Bacterial Community of the Largest Oligosaline Lake,Namco on the Tibetan Plateau

Bacterial abundances and diversity in the surface water of Lake Namco, the largest oligosaline lake on the Tibetan Plateau, were examined using flow cytometry approach and constructing 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. Bacterial abundances were from 0.08 × 10⁶ to 1.6 × 10⁶ cells mL^?1, and were in the reported range of other lakes of the Tibetan Plateau and high mountain regions. Bacterial abundances were significantly correlated with the concentrations of chlorophyll a (chl a), but showed no significant relationship with the dissolved organic carbon (DOC), which suggested that the amount of DOC released by algae was the key factor determining the bacterial abundance rather than the total DOC. The total trace elements concentrations also obviously connected with bacterial abundances, and 9 of 20 elements showed significant relationship. Bacterial 16S rRNA gene clone sequences were affiliated to the α-, β-, γ-, δ-, and ?-Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, Acidobacteria, Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia, Candidate division OD1, or unclassified, and among these the β-Proteobacteria dominated. Bacteria in Lake Namco were most closely related to those retrieved from freshwater habitats. Relatively few sequences were closely related to those recovered from saline habitats. Eleven of 34 typical freshwater bacterial clusters were detected in the oligosaline Lake Namco. Bacterial diversity within the lake varied and was connected with the concentrations of DOC and chl a.     

Abundance and Diversity of Glacial Bacteria on the Tibetan Plateau with Environment

The relation of glacial microorganism and their living environment is concerned but less understood for both glaciologists and microbiologists. Here we present the results about glacial snow bacteria from 3 glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau. The concentrations and diversity of bacteria collected from snow pit samples of East Rongbuk, Laohugou and Hailuogou glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau were investigated by epifluorescence microscope, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and Shannon-Weaver index. Concentrations and community diversity of bacteria in the East Rongbuk glacier with lower concentration and smaller size of microparticle were lower than in the Laohugou with higher concentration and larger size of microparticle. Bacterial concentration in East Rongbuk Glacier was close to that in polar regions, suggesting that Mt. Everest is a bacterial background for remote regions away from direct influence of anthropogenic sources. In addition, altitude difference was another factor for higher concentrations and community diversity of bacteria in Hailuogou and Laohugou glaciers than in East Rongbuk Glacier. The highest concentrations and community diversity of bacteria in Hailuogou Glacier were attributed to its most diverse atmospheric circulations and highest temperature among the 3 glaciers. We suggest a complicated correlation between glacial bacteria and their regional living environments.     

Effects of the halocline on water quality and phytoplankton composition in a shallow brackish lake (Lake Obuchi, Japan)

The relationships of the halocline to both water quality and phytoplankton composition in Lake Obuchi, a shallow brackish lake in northern Japan, were investigated from April 2001 to December 2004. The halocline in this lake became stronger in summer (July–September, mean maximum density gradient 4.3–5.8 ρ_tm⁻¹) but weaker in spring, fall, and winter (1.9–3.3 ρ_tm⁻¹). Although the difference in water quality between the upper and lower layers separated by the halocline was high in summer, nutrients (PO₄³⁻-P and NH₄⁺-N) were eluted from the bottom sediment as levels of dissolved oxygen decreased in the bottom layer because of the strong stratification caused by the halocline formed over the long term. Moreover, phytoplankton taxa composition also differed between the upper and lower layers in summer, but was similar in other seasons. The dominant phytoplankton taxa in the upper layer in summer were Skeletonema costatum and Cyclotella spp., whereas in the lower layer, Gymnodinium spp. (Dinophyceae) and Chlorophyceae, which prefer eutrophic and low dissolved oxygen conditions, dominated. This suggests that the halocline was related to differentiations in both water quality and ecosystem components between the upper and lower layers in the brackish lake water.     

