Study on the effects of different levels of grazing and exclosure on vegetation and soil properties in semi-arid rangelands of Iran

Livestock grazing is one of the main factors of vegetation and soil degradation in arid and semi-arid rangelands of Iran and causes changes in diversity, vegetation, litter and soil characteristics. Therefore, this study has been conducted aimed to examine the effects of exclosure and livestock grazing on vegetation and soil. For this purpose, two grazing areas of medium and high grazing intensity and two exclosure areas (Non-grazing livestock) with duration of 8 and 11 years were selected for sampling. Then, we identified plant species, percentage of coverage of each species, measurement of diversity indices, species similarity and soil chemical properties including electrical conductivity (mho), acidity, organic matter(%), organic carbon (%), nitrogen (%), phosphorus (mg/L) and bulk density (gr/cm³) in each area and they were compared using variance analysis. The results showed that exclosure significantly at 5% level reduced organic matter percentage, electrical conductivity and organic carbon percentage, but it caused a significant increase in soil bulk density at 1% level. Similarity of plant species due to the reduction of livestock grazing intensity and increasing exclosure duration. The results also indicate Livestock grazing increased Coverage of plant family such as Poaceae, Zygophyllacea in the area due to the increase of plant species such as Peganum harmala and Poa bulbosa (non-pleasant species of class III). Based on the results, despite increasing the diversity of plant species in the area over time, increasing diversity does not increase dominant species of the area, as well as companion species increased in the composition of vegetation. It concluded that exclusion has a significant effect on vegetation improvement, vegetation cover percentage, diversity, palatability and litter percentage in the region.     

松嫩平原西部草甸草原5种典型植物群落土壤呼吸的时空动态

土壤呼吸是陆地生态系统碳循环的重要组分, 由于受到生物因子与非生物因子的共同作用, 土壤碳排放量在时间和空间尺度上都具有一定的变异性。为弄清松嫩平原西部草甸草原植物群落土壤呼吸作用的时空动态变化及其影响因子, 以典型植被碱蓬(Suaeda glauca)、虎尾草(Chloris virgata)、碱茅(Puccinellia distans)、芦苇(Phragmites australis)、羊草(Leymus chinensis)群落为研究对象, 采用LI-6400土壤呼吸测定系统对该生态系统2011-2012年植物生长季内土壤呼吸作用进行了监测。结果表明: 土壤温度可以解释土壤呼吸作用变异的53%-82%, 是影响该生态系统土壤碳排放时间变异的主要因素。土壤水分并未对土壤呼吸作用时间变异产生明显的影响。不同植物群落的土壤呼吸的温度敏感性(Q₁₀)有所差异, Q₁₀为2.0-6.7。生长季内, 5种植物群落的土壤累积碳排放量的平均值为316.6 g C·m^-2。生长季内土壤碳累积排放量与植被地上生物量、土壤有机碳含量、平均土壤温度显著正相关, 与平均土壤含水量、pH值、土壤电导率及交换性钠百分比呈负相关关系。土壤的微气候、植被的地上生物量及土壤性质的差异是土壤碳排放空间变异的主要影响因素。     

Plant functional traits and soil microbial biomass in different vegetation zones on the Loess Plateau

Plant functional traits built the relationships between plant diversity, species composition, and physiology along with the environmental changes, thus influencing soil microbial community. As the sensitivity indicators, soil microbial biomass and plant functional traits responses soil micro-organism and plant characteristics in direct way. Ten plant functional traits of 149 species and soil microbial biomass (carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus) were analyzed across the different vegetation types (forest, forest-steppe, and steppe) that are divided by environmental gradient (temperature and precipitation), aimed to find the correlations among them. Our results confirmed the greatest values of plant functional traits (except the leaf density and the fine root density) that were distributed in the steppe zone, mainly due to the different mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation conditions. For different plant growth forms, the plant functional traits were significant differences among the vegetation zones. The advantages of higher rate nutrient cycling, plentiful biomass supplements, and favorite habit conditions lead to the forest-steppe zone with the highest C_mic and N_mic concentrations. The canonical correlation analysis indicated that leaf nitrogen, root nitrogen, and fine root densities were correlated with root exudate and tissue which affected the concentrations of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (N), consequently impacting soil microbial biomass carbon (C_mic) and soil microbial biomass nitrogen (N_mic). Soil is the medium that connects micro-organism and plant root system that influenced leaf nitrogen, root nitrogen, and fine root density of plant functional traits, the concentrations of SOC and total N that plant feedback are consequently influencing C_mic and N_mic.     

