辽东栎林内不同小生境下幼树植冠构型分析

以黄土高原黄龙山林区辽东栎林内3个小生境（林下、林隙、林缘）下辽东栎天然更新幼树为研究对象,采用典型抽样法对辽东栎幼树侧枝、叶片和树冠的空间分布状况以及生物量分配状况进行调查分析,探讨微生境与幼树植冠构型特征的关系,明确辽东栎幼树对不同小生境的适应策略,为栎林经营和林分结构优化提供理论依据。结果显示：（1）3种生境下辽东栎幼树构型发生了可塑性变化,林下幼树树冠层次比较单一,林隙与林缘的幼树树冠层次更加丰富。（2）由林下至林缘,幼树的树高、枝下高呈逐渐减小的趋势,而地径变化趋势与之相反;幼树的冠幅、树冠面积、树冠率呈先增加后减小的趋势,并且林下与林隙、林缘的差异显著;幼树的总体分枝率、逐步分枝率、枝径比呈先增加后减小的趋势。（3）3种生境下,幼树的一级枝的枝长、直径与倾角随着树高的增加而呈减小的趋势,但3种生境的差异不显著;林下一级枝主要分布在冠层中上部,而林隙与林缘一级枝主要分布在冠层中下、中上部。（4）由林下至林缘幼树叶长、叶宽、单叶面积和比叶面积逐渐降低,而单株叶数、叶总面积、叶面积指数呈先增大后减小趋势;与其他2种生境相比林下叶片分布趋于冠层上部。（5）幼树地上部分生物量中林下主干生物量占83%,枝和叶生物量只占17%;而林隙与林缘虽然各部位生物量有所差异但比例基本一致,其中主干占66%左右,枝和叶生物量占34%左右。研究表明,林隙生境下幼树的构型优于林缘和林下生境,在今后栎林的经营中,可以通过适当间伐来增加林隙数量,为森林更新和结构的优化提供有利条件。     

Sapling biomass allocation and growth in the understory of a deciduous hardwood forest

Above- and belowground tissues of co-occurring saplings (0.1-1 m height) of Acer saccharum Marsh. (very shade tolerant), Acer rubrum L. (shade tolerant), Fraxinus americana L. (intermediate shade tolerant), and Prunus serotina Ehrh. (shade intolerant) were harvested from a forest understory to test the hypothesis that the pattern of biomass allocation varied predictably with shade-tolerance rank. The placement and length of branches along the main axis were consistent with the formation of a monolayer of foliage for the tolerant and intermediate species. Other morphological characteristics did not vary predictably with shade-tolerance rank. The maintenance of high specific leaf area (SLA; leaf area/leaf mass) and leaf area ratio (LAR; leaf area/sapling mass) is considered important for growth under extreme shade, yet these traits were not clearly related to the shade-tolerance rank of these species. Fraxinus americana, an intermediate species, had the highest LAR and growth rate in the understory, and with the exception of P. serotina, the very shade-tolerant A. saccharum had the lowest LAR. Prunus serotina maintained a large starch-rich tap root and shoot dieback was common, yielding the largest root/shoot ratio for these species. The observed allocation patterns were not similar to the long-standing expectation for the phenotypic response of juvenile trees to shade, but were consistent with three hypothetical "growth strategies" in the understory: (1) the low SLA and LAR of A. saccharum may provide a measure of defense against herbivores and pathogens and thus promote persistence in the understory, (2) the high SLA for F. americana and high LAR for F. americana and A. rubrum may enable these species to achieve high growth rates in shade, and (3) the large carbohydrate stores of P. serotina may poise this species for opportunistic growth following disturbance. The relative importance of resistance to herbivores and pathogens vs. the maintenance of high growth rates may be important in evaluating the patterns of biomass allocation in the understory.     