Stable isotopic variations in modern herbivore tooth enamel, plants and water on the Tibetan Plateau: Implications for paleoclimate and paleoelevation reconstructions

Stable isotope analyses of fossil teeth and other authigenic minerals have been used to reconstruct the paleoenvironment and paleoelevation of the Tibetan Plateau. The accuracy of such reconstructions is limited by the lack of a comprehensive modern comparative database from the region. We analyzed the carbon and oxygen isotopic compositions (δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values) of tooth enamel from modern herbivores, the δ¹³C values of grasses and the δ¹⁸O values of water samples collected from various elevations within the Tibetan Plateau to examine their relationships with modern environment/elevation. The δ¹³C values of enamel samples from horses, yaks and goats display a narrow range of variation, with a mean of − 10.7 ± 1.4‰ (n = 301), indicating that these modern herbivores were feeding predominantly on C3 plants, consistent with the current dominance of C3 vegetation in the region. Some of the samples have δ¹³C values between − 7.3 and − 10‰. Although these higher δ¹³C values could suggest consumption of some C4 plants by the animals, the lack of significant seasonal δ¹³C variations within individual teeth indicates that these higher enamel δ¹³C values are due to consumption of C3 plants experiencing water stress and/or some CAM plants rather than C4 plants. Our data show that the conservative “cut-off” δ¹³C value for a pure C3 diet within the Tibetan Plateau should be − 8‰ for modern herbivores and − 7‰ (or even − 6.5‰) for fossils if the region was as arid in the past as today. In contrast to the small intra-tooth δ¹³C variations within individual teeth, serial enamel samples display large intra-tooth δ¹⁸O variations, reflecting seasonal variations in the δ¹⁸O of meteoric water. The mean δ¹⁸O values of tooth enamel from yaks and horses show a strong correlation with water δ¹⁸O values, confirming that the δ¹⁸O of tooth enamel from obligate drinker generally tracks the δ¹⁸O of meteoric water. Unfortunately, elevation alone cannot explain most of the variance in the δ¹⁸O of precipitation and tooth enamel, suggesting that quantitative reconstruction of the paleoelevation of the Tibetan Plateau using re-constructed δ¹⁸O values of paleo-meteoric water from fossil enamel or other oxygen-bearing minerals is not warranted. For a given environment, horses have the lowest enamel–δ¹⁸O values while goats display the highest enamel–δ¹⁸O values among the species studied. The large inter-species δ¹⁸O variations are likely due to differences in physiology and diet/drinking behavior of the animals. This underscores the importance of species-specific studies when interpreting δ¹⁸O data of fossil mammalian teeth in a stratigraphic sequence as a record of paleoclimate changes.     

Simulation study on water quality based on sediment release flume experiment in Lake Taihu, China

Sediments have a significant influence on the overlying water, and nutrient release from sediments is an important source for lake eutrophication, particularly in shallow lakes. Sediment resuspension is primarily driven by wind-induced currents. In this research, the correlation between release rate of suspended sediment and flow velocity was studied, and an experiment on hydrodynamic forces was conducted in a rectangle flume using water and sediments collected from three sites in Lake Taihu, a eutrophic lake in China. It was shown that the starting velocities of sediment in Lake Taihu at three different incipient standards gained from the experiment were 15, 30, and 40 cm s⁻¹ and the release rate of suspended sediment could reach up to 643.4, 5377.1, and 13980.5 g m⁻² d⁻¹, respectively. Based on the experiment, a water quantity and quality numerical model of wind-induced current with sediment pollution for Lake Taihu was developed. The model was calibrated and validated by applying it to the study of the water quality of Lake Taihu. The calculated values were generally in good agreement with field observations, which indicated that the developed model could represent the dynamics of sediment resuspension to a certain extent. This study provides a new approach and a practical tool for planning and management policy and operations to protect the water quality and ecosystems of shallow lakes.     

Distribution and Species Diversity of Plant Communities along Transect on the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau

The distribution and species diversity of plant communities along a 600 km transect through the northeastern Tibetan Plateau (32°42′–35°07′ N, 101°02′–97°38′ E) with altitudes from 3255 to 4460 m are described. The transect started from the Youyi Bridge of Banma through Dari, Maqin and Maduo to Zaling Lake. The data from 47 plots along the transect are summarized and analyzed. The mean annual temperature, the mean annual rainfall and the length of growing season decreases from 2.6 to −4.5 °C, from 767.2 to 240.1 mm, from 210 to 140 days, respectively, along the transect from the southeastern Banma to northwestern Zaling Lake. The number of vascular plant species recorded in 47 plots is 242 including 2 tree, 34 shrub, 206 herb species. Main vegetation types on the transect from southeast to northwest are: Sabina convallium forest, Picea likiangensis forest, Pyracantha fortuneana + Spiraea alpina shrub, Hippophae neurocarpu shrub, Sibiraea angustata + Polygonum viviparum shrub, Stellera chamaejasme herb meadow, Potentilla fruticosa + Salix obscura + Carex sp. Shrub, Kobresia capillifolia meadow, P. froticosa + Kobresia humilis shrub, Caragana jubata + S. obscura shrub, Kobresia tibetica meadow, Kobresia pygmaea meadow, K. pygmaea + Stipa purpurea steppe meadow, Stipa purpurea steppe. Plant richness and diversity index all showed a decreasing trend with increasing of elevation along transect from southeast to northwest. Detailed information on altitudinal ranges and distribution of the alpine vegetation, vascular flora and environments over the alpine zone at northeastern Tibetan Plateau provides baseline records relevant to future assessment of probable effects of global climate changes.     

