黄土丘陵沟壑区不同植被恢复格局下土壤微生物群落结构

针对典型黄土丘陵沟壑区陕西延安羊圈沟小流域坡面上单一刺槐林、单一撂荒草地以及林草搭配的草地-林地-草地及林地-草地-林地4种不同植被格局,利用磷脂脂肪酸(phospholipid fatty acid,PLFA)谱图分析法对土壤微生物群落结构进行监测研究,旨在揭示坡面上不同的植被恢复格局对土壤微生物群落结构的影响。研究发现4种不同植被格局下,2种林草搭配的植被格局磷脂脂肪酸的结构比较相似,与单一植被格局相比,表层土壤中表征真菌的特征脂肪酸所占的比例有所提高。主成分分析显示4种植被格局0—10 cm土壤微生物群落结构存在差异,差异主要存在于2种林草搭配的植被格局与2种单一的植被格局之间,其中草地-林地-草地的植被格局与刺槐林和撂荒草地之间土壤微生物群落结构的差异均达到了显著水平。不同微生物菌群的量在4种植被格局土壤间显著性差异主要存在于表层土壤中的细菌菌群和革兰氏阳性菌,革兰氏阴性菌和真菌在4种植被格局土壤之间无显著差异。总之,4种不同植被恢复格局的土壤微生物群落结构存在差异且差异主要存在于表层土壤,坡面上人工林的种植及林草搭配的恢复模式较直接撂荒更有利于提高微生物菌群的生物量。     

云雾山天然草地物种分布与环境因子的关系

应用数量生态学中的梯度分析方法研究了云雾山天然草地群落类型、物种分布以及与环境因子的关系.研究结果表明,作为重要的人为管理措施,封育通过改善草地的水分、养分等环境条件,显著影响了云雾山草地的物种分布和群落类型.在封育草地,植被类型为本氏针茅群落,未封育草地为铁杆蒿群落.本氏针茅、百里香、大针茅、直茎点地梅、阿尔泰狗哇花等中旱生植物在封育草地中占优势,铁杆蒿、硬质早熟禾、星毛委菱菜等在退化草地中占优势.除封育措施以外,20～100cm 的土壤含水量对物种分布影响显著.同时,养分作为一个重要的环境因素对物种的分布也具有重要影响,特别是速效钾和NO-3-N.海拔、坡位、坡向等地形因素对植物分布的影响不明显.     

东莞大屏嶂森林公园的现状植被及林分改造对策

采用改进的线路调查方法对东莞大屏障森林公园植被进行调查。结果表明大屏障森林公园植物种类多样,植物资源丰富。公园的现状植被可以划分为5个类型,8个亚型。森林可分为次生常绿阔叶林、人工马占相思林Acacia mangium、油茶林Camellia oleifera等3个亚型。此外,还有荒草坡、农田植被以及其他类型的植被。据此探讨了对大屏障森林公园植被的改造对策,为森林公园的建设提供依据。     

人类活动对两栖动物群落结构的影响

本文报道了哀牢山徐家坝地区,山地水域环境植被的不同开发强度对两栖动物群落结构的影响。调查结果表明,水域环境植被未经破坏的原始常绿阔叶林生态类型其两栖动物群落结构由12种蛙组成,多样性指数2.41:原生植被曾被砍伐而演替为次生林生态类型由9种蛙组成,多样性指数1.97;原生植被曾遭受严重砍伐和火烧而演替为毛蕨草地和沼泽草甸生态类型,其两栖动物种数分别为6种和5种,多样性指数分别为0.70和0.57。由此可见森林植被破坏对两栖动物群落结构及动态都有决定性影响。     

