基于较大降水事件的人工固沙植被区植物水分来源分析

水分是干旱、半干旱地区植物生长最主要的限制因子.为了探究较大降水事件后两种常见人工固沙植物柠条与油蒿的水分来源差异,分析降水、土壤水、地下水和植物茎水的氢氧稳定同位素特征,并采用直接对比法和多元线性混合模型对植物水分来源进行分析.结果表明: 沙坡头地区大气降水线方程为δD=7.83δ¹⁸O+5.64(R²=0.91).降水δ¹⁸O值的变化范围较大,具有明显的季节变化规律;生长季前期与后期δ¹⁸O值相对较高,生长旺盛期δ¹⁸O处于较低水平.浅层土壤水δ¹⁸O值变化范围较大,随土层深度的增加,土壤水δ¹⁸O值变幅减小且呈减小趋势.在降水后第一天,柠条和油蒿分别对40～80与20～60 cm土层土壤水利用比例较高,利用比率分别为56.1%和56.4%.降水一周后,柠条与油蒿都不同程度地增加了对浅层土壤水的利用比例.柠条和油蒿对0～40和0～20 cm土层土壤水分利用率分别增加了12.5%和10%.表明在较大降水事件后,柠条和油蒿会通过调整水分利用策略来积极适应干旱环境.     

准噶尔盆地东南缘多枝柽柳、白刺和红砂水分来源的异同

荒漠生态系统中, 水是植物生长最主要的限制因子。为了比较同一生境下不同荒漠植物的水分来源特征, 选取了同一生境下的多枝柽柳(Tamarix ramosissima)、白刺(Nitraria sibirica)和红砂(Reaumuria soongorica), 测定了这3种植物茎水和各潜在水源(降水、土壤水和地下水)的氢、氧稳定同位素比率(δD和δ¹⁸O)值, 并利用IsoSource软件计算了3种植物对潜在水源的利用比例。结果表明: 红砂和白刺的茎水δD和δ¹⁸O值及其水分来源有明显的季节波动特征。其中, 红砂为浅根系植物, 春季(3-5月)以表层土壤水为主要水源, 夏秋季节(6-10月)表层土壤含水量显著降低, 其主要的水分来源逐渐偏向于较深层的土壤水; 白刺的根系分布范围介于红砂和多枝柽柳之间, 在春季能够较多地利用表层土壤水, 而到了夏秋季节, 所利用的水分更多地来源于深层土壤水或地下水; 多枝柽柳为深根系植物, 其90%以上的水分来源于深层土壤水和地下水, 而且茎水δD和δ¹⁸O值及其水分来源没有季节波动特征。3种植物水分来源特征的差异与其水分利用策略密切相关, 同时, 也说明荒漠灌木可以通过自身调节向着最优(最有利)表现型发展, 从而最大限度地获取水分。     

典型林区水分氢氧稳定同位素在土壤-植物-大气连续体中的分布特征

土壤-植物-大气连续体(SPAC)中水循环是水文学和生态学研究的重要内容,氢氧稳定同位素在不同水体中组成特征的差异可以指示水分循环过程。本研究通过分析成都平原区亚热带常绿阔叶林中降水、土壤水、植物水的同位素组成,探讨SPAC系统中水分的氢氧稳定同位素演化特征,揭示区域水循环不同界面过程。结果表明: 研究区雨季大气降水线方程为: δD=7.13δ¹⁸O+2.35(R²=0.99),土壤蒸发线方程为: δD=6.98δ¹⁸O-0.32(R²=0.92)。在降水→土壤水→植物水的界面水输送过程中,氢氧同位素逐渐富集。浅层土壤(0～35 cm)水δ¹⁸O受降水的直接影响,响应关系明显,中深层土壤(35～100 cm)水则相对稳定。观测期间,植物木质部水同位素比土壤水略微富集,说明水分在植物体内输送过程中可能通过韧皮部或树皮发生轻微蒸发或蒸腾。采用直接相关法初步估计植物对不同土层土壤水的利用情况,樟树主要利用中层土壤水,构树主要利用浅层土壤水,金星蕨因根系分布浅更倾向于利用浅层土壤水和植物截留的降水。与金星蕨相比,樟树和构树的叶片水分蒸发和同位素动力分馏程度更强。     

