Intraspecific competition between shrubs in a semi-arid savanna

Tree-on-tree competitive interactions may be more important in affecting the distribution of the tree components of savannas than inter-specific competition with grasses. The presence of intraspecific competition is expected to negatively affect inter-tree spacing, individual size distributions and plant physiology as well as survival/mortality. In this field removal experiment on Acacia mellifera, one of South Africa’s most common encroachers on nutrient-poor soils, the growth, water relations and mortalities of shrubs where all neighbouring woody competitors were removed (target) were monitored three times during each of three growing seasons. After 3 years, the nitrogen and carbon isotopic ratios of the study plants were analysed. Target shrubs benefitted from removal of neighbours, resulting in greater growth, less water stress, a relatively small degree of canopy dieback and reduced reliance on N₂ fixation. Target shrubs grew by 25 ± 4% in height relative to 7 ± 4% for controls, with the targets suffering a maximum of <15% canopy dieback compared to up to 60% in the controls. Severe environmental stress is known to affect neighbour interactions among shrubs and competition may constrain shrub sizes and avoid density-dependent mortality. In contrast, release from competition in our study may have allowed greater growth of target plants, increasing their total evapo-transpirational leaf surface areas and leaving them vulnerable to drought and water stress. Intratree competition on shallow nutrient-poor soils in savannas may thus aid the persistence of bush encroachment by regulating the sizes of individual shrubs below the threshold of drought vulnerability.     

Comparative ecophysiological responses to drought of two shrub and four tree species from karst habitats of southwestern China

Drought stress is one of the most important factors in limiting the survival and growth of plants in the harsh karst habitats of southwestern China, especially at the seedling establishment stage. The ecophysiological response to drought stress of native plants with different growth forms is useful for re-vegetation programs. Two shrub and four tree species were studied, including Pyracantha fortuneana (evergreen shrub), Rosa cymosa (deciduous shrub), Cinnamomum bodinieri (evergreen tree), and other three deciduous trees, Broussonetia papyrifera, Platycarya longipes, and Pteroceltis tatarinowii. The seedlings were randomly assigned to four drought treatments, i.e., well-watered, mild drought stress, moderate drought stress, and severe drought stress. Leaf water relations, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, and growth of the seedlings were investigated. Under severe drought stress, the two shrubs with low leaf area ratio (LAR) maintained higher water status, higher photosynthetic capacity, and larger percent biomass increase than the most of the trees. The two shrubs also had lower specific leaf area, greater intrinsic water use efficiency, and thermal dissipation than the trees. This suggested that the two shrubs had high tolerance to severe drought and were suitable for re-vegetation in harsh habitats. The evergreen C. bodinieri exhibited higher leaf mass ratio (LMR) and LAR than the deciduous species under mild and moderate stress. However, the low maximum quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry (F _v/F _m) and net assimilation rate, and the sharp decreases of water potential, LMR, LAR, and biomass under severe stress indicated C. bodinieri’s weak tolerance to severe drought. In response to drought stress, the three deciduous trees revealed sharp reductions of biomass due to the large drought-induced decreases of gas exchange, LAR, and LMR. Under drought conditions, the deciduous trees minimized water loss by stomatal closure and by reducing transpiration leaf area and light harvesting through shedding leaves. This suggested that the three deciduous trees were more sensitive to water availability than the shrubs and used avoidance strategies against drought stress. However, the better growth performance of the deciduous trees than that of the shrubs under favorable conditions suggested that deciduous trees could be suitable for habitats with mild and temporary drought stress.     

