陇东黄土高原丘陵沟壑区天然草地群落学特征研究

采用路线调查法和样方法研究了陇东黄土高原丘陵沟壑区天然草地植物群落组成的特征.结果表明,该研究区地带性植被的主要类型为草甸草原和典型草原,草甸草原以蒿类、白羊草和白草为代表群落;典型草原以长芒草、蒿类、百里香和毛沙芦草等为代表群落.草地群落物种组成较为简单,优势种的优势度显著,其中长芒草、山蒿、冷蒿、牛枝子、糙隐子草、铁杆蒿、阿尔泰狗娃花、赖草、猪毛蒿、百里香等是群落物种组成中相对重要的物种;天然草地群落数量特征的平均值为:种数17.1、多度163.5、高度49.2 cm、盖度52.8%、鲜重284.9 g?m-2、干重151.8g?m-2;草甸草原群落的高度、盖度、生物量和物种丰富度值均大于典型草原.     

鄂尔多斯草地退化过程中植被地上生物量空间分布的异质性

应用地统计学方法分析研究了鄂尔多斯草地荒漠化过程中植被地上生物量空间分布的异质性。发现从本氏针茅(Stipa bungeana)、本氏针茅 油蒿(Artemisia ordosicn)、油蒿、油蒿 牛心朴子(cynanchum komarovii)、牛心朴子群落的5个退化系列群落中,植被地上生物量空间格局异质化程度及其相关范围变化非常明显。变异函数的基台值(C0 C)在5个退化群落中的变化表明,在本氏针茅群落中,植被地上生物量空间分布异质性较低(0．48),本氏针茅 油蒿群落增强(19．47),油蒿群落显著增强(1522),油蒿 牛心朴子群落减弱(171．6),牛心朴子群落显著减弱(4．164)。变异函数的相关范围(A0)表明,在本氏针茅群落空间相关范围较小(53．9cm),本氏针茅 油蒿群落增加(77．8cm),油蒿群落减小(51．7cm),油蒿 牛心朴子群落增加(62．9cm),牛心朴子群落增加(94．6cm)。空间变异比分析表明,由空间自相关因素引起的空间异质性占主要部分(74．2％～80．7％)。空间分布格局图(Kriging map)分析进一步显示,退化群落中植被地上生物量格局变化显著。从本氏针茅群落退化到油蒿群落的中度荒漠化过程中,植被地上生物量空间分布的异质性的增强。由油蒿群落退化到牛心朴子群落的严重荒漠化过程中,植被地上生物量空间分布的异质性减弱。     

禁牧条件下不同类型草地群落结构特征

利用幂乘方法则模型探讨了鄂尔多斯3种不同类型草地在禁牧情况下的群落结构特征,包括物种组成、物种多样性、生物量和空间分布规律。结果表明:幂乘方法则在解析鄂尔多斯不同类型草地的空间异质性时具有很好的吻合性;羊草(Leymuschinensis)草地、芨芨草(Achnatherum splendens)草地和油蒿(Artemisia ordosica)灌丛草地均比随机分布呈现了较强的空间异质性,群落整体的空间异质性指数表现为油蒿灌丛草地>羊草草地>芨芨草草地;群落整体的物种多样性指数为油蒿灌丛草地>羊草草地>芨芨草草地;L-样方(50cm×50cm)内的平均物种数和物种多样性指数均表现为羊草草地极显著地高于油蒿灌丛草地,油蒿灌丛草地又极显著地高于芨芨草草地(P<0.001);L-样方内的平均生物量表现为油蒿灌丛草地极显著地高于芨芨草草地(P<0.001),而羊草草地与油蒿灌丛草地以及芨芨草草地之间没有显著性差异;这3种类型的草地其L-样方内的平均生物量和物种多样性指数都随着群落整体空间异质性指数的增大而增大。     

