贡献仍然缺乏一致认识。因此,以高山草甸代表性植物黄花亚菊(Ajania nubigena)和黑褐苔草(Carex atrofusca)凋落叶为研究对象,采用不同孔径凋落叶袋排除土壤动物的方法,研究冬季不同冻融时期(冻结前期、冻结期和融化期)土壤动物对凋落叶失重的贡献。整个季节性冻融期间土壤动物对黄花亚菊和黑褐苔草两种凋落叶失重率的作用分别为12.07%和4.03%,总贡献率分别为46.39%和24.14%。土壤动物对两种凋落叶失重率的作用均在融化期最大,而土壤动物对黄花亚菊凋落叶失重率的作用在冻结初期最小,土壤动物对黑褐苔草凋落叶失重率的作用在冻结期最小。整个季节性冻融期,土壤动物对凋落叶失重率的作用和贡献率与正积温和凋落叶初始C、N浓度和C/N比均呈显著的正相关关系。因此,季节性冻融期间土壤动物对高山草甸凋落叶分解具有明显的贡献,但这些过程受冻融格局和凋落叶初始质量的调控。     

Landscape patterns of litter decomposition in alpine tundra

A two-year study of the decomposition of alpine avens (Acomastylis rossii) foliage in alpine tundra of the Front Range of Colorado demonstrated a strong landscape-mediated effect on decay rates. Litter on sites with intermediate amounts of snowpack decayed more rapidly than litter on sites with larger or smaller amounts of snow. Annual decay constants (k-values) of this foliage ranged from-0.33 in dry tundra to-0.52 in moist tundra to-0.47 in the wettest habitat. No site differences in mass loss of litter were detected until late winter-early spring of the first year of decomposition, when significantly faster decomposition was observed for litter beneath the snowpack. In spite of obvious landscape-related patterns in rates of litter decomposition, total microarthropod densities in the top 5 cm of soil did not differ among habitats. However, the relative abundance of the oribatid and prostigmatid mites did vary significantly across the landscape in relation to the moisture gradient. Oribatid mites comprised a greater proportion of total mites in wetter areas. Microarthropod densities and composition, as well as patterns of decomposition, were compared with previous alpine, as well as arctic tundra, studies. The effects of soil invertebrates on decomposition rates in the alpine were evaluated with a mushroom litterbag decomposition experiment. Naphthalene was used to exclude fauna from a subset of litterbags placed in mesic and xeric habitats. Mushrooms without naphthalene additions decayed significantly faster in the mesic sites. Densities of invertebrates were also greater on mushrooms in these mesic sites. Mushrooms placed in xeric sites generally lacked fauna. Thus, both the activities and the composition of the detritus-based food web appear to change substantially across the moisture gradient found in alpine tundra.     

Impact of soil mesofauna on the decomposition of two main species litters in a Pinus koraiensis mixed broad-leaved forest of the Changbai Mountains

In most terrestrial ecosystems, the majority of aboveground net primary productivity enters the decomposition system as plant litter. The decomposition of plant litter plays a critical role in regulating build up of the forest soil organic matter, releasing of nutrients for plant growth, and influencing the carbon cycling. Soil fauna are considered to be an important factor in the acceleration litter decomposition and nutrient transformations. Mechanisms of soil faunal contribution to litter decomposition include digestion of substrates, increase of surface area through fragmentation and acceleration of microbial inoculation into litter. The Pinus koraiensis mixed broad-leaved forest is one of the typical forest vegetation types in Changbai Mountain. Previously, major studies carried here were focused on climate, soil and vegetation; however, on litter decomposition and the role of soil fauna in this forest ecosystem were limited. In this paper, we conducted a litter decomposition experiment using litterbag method to explore the contribution of soil fauna on litter decomposition and provide a scientific basis for maintaining a balanced in P. koraiensis mixed broad-leaved forest in Changbai Mountains. During 2009 and 2010, we used litterbags with different mesh sizes to examine the decomposition of two dominant tree species (P. koraiensis, Fraxinus mandshurica) in studied site. The results showed that the process of litter decomposition can be separated into two apparent stages. The initial decomposition process at former six months was slow, while accelerated the final six months. The former six months (from October 2009 to April 2010) was winter and spring. There was low temperature and almost no activity of soil fauna and microbes. The final six months (from June to October 2010), decomposition rates increased. In summer and autumn, both temperature and moisture increases, abundance of soil fauna was much than before and was most active. The remaining mass of P. koraiensis was higher than that of F. mandshurica in two mesh size litterbags after 1 year decomposition, meanwhile litter in 2 mm mesh size litterbag had higher decomposition rate than that of 0.01 mm for two species litter. The Collembola, Acari, Enchytraeidae Lithobiomorpha and Diptera larvae were mainly fauna groups in the litterbags. The composition of soil fauna community was difference between P. koraiensis and F. mandshurica during litter decomposition. 24 different soil fauna groups and 1431 individual were obtained in P. koraiensis litterbags; Isotomidae, Tomoceridae and Oribatida were dominant groups; while 31 different soil fauna groups and 1255 individual were obtained in F. mandshurica litterbags; Isotomidae, Hypogastruridae Oribatida and Mesostigmata were dominant groups. The rate of litter decomposition was positively correlated with the individual and group density of soil fauna. Contribution rate to litter decomposition was 1.70% for P. koraiensis and 4.83% for F. mandshurica. Repeated measures ANOVA showed that litter species, time and soil fauna had a significant impact on the rate of litter decomposition (P < 0.05). Our results suggested that soil fauna could accelerate litter decomposition and, consequently, nutrient cycling in P. koraiensis mixed broad-leaved forest, Changbai Mountains.     

