沙田湖人工湿地植物-土壤有机碳库

在人工构建的用于处理水产养殖废水的表面流和水平潜流湿地复合系统中,对湿地植物各组织、湿地表层土壤(0～10 cm)、湿地植物根际土壤的有机碳含量季节变化规律进行研究,并对湿地植物表层土壤和湿地植物对有机碳的固定作用进行了分析.结果表明:湿地植物地上部分组织固定的有机碳含量表现为在生长期迅速增加,8月较高,进入成熟期(11月)后保持稳定,8月有机碳含量与5月有显著性差异、与11月差异不显著;湿地植物地下部分组织固定的有机碳含量低于地上部分,但季节变化与地上部分相似,5月含量最小,8月达到一个较高的值,11月与8月有机碳含量差异不大.植物进入生长期后,湿地表层土壤有机碳含量显著高于湿地上无植物时期,各湿地植物根际土有机碳含量均高于表层土,但差异不显著(睡莲除外).湿地表层土壤有机碳密度介于0.96～1.67 kg·m-2,受植物种类、植物生长季节等因素的影响.根据湿地面积和表层土壤有机碳含量,估算出沙田湖人工湿地(表面流湿地部分面积为3592 m2)0～10 cm土壤有机碳总量为5.61 t,通过植物吸收每年固定的碳量为10.34 t.     

An invasive wetland grass primes deep soil carbon pools

Understanding the processes that control deep soil carbon (C) dynamics and accumulation is of key importance, given the relevance of soil organic matter (SOM) as a vast C pool and climate change buffer. Methodological constraints of measuring SOM decomposition in the field prevent the addressing of real‐time rhizosphere effects that regulate nutrient cycling and SOM decomposition. An invasive lineage of Phragmites australis roots deeper than native vegetation (Schoenoplectus americanus and Spartina patens) in coastal marshes of North America and has potential to dramatically alter C cycling and accumulation in these ecosystems. To evaluate the effect of deep rooting on SOM decomposition we designed a mesocosm experiment that differentiates between plant‐derived, surface SOM‐derived (0–40 cm, active root zone of native marsh vegetation), and deep SOM‐derived mineralization (40–80 cm, below active root zone of native vegetation). We found invasive P. australis allocated the highest proportion of roots in deeper soils, differing significantly from the native vegetation in root : shoot ratio and belowground biomass allocation. About half of the CO₂ produced came from plant tissue mineralization in invasive and native communities; the rest of the CO₂ was produced from SOM mineralization (priming). Under P. australis, 35% of the CO₂ was produced from deep SOM priming and 9% from surface SOM. In the native community, 9% was produced from deep SOM priming and 44% from surface SOM. SOM priming in the native community was proportional to belowground biomass, while P. australis showed much higher priming with less belowground biomass. If P. australis deep rooting favors the decomposition of deep‐buried SOM accumulated under native vegetation, P. australis invasion into a wetland could fundamentally change SOM dynamics and lead to the loss of the C pool that was previously sequestered at depth under the native vegetation, thereby altering the function of a wetland as a long‐term C sink.     

闽江河口湿地土壤速效磷时空分布与来源

选取闽江河口潮滩湿地作为研究区,于2013年5、8和11月沿水文梯度采集不同深度土壤,测定其速效磷含量,研究闽江河口潮滩湿地土壤速效磷沿水文梯度的时空分布特征;并进一步测定土壤全磷(TP)、有机磷(Org-P)和无机磷(IP)分级,利用通径分析揭示土壤速效磷来源。结果表明:5月和8月土壤平均速效磷含量分别为3.53±1.15和3.23±1.15 mg·kg-1,显著高于11月(1.96±1.07 mg·kg-1)(P0.05);5、8和11月土壤速效磷空间分布格局相似,从高潮滩到中潮滩,其含量呈波动降低,并且表现为芦苇群落土壤速效磷含量显著高于短叶茳芏群落(P0.05);在垂直方向上,高潮滩土壤速效磷含量大都随深度增加而降低,中潮滩其垂直变化不显著;在植物生长初期(5月),土壤Org-P和闭蓄态磷(O-P)是速效磷的主要来源;在植物生长旺盛期(8月)和生长末期(11月),土壤Org-P和铁磷(Fe-P)是速效磷的主要来源。     