黄土丘陵区地形、土壤水分与草地的景观格局

在黄土丘陵区,地形因素和土壤水分是决定草地景观格局的主要因素,同时草地景观格局在不同尺度上影响着景观中的流.地形因素、土壤水分和草地结构在不同尺度上有着密切的联系,研究它们之间的关系对于了解生态系统的过程十分重要.针对黄土高原异质化的草地群落结构,选取黄土丘陵区经过20多年自然封育形成的天然草地,从坡面尺度对景观格局进行了调查研究,在地形因素、土壤水分和草地结构中选取了有代表性的指标14个,用多元统计分析对选取的指标进行了主成分分析和聚类分析.聚类分析将样方分成3种植被类型,不同植被类型的海拔、坡度、20～140cm土壤含水量以及物种丰富度和生物多样性存在显著性差异.相关分析表明：海拔对0～300cm土壤含水量影响显著;海拔对草地群落盖度,坡位、坡向对草地群落的物种丰富度和生物多样性有着重要影响;而草地群落的物种丰富度和生物多样性与0～100cm土层的含水量关系密切.     

基于数字相机图像的西藏当雄高寒草地群落物候模拟

物候现象是环境条件季节和年际变化最直观、敏感的综合指示器, 其发生时间不仅反映了陆地生态系统短期的动态特征, 其微小的变化还会对陆地生态系统产生重要的反馈作用。高寒草地是青藏高原分布广泛、极具代表性的植被类型, 准确地获取高寒草地群落的物候特征, 对于理解和预测气候变化对青藏高原生态系统的影响具有重要意义。该文以西藏当雄高寒草地为研究对象, 探讨了近地面数字相机图像在高寒草地群落季相监测中的作用, 结果如下: 1)通过比较不同绿度指数的差别, 确定了准确表征高寒草地植被群落季相变化的绿度指数——绝对绿度指数(2G_RB); 2)结合土壤含水量数据, 通过线性回归分析得知高寒草地植被群落生长过程与表层(≤10 cm)土壤含水量的变化较为一致(R ² > 0.70); 3)通过对比分析, 发现降水在高寒草地群落季相“变绿”过程中具有“触发”作用。研究表明, 数字相机技术可作为物候监测手段, 实现高寒草地植被群落季相的实时、连续获取, 为更好地揭示气候变化影响下景观尺度季相演变特征, 诊断地方、区域和全球尺度上生态系统对气候变化的快速响应提供了有效的手段。     

云雾山自然保护区环境因素对土壤水分空间分布的影响

选取黄土高原云雾山自然保护区天然草地,研究分析了地形因素、植被类型、降雨和封育措施对土壤水分的影响,研究结果表明:在0～100 cm土壤,单点季节平均土壤含水量的空间变化主要受坡向、坡位、群落类型和封育措施的影响;在深层土壤100～300cm,相对海拔、坡位、坡向、群落类型和封育措施在控制土壤水分的再分布中具有重要作用.不同的环境因素对土壤水分空间分布影响的季节变化存在明显差异,坡度、相对海拔、坡位与土壤湿度的关系依赖于前期降雨量,土壤湿度和坡度、海拔、坡位和封育措施的相关性一般随前期降雨的增加而增大.群落类型对土壤湿度的影响与群落盖度和蒸腾速率有关,在植被盖度差异较大的5月份和蒸腾速率差异较大的7月份影响显著.坡向对土壤湿度的影响依赖于太阳辐射的变化,在太阳辐射较强烈的7月份差异显著.由于长期自然封育,草地覆盖度不断增加,其蓄水保水能力增强,对土壤水分的调节能力得到提高,从而能在一定程度上改善土壤水分条件.     