A 2700-year high resolution pollen record of climate change from varved Sugan Lake in the Qaidam Basin, northeastern Tibetan Plateau

A 2700-year high resolution pollen record from annually-varved Sugan Lake in the Qaidam Basin at 2793 m a.s.l was obtained to examine vegetation and climatic change on the NE Tibetan Plateau. Pollen data shows that Sugan Basin was constantly covered by open desert-steppe vegetation dominated by Chenopodiaceae, Artemisia, Poaceae and Ephedra. However, large variations in Artemisia/Chenopodiaceae (A/C) ratios suggest regional moisture fluctuations over the last 2700 years, including a dry and relatively stable climate prior to 300 AD, relatively wet climate from 300 to 1200 AD with variability during 1100-1200 AD, and unstable climate since 1200 AD with relatively moister climate during 1250-1400 AD and 1700-1800 AD. However, other proxies (varve thickness, Chironomid taxa, isotopes of oxygen in precipitated carbonate) show fresher water when regional moisture was lower inferred from A/C ratio. This inconsistency suggests the possible difference of in-lake lithology/environment and regional moisture change. Fresh water into the lake from ice melting on the surrounding mountains might have contributed to the in-lake lithology and environment variation. The effective moisture changes in the Basin are in opposite phases to snow accumulation records from Dunde ice core (5325 m a.s.l) and to the monsoon intensity inferred from Dongge Cave, suggesting that the regional topography might have played an important role in mediating moisture changes at regional scale. Pollen data from Sugan Lake shows the shift of moisture at 1200 AD, from stable to variable conditions. This event is well correlated with other paleoclimate proxies in China and other parts of the world; however, the mechanisms behind these patterns require further investigation.     

藏羊瘤胃内容物浸泡对11种高寒草甸植物种子萌发的影响

为明确藏系绵羊对青藏高原高寒草甸植物种子萌发特性的影响,利用藏羊瘤胃内容物对11种青藏高原东北缘常见植物种子浸泡处理12、24、36、48、60和72 h后进行萌发试验.结果表明:供试11种高寒草甸植物种子的萌发因藏羊瘤胃内容物处理时间、种皮(果皮)完整性以及植物不同而异.划破种皮的黄花棘豆(Oxytropis ochrocephala)、去除果皮的无脉苔草(Carex enervis)、完整或去除果皮的草玉梅(Anemone rivularis)种子经藏羊瘤胃内容物分别处理12、12、12 ～ 36 h的发芽率显著高于对照(P＜0.05).藏羊瘤胃内容物处理均显著抑制了破皮和完整的垂穗披碱草(Elymus nutans)、甘肃马先蒿(Pedicularis kansuensis)、醉马草(Achnatherum inebrians)、冷地早熟禾(Poa crymophila)、阴山扁蓿豆(Medicago ruthenia var.inschanica)种子的发芽率.短时间处理对矮生嵩草(Kobresia humilis)、酸模(Rumex acetosa)、西伯利亚蓼(Polygonum sibiricum)种子发芽率无影响而长时间则表现出抑制作用.破皮(划破种皮或去除果皮)种子的萌发响应比完整种子敏感,而完整种子变化趋势则相对平缓.短时间处理提高了去除果皮的草玉梅(12 ～24 h)、无脉苔草(12 h)和划破种皮黄花棘豆(12 h)种子的发芽指数(P＜0.05);随着处理时间的延长,发芽指数呈逐渐减小趋势.藏羊瘤胃内容物浸泡处理对高寒草甸种子萌发有促进、抑制和无影响3种作用,继而潜在影响高寒草甸幼苗的形态建成、种间竞争和群落结构.     