北京土石山区水分在土壤-植物-大气连续体(SPAC)中的稳定同位素特征

氢氧稳定同位素是广泛存在于自然界水体中的环境同位素,其在不同水体中组成特征的差异可以指示水分循环过程及植物用水机制.本研究在北京山区选取了两种主要的绿化树种——常绿针叶林侧柏和落叶阔叶林栓皮栎为研究对象,通过对降水、土壤水、泉水、植物茎干水和叶片水同位素的变化特征进行分析,讨论了水分在大气-土壤-植物连续体中的运动过程.结果表明: 研究区大气降水线方程为δD=7.17δ¹⁸O+1.45(R²=0.93), 土壤蒸发线方程为δD=3.85δ¹⁸O-38.02(R²=0.76), 降水入渗补给土壤水的过程中存在一定程度的蒸发分馏.在不同季节,降水、土壤水和泉水δD和δ¹⁸O值变化规律不同;雨季,δD和δ¹⁸O平均值大小为降水>地下水>土壤水,降水和土壤水共同补充地下水;旱季,δD和δ¹⁸O值大小排序为降水> 土壤水>地下水,降水和地下水都对土壤水有贡献.侧柏和栓皮栎年内茎干水分δD和δ¹⁸O的拟合线性方程分别为δD=5.03δ¹⁸O-30.78 和δD=3.0δ¹⁸O-48.92,栓皮栎利用的土壤水分相对于侧柏更加富集,其水分来源深度更浅.栓皮栎叶片水分同位素变化特征相对于侧柏对大气微环境的反应更加敏感,且其叶片水分蒸发和同位素动力分馏程度更强,但是它们对环境条件的变化反应一致.     

毛乌素沙地油蒿叶建成成本及相关叶性状沿降水梯度的变化

干旱区植物在如何提高水分利用效率与降低叶建成成本之间可能存在一种权衡。我们假设: 与湿润区植物相比, 干旱区植物能通过调节叶功能性状之间的关系(如通过提高单位面积叶氮含量(N_area)), 实现在相同的叶建成成本下具有更高的水分利用效率。为了验证这一假设, 该研究以毛乌素沙地的广布物种油蒿(Artemisia ordosica)为研究对象, 分析了油蒿叶建成成本沿降水梯度的变化规律及其与比叶面积(SLA)、单位质量叶氮含量(N_mass)、N_area和叶碳稳定同位素比率(δ ¹³C)的关系。结果表明: 油蒿单位质量叶建成成本(CC_m)在不同降水条件下差异不显著, 而单位面积叶建成成本(CC_a)在不同降水条件下虽有显著差异, 但并未随降水减少而明显增加。油蒿CC_m与SLA无显著相关性, 与叶δ ¹³C值呈显著正相关关系。油蒿叶建成成本与N_area呈显著正相关关系, 但这种关系格局在低降水量(264 mm)区与高降水量(310-370 mm)区之间存在策略位移现象——即在相同叶建成成本下, 低降水量区植物比高降水量区植物具有更高的N_area。以上结果表明, 尽管高水分利用效率与高叶建成成本相关, 但与高降水量区植物相比, 低降水量区植物具有较高的N_area并没有导致其叶建成成本增加。     