科尔沁固定沙地植被特征对降雨变化的响应

选择科尔沁固定沙地利用一种野外增减雨试验装置研究了沙地植被生长特征对降雨增减变化的响应。结果表明:(1)在6月,降雨增减变化对植物群落高度有显著影响(P0.05)。减雨60%和30%时,植物群落平均高度比对照分别降低8.8%和2.3%,增雨60%和30%时,则分别增加6.8%和1.4%;相比增雨60%,增雨30%更能促进群落盖度的增大;降雨量变化影响群落植株密度。(2)1a的降雨增减变化对沙地植被的多样性和均匀度均没有显著影响,但减雨可显著增加7月物种的丰富度(P0.05)。(3)随着降雨量的增加,地上生物量逐渐增大,在增雨30%时达到最大值;而地下生物量会随着降雨量增加而显著增大,同时,减雨60%也使地下生物量增加。此外,降雨量的增加和减少都会使地下与地上生物量的比值增加。(4)固定沙地地下生物量主要分布在0—20 cm之间,占总地下生物量的52.7%;降雨量的增加显著增加20—40 cm土壤中根系的分布,当降雨量减少60%时,20—40 cm土壤中根系的分布也略有增加,增雨60%和减雨60%对地下生物量在40—60 cm土层的分布具有明显的促进作用。     

青海省高寒灌丛物种多样性、生物量及其关系

物种多样性对生态系统功能的作用是生物多样性研究的核心领域之一,生物量水平是生态系统功能的重要表现形式,而植物群落的生物量则是生态系统生物量的基础,因此研究植物群落物种多样性与生物量的关系,对于阐明植物多样性对生态系统功能的作用具有重要意义。通过对青海省高寒灌丛生物量、灌丛物种多样性特征以及与生物量的关系调查,得到以下结果:(1)被调查灌木植被群落的40个样地中共出现了207种植物(其中灌木植物18种,草本植物189种),隶属于130属,43科,灌木以蔷薇科、杜鹃花科为主,而草本以菊科、龙胆科、毛茛科和莎草科占优势。(2)群落多样性指数偏低,植物群落结构简单,物种组成稀少。小叶金露梅群落的多样性指数最大,金露梅群落、细枝绣线菊群落和鲜卑花群落次之,百里香杜鹃+头花杜鹃群落最低。(3)不同高寒灌丛类型生物量介于1893.03—7585.41 g/m~2之间,平均值为3775.9 g/m2,其中灌木生物量占灌丛总生物量的73.55%,草本为26.45%。(4)总生物量随草本物种多样性和群落物种多样性的增加而减小;草本生物量随其物种多样性的增加而减小,而灌木物种多样性与其生物量并无显著相关性。     

科尔沁沙地封育过程中植被特征的动态变化

为研究沙地退化植被封育恢复过程中植被特征的动态变化规律,分别于2011年、2013年和2015年8月中旬在流动、半固定、固定沙丘和沙质草地上开展了3次植被特征调查。结果表明:2011—2015年,流动沙丘优势植物沙米(Agriophyllum squarrosum)的优势度逐渐降低,半固定沙丘优势植物差巴嘎蒿(Artemisia halodendrom)的优势度波动下降、一年生植物优势度有所增加;固定沙丘和草地中一年生植物的优势度有所下降,多年生植物所占比例逐渐增加;随着退化植被封育恢复,植被盖度、物种丰富度、凋落物量和地上-地下生物量明显增加; 2011—2015年,4种生境上的平均凋落物量和半固定沙丘的植被盖度逐年增加,而物种丰富度和地上生物量表现出波动变化趋势,地下生物量年际间变化不显著;沙地退化植被封育恢复过程中,物种丰富度与植被盖度、地上生物量、凋落物量、地下生物量和总的植物生物量呈极显著线性正相关。沙地退化植被封育恢复过程中植物群落组成和优势种的动态变化,反映了沙地植物群落的正向演替与群落结构复杂化的趋向;沙地退化植被的封育恢复导致了物种多样性与生物量的线性正相关。     