青藏高原高寒草甸非生长季温室气体排放特征及其年度贡献

高寒草甸是青藏高原地区的主要植被类型,目前对其温室气体研究多集中于生长季.本文利用静态箱-气相色谱法,对非生长季高寒草甸温室气体排放特征及其与主要环境因子的关系进行了研究.结果表明:非生长季高寒草甸表现为CO2和N2O的源、CH4的汇.其中非生长季CO2通量平均值为89.33 mg·m-2·h-1,累积排放通量为280.01g· m-2;CH4通量平均值为-11.35 μg·m-2·h-1,累积吸收通量为124.74 mg·m-2;N2O通量平均值为8.02 μg·m-2·h-1,累积排放通量为39.51 mg·m-2.非生长季CO2、CH4和N2O累积排放通量分别占全年的13.33％、53.47％和62.67％.冻融期(2012年4月)CH4累积吸收通量较小,只占非生长季的4.5％;而CO2和N2O累积排放通量较大,分别占非生长季的25.8％和20.8％.非生长季CO2通量与温度(气温、5和10 cm土壤温度)和5 cm土壤湿度均存在显著正相关关系,而CH4和N2O通量仅与5 cm土壤湿度存在显著正相关.研究表明,虽然冻融期CH4累积吸收通量在非生长季累积量中比重较小,但非生长季CH4和N2O累积排放量却占全年累积排放量的1/2以上,在温室气体累积通量评估中不容忽视.     

Characteristics of net ecosystem carbon dioxide exchange (NEE) from August to October of Alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau, China

The Alpine meadow is one of the vegetation types widely distributed on the Tibetan Plateau in China with an area of about 1.2 million square kilometers. The Damxung rangeland station, located in the hinterland of the Tibetan Plateau, is covered with an typical vegetation. The continuous carbon flux data (from August to middle October, 2003) measured with the open-path eddy covariance system was used to analyze the diurnal variation pattern of net ecosystem carbon dioxide exchange (NEE) and its relationship with the environmental factors, such as photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), precipitation, and temperature. Results showed that NEE presented obvious diurnal variation pattern with single-peak of diurnal maximum carbon assimilation at 11: 00–12: 00 (local time) with an average of −0.268 mg CO₂·m⁻²·s⁻¹, i.e., −6.08 μmol CO₂·m⁻²·s⁻¹. During the daytime, NEE fitted fairly well with PAR in a rectangular hyperbola function with the apparent quantum yield (0.020 3 μmol CO₂ μmol⁻¹ PAR) and maximum ecosystem assimilation (9.741 1 μmol CO₂·m⁻²·s⁻¹). During the night-time, NEE showed a good exponential relation with the soil temperature at 5 cm depth. __________ Translated from Acta Ecologica Sinica 2005, 25(8): 1948–1952 [译自: 生态学报, 2005, 25(8): 1948–1952]     

Characteristics of net ecosystem carbon dioxide exchange(NEE) from August to October of Alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau,China

The Alpine meadow is one of the vegetation types widely distributed on the Tibetan Plateau in China with an area of about 1.2 million square kilometers.The Damxung rangeland station,located in the hinterland of the Tibetan Plateau,is covered with an typical vegetation.The continuous carbon flux data (from August to middle October,2003) measured with the open-path eddy covariance system was used to analyze the diurnal variation pattern of net ecosystem carbon dioxide exchange (NEE) and its relationship with the environmental factors,such as photosynthetically active radiation (PAR),precipitation,and temperature.Results showed that NEE presented obvious diurnal variation pattern with single-peak of diurnal maximum carbon assimilation at 11:00-12:00 (local time) with an CO2.m-2-s-1.During the daytime,NEE fitted fairly well with PAR in a rectangular hyperbola function with the apparent the night-time,NEE showed a good exponential relation with the soil temperature at 5 cm depth.     