Shade adaptation and shade tolerance in saplings of three Acer species from eastern North America

Summary Saplings of three, co-occurring maple species in a mature maple-beech forest differed in a suite of structural and physiological characters that separated the canopy species, Acer, saccharum, from the two subcanopy species, A. pensylvanicum and A. spicatum. Acer saccharum had both more dense wood and tougher and heavier but thinner leaves than the subcanopy species. Acer pensylvanicum had the largest, lightest leaves with high stomatal density and its canopy architecture was the most effective in terms of leaf display for light interception. Acer spicatum had weaker wood similar to that of A. pensylvanicum but also small, soft and relatively poorly displayed leaves. Both subcanopy species maintained marginally higher average rates of photosynthesis over the growing season in the understory environment. We consider juvenile A. saccharum only shade-tolerant, capable of persisting through long periods in the closed canopy until a gap occurs but not specifically adapted to the understory environment. Juvenile A. sacchrum appears to be constrained functionally by the requirements set by the canopy environment that adults will occupy. Characters such as high wood density are already expressed in the understory sapling; this investment in denser wood slows the growth of saplings, but is necessary for structural reasons in the adult. Juvenile A. saccaharum have morphological and photosynthetic characters better suited to gas exchange and extension growth under the increased photon flux densities in large forest gaps, characteristics that will also be advantageous in the sunlit canopy environment of adults.Both subcanopy maples appear to be more truly shade-adapted, although in somewhat different ways. Acer pensylvanicum has characteristics that enhance the potential for capture and utilization of sunflecks and is able to sustain higher growth rates than A. saccharum in the shaded subcanopy environment. Acer spicatum shares some shade-adapted features with A. pensylvanicum, and its habit of lateral spread through stem layering may confer an additional advantage in foraging for small light gaps.     

Deciduous and evergreen trees differ in juvenile biomass allometries because of differences in allocation to root storage

Background and Aims

Biomass partitioning for resource conservation might affect plant allometry, accounting for a substantial amount of unexplained variation in existing plant allometry models. One means of resource conservation is through direct allocation to storage in particular organs. In this study, storage allocation and biomass allometry of deciduous and evergreen tree species from seasonal environments were considered. It was expected that deciduous species would have greater allocation to storage in roots to support leaf regrowth in subsequent growing seasons, and consequently have lower scaling exponents for leaf to root and stem to root partitioning, than evergreen species. It was further expected that changes to root carbohydrate storage and biomass allometry under different soil nutrient supply conditions would be greater for deciduous species than for evergreen species.

Methods

Root carbohydrate storage and organ biomass allometries were compared for juveniles of 20 savanna tree species of different leaf habit (nine evergreen, 11 deciduous) grown in two nutrient treatments for periods of 5 and 20 weeks (total dry mass of individual plants ranged from 0·003 to 258·724 g).

Key Results

Deciduous species had greater root non-structural carbohydrate than evergreen species, and lower scaling exponents for leaf to root and stem to root partitioning than evergreen species. Across species, leaf to stem scaling was positively related, and stem to root scaling was negatively related to root carbohydrate concentration. Under lower nutrient supply, trees displayed increased partitioning to non-structural carbohydrate, and to roots and leaves over stems with increasing plant size, but this change did not differ between leaf habits.

Conclusions

Substantial unexplained variation in biomass allometry of woody species may be related to selection for resource conservation against environmental stresses, such as resource seasonality. Further differences in plant allometry could arise due to selection for different types of biomass allocation in response to different environmental stressors (e.g. fire vs. herbivory).     

Light and tree size influence belowground development in yellow birch and sugar maple

The effects of light and tree size on the root architecture and mycorrhiza of yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh) growing in the understory of deciduous forests in southern Québec, Canada were studied. At the study site, small (<50 m²), medium (101–200 m²) and large (201–500 m²) canopy gaps were investigated. From within these gaps, 17 yellow birch and 23 sugar maple saplings from 40 to 600 cm in height were sampled. In both species, root biomass and morphological traits were strongly correlated with tree size, but only weakly with light availability. Increased root biomass was primarily allocated to coarse roots and secondarily to fine roots. Yellow birch roots were longer, had a larger area, more endings and branches and grew more rapidly than sugar maple roots. Mycorrhizal colonization increased with available light and declined with tree age in sugar maple and was positively associated with tree size in yellow birch. The study demonstrates that tree size is a very important determinant of how belowground systems acclimate to understory conditions.     