不同坡位植被分异及土壤效应——以内蒙古短花针茅草原为例

在内蒙古短花针茅(Stipa breviflora)草原分布区选择赛汉、化德、准格尔3个典型样地, 在各样地沿坡面设置3条样线进行植被调查和土壤分析, 并采用聚类分析、二项式检验、差异显著性检验、典范对应分析、Pearson相关性分析等一系列统计学方法, 探讨了坡位对植被格局的影响及土壤效应。结果表明: (1)坡位导致缓丘上部坡面和下部坡面植被类型明显分异, 且以群落复合体的形式出现, 上部坡面发育的是该区气候顶级群落, 下部坡面发育的为地形群落; (2)坡位影响了物种沿坡面的分布格局, 主要体现在建群种及部分优势种上; (3)坡位导致上部坡面和下部坡面生产力的差异, 且下部坡面的生产力高于上部坡面, 形成2个不同的功能区域; (4)坡位通过地貌过程和起伏变化, 外加风蚀、水蚀影响, 严重改变了表层土(尤其是0-5 cm)的土壤特征, 从而在极小的范围内形成了非常明显的生境异质性, 提供了多样化的生存环境, 为局域范围内生物多样性的形成与维持提供了一种重要机制; (5)坡位导致植被分异的土壤效应主要是表层土(尤其是0-5 cm)土壤机械组成的差异, 生产力沿坡面的分异主要来源于土壤含水量。开展坡位对植被分布格局的影响将为植被分类、植被制图学科的发展提供理论依据, 并为植被资源的合理规划和利用以及开展植被保护与各种生态恢复工程提供科学依据和现实指导意义。     

黄土高原4种植被类型的细根生物量和年生产量

细根(≤2 mm)在陆地生态系统净初级生产力的分配中占有重要地位,在碳循环和水土保持方面具有重要意义. 本文采用土钻法和内生长法,以黄土高原刺槐人工林、落叶灌木、退耕草地和沙蒿群落4种主要植被类型为对象,研究0～40 cm土层细根生物量、垂直分布和细根年生产量. 结果表明： 细根生物量与纬度呈线性负相关. 4种植被类型0～40 cm土层细根生物量的大小顺序为落叶灌木(220 g·m^-2)>刺槐人工林(163 g·m^-2)≈退耕草地(162 g·m^-2)>沙蒿群落(79 g·m^-2). 退耕草地直径≤1 mm细根生物量占直径≤2 mm总细根生物量的74.1%,在4种植被类型中最高;4种植被类型细根生物量随着土层深度的增加而减少,最大值均出现在0～10 cm土层. 退耕草地0～10 cm土层细根生物量占0～40 cm土层总细根生物量的44.1%,显著高于其他3种植被类型;细根年生产量与纬度呈线性负相关. 4种植被类型0～40 cm土层细根年生产量大小顺序为退耕草地(315 g·m^-2·a^-1)>落叶灌木(249 g·m^-2·a^-1)>刺槐人工林(219 g·m^-2·a^-1)>沙蒿群落(115 g·m^-2·a^-1),其中退耕草地显著高于其他3种植被类型. 退耕草地0～10 cm土层细根生产量占0～40 cm土层总细根生产量的40.4%,在4种植被类型中最高. 退耕草地细根周转时间为0.51 a,低于其他3种植被类型.     

黄土高原草地植物多样性与群落稳定性的关系及其驱动因素

植物多样性对维持生态功能的稳定发挥具有重要作用。以黄土高原不同植被带草地为研究对象,基于野外调查和实验分析,探究黄土高原不同植被带草地植物多样性与群落稳定性特征和二者之间的关系以及影响因素。结果表明：黄土高原草地群落结构特征(地上生物量、地下生物量)与植物多样性具有明显的纬度分布格局,草地植物多样性和生物量均表现出自东南向西北沿森林草原带—森林带—草原带—草原荒漠带逐渐递减趋势。森林草原带草地植物多样性和群落稳定性显著高于森林带、草原带和草原荒漠带;植物多样性与群落稳定性之间存在显著正相关关系,可以作为衡量群落稳定性的指标,其稳定性大小表现为森林草原带>森林带>草原带>草原荒漠带。降雨量是影响植物多样性和群落稳定性的主要因素,并通过改变土壤含水量影响群落稳定性。研究结果揭示了草地植物多样性与群落稳定性之间的关系及驱动机制,为维持黄土高原草地生态系统的群落稳定性提供了科学依据。     