Water transfer via ectomycorrhizal fungal hyphae to conifer seedlings

Little is known about water transfer via mycorrhizal hyphae to plants, despite its potential importance in seedling establishment and plant community development, especially in arid environments. Therefore, this process was investigated in the study reported in this paper in laboratory-based tripartite mesocosms containing the shrub Arctostaphylos viscida (manzanita) and young seedlings of sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). The objectives were to determine whether water could be transported through mycorrhizal symbionts shared by establishing conifers and A. viscida and to compare the results obtained using two tracers: the stable isotope deuterium and the dye lucifer yellow carbohydrazide. Water containing the tracers was added to the central compartment containing single manzanita shrubs. The fungal hyphae were then collected as well as plant roots from coniferous seedlings in the other two compartments to determine whether water was transferred via fungal hyphae. In addition, the length of the hyphae and degree of mycorrhizal colonisation were determined. Internal transcribed spacer–restriction fragment length polymorphism (ITS-RFLP) analysis was used to identify the fungal species involved in dye (water) transfer. Results of the stable isotope analysis showed that water is transferred via mycorrhizal hyphae, but isotopically labelled water was only detected in Douglas-fir roots, not in sugar pine roots. In contrast, the fluorescent dye was transported via mycorrhizal hyphae to both Douglas-fir and sugar pine seedlings. Only 1 of 15 fungal morphotypes (identified as Atheliaceae) growing in the mesocosms transferred the dye. Differences were detected in the water transfer patterns indicated by the deuterium and fluorescent dye tracers, suggesting that the two labels are transported by different mechanisms in the same hyphae and/or that different fungal taxa transfer them via different routes to host plants. We conclude that both tracers can provide information on resource transfer between fungi and plants, but we cannot be sure that the dye transfer data provide accurate indications of water transfer rates and patterns. The isotopic tracer provides more direct indications of water movement and is therefore more suitable than the dye for studying water relations of plants and their associated mycorrhizal fungi.     

Seasonal changes in tissue elasticity in chaparral shrubs

An important physiological feature of chaparral shrubs is the development of low water potentials during periods of drought characteristic of southern Californian summers. Changes in tissue elasticity may be an important characteristic allowing these low water potentials to be reached and maintained without the development of detrimental water deficits. To examine this possibility, seasonal changes in tissue elasticity were measured in 3 species of chaparral shrubs, Arctostaphylos glandulosa Eastw., Quercus dumosa Nutt. and Ceanothus greggii Gray., by the pressure-volume method. Tissue elasticity was characterized using graphs of the modulus of elasticity plotted as a function of turgor pressure, and maximum values of the elastic modulus. The moduli of elasticity of the shrubs increased following leaf emergence in the spring, were highest during periods of low soil water potential, and tended to decrease following the summer-fall drought period. Increases in tissue elasticity facilitate water uptake from drying soils, but result in greater turgor loss during tissue dehydration.     

Variation in woody plant mortality and dieback from severe drought among soils, plant groups, and species within a northern Arizona ecotone

Vegetation change from drought-induced mortality can alter ecosystem community structure, biodiversity, and services. Although drought-induced mortality of woody plants has increased globally with recent warming, influences of soil type, tree and shrub groups, and species are poorly understood. Following the severe 2002 drought in northern Arizona, we surveyed woody plant mortality and canopy dieback of live trees and shrubs at the forest–woodland ecotone on soils derived from three soil parent materials (cinder, flow basalt, sedimentary) that differed in texture and rockiness. Our first of three major findings was that soil parent material had little effect on mortality of both trees and shrubs, yet canopy dieback of trees was influenced by parent material; dieback was highest on the cinder for pinyon pine (Pinus edulis) and one-seed juniper (Juniperus monosperma). Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) dieback was not sensitive to parent material. Second, shrubs had similar mortality, but greater canopy dieback, than trees. Third, pinyon and ponderosa pines had greater mortality than juniper, yet juniper had greater dieback, reflecting different hydraulic characteristics among these tree species. Our results show that impacts of severe drought on woody plants differed among tree species and tree and shrub groups, and such impacts were widespread over different soils in the southwestern U.S. Increasing frequency of severe drought with climate warming will likely cause similar mortality to trees and shrubs over major soil types at the forest–woodland ecotone in this region, but due to greater mortality of other tree species, tree cover will shift from a mixture of species to dominance by junipers and shrubs. Surviving junipers and shrubs will also likely have diminished leaf area due to canopy dieback.     