短期增温对西藏念青唐古拉山典型植物群落结构和稳定性的影响

青藏高原气候变暖幅度显著高于全球其他区域,深刻影响着该地区植物群落的结构和稳定性。选择西藏念青唐古拉山的三种典型植物群落(高寒草原、高寒草甸和流石滩)作为研究对象,采用开顶式增温箱(OTC)模拟增温,研究了短期增温对植物群落结构和稳定性的影响。结果表明:(1)增温改变了群落的优势物种,影响其结构组成,而对物种多样性无显著影响;(2)增温显著降低了高寒草甸的地上生物量(P < 0.05),增加地下生物量(P < 0.01),从而导致了群落地下地上生物量分配策略的改变;(3)增温降低群落中部分物种的生态位宽度,进而影响群落稳定性,其中高寒草甸变化最大,达到-66.8%。研究结果可为青藏高原高寒草地生态系统应对和适应未来气候变化提供一定科学依据。     

施肥干扰对陕北黄土丘陵区三个典型群落结构组成的影响

在陕北黄土丘陵区,为了加快当地植被的恢复速度,结合当地条件,通过小区施肥实验与野外调查,研究了施肥对不同演替阶段的3个典型群落:猪毛蒿(Artemisia scoparia)、长芒草(Stipa bungeana)和铁杆蒿(Artemisia sacrorum)结构组成的影响。结果表明:(1)与对照相比,施肥后3个群落中物种的重要值发生改变。猪毛蒿群落中,1年生植物狗尾草(Setaria viridis)重要值减小,而多年生植物阿尔泰狗哇花(Heteropappus altaicus)、冰草(Agropyron cristatum)等重要值增大,成为群落中的主要物种;长芒草群落,与对照相比,施肥降低了优势种长芒草的重要性,而达乌里胡枝子(Lespedeza dahurica)的重要值明显增大;铁杆蒿群落则随着肥量增加,铁杆蒿的重要值表现为逐渐上升,与对照相比,群落中的伴生种二裂萎陵菜(Potentilla bifurca)、茭蒿(Artemisia giraldii)在处理区的平均重要值有所下降,而演替后期物种达乌里胡枝子的重要值增大。(2)与对照相比,通过施肥,除铁杆蒿群落高肥区密度外,3个群落的高度、生物量和密度均有显著提高,表现为高度和生物量在高肥区达最大,密度在中肥区达最高。3个群落相比,演替前期的猪毛蒿群落提高幅度最大,长芒草次之,铁杆蒿最小。(3)施肥改变了3个群落的物种多样性。群落类型不同,其变化趋势亦不同。猪毛蒿和铁杆蒿群落Patrick丰富度指数在中肥区达最高,随着施肥量的增加,Margalef(Ima)、Shannon-Wiener(Isw)和Pielou(J)指数产生不同程度的下降,而Berger-Parker优势度指数(I)逐渐增大;长芒草群落则随着施肥量的增加,Patrick指数、Ima、Isw和J均有不同程度的上升,而优势度指数I呈下降趋势。     

红松洼自然保护区草甸群落结构与多样性对管理模式的响应

管理模式对草甸植物群落结构和多样性有重要影响。以红松洼国家级自然保护区为研究地点,对比研究了实验区、缓冲区和核心区草甸植物群落结构和多样性对不同管理模式的响应。结果表明:实验区群落盖度显著高于核心区和缓冲区(P<0.05),三个区群落高度差异不显著(P>0.05),核心区群落密度明显高于实验区和缓冲区(P<0.05),三个区枯死物现存量差异显著(P<0.05);实验区地上生物量显著低于缓冲区和核心区(P<0.05),核心区地下生物量明显高于缓冲区和实验区(P<0.05);三个区的地下生物量都主要分布在0～10cm土层,向下逐层降低,其中核心区和实验区绝大部分根系主要分布在土壤表层,但相对深度不同;实验区与缓冲区植物群落优势物种较多,多个物种共同占有优势,而核心区的优势种少,优势物种集中;Shannon指数大小依次为缓冲区>实验区>核心区,Margalef指数为缓冲区>核心区>实验区。     