准噶尔盆地典型地段植物群落及其与环境因子的关系

沿88°E线,南北纵穿新疆北部准噶尔盆地,选择环境梯度明显的典型地段,设置33个具有代表性的野外样方,应用TWINSPAN与DCCA分析样方的物种数据和环境数据。研究结果表明:(1)样方TWINSPAN分类结果的第一级分类将分布于流动、半流动沙丘(垄)上的白梭梭群落与固定、半固定沙地上的梭梭群落区分开来,进一步的分类,可将33个样方划分为12个组。35种优势植物种TWINSPAN第1级分类把沙漠内部植物种与外缘物种分开。第2级分类把沙漠内部垄上与垄间植物种以及沙漠外缘旱生、中生和盐生植物种分开。(2)在各种环境因子中,土壤水分与相对高度(或地面活动性)是影响植物群落分布的最主要环境因子,DCCA第一排序轴反映生境水分环境条件,第2轴反映土壤结构梯度的变化。(3)除相对高度(或地面活动性)与土壤水分外,在沙漠南部外缘的山前冲积、洪积扇扇缘,土壤盐分状况亦为植物生长的重要胁迫因子;在沙漠北部外缘的砾石戈壁平原,基质的机械组成对群落分布格局有重要影响;在沙漠内部,土壤质地、地面坡度对植物群落的分布有较大影响。(4)以沙漠为中心的准噶尔盆地地势相对高度与地面活动性、土壤有机质与土壤粘粒、土壤水分与土壤总盐、pH值、有机质、相对高度之间存在显著相关关系。     

黄土高原不同土地利用类型土壤含水量的地带性与影响因素

通过对黄土高原南北样带大面积(北纬34°05'—40°75'、东经107°14'—111°09')土壤含水量(0—500 cm剖面)测定和相应植被类型调查,研究了黄土高原农田、草地、灌木林地和乔木林地4种土地利用类型土壤含水量的空间变化及它们之间的差异性。结果表明:黄土高原4种土地利用类型的土壤含水量皆呈现南北向地带性变化,自南向北土壤含水量有明显递减趋势,与多年平均降雨量、潜在蒸散量、土壤质地等的分布具有一致性;同一地点不同土地利用类型下土壤水分含量具有显著差异(农地草地灌木和乔木林地),不同植被类型根系分布、蒸散耗水量的不同是造成含水量差异性的原因。植被建设应遵循土壤水分分布规律,研究结果对黄土高原植被恢复建设具有一定参考价值。     

Carbon storage potential of Avicennia marina as influenced by soil factors in National Park Nayband,South Coast of Iran

The carbon storage potential varies according to plant species, locations, and soil parameters. This study conducted to calculate amounts of carbon storage and effects of soil factors on C storage Avicennia marina in the coastal area of Bradkhon-Mal Gonzeh in National Park Nayband, of Bushehr province. To conduct research, aboveground and belowground biomass, and a distance of 1.5 m in two depths (0–60 and 60–100 cm) in 5 sample plots in the habitat zone and control site in March 2019, samples of biomass and soil were taken. The aboveground and belowground biomass were estimated using the allometric equation. The soil factors in each sample point were done by laboratory methods. The relations between soil factors and C storage in above and below-ground biomass were determined using cluster analysis. The result showed that the amount of C storage in above and belowground biomass is 12.7 ± 1.08 and 5.7 ± 0.4 g/m², respectively. The amount of carbon stored at the first depth of the soil was more than the second depth, this is due to the expansion of roots on the surface of the soil. The most important parameters influencing soil carbon storage is electrical conductivity (EC), total neutralizing value (TNV), percentage of sand, silt and clay, organic matter and nitrogen.     