鼎湖山季风常绿阔叶林凋落叶分解与土壤动物群落动态和多样性

2001年12月~2002年12月,采用不同孔径分解凋落叶样袋法,对鼎湖山季风常绿阔叶林3类凋落叶的分解进行了研究,并对落叶分解过程中凋落叶袋内和袋下土样中的土壤动物群落和多样性进行了调查。结果表明,3种孔径袋内凋落叶的分解速率为大孔>中孔>微孔;混合凋落叶的分解速率大于单种凋落叶;蜱螨目在凋落叶分解的整个过程中相对数量都较高,弹尾目在凋落叶的分解过程中在凋落叶袋和土壤间移动,数量变化较大。凋落叶袋内大、中型土壤动物的个体数量在分解前期较多,中、小型土壤动物在分解的中期数量剧增;凋落叶袋内土壤动物的个体数量、密度以及多样性指数都随着落叶的分解而增加,9月最高;土壤样内则在分解的前期较高,以后逐渐降低。凋落叶的分解和土壤动物群落动态及多样性受凋落叶基质质量以及样地温度、降雨量等综合因素的影响。     

Indirect Short- and Long-Term Effects of Aboveground Invertebrate and Vertebrate Herbivores on Soil Microarthropod Communities

Recognition is growing that besides ungulates, small vertebrate and invertebrate herbivores are important drivers of grassland functioning. Even though soil microarthropods play key roles in several soil processes, effects of herbivores—especially those of smaller body size—on their communities are not well understood. Therefore, we progressively excluded large, medium and small vertebrate and invertebrate herbivores for three growing seasons using size-selective fences in two vegetation types in subalpine grasslands; short-grass and tall-grass vegetation generated by high and low historical levels of ungulate grazing. Herbivore exclusions generally had few effects on microarthropod communities, but exclusion of all herbivore groups resulted in decreased total springtail and Poduromorpha richness compared with exclusion of only ungulates and medium-sized mammals, regardless of vegetation type. The tall-grass vegetation had a higher total springtail richness and mesostigmatid mite abundance than the short-grass vegetation and a different oribatid mite community composition. Although several biotic and abiotic variables differed between the exclusion treatments and vegetation types, effects on soil microarthropods were best explained by differences in nutrient and fibre content of the previous year’s vegetation, a proxy for litter quality, and to a lesser extent soil temperature. After three growing seasons, smaller herbivores had a stronger impact on these functionally important soil microarthropod communities than large herbivores. Over longer time-scales, however, large grazers created two different vegetation types and thereby influenced microarthropod communities bottom-up, e.g. by altering resource quality. Hence, both short- and long-term consequences of herbivory affected the structure of the soil microarthropod community.     

Highly reduced mass loss rates and increased litter layer in radioactively contaminated areas

The effects of radioactive contamination from Chernobyl on decomposition of plant material still remain unknown. We predicted that decomposition rate would be reduced in the most contaminated sites due to an absence or reduced densities of soil invertebrates. If microorganisms were the main agents responsible for decomposition, exclusion of large soil invertebrates should not affect decomposition. In September 2007 we deposited 572 bags with uncontaminated dry leaf litter from four species of trees in the leaf litter layer at 20 forest sites around Chernobyl that varied in background radiation by more than a factor 2,600. Approximately one quarter of these bags were made of a fine mesh that prevented access to litter by soil invertebrates. These bags were retrieved in June 2008, dried and weighed to estimate litter mass loss. Litter mass loss was 40 % lower in the most contaminated sites relative to sites with a normal background radiation level for Ukraine. Similar reductions in litter mass loss were estimated for individual litter bags, litter bags at different sites, and differences between litter bags at pairs of neighboring sites differing in level of radioactive contamination. Litter mass loss was slightly greater in the presence of large soil invertebrates than in their absence. The thickness of the forest floor increased with the level of radiation and decreased with proportional loss of mass from all litter bags. These findings suggest that radioactive contamination has reduced the rate of litter mass loss, increased accumulation of litter, and affected growth conditions for plants.     