高寒草甸主要植物地上地下生物量分布及退化对根冠比和根系表面积的影响

研究高寒草甸主要植物地上地下生物量的分布及其对退化的响应有利于了解高寒草甸的退化过程。该研究首先在西藏那曲生态环境综合观测研究站小嵩草围栏内(2009年围封)选择原生植被较好的地点随机选择小嵩草(Kobresia pygmaea)、矮嵩草(K.humilis)、紫花针茅(Stipa purpurea)、二裂委陵菜(Potentila bifurca)和青藏苔草(Carex moorcroftii)等5种植物斑块,选择退化斑块上(与原生植被相比)的二裂委陵菜和青藏苔草;然后用烘箱烘至恒重并称重,用扫描仪对根系进行扫描用于估算根系表面积;最后利用2因子方差分析检验不同物种个体、不同取样层次对地上和地下生物量的影响,利用物种和退化状态2因子方差分析检验对地上生物量的影响,以及利用物种、取样层次和退化状态3因子方差分析检验对二裂委陵菜和青藏苔草地下生物量、根冠比和根系表面积的影响。结果表明:在未退化条件下,小嵩草、矮嵩草和紫花针茅0~10cml地下生物量占0~30cm地下生物量的70%以上,0~30cm地下生物量占其地上地下总生物量的96%以上;二裂委陵菜(Potentilla bifurca)和青藏苔草(Carex moorcroftii)0~10cm地下生物量占0~30cml地下生物量的50%以上,其中二裂委陵菜0~30cm地下生物量占其地上地下总生物量的57%,青藏苔草0~30cm地下生物量占其地上地下总生物量的87%;对于退化草甸的主要植物,退化显著降低了二裂委陵菜的地上生物量、地下生物量和根冠比,对其根系表面积影响不大,但显著增加了青藏苔草的地上生物量,降低了其根冠比,对其地下生物量和根系表面积影响不大。     

Responses of crown development to canopy openings by saplings of eight tropical submontane forest tree species in Indonesia: a comparison with cool-temperate trees

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Growth in trunk height in canopy openings is important for saplings. How saplings increase height growth in canopy openings may relate to crown architectural constraints. Responses of crown development to canopy openings in relation to trunk height growth were studied for saplings (0.2-2.5 m tall) of eight tropical submontane forest tree species in Indonesia. The results of this study were also compared with those of temperate trees in northern Japan. METHODS: The crown architecture differed among the eight tropical species, i.e. they had sparsely to highly developed branching structures. Crown allometry was compared among the eight species in each canopy condition (closed canopy or canopy openings), and between closed canopy and canopy openings within a species. A general linear regression model was used to analyse how each species increases height growth rate in canopy openings. Crown allometry and its plasticity were compared between tropical and temperate trees by a nested analysis of covariance. KEY RESULTS: Tropical submontane trees had responses similar to cool-temperate trees, showing an increase in height in canopy openings, i.e. taller saplings of sparsely branched species increase height growth rates by increasing the sapling leaf area. Cool-temperate trees have a wider crown projection area and a smaller leaf area per crown projection area to avoid self-shading within a crown compared with tropical submontane trees. Plasticity of the crown projection area is greater in cool-temperate trees than in tropical submontane trees, probably because of the difference in leaf longevity. CONCLUSIONS: This study concluded that interspecific variation in the responses of crown development to canopy openings in regard to increasing height related to the species' branching structure, and that different life-forms, such as evergreen and deciduous trees, had different crown allometry and plasticity.     

Through‐growth by Pseudotsuga menziesii: A mechanism for change in forest composition without canopy gaps

Abstract. The currently prevailing view is that saplings require gaps or larger disturbances in order to grow into the canopy. This study documents an exception. In California's Pseudotsuga‐mixed hardwood forests, crowns of Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir) are within those of angiosperm trees (Arbutus menziesii and Quercus species). In the forests we examined, every Pseudotsuga was younger and all but one were growing more rapidly in girth than the Arbutus or Quercus whose crown it had penetrated. Furthermore, as saplings, the Pseudotsuga had grown at rates between those of suppressed saplings and canopy dominants. The recruitment of emergent Pseudotsuga substantially alters these canopies because of the large size Pseudotsuga attains. Given the density of Pseudotsuga growing in canopy crowns, such recruitment is likely. As a mechanism of recruitment, this through‐growth differs from gap recruitment in that the turnover of canopy trees is determined by an understory species' growth rate rather than the overstory species' longevity, and community attributes may change rapidly by replacement of canopy dominants with a dissimilar species. Pseudotsuga could grow through the canopy because of its greater potential height (> 60m vs. 20–40m for the angiosperms), narrower crown and its branches suffering less mechanical damage than those of the angiosperms. In general, resource levels in the understory, canopy height, and interspecific differences in maximum height and crown architecture all influence the likelihood of through‐growth. Therefore, for vegetation types whose dominants differ substantially in growth form, through‐growth may be a mechanism for rapid ecosystem change.     