Spatial variation in vegetation structure coupled to plant available water determined by two-dimensional soil resistivity profiling in a Brazilian savanna

Tropical savannas commonly exhibit large spatial heterogeneity in vegetation structure. Fine-scale patterns of soil moisture, particularly in the deeper soil layers, have not been well investigated as factors possibly influencing vegetation patterns in savannas. Here we investigate the role of soil water availability and heterogeneity related to vegetation structure in an area of the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado). Our objective was to determine whether horizontal spatial variations of soil water are coupled with patterns of vegetation structure across tens of meters. We applied a novel methodological approach to convert soil electrical resistivity measurements along three 275-m transects to volumetric water content and then to estimates of plant available water (PAW). Structural attributes of the woody vegetation, including plant position, height, basal circumference, crown dimensions, and leaf area index, were surveyed within twenty-two 100-m² plots along the same transects, where no obvious vegetation gradients had been apparent. Spatial heterogeneity was evaluated through measurements of spatial autocorrelation in both PAW and vegetation structure. Comparisons with null models suggest that plants were randomly distributed over the transect with the greatest mean PAW and lowest PAW heterogeneity, and clustered in the driest and most heterogeneous transect. Plant density was positively related with PAW in the top 4 m of soil. The density-dependent vegetation attributes that are related to plot biomass, such as sum of tree heights per plot, exhibited spatial variation patterns that were remarkably similar to spatial variation of PAW in the top 4 m of soil. For PAW below 4 m depth, mean vegetation attributes, such as mean height, were negatively correlated with PAW, suggesting greater water uptake from the deep soil by plants of larger stature. These results are consistent with PAW heterogeneity being an important structuring factor in the plant distribution at the scale of tens of meters in this ecosystem.     

Importance of soil calcium for composition of understory vegetation in boreal forests of Finnish Lapland

To focus conservation efforts into forest areas with high biodiversity, more information is needed about soil-vegetation dependencies in Finnish Lapland. We studied understory vegetation and soil variables along a transect across a felsic?Cmafic lithological sequence in central Finnish Lapland. At 119 northern boreal forest sites, coverages of understory vegetation, several mineral soil chemical elements, soil electrical conductivity, pH, and dielectric permittivity, as a measure of soil volumetric water content, were measured. We found that soil Ca concentration and Ca:Al ratio were the main variables determining vegetation composition and diversity. Ca-rich soils were characterised by high electrical conductivity, pH, and Mg concentration, and by low concentration of Al, S, Zn, and low C:N ratio. Soil Ca concentration is a diagnostic measure of plant diversity as concentration higher than 100 mg kg^?1 resulted in a considerable increase in plant diversity. Sites with Ca concentration this high were rare, and probably important in maintaining high biodiversity. The median soil Ca:Al ratio was only 0.02, suggesting, according to general theory, a considerable risk for aluminium stress. We found Geranium sylvaticum and Rubus saxatilis to be good indicators for Ca-rich regimes and high plant diversity.     

Relationships of Biomass with Environmental Factors in the Grassland Area of Hulunbuir,China

Many studies have focused on the relationship between vegetation biomass and environmental factors in grassland. However, several questions remain to be answered, especially with regards to the spatial pattern of vegetation biomass. Thus, the distributed mechanism will be explored in the present study. Here, plant biomass was measured at 23 sites along a transect survey during the peak growing season in 2006. The data were analyzed with a classification and regression tree (CART) model. The structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to explicitly evaluate the both direct and indirect effects of these critical environmental elements on vegetation biomass. The results demonstrated that mean annual temperature (MAT) affected aboveground biomass (AGB) scored at −0.811 (P<0.05). The direct effect of MAT on belowground biomass (BGB) was −0.490 (P<0.05). The results were determined by SEM. Our results indicate that AGB and BGB in semi-arid ecosystems is strongly affected by precipitation and temperature. Future work shall attempt to take into account the integrated effects of precipitation and temperature. Meanwhile, partitioning the influences of environmental variations and vegetation types are helpful in illuminating the internal mechanism of biomass distribution.     

