Contribution of above- and below-ground plant traits to the structure and function of grassland soil microbial communities

Background and Aims

Abiotic properties of soil are known to be major drivers of the microbial community within it. Our understanding of how soil microbial properties are related to the functional structure and diversity of plant communities, however, is limited and largely restricted to above-ground plant traits, with the role of below-ground traits being poorly understood. This study investigated the relative contributions of soil abiotic properties and plant traits, both above-ground and below-ground, to variations in microbial processes involved in grassland nitrogen turnover.

Methods

In mountain grasslands distributed across three European sites, a correlative approach was used to examine the role of a large range of plant functional traits and soil abiotic factors on microbial variables, including gene abundance of nitrifiers and denitrifiers and their potential activities.

Key Results

Direct effects of soil abiotic parameters were found to have the most significant influence on the microbial groups investigated. Indirect pathways via plant functional traits contributed substantially to explaining the relative abundance of fungi and bacteria and gene abundances of the investigated microbial communities, while they explained little of the variance in microbial activities. Gene abundances of nitrifiers and denitrifiers were most strongly related to below-ground plant traits, suggesting that they were the most relevant traits for explaining variation in community structure and abundances of soil microbes involved in nitrification and denitrification.

Conclusions

The results suggest that consideration of plant traits, and especially below-ground traits, increases our ability to describe variation in the abundances and the functional characteristics of microbial communities in grassland soils.     

Effects of Water Level on Three Wetlands Soil Seed Banks on the Tibetan Plateau

Background

Although the effect of water level on germination in soil seed banks has been documented in many ecosystems, the mechanism is not fully understood, and to date no empirical studies on this subject exist. Further, no work has been done on the effect of water level on seed banks of drying and saline-alkaline wetlands in alpine areas on the Tibetan Plateau.

Methodology

We examined the effects of water level (0 cm, 5 cm and 10 cm) on seed germination and seedling establishment from soil seed banks at 0–5 cm and 5–10 cm depths in typical, drying, and saline-alkaline wetlands. We also explore the potential role of soil seed bank in restoration of drying and saline-alkaline wetlands.

Principal Findings

Species richness decreased with increase in water level, but there almost no change in seed density. A huge difference exists in species composition of the seed bank among different water levels in all three wetlands, especially between 0 cm and 5 cm and 0 cm and 10 cm. Similarity of species composition between seed bank and plant community was higher in 0 cm water level in drying wetland than in the other two wetlands. The similarity was much higher in 0 cm water level than in 5 cm and 10 cm water levels in all three wetlands. Species composition of the alpine wetland plant community changed significantly after drying and salinization, however, species composition of the seed bank was unchanged regardless of the environment change.

Conclusions/Significance

Water level greatly affects seed bank recruitment and plant community establishment. Further, different water levels in restored habitats are likely to determine its species composition of the plant community. The seed bank is important in restoration of degraded wetlands. Successful restoration of drying and salinization wetlands could depend on the seed bank.     

Contrasting diversity patterns of crenarchaeal, bacterial and fungal soil communities in an alpine landscape

Background

The advent of molecular techniques in microbial ecology has aroused interest in gaining an understanding about the spatial distribution of regional pools of soil microbes and the main drivers responsible of these spatial patterns. Here, we assessed the distribution of crenarcheal, bacterial and fungal communities in an alpine landscape displaying high turnover in plant species over short distances. Our aim is to determine the relative contribution of plant species composition, environmental conditions, and geographic isolation on microbial community distribution.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Eleven types of habitats that best represent the landscape heterogeneity were investigated. Crenarchaeal, bacterial and fungal communities were described by means of Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism. Relationships between microbial beta diversity patterns were examined by using Bray-Curtis dissimilarities and Principal Coordinate Analyses. Distance-based redundancy analyses and variation partitioning were used to estimate the relative contributions of different drivers on microbial beta diversity. Microbial communities tended to be habitat-specific and did not display significant spatial autocorrelation. Microbial beta diversity correlated with soil pH. Fungal beta-diversity was mainly related to soil organic matter. Though the effect of plant species composition was significant for all microbial groups, it was much stronger for Fungi. In contrast, geographic distances did not have any effect on microbial beta diversity.