地上竞争对林下红松生物量分配的影响

采用整株收获法研究林下红松地上、地下生物量分配特征及地上竞争对其生物量分配和生物量相对生长的影响。结果表明,(1)将整个树冠划分为等长的上、中、下三层,活枝生物量从上层到下层逐渐增加,而针叶生物量主要集中在树冠中下层且在中下层的分布无显著差异(P>0.05),随着地下生物量逐渐增加,小细根(<2 mm)、粗细根(2-5 mm)的比例逐渐减小,而粗根(>5 mm)所占比例逐渐增大;(2)地上竞争强度与胸径、树高呈显著指数相关(P<0.001),随着竞争强度增大,胸径和树高均逐渐减小,树高胸径比与竞争强度呈显著线性相关(P<0.05),而树冠比率与竞争强度之间无显著相关性(P>0.05);(3)随着竞争强度增大,树干生物量占整株生物量的相对比例逐渐减小,而细根(小细根和粗细根)生物量相对比例逐渐增大,活枝、针叶及粗根生物量相对比例与竞争强度相关性并不显著(P>0.05);(4)红松根冠比均值为0.15且根冠比并不受地上竞争的影响,茎叶比与竞争强度的相关性亦不显著(P>0.05);(5)地上竞争显著影响红松地上各器官生物量的相对生长,且竞争强度与生物量呈显著负相关(P<0.001)。     

Crown allometries are less responsive than stem allometry to tree size and habitat variations in an Indian monsoon forest

While theoretical allometric models postulate universal scaling exponents, empirical relationships between tree dimensions show marked variability that reflects changes in the biomass allocation pattern. As growth of the various tree compartments may be controlled by different functions, it is hypothesized that they may respond differently to factors of variation, resulting in variable tree morphologies and potentially in trade-offs between allometric relationships. We explore the variability of tree stem and crown allometries using a dataset of 1,729 trees located in an undisturbed wet evergreen forest of the Western Ghats, India. We specifically test whether species adult stature, terrain slope, tree size and crown light exposure affect the relationships between stem diameter and stem height (stem allometry), and between stem diameter and crown width, crown area and crown volume (crown allometries). Results show that both stem and crown allometries are subject to variations in relation to both endogenous (tree size, species adult stature) and exogenous (terrain slope, crown light exposure) factors. Stem allometry appears to be more affected by these factors than are crown allometries, including the stem diameter–crown volume relationship, which proved to be particularly stable. Our results support the idea that height is a prevailing adjustment factor for a tree facing variable growth (notably light) conditions, while stem diameter–crown volume allometry responds more to internal metabolic constraints. We ultimately discuss the various sources of variability in the stem and crown allometries of tropical trees that likely play an important role in forest community dynamics.     

Size dependence of leaf area and the mass of component organs during a course of self-thinning in a hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa) seedling population

The allometric equation, y=gx^h, was applied monthly to the relationships between two different dimensions of tree seedlings of hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) during a course of self-thinning from April 1990 to March 1991 to detect differences in biomass allocation among individuals. As the h-value in the allometry of crown length and seedling height was greater than unity for all seasons, crown ratio became greater as seedling height increased. Leaf weight ratio increased with increasing seedling size because the h-value in the allometry of leaf dry weight and whole seedling dry weight was greater than unity in every month. Therefore, smaller seedlings are disadvantageous to photosynthetic production by leaves. In contrast, the leaf area ratio was constant irrespective of seedling size because the h-value in the allometry of leaf area and whole seedling dry weight was nearly equal to unity in most seasons. In addition, because the h-value in the allometry of leaf area and leaf dry weight was less than unity in all seasons, specific leaf area decreased with an increase in leaf dry weight, indicating that smaller seedlings adapt to low light environments by possessing shade leaves. Root weight ratio decreased with increasing seedling size because the h-value in the allometry of root dry weight and whole seedling dry weight was less than unity in most seasons.     