宁夏平原北部地下水埋深浅地区不同灌木的水分来源

宁夏平原北部引黄灌区地下水埋深浅是该地区土壤盐碱化的主要原因, 种植耐盐植物可以吸收利用地下水, 在降低地下水位的同时可以减少对地面灌溉的依赖。为了分析银川平原北部4种灌木对不同水源的利用特征, 于2010年生长季测定了灌溉前后20年生多枝柽柳(Tamarix ramosissima)、3年生多枝柽柳、3年生宁夏枸杞(Lycium barbarum)和3年生四翅滨藜(Atriplex canescens)木质部水及不同潜在水源稳定氧、氢同位素组成(δ¹⁸O和δD), 应用IsoSource同位素线性混合模型估算了不同灌木对不同水源的利用率。同时测定了0-200 cm土壤剖面的全盐含量、含水量和pH值以及灌溉前后光合气体交换参数。结果表明: 不同深度土壤水δ¹⁸O和δD值存在较大差异, 并呈规律性变化。土壤水δ¹⁸O和δD值随深度加深呈逐渐降低的趋势。灌溉后80 cm以上土壤水δ¹⁸O和δD值低于灌溉前。无论灌溉前还是灌溉后, 20年生多枝柽柳与3年生灌木相比具有更低的δ¹⁸O和δD值。灌溉前, 3年生多枝柽柳、宁夏枸杞和四翅滨藜主要利用表层土壤水(70.1%、52.3%和48.9%); 20年生多枝柽柳对地下水的利用率最高(21.5%)。灌溉后, 3年生多枝柽柳和宁夏枸杞对80-140 cm土壤水利用率较高(59.5%和58.8%)。20年生多枝柽柳对地下水的利用率最高(18.3%)。灌溉前, 20年生多枝柽柳净光合速率、气孔导度和蒸腾速率显著高于其他3种灌木, 灌溉后3年生四翅滨藜净光合速率最高。灌溉对3年生多枝柽柳和宁夏枸杞的净光合速率和气孔导度有显著影响。无论灌溉前还是灌溉后, 3年生四翅滨藜瞬间水分利用效率均高于其他3种灌木。研究表明, 不同灌木在不同水分条件下水分利用策略不同, 这主要与植物种类及树龄有关。灌溉前幼龄多枝柽柳凭借其对干旱较强的忍耐能力利用浅层不饱和土壤水, 灌溉后其又转而利用中层土壤水, 表现出潜水湿生植物的特征, 主要吸收利用深层土壤水分, 对灌溉反应不明显。     

亚热带地区常绿阔叶林SPAC系统水分的氢氧稳定同位素特征

森林的土壤-植物-大气连续体(SPAC)是陆地重要的水循环连续界面过程。本研究通过分析亚热带常绿阔叶林的降水、大气水汽、土壤水、叶片水的同位素组成,探讨森林SPAC系统水分的氢氧同位素组成特征以及植物蒸腾与叶片性状和环境因子的关系。结果表明: 研究区大气降水、土壤水、竹柏枝条水、竹柏叶片水和大气水汽的δD-δ¹⁸O线性回归方程分别为: δD_P=7.97δ¹⁸O_P+12.68(R²=0.97)、δD_S=4.29δ¹⁸O_S-18.62(R²=0.81)、δD_B=3.31δ¹⁸O_B-29.73(R²=0.49)、δD_L=1.49δ¹⁸O_L-10.09(R²=0.81)、δD_V=3.89δ¹⁸O_V-51.29(R²=0.46)。在降水→土壤水→植物水的界面水输送过程中,氢氧同位素逐渐富集,而从土壤蒸发和从植物蒸腾的水汽同位素贫化。在降水和蒸发作用的影响下,土壤水同位素随深度增加有贫化的趋势,而且整体上旱季土壤水同位素比雨季富集。观测期间,枝条水同位素比土壤水略微富集,说明水分在植物体内运输过程中存在受到蒸腾富集作用的可能性。旱季,乔木的枝条水同位素比灌木贫化,说明根系分布更深的乔木植物更倾向于利用深层土壤水。由于在叶片性状、蒸腾速率以及对环境因子的响应程度等方面存在差异,不同植物的叶片水同位素组成随叶龄增长的变化特征有所不同。雨季的环境条件更有利于叶片蒸腾,使雨季的叶片水同位素比旱季富集。叶片水同位素组成与植物叶片含水量呈正相关关系,与相对湿度呈负相关关系,综合反映了植物应对环境变化的水分调控功能。     