Assessing water quality and classifying trophic status for scientifically based managing the water resources of the Lake Timsah,the lake with salinity stratification along the Suez Canal

Lake Timsah is considered as the biggest water body at Ismailia City with a surface area of 14?km². It is a saline shallow water basin lies approximately mid-way between the south city of Suez and the north city of Port Said at 30^o35′46.55“N and 32^o19′30.54″E. Because it receives water with high and low salinities, salinity stratification is producing in the Lake Timsah, with values of 14–40‰ for the surface water and over 40‰ for the bottom water. The temperature of the lake water decreased to below 19 °C in the winter and rose to above 29?°C in the summer; the concentration of dissolved oxygen ranged between 6.5 and 12.2?l^?1 and the pH fluctuated between 7.9 in its lower value and 8.2 in its higher value. Water transparency was very low as indicated by Secchi disc readings recorded during this study and varied between 0.3 and 2.7?m. The main chemical nutrient (phosphorus) reached its highest levels of 96?µg?l^?1 in winter and their lowest values of 24?µg?l^?1 during summer. This nutrient concentration is high especially by comparing with those of unpolluted marine waters, but is typical of the more eutrophic coastal waters worldwide. The composition and abundance of phytoplankton with dominancy of diatoms and increased population density (20,986 cell l^?1) reflect the eutrophic condition of the lake. The intensive growth of phytoplankton was enriched by high concentration of chlorophyll a with annual values ranged between 6.5 and 56?µg?l^?1. The objective of the present work was quantitative assessment of the quality of the water of the Lake Timsah using different approaches. During the present study, three different approaches were applied for the quantitative assessment of Lake Timsah water quality: the trophic state index (TST); trophic level index (TLI) and water quality index (WQI). Application of the trophic state and trophic level indices (TSI & TLI) revealed that the Lake Timsah has trophic indices of 60 and 5.2 for TSI and TLI, respectively. Both indices reflected the eutrophic condition of the lake waters and confirmed that the eutrophication is a major threat in the Lake Timsah. On the other hand, the WQI calculated for the Lake Timsah during the present study with an average of 49 demonstrated that the water of the Lake Timsah is bad and unsuitable for main and/or several uses. Moreover, WQI allows accounting for several water resource uses and can serve a more robust than TSI and/or TLI and can be used effectively as a comprehensive tool for water quality quantification. In conclusion, the three subjective indices used for the assessment process for the lake water are more suitable and effective for needs of the sustainable water resources protection and management of the Lake Timsah.     

Altitudinal Distribution of Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea and Bacteria in Alpine Grassland Soils Along the South-Facing Slope of Nyqentangula Mountains,Central Tibetan Plateau

Nitrogen is a major limiting nutrient for the net primary production of terrestrial ecosystems, especially on sentinel alpine ecosystem. Ammonia oxidation is the first and rate-limiting step on nitrification process and is thus crucial to nitrogen cycle. To decipher climatic influence on ammonia oxidizers, their communities were characterized by qPCR and clone sequencing by targeting amoA genes (encoding the alpha subunit of ammonia mono-oxygenase) in soils from 7 sites over an 800 m elevation transect (4400–5200 m a.s.l.), based on “space-to-time substitution” strategy, on a steppe-meadow ecosystem located on the central Tibetan Plateau (TP). Archaeal amoA abundance outnumbered bacterial amoA abundance at lower altitude (<4800 m a.s.l.), but bacterial amoA abundance was greater in surface soils at higher altitude (≥4800 m a.s.l.). Archaeal amoA abundance decreased with altitude in surface soil, while its abundance stayed relatively stable and was mostly greater than bacterial amoA abundance in subsurface soils. Conversely, bacterial amoA abundance gradually increased with altitude at all three soil depths. Statistical analysis indicated that altitude-dependent factors, in particular pH and precipitation, had a profound effect on the abundance and community of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, but only on the community composition of ammonia-oxidizing archaea along the altitudinal gradient. These findings imply that the shifts in the relative abundance and/or community structure of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea may result from the precipitation variation along the altitudinal gradient. Thus, we speculate that altitude-related factors (mainly precipitation variation combing changed pH), would play a vital role in affecting nitrification process on this alpine grassland ecosystem located at semi-arid area on TP.     

Short-term responses of phenology, shoot growth and leaf traits of four alpine shrubs in a timberline ecotone to simulated global warming, Eastern Tibetan Plateau, China