Contrasted allometries between stem diameter,crown area,and tree height in five tropical biogeographic areas

Key message

Across five biogeographic areas, DBH-CA allometry was characterized by inter-site homogeneity and intra-site heterogeneity, whereas the reverse was observed for DBH-H allometry.

Abstract

Tree crowns play a central role in stand dynamics. Remotely sensed canopy images have been shown to allow inferring stand structure and biomass which suggests that allometric scaling between stems and crowns may be tight, although insufficiently investigated to date. Here, we report the first broad-scale assessment of stem vs. crown scaling exponents using measurements of bole diameter (DBH), total height (H), and crown area (CA) made on 4148 trees belonging to 538 species in five biogeographic areas across the wet tropics. Allometries were fitted with power functions using ordinary least-squares regressions on log-transformed data. The inter-site variability and intra-site (sub-canopy vs. canopy trees) variability of the allometries were evaluated by comparing the scaling exponents. Our results indicated that, in contrast to both DBH-H and H-CA allometries, DBH-CA allometry shows no significant inter-site variation. This fairly invariant scaling calls for increased effort in documenting crown sizes as part of tree morphology. Stability in DBH-CA allometry, indeed, suggests that some universal constraints are sufficiently pervasive to restrict the exponent variation to a narrow range. In addition, our results point to inverse changes in the scaling exponent of the DBH-CA vs. DBH-H allometries when shifting from sub-canopy to canopy trees, suggesting a change in carbon allocation when a tree reaches direct light. These results pave the way for further advances in our understanding of niche partitioning in tree species, tropical forest dynamics, and to estimate AGB in tropical forests from remotely sensed images.

     

Biomass partitioning,architecture and turnover of six herbaceous species from habitats with different nutrient supply

Three grasses (Holcus lanatus, Anthoxanthum odoratum and Festuca ovina) and three herbs (Rumex obtusifolius, Plantago lanceolata and Hieracium pilosella) were grown in a greenhouse at 3 nutrient levels in order to evaluate plant allocation, architecture and biomass turnover in relation to fertility level of their habitats.Four harvests were done at intervals of 4 weeks. Various plant traits related to biomass partitioning, plant architecture, biomass turnover and performance were determined. Differences in nutrient supply induced a strong functional response in the species shoot:root allocation, but architecture and turnover showed little or no response. Architectural parameters like specific leaf area and specific root length, however, in general decreased during plant development.Species from more nutrient-rich successional stages were characterized by a larger specific leaf area and longer specific shoot height (height/shoot biomass), resulting in a higher RGR and total biomass in all nutrient conditions. There was no evidence that species from nutrient-poor environments had a longer specific root length or any other superior growth characteristic. The only advantage displayed by these species was a lower leaf turnover when expressed as the fraction of dead leaves and a shorter specific shoot height (SSH) which might prevent herbivory and mowing losses.The dead leaf fraction, which is a good indicator for biomass and nutrient loss, appeared to be not only determined by the leaf longevity, but was also found to be directly related to the RGR of the species. This new fact might explain the slow relative growth rates in species from a nutrient-poor habitat and should be considered in future discussions about turnover.     

Regulation of shoot/root ratio by cytokinins from roots inUrtica dioica: Opinion

According to current knowledge, cytokinins are predominantly root-born phytohormones which are transported into the shoot by the transpiration stream. In the hormone message concept they are considered the root signals, which mediate the flux of the photosynthates to the various sinks of the plant. In this review, experiments are assessed, in which changes of the shoot to root ratio of biomass, caused by different levels of nitrogen supply to a model plant,Urtica dioica, could be traced to the natural cytokinin relations of the plant. Disturbance of the internal cytokinin balance of the plant resulted in a disproportionate distribution of the assimilates in favour of the cytokinin-enriched shoot. Inspite of some shortcomings of the hormone message concept, the presented work corroborates the significance of root-sourced cytokinins in the regulation of biomass partitioning between shoot and root.     