Do soil organisms affect aboveground litter decomposition in the semiarid Patagonian steppe, Argentina?

Surface litter decomposition in arid and semiarid ecosystems is often faster than predicted by climatic parameters such as annual precipitation or evapotranspiration, or based on standard indices of litter quality such as lignin or nitrogen concentrations. Abiotic photodegradation has been demonstrated to be an important factor controlling aboveground litter decomposition in aridland ecosystems, but soil fauna, particularly macrofauna such as termites and ants, have also been identified as key players affecting litter mass loss in warm deserts. Our objective was to quantify the importance of soil organisms on surface litter decomposition in the Patagonian steppe in the absence of photodegradative effects, to establish the relative importance of soil organisms on rates of mass loss and nitrogen release. We estimated the relative contribution of soil fauna and microbes to litter decomposition of a dominant grass using litterboxes with variable mesh sizes that excluded groups of soil fauna based on size class (10, 2, and 0.01 mm), which were placed beneath shrub canopies. We also employed chemical repellents (naphthalene and fungicide). The exclusion of macro- and mesofauna had no effect on litter mass loss over 3 years (P = 0.36), as litter decomposition was similar in all soil fauna exclusions and naphthalene-treated litter. In contrast, reduction of fungal activity significantly inhibited litter decomposition (P < 0.001). Although soil fauna have been mentioned as a key control of litter decomposition in warm deserts, biogeographic legacies and temperature limitation may constrain the importance of these organisms in temperate aridlands, particularly in the southern hemisphere.     

杉木叶片内生真菌定殖对凋落物分解及其微生物活性的影响

【背景】植物内生真菌在植物组织由衰亡转入腐生过程中发挥重要的作用,但这种作用可能因植物及其内生真菌种类不同而具有差异。【目的】分析不同优势度种类内生真菌定殖对于凋落物分解及其相应微生物活性的影响。【方法】采用凋落物分解袋法,选取优势树种杉木凋落叶作为分解底物。【结果】不同优势度类型的内生真菌单菌或组合定殖在分解过程前期几乎均显著加速了凋落物分解,而在分解后期,除了Irpex lacteus和Colletotrichum sp.,这种加速效应几乎均在减弱,甚至抑制了分解过程。微生物活性各变量对内生真菌定殖处理的响应与失重率并不完全一致,这依赖于分解时期。CO2释放速率在前期与失重率相关性不强,而后期则密切相关;分解前期羧甲基纤维素酶(carboxymethylcellulase,Cx酶)对失重率贡献较大,然而后期漆酶与过氧化物酶对失重率的贡献升高。总之,内生真菌定殖对凋落物分解及相应的微生物活性均产生了较大影响。【结论】对内生真菌定殖效应的研究有助于人们对森林生态系统土壤碳库平衡和养分循环维持机制的理解,同时对于贫瘠人工林土壤肥力的恢复研究也具有重要的意义。     

Relationship between soil microarthropod species diversity and plant growth does not change when the system is disturbed

Soil microarthropods influence vital ecosystem processes, such as decomposition and nutrient mineralisation. There is evidence, however, that proper functioning of ecosystems does not require the presence of all its constituent species, and therefore some species can be regarded as functionally redundant. It has been proposed that species redundancy can act as an insurance against unfavourable conditions, and that functionally redundant species may become important when a system has faced a disturbance (the “insurance hypothesis”).
We conducted a laboratory microcosm experiment with coniferous forest soil and a seedling of silver birch (Betula pendula). A gradient of microarthropod diversity (from one to tens of species of soil mites and Collembola) was created to the systems. We disturbed microcosms with drought to test whether systems with altering microarthropod species richness respond differently to perturbations. Primary production (birch biomass), uptake of nitrogen by the birch seedling, the system's ability to retain nutrients and the structure and biomass of the soil microbial community were analysed.
Primary production and nutrient uptake of the birch seedlings increased slightly with increasing microarthropod species richness but only at the species poor end of the diversity gradient. Loss of nutrients and the biomass and community structure of microbes were unaffected by the microarthropods. The effect of drought on the birch biomass production was independent of the species richness of microarthropods. During the disturbance the biomass of microarthropods declined in diverse systems but not in simple ones. These systems were, however, quite resilient; microarthropod communities recovered quickly after the disturbance. Our results suggest that soil microarthropod species are functionally redundant in respect to plant growth, and that the resistance of a system to and its recovery from a disturbance are only weakly related to the species richness of this fauna.     