宁夏盐池不同坡位旱地紫苜蓿水分来源

紫苜蓿(Medicago sativa)是一种经济和生态价值较高的优良牧草, 但其耗水量大, 在西北半干旱地区仅靠天然降水难以满足紫苜蓿的正常生长发育。宁夏盐池北部地处毛乌素沙地南缘, 地下水埋深较浅, 地下水有可能成为紫苜蓿的潜在水源, 弥补天然降水的不足。本试验在地势平坦的缓坡丘陵梁地和丘间低地, 选择8年生旱地紫苜蓿试验地作为研究对象, 采用稳定同位素技术, 研究了不同海拔的4个坡位(海拔自低到高分别为: 坡1、坡2、坡3和坡4)紫苜蓿的水分来源及其生长生理表现。结果表明: 坡位对0-300 cm土壤剖面含水量有显著影响, 海拔最低的坡1土壤含水量最高。土壤水和植物茎秆水δ ¹⁸O-δD坐标点大部分位于中国西北地区地方大气降水线(LMWL)的右侧, 说明植物利用的水源氢氧同位素组成受到蒸发的影响而发生了富集作用。0-450 cm土壤剖面水δ ¹⁸O值随着海拔高度的增加而增大。同一坡位土壤水δ ¹⁸O值随着土壤深度的增加逐渐下降。深层土壤水δ ¹⁸O值与地下水δ ¹⁸O相近, 说明地下水通过土壤毛细管上升而补充其上层土壤水分。0-40 cm土壤水δ ¹⁸O值随季节波动较大, 270 cm以下土壤水δ ¹⁸O值较为稳定。4、7、8月份坡1紫苜蓿茎秆水δ ¹⁸O值显著低于其他3个坡位(p < 0.001)。在4、6、7三个月, 坡位1紫苜蓿对深层土壤水(270 cm以下)的利用率最高。而在8月份, 坡1、坡3、坡4紫苜蓿主要利用150-270 cm、270-450 cm土层土壤水以及地下水, 坡2对表层(0-20 cm)土壤水利用率最高。坡1紫苜蓿的产量、整株Δ ¹³C值及气孔导度显著高于其他3个坡位。本研究表明: 在平均年降水量只有280 mm的西北半干旱地区种植旱地紫苜蓿要尽量选择地势较低的滩地, 使其能够利用到埋深较浅地下水, 以满足植物生长发育的需要并取得较好的生态和经济效益。     

中国区域478种C3植物叶片碳稳定性同位素组成与水分利用效率

目前, 在中国区域关于植物碳稳定性同位素组成(δ¹³C)已经有了很多的研究, 同时, δ ¹³C作为植物水分利用效率(WUE)的替代指标, 得到了越来越广泛的应用。而这些研究多集中在站点或小的区域尺度, 那么在整个中国区域尺度上, δ¹³C能否作为植物WUE的替代指标值得探讨。该文通过对文献资料的收集整理, 研究了中国区域187个采样点478种C₃植物叶片的δ¹³C, 统计分析结果表明δ¹³C的变化范围为-33.50‰- -22.00‰, 均值为-(27.10 ± 1.70)‰。在乔木、灌木和草本3种不同的生活型间, 叶片δ¹³C的差异达到极显著水平, 其中以草本的δ¹³C最高, 乔木最低, 这与在站点或小的区域尺度上的研究结果不同。对不同系统发育类型的植物而言, 种子植物的δ¹³C极显著地大于蕨类植物; 祼子植物与被子植物间的差异未达到显著水平; 单子叶植物极显著地大于双子叶植物。叶片δ¹³C值随经度的变化没有明显的规律, 但是随纬度的增加, δ ¹³C极显著地升高。随年均温度和年均降雨量的降低, 叶片δ¹³C值极显著升高。年均降雨量与δ¹³C间的这种极显著的负相关关系, 与WUE和降水量间的关系一致, 这表明在大的区域尺度上, δ¹³C可以作为植物WUE的指示指标。     