测定潜流人工湿地根系生物量的新方法

设计了一种新方法研究潜流人工湿地植物根系的分布和生物量。采用自制的圆柱形的不锈钢网柱,安放在潜流湿地的碎石基质中,定期分层取出网柱内的碎石,可观察根系的分布特点;收获网柱内的根,可测定根系的生物量和生长量。网柱的直径20cm,高50cm,网孔直径1．80cm,不锈钢丝粗1．38mm。安装时,使网柱垂直,上端达碎石表面,下端靠近湿地床底。安装好后,装入碎石基质,观察测定时,把基质取出,观察完后,再把基质放回。用该方法,对碎石基质的潜流人工湿地中植物根系的分布和生物量进行了1a的实验测定,认为该方法是测定潜流人工湿地根系生长和分布的有效方法,它易于安装、测定方便、准确。7月和12月份两次测定的湿地根系生物量之和为331．8gm^-2,其中分布于0—5cm的根生物量为174．4gm^-2,5～15cm为142．1gm^-2,15cm以下为15．3gm^-2。种问根系生物量的差异很大,根系生物量最大的是美人蕉,为182．4gm^-2,最小的是水鬼蕉,为1．38gm^-2。根生物量似乎呈不同的季节格局,象草7月份根系生物量较大,而其他种12月份的较大。不同种根系生物量的垂直分布也有显著的差异,具根状茎的芦苇和较粗根的水鬼蕉以直径大于1mm的根为主,它们的根分布较深,而浅层根较少;象草、美人蕉和风车草,直径1mm以内的根占根生物量的80％以上甚至100％,它们的根分布较浅。     

Fine root distribution of trees and understory in mature stands of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) on dry and humid sites

Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) is the main tree cropping species in the Landes of Gascogne forest range in south western France. Soils are nutrient poor, sandy podzosols and site fertility is determined essentially by organic matter content and depth of water table, which is known to limit root growth. We hypothesised, with an ultimate goal of constructing a nutrient uptake model applicable to this region, that the organic top horizons together with the depth of the water table should be the most important parameters related to fine root distribution and presence of associated mycorrhiza. To test this hypothesis, we compared two adult Pinus pinaster stands, contrasting in depth of water table and soil fertility and evaluated fine roots (diameter ≤2 mm) of understory species and fine roots and ectomycorrhizal morphotypes of Pinus pinaster down to 1.2 m, using a soil corer approach. Total fine root biomass of Pinus pinaster was not significantly different between both sites (3.6 and 4.5 t ha⁻¹ for the humid, respectively, dry site), but root distribution was significantly shallower and root diameter increased more with depth at the humid site, presumably due to more adverse soil conditions as related to the presence of a hardpan, higher amount of aluminium oxides and / or anoxia. Fine roots of Pinus pinaster represented only about 30% of total fine root biomass and 15% of total fine root length, suggesting that the understory species cannot be ignored with regards to competition for mineral nutrients and water. A comparison of the ectomycorrhizal morphotypes showed that the humid site could be characterised by a very large proportion of contact exploration types, thought to be more relevant in accessing organic nutrient sources, whereas the dry site had a significantly higher proportion of both long-distance and short-distance exploration types, the latter of which was thought to be more resistant to short-term drought periods. These results partly confirm our hypothesis on root distribution as related to the presence of soil mineral nutrients (i.e. in organic matter), point out the potential role of understory plant species and ectomycorrhizal symbiosis and are a valuable step in building a site-specific nutrient uptake model.     

干旱胁迫对不同根型苜蓿根系生长及根际土壤细菌的影响

为明确干旱胁迫对根茎型清水紫花苜蓿、直根型陇东紫花苜蓿、根蘖型公农4号杂花苜蓿根系生长及根际土壤细菌群落的影响,采用盆栽试验,运用16S rRNA基因测序技术,研究了幼苗期干旱胁迫下各根型苜蓿根系生长及根际土壤细菌群落结构的变化。结果表明：干旱胁迫下各根型苜蓿的Chao1和ACE丰富度指数均在中度胁迫下最大,Simpson和Shannon-wiener多样性指数各处理间差异不显著;根际土壤细菌群落均以变形菌门、绿弯菌门、类杆菌门、放线菌门和厚壁菌门为主,干旱胁迫均显著增加了变形菌门和厚壁菌门的相对丰度,显著降低了绿弯菌门的相对丰度,但类杆菌门和放线菌门先提高后下降。统计学分析显示,幼苗期干旱胁迫显著影响各根型苜蓿生长发育,随胁迫程度增加,其株高、地上生物量、地下生物量、根系活力、根体积、根系总长均显著降低,根冠比先增加后下降且在中度胁迫时达到最大值。重度胁迫下,清水苜蓿的株高、根系活力显著大于其他品种,而根冠比、根系干重显著小于其他品种;陇东苜蓿的根长、根尖数均显著大于其他品种;根系平均直径、根系总表面积各根型苜蓿间差异不显著。研究结果为植物的抗干旱胁迫以及提高各根型苜蓿在干旱胁迫下的水分利用提供参考。     