Plant-mycorrhizal fungi feedbacks: potential accomplices of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Avena barbata</Emphasis>’s high invasiveness

Alteration of the soil microbial communities can have important effects on plant invasion. The interdependence between plants and soil microbes could generate complex dynamics in which the composition of plant communities is regulated by the feedbacks of microbial communities on plant growth. In a greenhouse experiment we tested whether the soil microbes in roots of an invasive annual (Avena barbata, wild oat) and a native grass (Rytidosperma caespitosum, wallaby grass) can affect invasive and/or native plant performance. Individuals of each plant species were planted in sterilized soil to which pieces of roots of the same or the other species were added as a layer below the top soil. When plants were harvested after 10 weeks, the addition of roots of any species reduced the total biomass of wild oat. On the other hand, addition of roots of wild oat caused a much stronger reduction of the growth of wallaby grass, while roots of wallaby grass tended to increase its plant growth and shifted biomass allocation patterns. On balance, given the strength of the negative effects, our results indicated that invasion-induced changes in the soil microbial community could contribute to a displacement of the native grass. Thus, these changes might induce a positive feedback mechanism, contributing to the increased dominance of wild oat over wallaby grass in South Australian grasslands.     

Model systems in ecology: dissecting the endophyte-grass literature

Model systems can facilitate and focus research efforts but ill-chosen or inapt ones can distract or impede scientific progress. In this Opinion article, we pose the question: how can the literature provide appropriate general conclusions if the model systems upon which the literature is based are unrepresentative of the relevant biological diversity? A good example of this problem is the endophyte-grass symbiosis, which is considered to be a classic example of mutualistic interactions. Meta-analysis of the primary literature demonstrates that the conceptual framework for endophyte-grass interactions has largely been based on endophyte-plant-herbivore studies of two agricultural grass species, tall fescue and perennial ryegrass. Consistent with conventional wisdom, the meta-analysis indicates that endophytes slightly increase grass resistance to herbivores. By contrast, endophytes appear not to affect plant performance or competitive ability. The positive effects of endophytes appear to be dependent on genetic variation in the host and endophyte, and on nutrient availability in soils. Thus, the agronomic grass model systems fail to capture the breadth of variability inherent in wild grass-endophyte populations and communities.     

Relationships between vegetation and bird community composition in grasslands of the Serengeti

The Serengeti–Mara ecosystem holds one of the largest natural grasslands of the world, which is well known for its large herds of mammals. However, the bird community structure of these grasslands has hardly ever been studied. For the first time, a large‐scale study on grassland bird communities has been conducted in all typical open grasslands of the Serengeti National Park. We used ten grassland plots representing a gradient of increasing vegetation height and also including shrubs and trees to analyse the influence of vegetation structure on the composition of grassland bird communities. Three communities of breeding birds were identified in relation to (a) short grass, (b) intermediate and long grass and (c) wooded grasslands. The bird communities of intermediate, long and wooded grassland were very similar, because of identical dominant bird species. Our results suggest that breeding birds of East African grasslands exhibit two contrasting habitat relationships: (1) birds that are restricted to short grass, and (2) species that are tolerant to vegetational shifts from intermediate grass via long grass to early stages of woody vegetation. Because the vegetation is often driven beyond this range in managed tropical grasslands through high grazing pressure or through shrub encroachment, we expect that the long‐grass bird communities will not generally resist anthropogenic disturbance.     