Freeze tolerance of soil chytrids from temperate climates in Australia

Very little is known about the capacity of soil chytrids to withstand freezing in the field. Tolerance to freezing was tested in 21 chytrids isolated from cropping and undisturbed soils in temperate Australia. Samples of thalli grown on peptone–yeast–glucose (PYG) agar were incubated for seven days at −15 °C. Recovery of growth after thawing and transferring to fresh medium at 20 °C indicated survival. All isolates in the Blastocladiales and Spizellomycetales survived freezing in all tests. All isolates in the Chytridiales also survived freezing in some tests. None of the isolates in the Rhizophydiales survived freezing in any of the tests. However, some isolates in the Rhizophydiales recovered growth after freezing if they were grown on PYG agar supplemented with either 1 % sodium chloride or 1 % glycerol prior to freezing. After freezing, the morphology of the thalli of all isolates was observed under LM. In those isolates that recovered growth after transfer to fresh media, mature zoosporangia were observed in the monocentric isolates and resistant sporangia or resting spores in the polycentric isolates. Encysted zoospores in some monocentric isolates also survived freezing. In some of the experiments the freezing and thawing process caused visible structural damage to the thalli. The production of zoospores after freezing and thawing was also used as an indicator of freeze tolerance. The chytrids in this study responded differently to freezing. These data add significantly to our limited knowledge of freeze tolerance in chytrids but leave many questions unanswered.     

不同覆被条件下双台子河口湿地土壤主要营养元素含量

选择双台子河口湿地3种样地:地表有植被活体(PA)、地表有植物死体(PD)与光滩(GT),共设置21个样点,测定土壤中全氮(TN)、全磷(TP)和全钾(TK)含量,比较了不同植被覆被条件对湿地土壤中营养元素含量及分布特征的影响。结果表明:GT、PD、PA样地土壤TN平均含量分别为0.79、1.01、1.29g.kg-1;TP为0.49、0.50、0.52g.kg-1;TK为22.29、23.01、23.40g.kg-1。不同地表覆被下土壤TN含量差异显著(P0.05),TP、TK含量差异不显著(P0.05;P0.05),说明植被覆被能够有效增加土壤TN含量,而对TP和TK含量影响不大。垂直方向上TN和TP含量具有相似的特征,表现为PAPDGT,TK为PAGTPD。由表层至底层,TN含量先降低而后升高,TP含量在0～30cm深度内变化不大,在30cm以下土层升高,PA增加幅度最大;TK含量由表层至底层变化较大。在PA-PD-GT的湿地退化过程中,土壤TN、TP和TK分别减少38.6%、6.9%和4.7%。     

Crenarchaeota and Euryarchaeota in temperate estuarine sediments

AIMS: Application of molecular techniques to ecological studies has unveiled a wide diversity of micro-organisms in natural communities, previously unknown to microbial ecologists. New lineages of Archaea were retrieved from several non-extreme environments, showing that these micro-organisms are present in a large variety of ecosystems. The aim was therefore to assess the presence and diversity of Archaea in the sediments of the river Douro estuary (Portugal), relating the results obtained to ecological data. METHODS AND RESULTS: Total DNA was extracted from sediment samples obtained from an estuary deprived of vegetation, amplified by PCR and the resulting DNA fragments cloned. The archaeal origin of the cloned inserts was checked by Southern blot, dot blot or colony blot hybridization. Recombinant plasmids were further analysed by restriction with AvaII and selected for sequencing. Phylogenetic analyses of 14 sequences revealed the presence of members of the domain Archaea. Most of the sequences could be assigned to the kingdom Crenarchaeota. CONCLUSION: Most of these sequences were closely related to those obtained from non-extreme Crenarchaeota members previously retrieved from diverse ecosystems, such as freshwater and marine environments. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The presence of archaeal 16S rDNA sequences in temperate estuarine sediments emerges as a valuable contribution to the understanding of the complexity of the ecosystem.     