The short-term effects of artificial warming on phenology, growth and leaf traits were investigated in four alpine shrubs using the open-top chamber (OTC) method in a timberline ecotone (3240 m a.s.l.) on the Eastern Tibetan Plateau. The OTC enhanced the mean air temperature by 2.9°C throughout the growing season. In contrast, only a slight difference (0.4°C) in the mean soil temperature was observed in the OTC compared with the control plots (CP). Spiraea mongolica , Potentilla fruticosa , Conicera hispida (deciduous shrubs) and Daphne retusa (evergreen shrub) showed earlier bud break, flowering and fruit coloring as well as longer flower longevity in the OTC than in the CP. All deciduous shrubs in the OTC had a longer leaf lifespan. Daphne retusa had higher leaf survival rates in the OTC. No significant differences in the total number of flowers and fruits were noticed for most species between the two treatments. Warming stimulated the shoot and leaf growth for most species. The specific leaf area tended to increase for many species in the OTC. However, the leaf nitrogen concentration tended to decrease in P. fruticosa and S. mongolica. The results obtained in the present study indicate that warming conditions can have strong impacts on alpine shrubs in a timberline ecotone.     

季节性雪被对青藏高原东缘高寒草甸2种优势植物碳、氮积累和分配的影响

依据2006~2008冬季的自然雪被分布状况,在青藏高原东缘的高寒草甸中设置3条样带（即深雪、中雪和浅雪）。在2009年的生长季,在3个雪梯度样带中,分别测定了2种优势植物圆穗蓼（Polygonum macrophyllum）和黑褐穗苔草（Carex atrofusca subsp. Minor）生物量和碳氮营养积累及分配的动态特征。结果表明,深雪能够促进圆穗蓼和黑褐穗苔草生物量和碳氮养分的积累,可能使它们产生的凋落物数量更多且质量更好。深雪更有利于圆穗蓼（非禾本科草本植物）根系生物量、碳氮养分的积累;深雪不仅同时促进黑褐穗苔草（禾本科植物）地上部分和根系生物量、碳氮积累,而且还使其种子产量增加和质量提高,潜在地增强了黑褐穗苔草种子的繁殖能力,可能使得黑褐穗苔草的种间竞争能力增强。可以预见,未来季节性雪被的变化,必定会引起青藏高原东缘高寒草甸的初级生物量及其结构、植物群落物种组成等均发生相应变化。     

Modern pollen representation of source vegetation in the Qaidam Basin and surrounding mountains, north-eastern Tibetan Plateau

We use a data set of 35 surface pollen samples from lake sediments, moss polsters and top soils on the north-eastern Tibetan Plateau to explore the relationship between modern pollen assemblages and contemporary vegetation patterns. The surface pollen transect spanned four vegetation zones––alpine meadow, steppe, steppe desert and desert––under different climatic/elevational conditions. Relative representation (R _rel) values and Principal Components Analysis (PCA) were used to determine the relationships between modern pollen and vegetation and regional climate gradients. The results show that the main vegetation zones along the regional and elevational transects can be distinguished by their modern pollen spectra. Relative to Poaceae, a high representation of Artemisia, Nitraria and Chenopodiaceae was found, while Cyperaceae and Gentiana showed values in the middle range, and Ranunculaceae, Asteraceae, Ephedra and Fabaceae had low relative representation values. PCA results indicate a high correlation between the biogeoclimatic zones and annual precipitation and annual temperature and July temperature. The Artemisia/Chenopodiaceae ratio and the Artemisia/Cyperaceae ratio are useful tools for qualitative and semi-quantitative palaeoenvironmental reconstruction on the north-eastern Tibetan Plateau. Surface lake sediments are found to have different palynomorph spectra from moss cushion and soil samples, reflecting the larger pollen source area in the contemporary vegetation for lakes.     

Sedimentary features and the evolution of lake Honghu,central China

Palaeolimnological studies of the sediments of Honghu, a large shallow lake in Central China, were used to investigate the history of the origin, formation, and changing extent of the lake. The results indicate that Honghu is a naturally-dammed feature, formed about 3000 years ago by meandering of the Changjiang river. Lake level then fell in the period after 2500 BP, but during the Jin epoch (265–420 AD) it recovered, only to fall once more after the Song dynasty (969–1279 AD). The most recent episodes of reflooding are dated to ca. 400 years ago, and to the late nineteenth century.     