Microbial characteristics of soils on a latitudinal transect in Siberia

Soil microbial properties were studied from localities on a transect along the Yenisei River, Central Siberia. The 1000 km‐long transect, from 56°N to 68°N, passed through tundra, taiga and pine forest characteristic of Northern Russia. Soil microbial properties were characterized by dehydrogenase activity, microbial biomass, composition of microbial community (PLFAs), respiration rates, denitrification and N mineralization rates. Relationships between vegetation, latitude, soil quality (pH, texture), soil organic carbon (SOC) and the microbial properties were examined using multivariate analysis. In addition, the temperature responses of microbial growth (net growth rate) and activity (soil respiration rate) were tested by laboratory experiments. The major conclusions of the study are as follows: 1. Multivariate analysis of the data revealed significant differences in microbial activity. SOC clay content was positively related to clay content. Soil texture and SOC exhibited the dominant effect on soil microbial parameters, while the vegetation and climatic effects (expressed as a function of latitude) were weaker but still significant. The effect of vegetation cover is linked to SOC quality, which can control soil microbial activity. 2. When compared to fine‐textured soils, coarse‐textured soils have (i) proportionally more SOC bound in microbial biomass, which might result in higher susceptibility of SOC transformation to fluctuation of environmental factors, and (ii) low mineralization potential, but with a substantial part of the consumed C being transformed to microbial products. 3. The soil microbial community from the northernmost study region located within the permafrost zone appears to be adapted to cold conditions. As a result, microbial net growth rate became negative when temperature rose above 5 °C and C mineralization then exceeded C accumulation.     

等距开槽结合施用石膏改良苏打盐碱土

采用田间小区试验,研究了等距开槽结合施用石膏对东北松嫩平原西部苏打盐碱土的改良效果。结果表明:等距开槽(20～40cm心土层开槽,槽间距1m)能有效降低开槽点的土壤紧实度,对槽间土壤紧实度也有一定的降低作用,且与对照(不开槽)紧实度的差异达到极显著水平;等距开槽必须结合石膏才能改善土壤的化学性质,加石膏与未加石膏处理的pH和碱化度达到差异显著水平,而电导率值在处理前后差异不显著,开槽松土处理对槽内土壤化学性质改善效果不明显;磷石膏与脱硫石膏在改土效果上差异不显著,石膏配合开槽能有效改善土壤理化性质和植物生长状况,且对槽间土壤改良和植物生长均有一定的促进作用。     

Coastal plant and soil relationships along the southwestern coast of South Korea

We studied how plant species distribution was regulated by the relationships between vegetation and soil factors on the southwestern coast of South Korea. Vegetation was classified using two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN), thereby producing four vegetation groups that were linked to three habitat types. Two ordination techniques —; detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) —; were applied to examine the relationships between vegetation and 12 edaphic factors, including soil pH, water and osmotic potentials, moisture content, electrical conductivity, Cl and Na⁺ contents, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, and contents of organic matter, sand, silt, and clay. Results were similar for both types of evaluations. According to DCA and CCA, the 23 communities tended to cluster into three types: salt swamp, salt marsh, and sand dune. The first two canonical axes accounted for 14.9% of the community-soil factor relationship among communities. As identified via CCA, the main gradients were soil-water relations and soil texture.     