Geographic variation in plant species richness patterns within temperate eucalypt woodlands of eastern Australia

Species density, pattern diversity and species pool are often studied in isolation and correlated individually to environmental gradients. However analysis of how these three measures interrelate can give insights into the interpretation of local and regional processes. In addition, an understanding of how these diversity measures change across the natural distribution of a community may help in decision making processes regarding reservation. Temperate eucalypt woodlands in eastern Australia are one of the most visible and ubiquitous communities in eastern Australia, but have undergone one of the most significant modification and fragmentation processes due to past and current pressure to clear for agriculture. Data from 176 vascular plant survey sites sampled across 14 woodland assemblages are used here to analyse geographic gradients in species density, pattern diversity and species pool size. It was discovered that species density was significantly correlated to pattern diversity and species pool size but that pattern diversity and species pool size were uncorrelated. There was a significant relationship whereby species density increased as pattern diversity decreased. These patterns may be explained by the maintenance of interconnectedness, dispersal and rescue effects at this scale of investigation but local interactions cannot be ruled out as important. Generally species density and species pool size increased from west to east in the study area and pattern diversity was strongly correlated to the coldest minimum winter temperatures. It is suggested that if local woodland richness is maintained by low pattern diversity and greater habitat connectedness then larger reserves are required in order to maintain the largest area of contiguous habitat. In such situations small isolated patches, which are increasingly fragmented by the pressure to clear for agriculture will accumulate larger extinction debts.     

Biological characteristics of grass geminiviruses from eastern Australia

Two serotypes of chloris striate mosaic virus (CSMV), paspalum striate mosaic virus (PSMV) and geminiviruses infecting Bromus catharticus and Digitaria didactyla were investigated. Their field occurrence and experimental hosts are listed. Serial transmission data for CSMV by single Nesoclutha pallida show a minimum latent period of 12–14 h, and regular transmission with occasional breaks for up to 50 days. Cicadulina bimaculata did not transmit any isolates after plant feeding acquisition, but transmitted CSMV inefficiently after insect injection. The vector of PSMV was found to be a specific biotype of N. pallida which bred only on Paspalum spp. The rate of transmission of CSMV with the Chloris biotype of N. pallida and of PSMV with the Paspalum biotype reached c. 50% with single insects, but only when freshly-infected source plants were used. Geminate particles were found in thin sections of leaf tissue infected with all four viruses, and partially purified preparations were made of three of these. In gel diffusion tests, the virus from Microlaena stipoides produced a spur reaction with CSMV, when reacted with CSMV antiserum. The B. catharticus and D. didactyla isolates failed to react serologically with CSMV, maize streak or Vanuatu digitaria streak viruses.     

Spatial variability of the soil seed bank in a heterogeneous ephemeral wetland system in semi-arid Australia

Soil seed banks are an important component of plant community diversity in ephemeral wetlands, allowing many species to persist through unpredictable periods of flood and drought. Spatial variation of extant vegetation in such habitats commonly reflects patterns of flood history and often varies predictably between broadly differing hydro-geomorphic habitat types. Here we investigate whether spatial variation of soil seed banks is similarly controlled by fluvial processes at this scale. Results are presented from a seedling emergence trial using samples collected from a range of habitat types, and at different scales within these, in the ephemeral Narran Lakes system in semi-arid Australia. Composition and structure of soil seed banks varied significantly between habitat types reflecting broad differences in flood frequency. As predicted, germinable seed abundance was found to be highest in intermediately flooded habitats. Variability in soil seed bank composition at a local scale was also found to be influenced by hydrology with greater spatial heterogeneity evident in the river channel as well as amongst the least frequently inundated riparian and floodplain habitats.     