Response of Archaeal Community Structure to Environmental Changes in Lakes on the Tibetan Plateau,Northwestern China

To study how archaeal community responds to environmental changes, we investigated archaeal community structures in waters of three Tibetan saline lakes in northwestern China (Gahai, Xiaochaidan, and Charhan Lakes) with 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis. Temperature, pH, and water chemistry (major anions and cations) of the lakes were measured. Three archaeal clone libraries were constructed with a total of 297 sequences. Incorporating our previous data obtained from other lakes on the Tibetan Plateau, we performed statistical analyses to identify dominant environmental parameters that could account for the observed variations in archaeal community structure. We concluded that salinity and water chemistry (Na and bicarbonate concentration in particular) played an important role in shaping archaeal community. In particular, the relative abundance of archaeal 16S rRNA genes affiliated with the Halobacteriales of the Euryarchaeota increased with salinity, whereas that of crenarchaeotal 16S rRNA gene sequences showed the opposite trend. Crenarchaeotal 16S rRNA gene sequences were retrieved from lake waters with salinity up to 28.3%. These results have important implications for our understanding of response of archaeal community to environmental changes in high-altitude lake ecosystems.     

The physical basis of the Lake Mikri Prespa systems: geology,climate, hydrology and water quality

Lake Mikri Prespa is 47 km² in area, with amaximum depth of 8.4 m and a normal water level ataround 850 m above sea level. It collects water froma granitic and karstic catchment of 189 km² whichincludes snowy mountains rising to over 2000 m. Themain flat land is the sedimentary plain to the eastand the sandy isthmus that separates Mikri Prespa fromthe much larger Megali Prespa into which the formernormally drains. Rainfall averages around 750 mmbecause the 600 mm to 700 mm falling on the plains isaugmented by heavier falls including much snow on themountains. There is rainfall each month with anautumnal maximum. River inputs to the lake and thelake level itself peak in the spring with thesnowmelt. Mikri Prespa normally rises by about a metreto flood the surrounding wet meadows landward of thereed fringe. The annual cycle of water levelfluctuation is superimposed on infrequent upwardsurges in the level of Mikri and Megali Prespa becauseof particularly wet and snowy winters and, in recentyears, the steady decline of the level of MegaliPrespa because of tectonic activity.There has been considerable human modification of thehydrology of the area with the diversion of the AgiosGermanos torrent from Mikri to Megali Prespa, thecreation of a canal in Albania which can input orwithdraw water from the lake, the culverting of thecanal linking Mikri and Megali Prespa, and thecreation of an irrigation scheme taking water directlyfrom Mikri Prespa and from the Agios Germanosstream.The lake water is base rich because of the limestonein the catchment. Whilst concern has been expressed atthe eutrophication of the lake, recent studies haveproved that there has been no significant change innutrient status this century and the lake is noteutrophic. There has been a significant increase inturbidity but this may be the result of sedimentdisturbance by an introduced fish species.The lake and its supporting hydrological system willneed careful monitoring if it is to be effectivelymanaged. A particularly high priority is thedevelopment and implementation of a water levelmanagement plan for the lake.     

Annual increments of juniper dwarf shrubs above the tree line on the central Tibetan Plateau: a useful climatic proxy

Background and Aims

Dendroclimatology is playing an important role in understanding past climatic changes on the Tibetan Plateau. Forests, however, are mainly confined to the eastern Tibetan Plateau. On the central Tibetan Plateau, in contrast, shrubs and dwarf shrubs need to be studied instead of trees as a source of climate information. The objectives of this study were to check the dendrochronological potential of the dwarf shrub Wilson juniper (Juniperus pingii var. wilsonii) growing from 4740 to 4780 m a.s.l. and to identify the climatic factors controlling its radial growth.

Methods

Forty-three discs from 33 stems of Wilson juniper were sampled near the north-eastern shore of the Nam Co (Heavenly Lake). Cross-dating was performed along two directions of each stem, avoiding the compression-wood side as far as possible. A ring-width chronology was developed after a negative exponential function or a straight line of any slope had been fit to the raw measurements. Then, correlations were calculated between the standard ring-width chronology and monthly climate data recorded by a weather station around 100 km away.

Key Results

Our study has shown high dendrochronological potential of Wilson juniper, based on its longevity (one individual was 324 years old), well-defined growth rings, reliable cross-dating between individuals and distinct climatic signals reflected by the ring-width variability. Unlike dwarf shrubs in the circum-arctic tundra ecosystem which positively responded to above-average temperature in the growing season, moisture turned out to be growth limiting for Wilson juniper, particularly the loss of moisture caused by high maximum temperatures in May–June.

Conclusions

Because of the wide distribution of shrub and dwarf shrub species on the central Tibetan Plateau, an exciting prospect was opened up to extend the presently existing tree-ring networks far up into one of the largest tundra regions of the world.