川西高山林线交错带土壤动物对岷江冷杉和高山杜鹃凋落物分解的贡献

土壤动物是调控凋落物分解的重要生物因素.为了探究川西高山林线交错带土壤动物对两个优势物种岷江冷杉和高山杜鹃凋落物分解的贡献,在3个海拔梯度(针叶林-林线-高山草甸)采用凋落物分解袋试验,通过不同孔径的网袋(0.04 mm,基本排除土壤动物;3 mm,允许土壤动物通过),研究了分解554 d(2013年5月—2014年11月)土壤动物对凋落物的影响.结果表明: 在整个林线交错带上,岷江冷杉的分解速率(k)为0.209～0.243,高山杜鹃的k为0.173～0.189,岷江冷杉的k大于高山杜鹃.土壤动物的参与显著加速了两种凋落叶分解,同时土壤动物对两种凋落物分解的作用和贡献随海拔升高而降低.自针叶林、高山林线至高山草甸,土壤动物对岷江冷杉分解的质量损失率为15.2%、13.2%、9.8%,对高山杜鹃分解的质量损失率为20.1%、17.5%、12.4%;土壤动物对岷江冷杉分解的平均日贡献率为0.17%、0.13%、0.12%,对高山杜鹃分解的平均日贡献率为0.26%、0.25%、0.23%,土壤动物对高山杜鹃的分解影响相对较大.海拔、凋落物自身性质及其交互作用对土壤动物作用下凋落物的质量损失率和贡献率均表现出显著影响.土壤动物的作用于岷江冷杉和高山杜鹃分解的平均日贡献率在当年生长季(0.25%和0.44%)和次年生长季(0.10%和0.19%)均高于雪被期(0.07%和0.12%).回归分析表明,环境因子(日平均气温、冻融循环次数以及雪被厚度)可以解释土壤动物作用于岷江冷杉和高山杜鹃质量损失率的42.7%和50.9%,贡献率的43.2%和55.6%,这对了解土壤动物在凋落物分解中的作用和深入认识高山生态系统物质循环具有重要意义.     

杉木和米槠细根混合分解及其养分释放

在福建省建瓯万木林自然保护区,选取针叶树种杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata,CUL)细根和常绿阔叶树种米槠(Castanopsis carlesii,CAC)细根,采用网袋法进行了为期720d细根(分0-1mm、1-2mm两个径级)单独分解(在各自细根的起源林分)和混合分解(分别在杉木林和米槠林)干重损失及其养分释放动态的研究。结果表明:杉木和米槠细根混合分解前期(0-270d)曾对干重损失起促进作用,而之后(270-720d),细根混合起了抑制作用。分解过程中的养分释放与干重损失有所不同,混合分解前期(0-360d)出现过促进作用,分解后期(360-720d),除1-2mm径级混合细根P的释放既没有促进也没有抑制作用外,均表现为养分释放的抑制作用。细根混合分解过程中干重损失和养分释放速率变化与分解者生物群落有很大关系。     

Tree litter functional diversity and nitrogen concentration enhance litter decomposition via changes in earthworm communities

Biodiversity is a major driver of numerous ecosystem functions. However, consequences of changes in forest biodiversity remain difficult to predict because of limited knowledge about how tree diversity influences ecosystem functions. Litter decomposition is a key process affecting nutrient cycling, productivity, and carbon storage and can be influenced by plant biodiversity. Leaf litter species composition, environmental conditions, and the detritivore community are main components of the decomposition process, but their complex interactions are poorly understood. In this study, we tested the effect of tree functional diversity (FD) on litter decomposition in a field experiment manipulating tree diversity and partitioned the effects of litter physiochemical diversity and the detritivore community. We used litterbags with different mesh sizes to separate the effects of microorganisms and microfauna, mesofauna, and macrofauna and monitored soil fauna using pitfall traps and earthworm extractions. We hypothesized that higher tree litter FD accelerates litter decomposition due to the availability of complementary food components and higher activity of detritivores. Although we did not find direct effects of tree FD on litter decomposition, we identified key litter traits and macrodetritivores that explained part of the process. Litter mass loss was found to decrease with an increase in leaf litter carbon:nitrogen ratio. Moreover, litter mass loss increased with an increasing density of epigeic earthworms, with most pronounced effects in litterbags with a smaller mesh size, indicating indirect effects. Higher litter FD and litter nutrient content were found to increase the density of surface‐dwelling macrofauna and epigeic earthworm biomass. Based on structural equation modeling, we conclude that tree FD has a weak positive effect on soil surface litter decomposition by increasing the density of epigeic earthworms and that litter nitrogen‐related traits play a central role in tree composition effects on soil fauna and decomposition.