昆仑山前山带植物群落调查及相似性初步研究

对塔克拉玛干沙漠南缘,昆仑山北坡前山带的荒漠植物群落进行调查.结果显示:(1)在调查区域内发现21种植物,参与建群种15种,其他6种为偶见种.21种植物分属于10科20属,其中菊科(Compositae)和藜科(Chenopodiaceae)植物13种;研究区5种植物群落的优势种分别为塔里木沙拐枣(Calligonum roborovskii)、琵琶柴(Reaumuria songarica)、河西苣(Hexinia polydichotoma)、蒿类植物(昆仑蒿Artemisia nanschanica+昆仑绢蒿Seriphidium korovinii)与驼绒藜(Ceratoides latens).(2)植物群落沿海拔高度变化地带性更替明显,低山砾质壤土母质上为塔里木沙拐枣和琵琶柴群落,集中分布范围分别为2 200～2 300 m和2 250～2 400 m,中部沙质土壤母质上为蒿类植物和河西苣群落,蒿类植物群落分布于海拔2 400～2 500 m,河西苣群落集中于2 500 m高大沙丘丘间低地;驼绒藜群落在砾质土壤和沙质土壤母质上均有分布,海拔范围在2 380～2 800 m.(3)群落结构简单,整体盖度小于10%,物种密度为4～13株(丛)/m2,灌木层优势种单一,密度很小(1.2株(丛)/m2),草本层冠幅水平低,盖度小(小于5%);群落间高度、盖度、密度存在不同程度差异,物种丰富度指数(dMA)和生物多样性指数(D、H′、Jsw、Jgi)差异并不明显,总体处于较低水平.(4)群落盖度、密度、高度和物种数随海拔高度变化趋势不同,生物多样性指数随着海拔高度增加呈增加趋势;群落相似性比较显示,低海拔地区植物群落间的相似性高于高海拔地区.     

Succession in the southern part of the Canadian boreal forest

Forest succession following fire in a forest mosaic of northwestern Quebec has been studied in order to: (1) describe the successional pathways using communities of different ages and (2) evaluate convergence of successional pathways and possible effect of fire suppression on the establishment of steady-state communities. As a first step, ordination and classification techniques were used in order to remove changes in forest composition which are related to abiotic conditions. Then, ordinations based on tree diameter distributions were used to study shifts in species composition in relation to time since the last fire.Even under similar abiotic conditions, successional pathways are numerous. However, regardless of forest composition after fire, most stands show convergence toward dominance of Thuja occidentalis and Picea mariana on xeric sites and dominance of Abies balsamea and Thuja occidentalis on more mesic sites. Stable communities of >300 yr occur on xeric sites while on mesic sites directional succession still occurs after 224 yr. Nearly all species involved in succession are present in the first 50 yr following fire. Only Abies balsamea and Thuja occidentalis increase significantly in frequency during succession. Following initial establishment, successional processes can generally be explained by species longevity and shade tolerance. Early successional species may be abundant in the canopy for more than 200 yr while the rapid decrease of Picea glauca, a late successional species could be related to spruce budworm outbreaks. Considering the short fire rotation observed (about 150 yr), a steady-state forest is unlikely to occur under natural conditions, though it may be possible if fire is controlled.     

Vermicomposting in the management of pig-waste in Hong Kong

The treatment and disposal of pig-waste in Hong Kong has received much attention in recent years but, following any of the presently used treatment processes, solids remain to be further stabilized. Vermicomposting is a waste stabilization technique which converts waste into potentially recyclable materials such as worm protein and worm casts. The earthworm, Pheretima asiatica, can stabilize most of the solids arising from the treatment of pig-waste, including raw pig manure, suggesting that vermicomposting has a high potential as a unit process in the management of pig-waste in Hong Kong.S.H. Wong is with the Environmental Protection Department, Hong Kong; and D.A. Griffiths is with the Department of Botany, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.     