Conclusions/Significance

Microbial communities exhibit non-random spatial patterns of diversity in alpine landscapes. Crenarcheal, bacterial and fungal community turnover is high and associated with plant species composition through different set of soil variables, but is not caused by geographical isolation.     

滇西北高原纳帕海湖滨湿地退化特征、规律与过程

采用双向指示种分析(TWINSPAN)和典范对应分析(CCA)方法,研究了滇西北高原纳帕海湖滨湿地退化特征、规律与过程.结果表明: 纳帕海湖滨湿地植物群落可以划分为4个群丛,群落演替规律为水生植物群落→沼泽植物群落→沼泽化草甸植物群落→草甸植物群落.随植物群落演替,群落盖度、密度、多样性指数、物种丰富度和地上生物量均增大,群落高度减小;植物水分生态型演替规律为水生植物→沼生植物→湿生植物→中生植物.随群落演替,湿地水体矿化度、硬度和碱度均降低,氨氮和总磷含量升高,总氮和硝态氮含量变化不明显;土壤pH、有机质和全氮含量逐渐降低,全磷和全钾含量逐渐升高,速效氮和速效磷含量先增大后减小.CCA分析表明,群落结构和物种组成主要受水分梯度影响,土壤pH、全磷和湿地水的总氮、氨氮对湿地植物物种分布和群落演替影响显著.     

若尔盖高原泥炭沼泽湿地土壤细菌群落空间分布及其驱动机制

了解高原泥炭沼泽湿地生态系统土壤微生物群落结构组成、多样性及空间分布特征对认识高原湿地生态特征及演化过程至关重要。利用高通量测序技术，在局域尺度上研究了四川若尔盖高原泥炭沼泽湿地土壤细菌群落结构与多样性特征。通过进一步测定土壤及植物基本理化指标，量化采样点之间的地理距离，比较了细菌群落不同成员（稀有种和丰富种）的空间周转差异，分析了土壤环境变量和空间因子对细菌群落结构的相对贡献。结果表明：若尔盖泥炭土壤细菌群落主要由绿弯菌门（Chloroflexi）（26.25%）、变形菌门（Proteobacteria）（23.21%）、厚壁菌门（Firmicutes）（10.56%）等优势物种门类组成；土壤细菌群落结构表现出较强的空间依赖关系，群落结构相似性随采样点地理距离增加而逐渐降低，细菌群落的周转速率表现为总细菌群落 > 丰富种 > 稀有种；Mantel检验结果显示，地上生物量与细菌群落呈极显著相关性（P<0.01），其中，影响稀有种空间分布特征的环境因子还包括土壤硫含量、活性磷、Mn和土壤pH值；方差分解分析表明，局域尺度上的土壤因子对若尔盖高原泥炭沼泽土壤细菌群落构建的相对贡献大于空间因子，土壤异质性是影响微生物空间分布特征的关键因素。研究为开展高原湿地泥炭土壤微生物多样性调查及揭示微生物群落构建机制提供了重要参考。     

干旱区高寒湿地逆行演替下土壤微生物群落结构的研究

【目的】探究高寒湿地逆行演替对土壤性质与微生物群落结构的影响。【方法】以新疆巴音布鲁克天鹅湖高寒湿地为研究对象,依托逆行演替典型样带(沼泽-沼泽化草甸-草甸),利用高通量测序技术分析各演替区土壤微生物群落结构。【结果】高寒湿地逆行演替改变了土壤微生物在分类操作单元(operational taxonomic unit,OTU)水平上的物种组成,致使草甸区的微生物ACE、Chao1、Simpson、Shannon多样性指数显著低于沼泽区和沼泽化草甸区(P<0.05);随着演替发生,变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)、子囊菌门(Ascomycota)的相对丰度均减少,放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、芽单胞菌门(Gemmatimonadetes)、担子菌门(Basidiomycota)、被孢霉门(Mortierellomycota)的相对丰度增加;主坐标法分析(principal coordinates analysis,PCoA)排序分析显示,土壤微生物群落在各逆行演替都出现不同程度的离散...     