Nitrogen leaching from surface soil in a temperate mixed forest subject to intensive deer grazing

We aimed to determine the grazing impact on soil nitrogen (N) mineralization and N leaching in a temperate mixed forest on Mt. Ohdaigahara, central Japan, where Sika deer (Cervus nippon Temminck; hereafter deer) grazing has decreased biomass of Sasa nipponica Makino et Shibata (hereafter sasa) that dominates the forest understory. Soil N mineralization and N leaching of the top 0.3-m layer were measured in situ from 2006 to 2007 by an ion-exchange resin core method inside and outside a deer exclosure. Deer grazing decreased the carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio of sasa litter because of the declining dead culm C:N ratio and the increasing ratio of leaves with a lower C:N ratio than culms in the aboveground biomass. Grazing increased N mineralization and nitrification rates as well as annual N (ammonium-N and nitrate-N) and nitrate-N leaching. In contrast, deer grazing did not increase the total soil C and N content. The positive effect of grazing on the N mineralization rate may have resulted from a qualitative change in sasa litter due to grazing. The higher annual N leaching resulting from deer grazing may have been related to the facilitated N mineralization rate and decreased N uptake in plants, e.g., sasa with less aboveground biomass due to grazing.     

Dynamics of cryptogamic soil crusts in a derived grassland in south‐eastern Australia

We examined the dynamics of cryptogamic soil crusts in a derived (disclimax) grassland near Orange in south‐eastern Australia. Changes in the cover of cryptogamic crusts and floristics and abundance of the constituent species were measured on four treatments with two levels each of grazing and cultivation. Twenty‐two lichens, mosses and liverworts were found at the study site and, of these, 13 were collected in the quadrats. Three moss species (Barbula calycina, Eccremidium arcuatum and Bryum pachytheca) and one lichen species (Cladonia tessalata) accounted for 67% of total cover‐abundance scores. Generally, cover‐abundance was significantly higher in the unvegetated microsites than in the vegetated microsites. Species richness was not significantly different between the four grazing‐cultivation treatments but, on average, there were significantly more species in the unvegetated microsites (mean = 3.2 species) than in the vegetated microsites (0.54 species). Grazing and cultivation resulted in significantly greater cover of bare ground and consequently significantly greater crust cover. Averaged across all treatments, approximately half of the area of unvegetated soil was occupied by cryptogams. Overall, the results indicate that lichens and bryophytes are important components of derived temperate grasslands, surviving in even densely vegetated swards. This study suggests that strategies which disturb the soil surface (e.g. grazing and cultivation) will stimulate the abundance and cover of soil crust organisms by increasing the availability of unvegetated microsites.     

Fish communities of estuarine salt marshes of eastern North America,and comparisons with temperate estuaries of other continents

Twenty eastern North American estuarine/saltmarsh locations, for which publishedinventories of inhabiting fishes wereavailable, were selected for study. Thegeographic range of systems extended from southTexas on the west; North River, FL. on thesouth; to Prince Edward Island, Canada on theeast; and James and Hudson Bays, Canada at thenorth. A total of 237(±) species offishes were associated with these systems. Lifehistory groupings included: permanent residents(9.3%); marine nursery species (17.7%);diadromous fishes (5.5%); marine transients(52.3%); and freshwater transients (15.2%).The most widely distributed species wereprimarily permanent residents and marinenursery species. The fraction of residentspecies did not vary significantly over thelatitudinal range, but the fraction of marinemigratory (MN + MT) species decreased withlatitude. An increasing fraction of diadromous(anadromous) species may compensate for thedecreasing fraction of marine migratoryspecies. Permanent residents, marine nurseryspecies, and marine transients all showedextended periods of spawning. Permanentresident species showed the widest ranges ofambient salinity tolerances or of ambientsalinity ranges of occupied habitats, withmarine nursery species second. Patterns withrespect to ambient temperature tolerances wereassociated with geographic ranges rather thanlife history groups. A general profile wasproduced of characteristics of species thatlive as permanent residents in salt marshestuaries of eastern North America.Species and family relationships of fishes froma group of 17 and another of 25 estuarieslocated along the west coast of Europe werecompared with the eastern North American group.European estuaries showed higher speciesrichness per system than did those of easternNorth America. Family representations ofeastern North American and western Europeanestuaries were compared with a series ofestuaries located in southwestern Australia andSouth Africa. This showed significant overlapin family representation, with two speciesbeing common among the four continents.     