Tissue water relations of four co-occurring chaparral shrubs

Summary Chaparral shrubs of California have a suite of morphological and physiological adaptations to withstand the prolonged summer droughts of a mediterranean climate. Not all species of chaparral have the same rooting depth and there is some evidence that those with shallow roots have tissue that is most tolerant to water stress. We tested this notion by comparing the tissue water relations of four co-occurring chaparral shrubs: Quercus durata, Heteromeles arbutifolia, Adenostoma fasciculatum, and Rhamnus californica. We used a pressure-volume technique and a dew-point hygrometer to metsure seasonal changes in osmotic potential when plant tissue was fully hydrated and osmotic potential at predawn, midday, and the turgor loss point. We also calculated seasonal changes in the minimum daily turgor potential, saturated weight/dry weight ratio of leaf tissue, and the bulk modulus of elasticity. We had information on the seasonal water use patterns and apparent rooting depths of these same four shrubs from a previous study (Davis and Mooney 1986). All evidence indicated that Rhamnus had shallow roots and Quercus deep roots. Our results indicated that the tissue water relations of our four co-occurring chaparral shrubs were not alike. Even though Rhamnus had shallow roots, it had the least xerophytic tissue. Seasonal osmotic potential and saturated weight/dry weight ratios were relatively high and bulk modulus of elasticity and minimum daily turgor potentials were low. Furthermore, even though Quercus had deep roots and experienced no seasonal water stress at our study site, its tissue water relations indicated relatively high tolerance to water stress. We conclude that seasonal drought tolerance of stem and leaf tissue of co-occurring chaparral shrubs does not necessarily correspond to rooting depth, to soil moisture resources available to the shrub, or to the degree of seasonal water stress experienced by the shrub.     

Morphological and cytological evidence for polyphyletic allopolyploidy inArctostaphylos mewukka (Ericaceae)

The central Sierran tetraploidArctostaphylos mewukka Merriam has been reported to be an allopolyploid originating from the diploid species,A. patula Greene and eitherA. viscida subsp.viscida Parry orA. viscida subsp.mariposa (Dudley)P. V. Wells, although without conclusive evidence. Morphometrics and the verification and determination of chromosome numbers were used to substantiate the evolutionary relationships among these species. A closely related species,Arctostaphylos truei Knight, was also examined using these methods to determine its separability fromA. mewukka. The morphometric analyses support a hypothesis for a polyphyletic origin ofA. mewukka from different races ofA. viscida andA. patula. The chromosomal data, although inclusive, also support this hypothesis. The data do not support the recognition ofA. truei as a taxonomic entity separate fromA. mewukka at the species level.     

Responses of riparian trees to interannual variation in ground water depth in a semi-arid river basin

We investigated the physiological and growth responses of native (Populus fremontii S. Wats. and Salix gooddingii Ball) and exotic (Tamarix chinensis Lour.) riparian trees to ground water availability at the free‐flowing Hassayampa River, Arizona, during dry (1997) and wet (1998) years. In the drier year, all species experienced considerable water stress, as evidenced by low shoot water potentials, low leaf gas exchange rates and large amounts of canopy dieback. These parameters were significantly related to depth of ground water (DGW) in the native species, but not in T. chinensis, in 1997. Canopy dieback was greater in the native species than in T. chinensis when ground water was deep in 1997, and dieback increased rapidly at DGW > 2·5–3·0 m for the native species. Analysis of combined data from wet and dry years for T. chinensis tentatively suggests a similar physiological sensitivity to water availability and a similar DGW threshold for canopy dieback. In 1998, shoot water potential and leaf gas exchange rates were higher and canopy dieback was lower for all species because of increased water availability. However, T. chinensis showed a much larger increase in leaf gas exchange rates in the wet year than the native species. High leaf gas exchange rates, growth when water is abundant, drought tolerance and the maintenance of a viable canopy under dry conditions are characteristics that help explain the ability of T. chinensis to thrive in riparian ecosystems in the south‐western United States.     

干旱胁迫下AMF对云南蓝果树幼苗生长和光合特征的影响

采用盆栽试验与称重控水法,将土壤相对含水量分别控制在田间最大持水量的100%、91.68%、82.85%、60.00%、41.86%和21.28%,并在这6个不同的土壤相对含水量条件下,分别设添加苯菌灵(杀真菌剂)(低AMF)和不添加苯菌灵(高AMF)处理,研究干旱胁迫下AMF对极小种群野生植物云南蓝果树幼苗生长和光合特征的影响,揭示云南蓝果树濒危的微生物学机制,为云南蓝果树保护措施的制定与实施奠定基础。结果表明,添加苯菌灵处理显著降低了不同水分条件下的AMF侵染率,说明试验中AMF处理的实生苗在生长和光合特征上的差异是苯菌灵处理下侵染率下降导致的;随着干旱胁迫的加剧,云南蓝果树幼苗的根部AMF侵染率显著降低、叶面积等生长指标和净光合速率(Pn)等光合参数都发生显著变化;高AMF处理可以显著增加水分充足和轻度干旱胁迫条件下云南蓝果树幼苗的大部分生长指标和光合参数,而对重度胁迫下的云南蓝果树幼苗没有显著影响,说明重度干旱胁迫对其影响大于AMF的影响;另外,整合了可塑性指数分析和隶属函数分析两种方法对其抗旱性进行评价,云南蓝果树幼苗基本上无法通过调节形态和光合能力来适应水分环境的变化,但是高AMF处理可使云南蓝果树幼苗具有较强的可塑性和更强的抗旱性。实验结果为云南蓝果树的科学保育及种苗繁育提供了理论依据。     