青海湖3种类型高寒湿地甲烷氧化菌群落特征

【背景】甲烷氧化菌在维持湿地生态系统碳平衡方面发挥着重要作用,青海湖高寒湿地具有十分重要的生态地位,但目前有关该地区甲烷氧化菌的研究相对较少。【目的】探究不同类型高寒湿地土壤甲烷氧化菌的群落特征与驱动因素。【方法】以青海湖流域内的小泊湖沼泽湿地、鸟岛湖滨湿地、瓦颜山河源湿地为研究对象,通过高通量测序技术对土壤甲烷氧化菌进行检测。【结果】3种不同类型高寒湿地土壤甲烷氧化菌的优势菌门均为变形菌门(Proteobacteria)。鸟岛湖滨湿地与瓦颜山河源湿地的甲烷氧化菌α多样性存在显著差异(P<0.05),而小泊湖沼泽湿地与二者的甲烷氧化菌α多样性的差异不显著(P>0.05)。LEfSe分析表明,不同类型高寒湿地共存在40个差异菌群,尤以瓦颜山河源湿地差异菌群数量最多,从门到属水平均存在显著差异。冗余分析(redundancy analysis,RDA)表明,甲烷氧化菌菌群变化的主要驱动因子为土壤温度、土壤水分、电导率。【结论】整体而言,青海湖3种类型高寒湿地土壤理化性质及甲烷氧化菌群落多样性均存在差异,且部分菌群的相对丰度具有显著性差异(P<0.05)。     

不同干扰方式下松江湿地土壤微生物群落结构和功能特征

以松江湿地为研究对象,采用磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)和BIOLOG微平板法,系统分析4种干扰方式(农业、工业、旅游和保护)对湿地土壤微生物群落结构和功能的影响。结果表明,微生物对碳源利用能力由强到弱依次为:滨江湿地(保护)金河湾湿地(旅游)白鱼泡湿地(旅游)太阳岛湿地(旅游)呼兰河口湿地(农业)阿什河湿地(工业)。松江湿地土壤微生物对羧酸类、糖类和氨基酸类碳源利用率较高,而对多聚物类、酚类和胺类的利用率较低,其中羧酸类和糖类是影响微生物群落代谢功能的敏感碳源。松江湿地土壤微生物以细菌为主,占总PLFA的69.72%—80.97%,真菌次之(9. 20%—23. 51%),放线菌最少(6.77%—9.82%); Shannon多样性指数以滨江湿地最高(2.994),阿什河湿地最低(2.881)。RDA分析表明,受工业、农业干扰的阿什河湿地和呼兰河口湿地微生物群落结构与TN、NO_3~--N和NH_4~+-N呈显著正相关(P0.05);受旅游干扰的太阳岛湿地微生物群落结构与pH呈显著正相关;而同样受旅游干扰的白鱼泡和金河湾湿地微生物群落结构与p H呈显著负相关;受保护的滨江湿地微生物群落结构主要受TC/TN影响。     

植物群落和土壤理化性质对碧塔海湿地土壤细菌群落的影响

土壤微生物是湿地生态系统中土壤-植物系统生源要素迁移转化的引擎.探究湿地生态系统地上植物群落、土壤理化性质和空间结构与土壤细菌间的相互关系是维护湿地生态系统健康和稳定的关键.本研究运用双向指示种分析法(TWINSPAN)对碧塔海湿地采集的35个样方中的植物群落进行分类,并采用高通量测序技术对样方的表层土壤细菌进行测序,...     