不同基因型冬小麦旗叶的稳定碳同位素比值及其与产量和水分利用效率的关系

以我国北方12个冬小麦(Triticum aestivum)品种(系)和美国德克萨斯州3个冬小麦品种(系)为供试材料, 在甘肃陇东黄土高原旱作和拔节期有限补灌条件下, 比较研究了不同基因型冬小麦之间产量、水分利用效率(WUE)和灌浆期旗叶稳定碳同位素比值(δ¹³C)的差异, 以及δ¹³C值与产量和WUE的关系。旨在通过分析δ¹³C值与产量和WUE的关系, 明确δ¹³C值在评价植物WUE方面的可靠性, 为抗旱节水品种的筛选提供理论依据。结果表明: 不论旱作还是有限补灌, 不同基因型冬小麦之间产量、WUE、旗叶δ¹³C值存在显著差异, 随着灌浆过程的进行, 旗叶δ¹³C值呈缓慢增大的趋势, 而且旗叶δ¹³C值旱作高于有限补灌。不论旱作还是补灌条件, 旗叶δ¹³C值在4个测定时期的平均值与籽粒产量、WUE呈显著正相关关系(R²= 0.527 3-0.691 3)。小麦拔节期补灌100 mm水分后, 不同基因型小麦表现出明显的水分超补偿效应。说明冬小麦灌浆期旗叶δ¹³C值在旱作条件下和在补灌条件下均可较好地评价WUE, 可将冬小麦灌浆期旗叶δ¹³C值作为筛选高效用水品种的参考指标之一。     

Dynamics of water usage in Haloxylon ammodendron in the southern edge of the Gurbantünggüt Desert

植物的水分来源是荒漠地区植物水分关系研究的重要方面, 有助于理解荒漠植物对干旱环境的适应。为了研究古尔班通古特沙漠主要建群种梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)生长季的水分利用动态, 以及其对发生在不同时期相似量级降水脉冲的响应, 利用稳定性同位素技术测量了梭梭小枝木质部水、降水、0-300 cm不同土层的土壤水和地下水的δ ¹⁸O值。水源依据深度划分为4个: 浅层土壤水(0-40 cm), 中层土壤水(40-100 cm), 深层土壤水(100-300 cm)和地下水。然后, 应用IsoSource模型计算了梭梭对潜在水源的利用比例。结果表明: 4月份, 梭梭主要利用浅层土壤水, 利用比例为62%-95%; 5-9月份梭梭主要利用地下水, 利用比例为68%-100%。梭梭对不同时期发生的两场相似量级的降水具有不同程度的响应。5月22日, 6.7 mm降水后第1天, 梭梭对土壤水的吸收达到最大值, 由降水前的9.8%增长为降水后的40.4%, 同时降低了对地下水的吸收, 由降水前的83%-98%下降为42%-81%。8月31日7 mm降水后, 梭梭对土壤水的吸收没有增加, 仍然保持对地下水的高比例利用, 达71%-98%。低的土壤含水量可能抑制了表层根系的活性, 导致梭梭对降水不敏感。由冬季融雪和春季降水补给的浅层土壤水和地下水是梭梭种群可利用的两个重要水源。梭梭的水分利用动态反映了其对干旱环境的适应。     

Water sources of dominant species in three alpine ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau, China

Plant water sources were estimated by two or three compartment linear mixing models using hydrogen and oxygen isotope （δD and δ^18O） values of different components such as plant xylem water, precipitation and river water as well as soil water on the Tibetan Plateau in the summer of 2005. Four dominant species （Quercus aquifolioides, Pinus tabulaeformis, Salix rehderiana and Nitraria tangutorum） in three typical ecosystems （forest, shrub and desert） were investigated in this study. Stable isotope ratios of the summer precipitations and the soil water presented variations in spatial and temporal scales. δ^18O values of N. tangutorum xylem water were constant in the whole growth season and very similar to those of deep soil water. Water sources for all of the plants came from both precipitations and soil water. Plants switched rapidly among different water sources when environmental water conditions changed. Rainwater had different contributions to the plants, which was influenced by amounts of precipitation. The percentage of plant xylem water derived from rainwater rose with an increase in precipitation. Water sources for broad-leaved and coniferous species were different although they grew in the same environmental conditions. For example, the broad-leaved species Q. aquifolioides used mainly the water from deep soil, while 92.5% of xylem water of the coniferous species P. tabulaeformis was derived from rainwater during the growth season. The study will be helpful for us to fully understand responses of species on the Tibetan Plateau to changes in precipitation patterns, and to assess accurately changes of vegetation distribution in the future.     