Cavitation,stomatal conductance,and leaf dieback in seedlings of two co-occurring Mediterranean shrubs during an intense drought

Seedling shrubs in the Mediterranean semi-arid climate are subjected to intense droughts during summer. Thus, seedlings often surpass their limits of tolerance to water stress, resulting in the loss of hydraulic conductivity due to xylem cavitation. The response in terms of stomatal conductance, vulnerability to cavitation, leaf dieback, and survival were analysed in two co-occurring seedlings of mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus L.) and kermes oak (Quercus coccifera L.) during an intense drought period. Both species reacted to drought with steep decreases in stomatal conductance before the critical water potential brought about the onset of cavitation events. Q. coccifera showed wider safety margins for avoiding runaway embolism than P. lentiscus and these differences could be related to the particular drought strategy displayed by each species: water saver or water spender. The limits for survival, resprout capacity and leaf dieback were also analysed in terms of loss of conductivity. By contrast with previous studies, the species showing higher seedling survival in the presence of drought also showed higher susceptibility to cavitation and operated with a lower safety margin for cavitation. Both species showed a leaf specific conductivity (LSC) threshold below which leaf biomass had to be regulated to avoid runaway embolism. However, each species displayed a different type of response: P. lentiscus conserved total leaf area up to 100% loss of LSC, whereas Q. coccifera continuously adjusted leaf biomass throughout the drought period in order to maintain the LSC very close to the maximum values recorded without loss of conductivity. Both species maintained the capacity for survival until the loss of conductivity was very nearly 100%.     

Effect of potassium on drought resistance of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cv. Leprechaun: Plant growth,leaf macro- and micronutrient content and root longevity

As competition for the limited water supply available for irrigation of horticultural crops increases, research into crop management practices that enhance drought resistance, plant water-use efficiency and plant growth when water supply is limited has become increasingly essential. This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of potassium (K) nutritional status on the drought resistance of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. cv. Leprechaun (Hibiscus). All the treatments were fertilized with Hoagland's nutrient solution, modified to supply K as K₂SO₄, at 0 mM K (K₀), 2.5 mM K (K_2.5), and 10 mM K (K₁₀), under two irrigation regimes (drought stressed [DS] and non-drought stressed [non-DS]). Regular irrigation and fertigation were adopted for 54 days, and drought stress treatment (initiated on day 55) lasted for 21 days; while non-DS control plants continued to receive regular irrigation and fertigation. Following the 21-day drought stress period, plants were labeled with ⁸⁶Rb⁺ to determine the percentage of post-drought stress live roots. Both K deficiency (K₀) and drought stress reduced shoot growth, but drought stress increased root growth and thus the root:shoot ratio. At K₀, plants were K-deficient and had the lowest leaf K, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Mo and Al, and highest Ca concentrations. Although the percentage of live roots was decreased by drought stress, K_2.5 and K₁₀ plants (with similar percent live roots) had greater root survival ratio after drought treatment than the K-deficient plants. These observations indicate that adequate K nutrition can improve drought resistance and root longevity in Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.     

A retrospective,dual‐isotope approach reveals individual predispositions to winter‐drought induced tree dieback in the southernmost distribution limit of Scots pine

Winter‐drought induced forest diebacks in the low‐latitude margins of species' distribution ranges can provide new insights into the mechanisms (carbon starvation, hydraulic failure) underlying contrasting tree reactions. We analysed a winter‐drought induced dieback at the Scots pine's southern edge through a dual‐isotope approach (Δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O in tree‐ring cellulose). We hypothesized that a differential long‐term performance, mediated by the interaction between CO₂ and climate, determined the fates of individuals during dieback. Declining trees showed a stronger coupling between climate, growth and intrinsic water‐use efficiency (WUEi) than non‐declining individuals that was noticeable for 25 years prior to dieback. The rising stomatal control of water losses with time in declining trees, indicated by negative Δ¹³C‐δ¹⁸O relationships, was likely associated with their native aptitude to grow more and take up more water (suggested by larger tracheid lumen widths) than non‐declining trees and, therefore, to exhibit a greater cavitation risk. Freeze‐thaw episodes occurring in winter 2001 unveiled such physiological differences by triggering dieback in those trees more vulnerable to hydraulic failure. Thus, WUEi tightly modulated growth responses to long‐term warming in declining trees, indicating that co‐occurring individuals were differentially predisposed to winter‐drought mortality. These different performances were unconnected to the depletion of stored carbohydrates.     