青海海北植物群落类型与土壤线虫群落相互关系

土壤线虫是良好的指示生物, 是植物群落演替的重要驱动力, 其生态功能影响着生态系统正常生态效应的发挥。该研究以海北矮生嵩草(Kobresia humilis)草甸、西藏嵩草(Kobresia tibetica)沼泽化草甸、暗褐薹草(Carex atrofusca)沼泽化草甸和金露梅(Potentilla fruticosa)灌丛4种不同植物群落类型的土壤线虫为研究对象, 研究不同植物群落类型下的土壤线虫群落组成、分布特征、物种多样性及其营养类群组成, 分析植物类群结构与土壤线虫群落之间的相关性。主要研究结果: (1)在4种植物群落土壤样本中共分离线虫3 800条, 分属于2纲5目15科30属, 线虫平均个体密度为每100 g干土580条, 随土壤深度增加而递减, 具有明显的表聚性。不同植物群落间的土壤线虫群落组成存在一定差异, 矮生嵩草草甸0-40 cm土壤线虫总数(1 811条·392.5 cm^-3)显著高于其他植物群落类型, 暗褐薹草沼泽化草甸的土壤线虫总数最少(324条·392.5 cm^-3)。4种植物群落下土壤线虫的优势属和营养类群组成存在差异, 这种差异在矮生嵩草草甸与暗褐薹草沼泽化草甸之间表现得尤为明显。 (2)不同植物群落下土壤线虫的多样性指数(H′)和均匀度指数(J′)均为金露梅灌丛最高, 暗褐薹草沼泽化草甸最低, 其两种植物群落间H′差异显著, 而优势度指数(λ)相反, 为暗褐薹草沼泽化草甸最高, 金露梅灌丛最低。表明金露梅灌丛土壤线虫群落多样性最高, 暗褐薹草沼泽化草甸土壤线虫群落多样性最低, 土壤线虫群落趋于单一化。4种植物群落土壤有机质的分解途径均以细菌通道为主。西藏嵩草沼泽化草甸的瓦斯乐斯卡指数(WI)显著高于矮生嵩草草甸, 表明从高寒沼泽化草甸过渡到高寒灌丛、高寒草甸, 土壤肥力不断降低, 沼泽化草甸有利于食微生物线虫的生长。暗褐薹草沼泽化草甸的植物寄生线虫指数(PPI)、成熟度指数(MI)均表现为最低, 表明其生态系统的成熟度较低, 这与暗褐薹草沼泽化草甸土壤含水量较高有关。不同植物群落下的富集指数(EI)、结构指数(SI)均为暗褐薹草沼泽化草甸最高, 由此可以看出暗褐薹草沼泽化草甸的食物网相对连通性较高, 食物链较长, 食物网的阻力相对较小。(3)主成分分析(PCA)结果显示4种植物群落最大贡献属不同。相关性分析表明: 食细菌性线虫数量与西藏嵩草沼泽化草甸有显著的正相关关系; 金露梅灌丛的植物多样性与线虫的H′、J′有显著的负相关关系, 与λ则有显著的正相关关系; WI与矮生嵩草草甸的植物多样性有显著的正相关关系, PPI与矮生嵩草草甸的物种多样性指数有显著的负相关关系。综上所述, 植物群落深刻地影响着土壤线虫群落的多样性。     

Soil bacterial communities shaped by geochemical factors and land use in a less-explored area,Tibetan Plateau

Background

As the largest low-latitude permafrost region, the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is an important part of the earth’s terrestrial ecosystem and one of the most vulnerable areas to climate change and human activities. However, to the best of our knowledge, the bacterial communities in TP soils and their roles in biogeochemical cycles remain limited.

Results

In this study, we report the bacterial community structure and function as well as their correlation with environmental factors in TP major ecosystems (farmland, alpine meadow and oligosaline lake) by using metagenomic approaches. Compared with other soil samples in various environments, TP soils share a core set of microorganisms with a distinct abundance and composition. Among TP soil samples, the taxonomic and functional composition of bacterial communities among the upper (3-5 cm) and lower (18-20 cm) soils of farmland sites were highly similar, whereas the dissimilarities within alpine meadow samples were significantly greater than among farmland samples. A similar pattern was observed in elements cycles and pathways associated with adaption to environment and land use types. Canonical correlation analysis revealed that the bacterial communities in most of farmland and alpine meadow soil samples were also significantly correlated with geogenic variables. Specifically, the root-nodule bacteria are negatively correlated with the soil moisture and pH, while Thiobacillus associated with sulfur cycles show potential responses to low temperature and intense UV radiation.