西藏高寒草原湿润度梯度下植物群落特征空间格局及其驱动因子

西藏高原是中国高寒生态系统类型和生物多样性均聚集的区域之一,其中以高寒典型草原和高寒草甸草原为主生态系统类型,但其系统活力、组织力和恢复力均较弱,容易受到全球气候变化的影响,表现出极强的脆弱性。目前青藏高原草地生态系统植物群落分布状况与其变化规律以及对各种环境因子的反应研究多集中于站点尺度或样带尺度,但研究结果尚有较大的不确定性。研究于西藏地区沿着不同的湿润度梯度选择14处高寒草原区样地,通过植物群落调查、土壤理化性质分析,探索草本植被群落空间格局对气候因子响应特征及其主要驱动因子,其结果为青藏高原天然草地保护和可持续利用提供基础科学数据支撑。结果表明: (1)研究区内依据湿润度分区可分为干旱区、微干区、微润区和湿润区4类;研究区1971-2021年的气候数据分析发现,北部的干旱程度在逐渐减轻,而南部在1991-2010阶段干旱化趋势逐渐加强,整个研究区的湿润度指数均在下降;(2)植物群落调查发现不同植物功能群的变化各有差异,莎草科地上生物量随湿润度增加而增加,杂类草地上生物量呈现单峰趋势,而其他植物功能群无明显规律;湿润度较高的微润区间植物群落的Shannon-Wiener指数、Simpson指数、丰富度指数、均匀度指数均高于其他湿润度区间;(3)土壤理化性质分析发现高湿润度区域的土壤含水量、全氮、硝态氮、铵态氮、速效磷含量均为最高;对各环境因子与植物群落特征指标进行相关性、主成分分析后构建结构方程模型,发现直接影响西藏高寒草原植物群落特征变化因子为湿润度,土壤含水量和土壤pH,且都表现为显著的负效应(P<0.05),同时湿润度对土壤含水量和土壤全量养分产生了显著的正向影响(P<0.05),进而影响着西藏高原高寒草原不同植物功能群的分布、多样性、地上生物量。     

Trait‐based adaptability of Phragmites australis to the effects of soil water and salinity in the Yellow River Delta

Phragmites australis is the dominant species in the Yellow River Delta and plays an important role in wetland ecosystems. In order to evaluate the relationship between phenotypic variation and environmental factors, explore how functional traits respond to changes in electrical conductivity and soil water content, and reveal the ecological strategies of P. australis, we investigated the ecological responses of P. australis to soil properties based on 96 plots along the coastal–inland regions in the Yellow River Delta of China. Within the range of soil water content (SWC, 9.39%–36.92%) and electrical conductivity (EC, 0.14–13.29 ms/cm), the results showed that (a) the effects of salinity were more important than the soil water content for the characterization of the morphological traits and that plant functional traits including leaf traits and stem traits responded more strongly to soil salinity than soil water content; (b) compared with morphological traits such as average height and internode number, physiological traits such as SPAD value, as well as morphological traits closely related to physiological traits such as specific leaf area and leaf thickness, showed stronger stability in response to soil water and salinity; and (c) under the condition of high electrical conductivity, P. australis improved its water acquisition ability by increasing indicators such as leaf water content and leaf thickness. In addition, with the increase in plant tolerance to stress, more resources were used to resist external stress, and the survival strategy was inclined toward the stress tolerator (S) strategy. Under low EC conditions, P. australis increased specific leaf area and leaf area for its growth in order to obtain resources rapidly, while its survival strategy gradually moved toward the competitor (C) strategy.     

Testing the effect–response framework: key response and effect traits determining above‐ground biomass of salt marshes

Question: How do species traits respond to environmental conditions and what is their effect on ecosystem properties? Location: Salt marshes, Northwest Germany. Methods: On 113 plots along the German mainland coast and on one island, we measured environmental parameters (soil nutrient content, inundation frequency, groundwater level and salinity), collected traits from 242 individuals (specific leaf area [SLA], whole plant C:N ratio, and dry weights of plant organs) and sampled above‐ground biomass as an ecosystem property. We constructed a path model combining environmental parameters, functional traits at community level and above‐ground biomass, which was tested against a dependence model using path analysis; model fit was evaluated by structural equation modelling (SEM). Results: The final model showed good consistency with the data and highlights the major role of groundwater level, salinity and nutrient availability as the most important factors influencing biomass allocation in salt marshes. Above‐ground living biomass was mostly determined by stem biomass, which was mediated through an allometric allocation of biomass to all other plant organs, including leaf mass. C:N ratio and SLA were the major drivers for dead biomass. Conclusion: We emphasize an indirect link between standing biomass and environmental conditions and recognize stem biomass, plant C:N ratio and SLA as keystone markers of species functioning in determining the relationship between environment and ecosystem properties.     