民勤沙区几种荒漠植物群落的现实生态位研究

民勤沙区属于典型的干旱荒漠气候,植被以灌木荒漠为主,盖度一般只有5%~15%.植物群落内生态位宽度悬殊,植物种之间的生态位相似比例很小.生态位宽度和生态位相似比例小是受制于干旱荒漠生境条件的结果,是干旱荒漠生态环境中稀疏荒漠植物的主要特征之一.植物的现实生态位宽度与年际降水量关系密切,在地貌、土壤颗粒、土壤水分、土壤养分等影响因子中,土壤水分是主导因子.当地地下水位深20 m左右,植物无法利用,植物种之间对资源的竞争主要表现为对水分资源的竞争,降水资源是植物种之间竞争的关键资源.同一种植物在不同群落中的生态位宽度变幅较大,不同群落内部植物种竞争关系的差异是由物种的生态位和由相对稳定的地貌、土壤条件以及随年际变动的降水条件共同作用的结果.群落中的优势种植物的生态位最宽,当优势种生态位减小时,一年生短命植物往往会进入群落中.荒漠植物的冠层单一,以冠幅占样方面积比作为植物的特征值计算其生态位特征值比较准确可靠.     

Carbon assimilation, 𝛅13C and water relations of Elaeagnus angustifolia grown at two groundwater depths in the Minqin desert,China

Abstract

We investigated the physiological responses of Elaeagnus angustifolia to variation in groundwater depth. Elaeagnus angustifolia seedlings were grown in the Minqin desert in lysimeters supplied with underground water at the soil depth of 1.40 m and 3.40 m. Results showed that constant access to groundwater allowed plants supplied with water at the lower soil layer to meet their water requirement and, consequently, they were not affected by water stress. There were no differences in A _max (the net CO₂ assimilation rate under conditions of photosynthetically photon flux density and CO₂ saturation), J _max (maximum rate of electron transport) and stomatal conductance between the two underground water treatments. However, plants with deeper groundwater had a significantly higher V _cmax (i.e. a higher carboxylation efficiency of Rubisco) and mesophyll conductance resulting in increased photosynthesis measured at the CO₂ growth condition (A) and, consequently higher intrinsic water-use efficiency (WUE). However, respiration was also increased in plants grown with deeper groundwater. This may have offset the increased A and led to a similar long-term WUE, as expressed by carbon isotope discrimination (δ¹³C), between the two ground water treatments. In the present study, we also found a high foliage nitrogen concentration in the E. angustifolia plants (3.75% on average), that may be very significant ecologically in improving soil properties. The physiological traits of E. angustifolia found in this study confirm that the use of perennial phreatophytic, nitrogen fixing species has significant potential to positively impact soil fertility and carbon sequestration under environmental conditions found in the Minqin desert.     

Precipitation Pattern Determines the Inter-annual Variation of Herbaceous Layer and Carbon Fluxes in a Phreatophyte-Dominated Desert Ecosystem

Arid and semi-arid ecosystems dominated by shrubby species are an important component in the global carbon cycle but are largely under-represented in studies of the effect of climate change on carbon flux. This study synthesizes data from long-term eddy covariance measurements and experiments to assess how changes in ecosystem composition, driven by precipitation patterns, affect inter-annual variability of carbon flux and their components in a halophyte desert community dominated by deep-rooted shrubs (phreatophytes, which depend on groundwater as their primary water source). Our results demonstrated that the carbon balance of this community responded strongly to precipitation variations. Both pre-growing season precipitation and growing season precipitation frequency significantly affected inter-annual variations in ecosystem carbon flux. Heavy pre-growing season precipitation (November–April, mostly as snow) increased annual net ecosystem carbon exchange, by facilitating the growth and carbon assimilation of shallow-rooted annual plants, which used spring and summer precipitation to increase community productivity. Sufficient pre-growing season precipitation led to more germination and growth of shallow-rooted annual plants. When followed by high-frequency growing season precipitation, community productivity of this desert ecosystem was lifted to the level of grassland or forest ecosystems. The long-term observations and experimental results confirmed that precipitation patterns and the herbaceous component were dominant drivers of the carbon dynamics in this phreatophyte-dominated desert ecosystem. This study illustrates the importance of inter-annual variations in climate and ecosystem composition for the carbon flux in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. It also highlights the important effect of changing frequency and seasonal pattern of precipitation on the regional and global carbon cycle in the coming decades.     