Conclusions

These findings indicate that the bacterial community structure and functions in TP soils were influenced by both human activities and soil environmental properties, and that the bacterial communities appeared to be more homogenized in the farmland soils compared with pristine alpine meadows.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-14-820) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

The role of seed traits in determining the phylogenetic structure of temperate plant communities

Background and Aims

Phylogenetic clustering of species within plant communities can be expected to result from environmental filtering acting on an evolutionary-conserved plant trait. One such a candidate trait is the embryo to seed-size ratio (E:S). A high E:S may allow faster germination immediately after imbibition, and is therefore assumed to be advantageous in dry habitats. In this study the hypothesis was tested that habitat filtering driven by soil moisture conditions and acting on seed germination and seedling establishment is an important ecological mechanism in structuring temperate plant communities.

Methods

Vegetation samplings were performed in three habitats located within 200 km of each other in western Europe: Ellenberg indicator values showed that the habitats selected differed substantially in terms of soil moisture and light availability. E.S ratio and seed mass data for all genera were obtained from literature. Data were analysed using recently developed phylogenetic methods.

Key Results

Genera with a similar E:S tend to co-occur, as low and high E:S genera dominate in moist and dry habitats, respectively. A phylogenetically clustered pattern of community structure was evident, and dispersion of E:S was positively related to phylogenetic dispersion.

Conclusions

The phenotypically and phylogenetically clustered pattern indicates that E:S-mediated habitat filtering is an important assembly process structuring the plant community of the temperate climate habitats studied.     

An underground tale: contribution of microbial activity to plant iron acquisition via ecological processes

Background

Iron (Fe) deficiency in crops is a worldwide agricultural problem. Plants have evolved several strategies to enhance Fe acquisition, but increasing evidence has shown that the intrinsic plant-based strategies alone are insufficient to avoid Fe deficiency in Fe-limited soils. Soil micro-organisms also play a critical role in plant Fe acquisition; however, the mechanisms behind their promotion of Fe acquisition remain largely unknown.

Scope

This review focuses on the possible mechanisms underlying the promotion of plant Fe acquisition by soil micro-organisms.

Conclusions

Fe-deficiency-induced root exudates alter the microbial community in the rhizosphere by modifying the physicochemical properties of soil, and/or by their antimicrobial and/or growth-promoting effects. The altered microbial community may in turn benefit plant Fe acquisition via production of siderophores and protons, both of which improve Fe bioavailability in soil, and via hormone generation that triggers the enhancement of Fe uptake capacity in plants. In addition, symbiotic interactions between micro-organisms and host plants could also enhance plant Fe acquisition, possibly including: rhizobium nodulation enhancing plant Fe uptake capacity and mycorrhizal fungal infection enhancing root length and the nutrient acquisition area of the root system, as well as increasing the production of Fe³⁺ chelators and protons.     

内蒙古高原典型草原区河漫滩湿地植物群落退化表征

草原区河流河漫滩草甸是生物多样性表现最充分和生物生产力最高的地段, 但由于过度放牧利用, 绝大部分草甸处于退化状态。该文以锡林河流域中游的河漫滩草甸为研究对象, 比较分析了围封保育湿地与放牧退化湿地的群落组成、地上生物量, 以及共有植物种的植株高度、节间长、叶长、叶宽, 土壤含水量、容重, 群落地下根量及根的分布, 土壤微生物生物量碳、氮的变化。结果表明: 1)放牧使得湿地植物群落优势种发生变化, 原有湿生植物逐渐向旱生化转变, 同时地上及地下生物量明显降低。2)退化湿地的植物呈现显著小型化现象。3)放牧退化湿地的土壤含水量较围封保育湿地低, 其垂直分布及地下根的垂直分布也发生变化。在低河漫滩, 土壤水分随土层的增加而增加, 根量也趋于深层化。但在高河漫滩湿地, 土壤含水量接近典型草原, 根未出现深层化分布趋势。4)放牧践踏引起土壤容重和土壤紧实度增加。5)放牧使得低河漫滩湿地土壤微生物生物量增加, 而在过渡区及高河漫滩湿地, 放牧使得土壤微生物生物量碳、氮含量显著降低。     

Changes in plant species richness induce functional shifts in soil nematode communities in experimental grassland