Patterns in the distribution of myctophid fish in the northern Scotia Sea ecosystem

The mesopelagic fish community of the northern Scotia Sea was investigated during the austral autumn using multi-frequency acoustics, opening and closing nets and pelagic trawls fished from the surface to 1,000 m. The Family Myctophidae (15 species in 5 genera) dominated the ichthyofauna, with larval notothenids caught over the South Georgia shelf and bathylagids and stomiids abundant in deeper hauls. The biomass of myctophids was estimated to be 2.93 g wet weight 1,000 m⁻³, with Electrona carlsbergi, E. antarctica, Protomyctophum bolini, P. choriodon, Gymnoscopelus braueri, G. fraseri, G. nicholsi and Krefftichthys anderssoni, being the most abundant species. Analysis of community structure indicated a high level of depth stratification within the myctophids, with evidence of diurnal vertical migration in some, but not all, species. Length-frequencies of G. braueri, G. nicholsi, E. antarctica and K. anderssoni were multimodal, suggesting that all life stages may be present in the northern Scotia Sea. In contrast, P. choriodon, P. bolini, G. fraseri and E. carlsbergi had unimodal distributions despite having multi-year lifecycles, indicating that they probably migrate into the region from warmer areas to the north.     

Cytotaxonomy of the genusPolystichum in the Western Himalayas

Cytotaxonomical investigations on 11 species from the Western Himalayas show that 8 are diploid and the remaining tetraploid. The numbers for three species are new.P. prescottianum (2x) andP. thomsoni (4x), andP. stimulans (2x) andP. acanthophyllum (4x) are closely related but distinct species pairs.     

Fungal biodiversity in the air of Turin

The qualitative fungal composition of Turin 's atmospheric environment was surveyed, carrying out a twelve-month study and collecting with a single stage volumetric sieve sampler on Dermasel agar supplemented with 0.4 g l^–1 cycloheximide and 0.05 g l^–1 chloramphenicol. We isolated 165 species and 2 varieties of mesophilic fungi from 58 genera and 26 thermotolerant species from 12 genera. Penicillium, Aspergillus, Acremonium, Chrysosporium, Scopulariopsis, Malbranchea, Paecilomyces, Phialophora and Cladosporium were in sequence the genera most rich in mesophilic species; Aspergillus, Penicillium, Chrysosporium and Scopulariopsis the most rich in thermotolerant species. Many of the species isolated are rarely or never recorded in the atmospheric environment. Cycloheximide can thus be said to select among airborne fungi, giving a characteristic picture.Abbreviation CH Cycloheximide - cfu colony forming unit     

Determination of the role of polyphosphate in transport-coupled phosphorylation in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The role of polyphosphate in 2-deoxy-D-glucose transport was studied in yeast cells, pulse-labeled with [³²P]orthophosphate, by comparing the concentrations and specific activities of polyphosphate, orthophosphate and 2-dGlc-phosphate. When 2-dGlc transport was measured under aerobic conditions, it appeared that polyphosphate replenished the orthophosphate pool, indicating that polyphosphate has, at least mainly, an indirect role in sugar phosphorylation. Also in cells with a reduced respiratory capacity, due to a treatment with antimycin A, no direct role for polyphosphate in 2-dGlc transport could be detected. Under these conditions, only a very limited breakdown of polyphosphate occurred, probably because of the small decrease in the orthophosphate concentration.Abbreviations 2-dGlc 2-deoxy-D-glucose - P_i orthophosphate - P_n polyphosphate - SP sugar phosphate     

Structure and function of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of carotenoids in the mucorales