Elevated growth temperatures alter hydraulic characteristics in trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) seedlings: implications for tree drought tolerance

Although climate change will alter both soil water availability and evaporative demand, our understanding of how future climate conditions will alter tree hydraulic architecture is limited. Here, we demonstrate that growth at elevated temperatures (ambient +5 °C) affects hydraulic traits in seedlings of the deciduous boreal tree species Populus tremuloides, with the strength of the effect varying with the plant organ studied. Temperature altered the partitioning of hydraulic resistance, with greater resistance attributed to stems and less to roots in warm‐grown seedlings (P < 0.02), and a 46% (but marginally significant, P = 0.08) increase in whole plant conductance at elevated temperature. Vulnerability to cavitation was greater in leaves grown at high than at ambient temperatures, but vulnerability in stems was similar between treatments. A soil–plant–atmosphere (SPA) model suggests that these coordinated changes in hydraulic physiology would lead to more frequent drought stress and reduced water‐use efficiency in aspen that develop at warmer temperatures. Tissue‐specific trade‐offs in hydraulic traits in response to high growth temperatures would be difficult to detect when relying solely on whole plant measurements, but may have large‐scale ecological implications for plant water use, carbon cycling and, possibly, plant drought survival.     

Dispersal by rodent caching increases seed survival in multiple ways in canopy‐fire ecosystems

Seed‐caching rodents have long been seen as important actors in dispersal ecology. Here, we focus on the interactions with plants in a fire‐disturbance community, specifically Arctostaphylos species (Ericaceae) in California chaparral. Although mutualistic relationships between caching rodents and plants are well studied, little is known how this type of relationship functions in a disturbance‐driven system, and more specifically to systems shaped by fire disturbance. By burying seeds in the soil, rodents inadvertently improve the probability of seed surviving high temperatures produced by fire. We test two aspects of vertical dispersal, depth of seed and multiple seeds in caches as two important dimensions of rodent‐caching behavior. We used a laboratory experimental approach to test seed survival under different heating conditions and seed bank structures. Creating a synthetic soil seed bank and synthetic fire/heating in the laboratory allowed us to have control over surface heating, depth of seed in the soil, and seed cache size. We compared the viability of Arctostaphylos viscida seeds from different treatment groups determined by these factors and found that, as expected, seeds slightly deeper in the soil had substantial increased chances of survival during a heating event. A key result was that some seeds within a cache in shallow soil could survive fire even at a depth with a killing heat pulse compared to isolated seeds; temperature measurements indicated lower temperatures immediately below caches compared to the same depth in adjacent soil. These results suggest seed caching by rodents increases seed survival during fire events in two ways, that caches disrupt heat flow or that caches are buried below the heat pulse kill zone. The context of natural disturbance drives the significance of this mutualism and further expands theory regarding mutualisms into the domain of disturbance‐driven systems.     

Future vulnerability mapping based on response to extreme climate events: Dieback thresholds in an endemic California oak

Aim

This study presents a bioclimate modelling approach, using responses to extreme climate events, rather than historical distributional associations, to project future species vulnerability and refugia. We aim to illustrate the compounding effects of groundwater loss and climate on species vulnerability.

Location

California, USA.

Methods

As a case study, we used the 2012–2015 California drought and resulting extensive dieback of blue oak (Quercus douglasii). We used aerial dieback surveys, downscaled climate data and subsurface water change data to develop boosted regression tree models identifying key thresholds associated with dieback throughout the blue oak distribution. We (1) combined observed dieback–climatic threshold relationships with climate futures to anticipate future areas of vulnerability and (2) used satellite‐derived measurements of subsurface water loss in drought/dieback modelling to capture the mediating effect of groundwater on species response to climatic drought.