Background

Changes in plant diversity may induce distinct changes in soil food web structure and accompanying soil feedbacks to plants. However, knowledge of the long-term consequences of plant community simplification for soil animal food webs and functioning is scarce. Nematodes, the most abundant and diverse soil Metazoa, represent the complexity of soil food webs as they comprise all major trophic groups and allow calculation of a number of functional indices.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We studied the functional composition of nematode communities three and five years after establishment of a grassland plant diversity experiment (Jena Experiment). In response to plant community simplification common nematode species disappeared and pronounced functional shifts in community structure occurred. The relevance of the fungal energy channel was higher in spring 2007 than in autumn 2005, particularly in species-rich plant assemblages. This resulted in a significant positive relationship between plant species richness and the ratio of fungal-to-bacterial feeders. Moreover, the density of predators increased significantly with plant diversity after five years, pointing to increased soil food web complexity in species-rich plant assemblages. Remarkably, in complex plant communities the nematode community shifted in favour of microbivores and predators, thereby reducing the relative abundance of plant feeders after five years.

Conclusions/Significance

The results suggest that species-poor plant assemblages may suffer from nematode communities detrimental to plants, whereas species-rich plant assemblages support a higher proportion of microbivorous nematodes stimulating nutrient cycling and hence plant performance; i.e. effects of nematodes on plants may switch from negative to positive. Overall, food web complexity is likely to decrease in response to plant community simplification and results of this study suggest that this results mainly from the loss of common species which likely alter plant – nematode interactions.     

Spatial and Temporal Variation of Archaeal,Bacterial and Fungal Communities in Agricultural Soils

Background

Soil microbial communities are in constant change at many different temporal and spatial scales. However, the importance of these changes to the turnover of the soil microbial communities has been rarely studied simultaneously in space and time.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In this study, we explored the temporal and spatial responses of soil bacterial, archaeal and fungal β-diversities to abiotic parameters. Taking into account data from a 3-year sampling period, we analyzed the abundances and community structures of Archaea, Bacteria and Fungi along with key soil chemical parameters. We questioned how these abiotic variables influence the turnover of bacterial, archaeal and fungal communities and how they impact the long-term patterns of changes of the aforementioned soil communities. Interestingly, we found that the bacterial and fungal β-diversities are quite stable over time, whereas archaeal diversity showed significantly higher fluctuations. These fluctuations were reflected in temporal turnover caused by soil management through addition of N-fertilizers.

Conclusions

Our study showed that management practices applied to agricultural soils might not significantly affect the bacterial and fungal communities, but cause slow and long-term changes in the abundance and structure of the archaeal community. Moreover, the results suggest that, to different extents, abiotic and biotic factors determine the community assembly of archaeal, bacterial and fungal communities.     

盐城滨海滩涂湿地典型植物群落土壤微生物组成与结构特征

土壤微生物是生态系统维持正常结构与功能的重要组成部分,为探究盐城滩涂典型湿地土壤微生物群落结构特征,以江苏盐城滩涂互花米草、藨草、盐地碱蓬、芦苇及淤泥质光滩5种典型群落为对象,采用16S rRNA高通量测序技术分析0—10 cm(表层)、10—30 cm(中层)、30—60 cm(深层)土壤微生物多样性及群落结构。结果表明：(1)几种植物群落间,土壤微生物群落结构差异较大,主要体现在细菌群落结构的差异性,古菌群落结构差异相对较小。光滩与植物群落间,在土壤细菌种类及相对丰度上差异相对较大,互花米草群落与本土植物群落间,在微生物群落的细菌种类组成上存在较大差异;藨草群落土壤表层微生物群落结构与互花米草群落相似,深层与盐地碱蓬、芦苇群落相似。(2)同一群落不同层次土壤微生物群落结构相似,差异小于不同群落间土壤微生物群落的结构差异性;不同群落对应层次间,表深层土壤中五种群落土壤微生物多样性存在显著差异,中层土壤中五种群落微生物多样性差异不显著。总体上,植物群落类型对土壤微生物群落结构的影响大于土壤深度;与本土植物群落相比,互花米草群落土壤主要优势门微生物种类差异较小,但部分优势门微生物相对丰度...     

Soil microbial properties and plant growth responses to carbon and water addition in a temperate steppe: the importance of nutrient availability

Background

Global climatic change is generally expected to stimulate net primary production, and consequently increase soil carbon (C) input. The enhanced C input together with potentially increased precipitation may affect soil microbial processes and plant growth.