A green design of city squares increases abundance and diversity of birds

Cities are designed for humans but are also highly dynamic ecosystems that provide habitats for wild animals. These habitats depend on a city's green infrastructure which is increasingly threatened by urban densification. A commonly studied model taxon for wild animals in cities are birds, and the importance of large green spaces for the diversity of birds in cities has been shown. However, how small-scale green spaces affect bird communities, which local characteristics are important, and whether there are seasonal differences remains unclear. We asked how and to what extent the characteristics of city squares in Munich affect the diversity and abundance of birds and if there are differences between bird communities in spring, autumn, and winter. We monitored birds on 103 city squares in Munich using a search-route method. Sampled squares spanned a spatial gradient from the center to the periphery of the city and differed in sealed surface proportion and vegetation structures, such as trees, shrubs, and lawns. The diversity and abundance of birds increased with a higher proportion of green characteristics on the square. Especially the proportion of grass cover and the density of trees had strong positive effects. Old trees had additional effects on birds beyond the effects of trees in general, while the mean number of people on a square negatively influenced bird abundance and diversity. Despite seasonal changes in bird composition, square characteristics showed consistent effects on bird abundance and diversity over seasons. These results underline that the green characteristics of city squares, and therefore of small-scale green spaces, affect their suitability as habitat for wildlife in cities. Integrating this knowledge into city planning can help to maintain or even increase urban biodiversity in the future.     

Spatial avoidance of invading pastoral cattle by wild ungulates: insights from using point process statistics

Traditional rangelands in many developing countries are currently being encroached by cultivation, driving some herders to illegally use protected areas for grazing their cattle. Since cattle are an exotic species in these ecosystems, they might have an impact on the local wild herbivore communities, notably through competition. We used point pattern statistics to characterise the spatial relationships between wild ungulate species and cattle herds within a protected area in west Africa undergoing seasonal intrusions by cattle. We predicted that the wild ungulate species that are ecologically and morphologically similar to cattle, in terms of body mass and diet, would be more sensitive to grass depletion by cattle and would be separated from cattle to a larger extent. The spatial distribution of browsing and mixed-feeding antelopes did not seem to be affected much by cattle presence, whereas most grazing species showed spatial separation from cattle. Interestingly, elephants also showed significant separation from cattle herds. We discuss the likely processes that may have contributed to the observed spatial patterns. The spatial displacement of certain wild species, including megaherbivores, affects the whole community structure and, thus, other components of the ecosystem.     

Emergence and accumulation of novel pathogens suppress an invasive species

Emerging pathogens are a growing threat to human health, agriculture and the diversity of ecological communities but may also help control problematic species. Here we investigated the diversity, distribution and consequences of emerging fungal pathogens infecting an aggressive invasive grass that is rapidly colonising habitats throughout the eastern USA. We document the recent emergence and accumulation over time of diverse pathogens that are members of a single fungal genus and represent multiple, recently described or undescribed species. We also show that experimental suppression of these pathogens increased host performance in the field, demonstrating the negative effects of emerging pathogens on invasive plants. Our results suggest that invasive species can facilitate pathogen emergence and amplification, raising concerns about movement of pathogens among agricultural, horticultural, and wild grasses. However, one possible benefit of pathogen accumulation is suppression of aggressive invaders over the long term, potentially abating their negative impacts on native communities.     

Redundancy in wildflower strip species helps support spatiotemporal variation in wild bee communities on diversified farms

Wildflower strips are a management practice increasingly used to provide floral resources to wild bees in agroecosystems. Yet, despite known spatiotemporal variation in wild bee communities, the degree to which different wildflower strip species consistently support wild bee communities is poorly understood. Additionally, whether such consistency is related to the functional roles wildflower species play (e.g., in supporting diverse, rare, or unique suites of bee species) has not been considered. Over three years and on four diversified farms, we evaluated spatiotemporal variation in wild bee communities and bee-flower interactions in wildflower strips to better understand the roles of flower strip species in supporting bees. We documented spatiotemporal variation in the abundance, richness, and composition of local wild bee communities. Certain wildflower species consistently supported the highest richness of wild bees across years. These wildflower species were regularly core members of the bee-flower interaction network, visited by both generalist and specialist bees. By contrast, wildflower species supporting the most unique suites of bees were variable in this role among farms. In order to select plant species for wildflower strips that consistently support a high diversity of wild bee communities within farm landscapes, it is useful to consider several different functional roles that plants may play. Whereas a handful of wildflower species may be visited by the majority of local wild bee species, achieving support for the remaining, and perhaps rarer, bee species will require planting additional flower species, which may appear redundant until the spatiotemporal variation in wild bee communities is more thoroughly considered. This functional approach to selecting wildflower species for bee conservation efforts is important for making practical recommendations to land managers and for guiding best management practices in different regions and with diverse management goals.     