Regional‐scale patterns of soil microbes and nematodes across grasslands on the Mongolian plateau: relationships with climate,soil, and plants

Belowground communities exert major controls over the carbon and nitrogen balances of terrestrial ecosystems by regulating decomposition and nutrient availability for plants. Yet little is known about the patterns of belowground communities and their relationships with environmental factors, particularly at the regional scale where multiple environmental gradients co‐vary. Here, we describe the patterns of belowground communities (microbes and nematodes) and their relationships with environmental factors based on two parallel studies: a field survey with two regional‐scale transects across the Mongolia plateau and a water‐addition experiment in a typical steppe. In the field survey, soils and plants were collected across two large‐scale transects (a 2000‐km east–west transect and a 900‐km south–north transect). At the regional‐scale, the variations in soil microbes (e.g. bacterial PLFA, fungal PLFA, and F/B ratio) were mainly explained by precipitation and soil factors. In contrast, the variation in soil nematodes (e.g. density of trophic groups and the bacterial‐feeding/fungal‐feeding nematode ratio) were primarily explained by precipitation. These variations of microbe or nematode variables explained by environmental factors at regional scale were derived from different vegetation types. Along the gradient from nutrient‐poor to nutrient‐rich vegetation types, the total variation in soil microbes explained by precipitation increased and that explained by plant and soil decreased, while the opposite was true for soil nematodes. Experimental water addition, which increased rainfall by 30% during the growing season, increased biomass or density of belowground communities, with the nematodes being more responsive than the microbes. The different responses of soil microbial and nematode communities to environmental gradients at the regional scale likely reflect their different adaptations to climate, soil nutrients, and plants. Our findings suggest that the soil nematode and microbial communities are strongly controlled by bottom‐up effects of precipitation alone or in combination with soil conditions.     

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Multi-Functionality: Observed Relationships in Smallholder Fallows in Western Kenya

Recent studies indicate that species richness can enhance the ability of plant assemblages to support multiple ecosystem functions. To understand how and when ecosystem services depend on biodiversity, it is valuable to expand beyond experimental grasslands. We examined whether plant diversity improves the capacity of agroecosystems to sustain multiple ecosystem services—production of wood and forage, and two elements of soil formation—in two types of smallholder fallows in western Kenya. In 18 grazed and 21 improved fallows, we estimated biomass and quantified soil organic carbon, soil base cations, sand content, and soil infiltration capacity. For four ecosystem functions (wood biomass, forage biomass, soil base cations, steady infiltration rates) linked to the focal ecosystem services, we quantified ecosystem service multi-functionality as (1) the proportion of functions above half-maximum, and (2) mean percentage excess above mean function values, and assessed whether plant diversity or environmental favorability better predicted multi-functionality. In grazed fallows, positive effects of plant diversity best explained the proportion above half-maximum and mean percentage excess, the former also declining with grazing intensity. In improved fallows, the proportion above half-maximum was not associated with soil carbon or plant diversity, while soil carbon predicted mean percentage excess better than diversity. Grazed fallows yielded stronger evidence for diversity effects on multi-functionality, while environmental conditions appeared more influential in improved fallows. The contrast in diversity-multi-functionality relationships among fallow types appears related to differences in management and associated factors including disturbance and species composition. Complementary effects of species with contrasting functional traits on different functions and multi-functional species may have contributed to diversity effects in grazed fallows. Biodiversity and environmental favorability may enhance the capacity of smallholder fallows to simultaneously provide multiple ecosystem services, yet their effects are likely to vary with fallow management.     

Biodiversity and climate determine the functioning of Neotropical forests

Aim

Tropical forests account for a quarter of the global carbon storage and a third of the terrestrial productivity. Few studies have teased apart the relative importance of environmental factors and forest attributes for ecosystem functioning, especially for the tropics. This study aims to relate aboveground biomass (AGB) and biomass dynamics (i.e., net biomass productivity and its underlying demographic drivers: biomass recruitment, growth and mortality) to forest attributes (tree diversity, community‐mean traits and stand basal area) and environmental conditions (water availability, soil fertility and disturbance).

Location

Neotropics.