Methodology/Principal Findings

To examine the effects of C and water additions on soil microbial properties and plant growth, we conducted an experiment lasting two years in a temperate steppe of northeastern China. We found that soil C and water additions significantly affected microbial properties and stimulated plant growth. Carbon addition significantly increased soil microbial biomass and activity but had a limited effect on microbial community structure. Water addition significantly increased soil microbial activity in the first year but the response to water decreased in the second year. The water-induced changes of microbial activity could be ascribed to decreased soil nitrogen (N) availability and to the shift in soil microbial community structure. However, no water effect on soil microbial activity was visible under C addition during the two years, likely because C addition alleviated nutrient limitation of soil microbes. In addition, C and water additions interacted to affect plant functional group composition. Water addition significantly increased the ratio of grass to forb biomass in C addition plots but showed only minor effects under ambient C levels. Our results suggest that soil microbial activity and plant growth are limited by nutrient (C and N) and water availability, and highlight the importance of nutrient availability in modulating the responses of soil microbes and plants to potentially increased precipitation in the temperate steppe.

Conclusions/Significance

Increased soil C input and precipitation would show significant effects on soil microbial properties and plant growth in the temperate steppe. These findings will improve our understanding of the responses of soil microbes and plants to the indirect and direct climate change effects.     

滇西北高原纳帕海湿地植物多样性与土壤肥力的关系

采用植物群落研究法与原状土就地取样技术,研究了滇西北高原典型退化湿地纳帕海植物多样性、土壤养分、酶活性格局特征及其相互关系.随着湿地原生沼泽向沼泽化草甸、草甸的演替,湿地植物群落盖度增加、物种组成增多,群落优势种优势度减小,伴生种数量增加,植物多样性呈增加趋势;湿地土壤有机质、全氮含量不断减少,过氧化氢酶、蛋白酶、蔗糖酶活性增加,脲酶活性降低.植物α多样性指数(辛普森、香浓-维纳指数)与湿地土壤有机质、全氮含量呈负相关,与土壤过氧化氢酶、蛋白酶、蔗糖酶活性呈正相关,与脲酶活性呈负相关;土壤有机质、全氮含量与过氧化氢酶、蛋白酶、蔗糖酶活性呈一致负相关,与脲酶活性则成正相关.湿地景观在一定程度上反映了人为生产活动干扰的类型与强度,其植物多样性、土壤养分和酶活性特征及其相互关系是湿地生态系统演替过程中时空间体现,研究结果揭示了人为干扰下湿地退化的生态学过程及机理,可为我国高原湿地生物多样性保护,退化湿地生态恢复与湿地资源可持续利用提供一定的理论依据.     

北方典型沼泽湿地高低土壤水分下植物群落特征

北方沼泽湿地在水源供给、缓解水土流失、遏制草地沙化等方面具有重要作用,明确其植物群落物种组成和多样性特征对提升其生态系统服务功能具有重要意义。目前,在北方地区开展大尺度湿地植被调查的研究仍相对较少。土壤水分是驱动植物群落发展的主导环境因素之一,为了解高低土壤水分背景下湿地植物群落特征差异及关键驱动要素,对我国7个北方典型沼泽湿地的植物群落物种组成及多样性特征进行了调查,分析了植物群落物种组成及多样性特征与环境因子的关系,以及沼泽湿地植物群落内克隆植物的分布特征。研究结果发现不同沼泽湿地的植物群落物种组成和多样性差异显著,但无明显的地带性分布规律,物种分布呈现区域性。群落物种多样性受降水、温度、土壤养分等多种环境因素的共同影响。沼泽湿地高低土壤水分背景下植物群落的物种组成和多样性差异显著,低土壤水分下植物群落物种多样性指数显著高于高土壤水分下植物群落。低土壤水分下物种多样性主要受降水和总氮影响,而高土壤水分下物种多样性主要受温度和总磷的影响。高土壤水分下克隆植物物种数和盖度在沼泽湿地植物中占有较高的比例,表明克隆植物比非克隆植物更适应高土壤水分环境。研究结果表明了7个沼泽湿地植被的区域性...