Results

A model including climate, climate anomalies and subsurface water change explained 46% of the variability in dieback. Precipitation in 2015 and subsurface water change accounted for 62.6% of the modelled probability of dieback. We found an interaction between precipitation and subsurface water in which dieback probability increased with low precipitation and subsurface water loss. The relationship between precipitation and dieback was nonlinear, with 99% of dieback occurring in areas that received <363 mm precipitation. Based on a MIROC_rcp85 future climate scenario, relative to historical conditions, 13% of the blue oak distribution is predicted to experience more frequent years below this precipitation threshold by mid‐century and 81% by end of century.

Main conclusions

As ongoing climate change and extreme events impact ecological processes, the identification of thresholds associated with observed dieback may be combined with climate futures to help identify vulnerable populations and refugia and prioritize climate change‐related conservation efforts.     

Morphological and physiological responses of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vitex negundo</Emphasis> L. var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">heterophylla</Emphasis> (Franch.) Rehd. to drought stress

Water is a main factor limiting plant growth. Integrative responses of leaf traits and whole plant growth to drought will provide implications to vegetation restoration. This study investigated the drought responses of Vitex negundo L. var. heterophylla (Franch.) Rehd. with a focus on leaf morphology and physiology, seedling growth and biomass partitioning. Potted 1-year-old seedlings were subjected to four water supply regimes [75, 55, 35 and 15% field capacity (FC)], served as control, mild water stress, moderate water stress and severe water stress. Leaf morphological traits varied to reduce the distance of water transfer under water stress and leaflets were dispersed with drought. Net photosynthetic rate decreased significantly under water stress: stomatal closure was the dominant limitation at mild and moderate drought, while metabolic impairment was dominant at severe drought. The physiological impairment at severe drought could also be detected from the relative lower water use efficiency and non-photochemical quenching to moderate water stress. Total biomass of well-watered plants was more than twice that at moderate water deficit and nearly ten times that at severe water deficit. In summary, V. negundo var. heterophylla had adaptation mechanism to water deficit even in the most serious condition, but different strategies were adopted. Seedlings invested more photosynthate to roots at mild and moderate drought while more photosynthate to leaves at severe drought. A nearly stagnant seedling growth and a sharp decline of total biomass were the survival strategy at severe water stress, which was not favorable to vegetation restoration. Water supply above 15% FC is recommended for the seedlings to vegetation restoration.     

干旱胁迫下红砂幼苗非结构性碳水化合物动态变化特征

该试验以荒漠区主要建群种红砂幼苗为研究对象,设置适宜水分(CK)、轻度干旱(MD)、中度干旱(SD)和重度干旱(VSD)4个胁迫处理(即田间持水量的80%、60%、40%和20%),采用盆栽控水试验,分别测定干旱胁迫15、30、45和60 d时红砂幼苗的叶、茎、粗根和细根中非结构碳水化合物(NSC)及其组分的含量,分析不同胁迫强度下不同干旱持续时间红砂幼苗NSC的动态变化及各组分差异,以揭示红砂NSC对干旱胁迫的响应机制。结果表明:(1)干旱胁迫强度和胁迫持续时间对红砂幼苗不同器官NSC及其组分均有显著影响,其中胁迫持续时间对NSC动态变化的影响尤为显著。(2)干旱胁迫初期,红砂叶中的NSC含量呈下降趋势,而茎中的NSC含量呈上升趋势,粗根和细根中NSC含量在各胁迫处理下基本保持稳定。(3)干旱胁迫后期,红砂叶和茎中的可溶性糖、淀粉和NSC含量逐渐增加,而粗根和细根中的淀粉和NSC含量呈下降趋势(中度干旱除外),且这一时期重度干旱处理下各器官可溶性糖和NSC的含量明显高于CK。研究发现,重度干旱胁迫能显著诱导提高红砂幼苗不同器官中的NSC含量,并通过分解根中淀粉和增加叶片中可溶性糖含量的方式来调节细胞渗透势平衡,以维持细胞活力,进而保持红砂在干旱胁迫后期的存活。     