Carotenoids are widely distributed natural pigments which are in an increasing demand by the market, due to their applications in the human food, animal feed, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. Although more than 600 carotenoids have been identified in nature, only a few are industrially important (β-carotene, astaxanthin, lutein or lycopene). To date chemical processes manufacture most of the carotenoid production, but the interest for carotenoids of biological origin is growing since there is an increased public concern over the safety of artificial food colorants. Although much interest and effort has been devoted to the use of biological sources for industrially important carotenoids, only the production of biological β-carotene and astaxanthin has been reported. Among fungi, several Mucorales strains, particularlyBlakeslea trispora, have been used to develop fermentation process for the production of β-carotene on almost competitive cost-price levels. Similarly, the basidiomycetous yeastXanthophyllomyces dendrorhous (the perfect state ofPhaffia rhodozyma), has been proposed as a promising source of astaxanthin. This paper focuses on recent findings on the fungal pathways for carotenoid production, especially the structure and function of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of carotenoids in the Mucorales. An outlook of the possibilities of an increased industrial production of carotenoids, based on metabolic engineering of fungi for carotenoid content and composition, is also discussed.     

New and old problems in the taxonomy of the Gelidiales (Rhodophyta)

The order Gelidiales includes over 140 agar-producing taxa. Many species are taxonomically confused; the boundaries of one family and all but four genera recently have been contested, and the controversy over ordinal status has lasted for over 25 years. This study reviews recent developments in the taxonomy of the group and suggests future areas for studies. The order cannot be defined by a few exclusive characters, as intended in the past, but it shows a unique combination of characters. Additional studies on Gelidiella and Acanthopeltis seem advisable to clarify family limits. The segregation of Onikusa and Pterocladiastrum is doubtful. Only three of six characters discriminate Gelidium from Pterocladia. None allows complete generic segregation and all need variability studies. Analysis of nomenclatural types in the light of morphological variation would permit an understanding of species limits in Gelidium and Pterocladia. Similar studies are needed in Gelidiella and Ptilophora.     

Mycoflora of Argentinian corn harvested in the main production area in 1990

Corn (Zea mays) is the main cereal produced in and exported from Argentina. The risk of contamination by mycotoxins is related to the mycoflora associated with the corn kernels. This paper reports on the identification of internal and external mycoflora of corn kernels harvested in the main production area in Argentina in 1990. A mycological survey was carried out on 178 corn samples, from five locations in that area and the isolation frequency and relative density of the prevalent fungal genera compared. GenusFusarium was the most prevalent component of the internal seedborne mycoflora in the five locations.Penicillium was prevalent in all locations, taking into account the frequency. However, this genus was predominant only in two locations, when the relative density was considered. The predominantFusarium wasF. moniliforme and the most frequently isolated species ofAlternaria, Aspergillus andPenicillium wereA. alternata, A. flavus andP. decumbens, respectively.Diplodia species were not isolated from any of the samples.     

Activity of pupal parasitoids of the stable fly Stomoxys calcitrans and prevalence of entomopathogenic fungi in the stable fly and the house fly Musca domestica in Denmark

A survey was conducted on confined dairy cattle farms and a pig farm from May–October in 1999 to determine the activity and relative abundance of pupal parasitoids and the prevalence of entomopathogenic fungi in populations of the haematophagous stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (Diptera: Muscidae), in Denmark. Four species of pteromalids were found with Spalangia cameroni as the predominant. The other parasitoids were S. nigripes, S. nigra and Phygadeuon fumator (Ichneumonidae). Peak activity of the parasitoids was observed to be late in the summer and the beginning of autumn (August–September) when approximately 10% of the collected stable fly pupae were parasitised. Adult stable flies were infected with four species of entomopathogenic fungi: Entomophthora muscae, E. schizophorae, Beauveria bassiana and Verticillium lecanii. All fungi occurred in low percentages (max. 4%) and remained at this level throughout the sampling period. Likewise, adult house flies were infected with B. bassiana and V. lecanii,but Metarhizium anisopliae, Paecilomyces fumosoroseus and V. fusisporum were also recorded. The overall hyphomycete prevalence in house flies was 0.3%, and single species rarely exceeded 0.1%. The prevalence remained low in spite of increasing house fly numbers in August–September.