Methods

We used data from 26 sites, 201 1‐ha plots and >92,000 trees distributed across the Neotropics. We quantified for each site water availability and soil total exchangeable bases and for each plot three key community‐weighted mean functional traits that are important for biomass stocks and productivity. We used structural equation models to test the hypothesis that all drivers have independent, positive effects on biomass stocks and dynamics.

Results

Of the relationships analysed, vegetation attributes were more frequently associated significantly with biomass stocks and dynamics than environmental conditions (in 67 vs. 33% of the relationships). High climatic water availability increased biomass growth and stocks, light disturbance increased biomass growth, and soil bases had no effect. Rarefied tree species richness had consistent positive relationships with biomass stocks and dynamics, probably because of niche complementarity, but was not related to net biomass productivity. Community‐mean traits were good predictors of biomass stocks and dynamics.

Main conclusions

Water availability has a strong positive effect on biomass stocks and growth, and a future predicted increase in (atmospheric) drought might, therefore, potentially reduce carbon storage. Forest attributes, including species diversity and community‐weighted mean traits, have independent and important relationships with AGB stocks, dynamics and ecosystem functioning, not only in relatively simple temperate systems, but also in structurally complex hyper‐diverse tropical forests.     

伊犁河谷北坡垂直分布格局及其与环境的关系——一种特殊的双峰分布格局

针对伊犁河谷北坡山地的植物多样性和土壤因子沿海拔的分布方式进行研究。对研究地海拔1000-2200m植物和环境特征进行调查,选取群落样地总数为44个,共调查到植物种155种,其中乔木7种、灌木18种、草本130种,调查到的群落类型完全涵盖了研究区所有沿海拔上升的群落类型。通过NLFS高级模拟显示总的物种丰富度、Simpson指数、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Pielou均匀度指数都与海拔呈现先升高后降低,再升高的一个特殊分布格局。出现了两个较高的物种丰富度地带,其中一个是低山荒漠到落叶阔叶林,另一个是山地草原到针叶林带。土壤养分和盐分也表现出了类似多样性的分布格局。通过PCA和相关分析表明,环境因子控制着物种丰富度和它的分布方式。水分在低海拔比较重要,在高海拔温度比较重要,而由于逆温层的作用,在较高海拔的针叶林带物种多样性出现了上升。物种丰富度与土壤总盐呈现显著负相关关系(r=-0.343),与土壤全盐也呈现显著负相关关系(r=-0.341)。Simpson指数与土壤pH值呈现显著负相关关系(r=-0.465)。Shannon-Wiener指数与土壤电导率呈现显著负相关关系(r=-0.367)。Pielou均匀度指数与土壤电导率呈现极显著负相关关系(r=-0.477),总之,多样性指数和土样盐分表现出了强相关性。这个研究为伊犁河谷植被与植物资源的保护和利用提供重要的科学依据,为河谷区山地植被与环境关系提供基础科学理论,为山地退化植被的修复提供参考案例和可借鉴的基础性数据。     

Eco-Floristic studies of native plants of the Beer Hills along the Indus River in the districts Haripur and Abbottabad,Pakistan

The present study was conducted to elaborate vegetation composition structure to analyze role of edaphic and topographic factors on plant species distribution and community formation during 2013–14. A mixture of quadrat and transect methods were used. The size of quadrat for trees shrubs and herbs were 10 × 5, 5 × 2, 1 × 1 meter square respectively. Different phytosociological attribute were measured at each station. Primary results reported 123 plant species belong to 46 families. Asteraceae and Lamiaceae were dominant families with 8 species each. PCORD version 5 were used for Cluster and Two Way Cluster Analyses that initiated 4 plant communities within elevation range of 529–700 m from sea level. Indicator species analyses (ISA) were used to identify indicator species of each community. CANOCO Software (version 4.5) was used to measure the influence of edaphic and topographic variables on species composition, diversity and community formation. Whereas Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was used to measure the effect of environmental variables which showed elevation and aspect were the stronger environmental variable among topographic and CaCO₃ contents, electric conductivity, soil pH were the stronger edaphic factors in determination of vegetation and communities of the Bheer Hills. Grazing pressure was one of the main anthropogenic factors in this regard.