A new ecological-wind erosion model to simulate the impacts of aeolian transport on dryland vegetation patterns

Drylands cover more than 40% of the land surface of the Earth and are characterized by patchy vegetation and that permits erosion of the surface. Vegetation-aeolian transport is an important feedback in drylands, particularly those undergoing shrub encroachment. Although one side of the feedback, the influence of vegetation loss on aeolian transport, has been well studied, the other, the influence of aeolian transport on existing vegetation, has been never studied in detail. In this study, a new ecological-wind erosion model (ECO-WEMO) that contains an aeolian transport component was created to simulate how aeolian transport impacts vegetation pattern and causes the state change. Two modeling scenarios were investigated: 1) stable grass and shrub communities without/with aeolian transport and 2) unstable shrub and grass communities without/with aeolian transport disturbed by different drought conditions. The first scenario focuses on the simulation of the influence of aeolian transport on vegetation communities and the second scenario focuses on the simulation of the state change of vegetation communities. The results from the first scenario show that: First, the mean biomasses of grass and shrub become consistent in the case of no wind in both shrub-dominated and grass-dominated communities. Second, the mean biomass of shrub becomes higher than the grass in the case of wind in shrub-dominated communities and the mean biomass of grass becomes higher than the shrub in the case of wind in grass-dominated communities. Third, the dust flux of shrub-dominated communities is higher than the grass-dominated communities. Fourth, the net change in surface height in shrub-dominated communities has a considerably higher range than in grass-dominated communities. Fifth, the spatial pattern of shrub-dominated communities is sparser than the spatial pattern of grass in the vegetation communities in the case of wind. The results from the second scenario show that: First, the state change only took place from grass-dominated communities to shrub-dominated communities in the condition of drought. Second, the state change only took place in the case of wind. Third, the state change didn't take place after the slight and moderate droughts but only took place after the drought. Fourth, large vegetation biomass reduction only took place in the case of wind after the severe drought. Our results confirm, in a modeling context, the important role that aeolian transport can play in vegetation dynamics and state change in deserts.     

Experimentally testing and assessing the predictive power of species assembly rules for tropical canopy ants

Understanding how species assemble into communities is a key goal in ecology. However, assembly rules are rarely tested experimentally, and their ability to shape real communities is poorly known. We surveyed a diverse community of epiphyte‐dwelling ants and found that similar‐sized species co‐occurred less often than expected. Laboratory experiments demonstrated that invasion was discouraged by the presence of similarly sized resident species. The size difference for which invasion was less likely was the same as that for which wild species exhibited reduced co‐occurrence. Finally we explored whether our experimentally derived assembly rules could simulate realistic communities. Communities simulated using size‐based species assembly exhibited diversities closer to wild communities than those simulated using size‐independent assembly, with results being sensitive to the combination of rules employed. Hence, species segregation in the wild can be driven by competitive species assembly, and this process is sufficient to generate observed species abundance distributions for tropical epiphyte‐dwelling ants.     

北京地区野生草种资源及其开发利用

本文论述了北京市的野生草种资源及其利用现状,分析了北京市开发野生草种的前景,指出北京市在野生草种的开发利用中,应重点加强野生草种的引种驯化、野生草种的新品种选育,确定野生草种的发展方面,加强宣传,增强人们对野生草种的认识,保护性的开发利用野生草种等工作,使之成为北京市的主要产业之一.