Isolated Trees and Grass Removal Improve Performance of Transplanted Trema micrantha (L.) Blume (Ulmaceae) Saplings in Tropical Pastures

Cattle pastures established in areas previously covered by tropical rainforest can be abandoned in unproductive and degraded conditions. Transplanting native tree species to pastures is one common practice among rainforest restoration techniques, but several environmental barriers compromise transplant success. We assessed whether the presence of isolated trees and the removal of pasture grasses affect survival, growth, and allometry of transplanted saplings of the pioneer tree Trema micrantha (L.) Blume (Ulmaceae) into abandoned pastures in southeast Mexico. An isolated tree was selected in the center of each of four pasture sites of one hectare, and grass treatments were applied under the tree's canopy (0–10 m from the trunk) and in open pasture (15–48 m from the trunk). Grass removal treatments were control (grass present), cut with machete, herbicide application, and total grass removal with a gardening hoe. After 1 year, sapling survival was not different between the canopy and pasture areas (53%). Saplings showed higher survival probability (p < 0.05) in the hoe treatment (63 ± 9%) than in the control treatment (38 ± 9%). Height and crown cover growth rates were faster under the canopy of isolated trees compared with the open pasture. Saplings showed significantly greater crown area/height ratios under the canopy of isolated trees. Stressful environmental conditions restricted sapling growth in the open pasture. We conclude that complete removal of grasses and transplanting T. micrantha saplings in the vicinity of isolated trees can improve transplant success.     

Allometry of Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana along a topographic gradient in the Chihuahuan desert

Abstract. The allometric relationships of trees in temperate and tropical forests are relatively well known, but not those of woody shrubs or transitional (shrub/tree) life forms. We explored the transition of Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana from tree to shrub along a semi‐arid topographic sequence comprising of six landforms (hillslope, footslope, upper and lower bajada, playa and dune) with varying soil texture and water availability. In each landform, we measured P. glandulosa shoot pre‐dawn water potentials (Ψ) in one ‘dry’ and one ‘wet’ year. We also measured plant height, widest basal stem diameter, crown area and number of basal branches. Total basal stem area was calculated. We used simple (Model II linear regression) and expanded (incorporating an asymptote to height or crown area) allometry models to compare height with widest basal stem diameter and crown area with total basal stem area. There were significant correlations between maximum plant size and inter‐year Ψ means suggesting that soil water availability decreased down the topographical sequence. The height asymptote was statistically significant in all landforms and lower toward finer‐textured soils. On the other hand, crown area was a linear function of total basal stem area and was also site specific. Our results suggest that more basal branches are produced as plant height decreases in more stressful environments, effectively increasing crown area with a minimum investment in supporting tissues. The polymorphic characteristics of Prosopis may partly explain their occurrence in many arid and semi‐arid environments.     

Growth and root responses of woody species to rocky substrate: implications for gully rehabilitation

Gullies formed in the Velhas River basin in Brazil have been filled with urban construction waste for physical stabilisation purposes. Aimed at rehabilitating gullies, we selected woody species from the Brazilian Cerrado that can grow on rocky substrates under greenhouse conditions. An assessment was made regarding plant growth in both rocky and natural soil substrates by analysing the height, diameter, fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots, plant water content, root occupation and architecture. Principal component analysis and Chi-squared tests segregated rock-tolerant species based on the specific influence on root dry and fresh weights. Fast-growing species reduced the emergence of their lateral roots under rocks, compromising their growth in height and biomass production. In contrast, slow-growing woody species were particularly suitable for gully rehabilitation because these species exhibited a genetic pattern of low lateral root emergence that prevented damage to their roots. Most slow-growing species demonstrated a similar growth pattern in both substrates, and some of them, such as Copaifera langsdorffii, achieved better growth in height and biomass production on rocks than on soil, a finding attributed to the root plastic response involving primary root elongation and lateral root emergence. Therefore, slow-growing species are recommended for gully rehabilitation procedures.