Vulnerability of wetland soil carbon stocks to climate warming in the perhumid coastal temperate rainforest

The perhumid coastal temperate rainforest (PCTR) of southeast Alaska has some of the densest soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in the world (>300 Mg C ha^?1) but the fate of this SOC with continued warming remains largely unknown. We quantified dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) yields from four different wetland types (rich fen, poor fen, forested wetland and cedar wetland) using controlled laboratory incubations of surface (10 cm) and subsurface (25 cm) soils incubated at 8 and 15 °C for 37 weeks. Furthermore, we used fluorescence characterization of DOC and laboratory bioassays to assess how climate-induced soil warming may impact the quality and bioavailability of DOC delivered to fluvial systems. Soil temperature was the strongest control on SOC turnover, with wetland type and soil depth less important in controlling CO₂ flux and extractable DOC. The high temperature incubation increased average CO₂ yield by ~40 and ~25% for DOC suggesting PCTR soils contain a sizeable pool of readily biodegradable SOC that can be mineralized to DOC and CO₂ with future climate warming. Fluxes of CO₂ were positively correlated to both extractable DOC and percent bioavailable DOC during the last few months of the incubation suggesting mineralization of SOC to DOC is a strong control of soil respiration rates. Whether the net result is increased export of either carbon form will depend on the balance between the land to water transport of DOC and the ability of soil microbial communities to mineralize DOC to CO₂.     

Taxonomy of estuarine invertebrates in Australia

An Australian estuary is primarily a marine-dominated environment, subjected to major salinity changes only after heavy rains and during flood conditions. In southeastern Australia estuarine biota are similar to those in shallow coastal bays and some of the coastal lagoons, and most taxonomic studies on estuarine fauna have occurred in this region. Several major surveys of estuarine and coastal bays have been undertaken in Australia during the past three decades and these surveys have largely provided the material for taxonomic studies of the major groups of macrobenthos. All these studies have revealed a diverse and abundant benthic macrobenthos. The composition of estuarine invertebrate fauna is compared with open exposed coasts, including fauna found in soft strata and on hard strata. Australia has a limited specialized estuarine biota much of which is restricted to particular habitats, and a highly diverse marine community which thrives in the sheltered protected waters of estuaries and the associated soft sediments. Currently, interactive computer-based keys are being developed which should greatly assist the student and the benthic ecologist to identify the fauna and prevent potential loss of data. Some aspects of the current debate of the level of taxonomic resolution required to answer various ecological questions are discussed. Finally, some comments are suggested as to future directions in which taxonomists and estuarine ecologists should proceed in order to be able to detect changes or losses of estuarine biodiversity and the loss of the associated biological information which may be critical in understanding the functioning of the estuarine ecosystem.     

Nitrogen stable isotopic composition of leaves and soil: Tropical versus temperate forests

Several lines of evidence suggest that nitrogen in most tropical forests is relatively more available than N in most temperate forests, and even that it may function as an excess nutrient in many tropical forests. If this is correct, tropical forests should have more open N cycles than temperate forests, with both inputs and outputs of N large relative to N cycling within systems. Consequent differences in both the magnitude and the pathways of N loss imply that tropical forests should in general be more¹⁵N enriched than are most temperate forests. In order to test this hypothesis, we compared the nitrogen stable isotopic composition of tree leaves and soils from a variety of tropical and temperate forests. Foliar ¹⁵N values from tropical forests averaged 6.5 higher than from temperate forests. Within the tropics, ecosystems with relatively low N availability (montane forests, forests on sandy soils) were significantly more depleted in¹⁵N than other tropical forests. The average ¹⁵N values for tropical forest soils, either for surface or for depth samples, were almost 8 higher than temperate forest soils. These results provide another line of evidence that N is relatively abundant in many tropical forest ecosystems.     