干旱对杉木幼苗根系构型及非结构性碳水化合物的影响

通过比较不同时期不同强度干旱胁迫下杉木1年生盆栽苗地上部分生长、根系构型以及根系中非结构性碳水化合物含量（TNC）的变化,并分析各指标之间的相关性,探究杉木根系在干旱胁迫下的适应性策略以及抗旱生理机制,以期为杉木造林生产和水分管理提供科学依据和技术指导。结果表明：随着干旱程度的加强,杉木幼苗地上部分干重（SDW）、根干重（RDW）、根长（RL）、根表面积（SA）、根体积（RV）、根尖数（RT）、根系分支角度（Angle）、分形维数（FD）逐渐减小,根冠比（R/T）逐渐增大,根系拓扑指数（TI）、根系平均直径（RD）先增大后减小,比根长（SRL）先减小后增大。而根系连接长度（LL）、TNC、糖淀比在不同时期表现出不同的趋势。连接长度随着干旱胁迫的加强在30 d和60 d时表现出逐渐增加趋势而在90 d时则表现出先减小后增大的趋势。TNC在30 d和60 d时先增大后减小,但90 d时,呈逐渐下降的趋势。糖淀比随着干旱胁迫的加强在30 d和60 d时表现出先增加后减小趋势,90 d时,表现为先减小后增大。干旱胁迫显著影响根系在不同径级的分布长度,且随着胁迫时间的延长不断变化。杉木地上部分生长与根系生长指标（RL、SA、RV、RT、RDW）以及根系构型指标（Angle、FD）之间存在显著的正相关（P < 0.01）,根系平均直径与TNC存在显著的正相关（P < 0.05）。总之,杉木通过增加根系光合产物的积累、提高根系建成成本,增加有限成本下根系的复杂程度和延伸范围,降低根系分支角度,使根系"更陡更深"来适应不同强度的干旱胁迫。     

The main factors that drive plant dieback under extreme drought differ among Mediterranean shrubland plant biotypes

Questions

Knowledge of how extreme drought events induce plant dieback and, eventually, plant mortality, may improve our forecasting of ecosystem change according to future climate projections, especially in Mediterranean drylands. In them, shrublands are the main vegetation communities in transition areas from a subhumid to semi-arid climate. This study analyzed differences in plant dieback after an unusual drought in 2014 and identified their main underlying factors in relation to three groups of explanatory variables: water availability, soil properties and vegetation structure attributes.

Location

Four Mediterranean shrublands along a climatic gradient in SE Spain.

Methods

At each experimental field site, we sampled a pool of vegetation structure characteristics, soil depth and soil surface properties, and we also determined water availability by continuously monitoring soil moisture and the microclimate conditions.

Results

The climatic analysis showed that there was an extreme drought event in 2014, which was below the first percentile of the driest years. Under such conditions, vegetation dieback occurred at all the study sites. However, plant dieback differed between sites and plant biotypes. Subshrubs were the main affected biotype, with diebacks close to 60% at the driest sites, and up to 40% dieback for shrubs depending on their vertical development. Relative extractable water and bare soil surface cover were the best explanatory variables of plant community dieback but changed between plant biotypes. Vegetation structure variables related to plant vertical development (leaf area index [LAI], plant height, phytovolume) were significant explanatory variables of plant dieback in shrubs, subshrubs and grasses. Consecutive dry days fitted the best model to explain subshrub dieback.

Conclusions

We found that rainfall pattern rather than total annual rainfall was the climatic factor that best determined water availability for plants in Mediterranean drylands. These results also pointed out the relevance of plant structure and soil properties for explaining ecosystem responses to extreme drought.     

Are Protea populations seed limited? Implications for wildflower harvesting in Cape fynbos

Abstract Little is known about the extent to which plant population growth is limited by seed production. We studied two non-sprouting Protea species, both entirely dependent on seeds for recruitment after fire, to determine how flower harvesting would affect the size of the next generation after burning. Five harvesting treatments (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% inflorescence removal) were applied, each replicated four times in 10 × 10m plots. Seedbanks were censused before a late-summer burn for each species and each replicate. The mean proportion of seeds surviving the burn until germination the following spring was 0.46 for Protea repens and 0.57 for Protea neriifolia. Of the seedlings that emerged, 90% and 55%, respectively, survived the first summer drought. Flower production in the 9 year old stand was strongly related to population density. Optimal plant densities for maximum flower production were estimated as 150 for P. repens and 70 for P. neriifolia. These target densities were greatly exceeded by seedling populations surviving the first summer drought in unharvested stands. If future density-independent mortality is negligible, the excess represents that part of the seedbank that could have been harvested before the burn without influencing future flower production. We developed a simple static model for setting flower harvesting levels in these seed-saturated populations. The predicted harvesting levels (50% of inflorescences in P. repens and 85% in P. neriifolia) were validated against the experimental harvests. We discuss the sensitivity of harvesting levels to variation in fecundity/density relationships, seed survival through a burn and seedling survival until flowering, and the implications for flower harvesting.