Correlations between carbon isotope ratio and microhabitat in desert plants

Summary Water is usually considered to be the key limiting factor for growth of desert plants, yet there is little information available of the water-use efficiency of species within a desert community. Leaf carbon isotope ratios, an indicator of long-term intercellular carbon dioxide concentrations and thus of water-use efficiency in C₃ plants, were measured on species occurring within a Sonoran Desert community, consisting of wash, transition and slope microhabitats. Along a soil moisture gradient from the relatively wetter wash to the relatively drier slope, leaf carbon isotope ratios increased in all species, indicating that water-use efficiency increased as soil water availability decreased. Leaf carbon isotope ratios of long-lived perennials were substantially more positive than in short-lived perennials, even though plants were growing adjacent to each other. Leaf carbon isotope ratio and leaf duration (evergreen versus deciduous) were not correlated with each other. The results are discussed in terms of how the efficiency of water use may affect community structure and composition.     

Influence of groundwater depth on the seasonal sources of water accessed by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Banksia</Emphasis> tree species on a shallow,sandy coastal aquifer

In Mediterranean ecosystems vegetation overlying shallow, transient aquifers is often dominated by woody phreatophytes, trees and shrubs that have been shown to be dependent on groundwater for their water requirements. Natural and anthropogenic alterations of groundwater tables (abstraction) are of clear importance to phreatophytic vegetation as reduction of water tables may sever these plants from their natural water sources. Seasonal water sources were determined for species growing on a coastal dune system that overlies a shallow sandy aquifer in south-western Australia. The plants studied grew over groundwater that ranged in depth from 2.5 to 30 m. The naturally occurring stable isotope of hydrogen (deuterium, '²H) was used to distinguish potential water sources. Isotopic ratios from vascular water of the dominant species of the study area (Banksia ilicifolia R. Br. and Banksia attenuata R. Br. trees) were compared with those of potential sources of precipitation, soil moisture and groundwater. A relatively shallow-rooted perennial shrub, Hibbertia hypericoides Benth., was also included as an isotopic reference. The results suggest that both B. attenuata and B. ilicifolia are phreatophytic as they derived some of their water from groundwater throughout the dry-wet cycle, with the exception of B. attenuata at the site of greatest depth to groundwater (30 m) which did not use groundwater. A high proportion (>50%) of groundwater use was not maintained throughout all seasons. With the onset of the hot Mediterranean summer, progressive drying of the surface soils resulted in increased use of groundwater and deep soil moisture. During the wet winter plants used proportionately more water from the upper layers of the soil profile. The degree to which groundwater was utilised by the study species was dependent on the proximity of groundwater, availability of moisture in shallower horizons of the soil profile, root system distribution and maximum root depth.     

石灰岩地区连片出露石丛生境植物水分来源的季节性差异

以桂西北石灰岩地区连片出露石丛生境次生林群落为研究对象, 运用稳定性氢氧同位素技术结合IsoSource模型, 分析了5种典型植物(半落叶乔木粉苹婆(Sterculia euosma)、落叶乔木菜豆树(Radermachera sinica)、常绿灌木鹅掌柴(Schefflera octophylla)以及落叶灌木红背山麻杆(Alchornea trewioides)和紫弹树(Celtis biondii))水分来源的季节性差异。结果表明: 雨季, 除鹅掌柴同时利用部分前期雨水外, 其余4种植物均主要利用最近15天内的雨水(利用比例的平均值之和均超过80%)。旱季, 5种植物均主要利用最近一次雨水与前期雨水(一个月前)的混合(利用比例的平均值之和均超过80%), 其中乔木和常绿灌木对前期雨水的利用比例更高(利用比例的平均值均超过50%)。植被良好的石灰岩连片出露石丛生境中, 植物主要以不同时期的雨水为主要水源, 这可能与石灰岩发育的裂隙及其储水能力有关。储存在裂隙中的雨水通过植物蒸腾的方式返回大气, 这一良好的水文循环过程应得到充分的保护。