Home heating in temperate Australia

Background, aim, and scope  

Home heating is an important component of life in inland temperate Australia, and firewood remains a common and relatively inexpensive fuel. However, supplies of firewood are becoming scarce, and excessive smoke pollution is becoming a problem in some places, partly due to poor management of fires. The alternative energy sources are electricity and gas, and the aim of this study is to compare the relative merits of these three energy sources for their impacts on the physical environment.     

Composition of grazed and cleared temperate grassy woodlands in eastern Australia: patterns in space and inferences in time

Abstract. A regional vegetation survey of the temperate grassy woodlands (temperate savanna) in Australia was designed to assess the effects of clearing and grazing on the composition of vegetation remnants and the adjacent pasture matrix. Vegetation was sampled across a range of habitats using 77 0.1024‐ha quadrats; the relative abundance of species was recorded. Classification analysis clustered the sites into three main groups that corresponded to intensity of grazing/clearing followed by groups based on underlying lithology (basalt, metasediment, granites). Using Canonical Correspondence Analysis, exogenous disturbance and environmental variables were related to the relative abundance of species; grazing intensity had the highest eigenvalue (0.27) followed by tree canopy cover (0.25), lithology (0.18), altitude (0.17) and slope (0.10). Based on two‐dimensional ordination scores, six species response groups were defined relating to intensity of pastoralism and nutrient status of the landscape. Abundance and dominance of native shrubs, sub‐shrubs, twiners and geophytes were strongly associated with areas of less‐intense pastoralism on low‐nutrient soils. The strongest effects on species richness were grazing followed by canopy cover. Continuously grazed sites had lower native species richness across all growth forms except native grasses. There was no indication that intermediate grazing intensities enhanced forb richness as a result of competitive release. Species richness for all native plants was lowest where trees were absent especially under grazed conditions. Canopy cover in ungrazed sites appeared to promote the co‐existence of shrubs with the herbaceous layer. Predicted declines in forb richness in treeless, ungrazed, sites were not detected. The lack of a disturbance‐mediated enhancement of the herbaceous layer was attributed to habitat heterogeneity at 0.1 ha sampling scale.     

Fertilization,soil and plant community characteristics determine soil microbial activity in managed temperate grasslands

Background and aims

Contaminated soils can impede germination and growth of selected plant species, restricting effective phytoremediation strategies. The purpose of the present study was to enhance the germination and growth of saltgrass [Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene] by evaluating the efficacy of certain seed pretreatments and soil amendments.

Methods

Ten seed pretreatment methods, two amendments, three soil depths and five saline levels were tested under greenhouse conditions.

Results

Saltgrass germination and growth were negatively correlated with increasing salinity levels when NaCl > 85.6 mM. Among ten seed pretreatments (stratification + Proxy 24 h, hot water + Proxy 24 h, stratification, hot water + Proxy 48 h, Proxy 48 h, Proxy 24 h, hot water, scarification, gibberellins, and KMnO₄), the two best methods were stratification + Proxy 24 h and hot water + Proxy 24 h for enhancing saltgrass germination, with the latter pretreatment being especially useful because of its shorter preparation time and high germination rates. Proxy is a commercial ethephon product. Potting soil (5.0 cm depth) was found to be the best amendment for saltgrass germination and growth in hydrocarbon-contaminated soils.

Conclusion

We conclude that direct seeding of saline soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons is a feasible phytoremediation strategy provided that appropriate seed pretreatments and amendments are utilized.