Interspecific variations in responses of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Festuca rubra</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>Trifolium pratense</Emphasis> to a severe clipping under environmental changes

Understanding and predicting possible responses of grassland species to global change is of important meaning for adapting grassland management to a changed and changing environment. A laboratory clipping experiment was conducted to examine the interspecific responses in an ecological context of competition and environmental changes. Festuca rubra and Trifolium pratense, either in monoculture or two- and three-species mixtures, were grown in three environmental combinations (ambient and increased temperature, repetitive N supply, and simulated acid rain), respectively. After a growth time of three months, plants were clipped at the height of 1.0 cm above soil surface. Plant height and aboveground biomass prior clipping, and survival rate and regrowth (height and biomass) after clipping were analyzed. F. rubra and T. pratense responded differently in compensatory growth and competition intensity to environmental change and co-existing species. The differences in their physiological and ecological traits may account for species-dependent responses. The present study emphasizes that predicting the plant assemblage response in the face of global change requires in understanding the integrating effects of abiotic and biotic factors.     

Soil nutrient heterogeneity and competitive ability of three grass species (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Festuca ovina,Arrhenatherum elatius</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Calamagrostis epigejos</Emphasis>) in experimental conditions

We studied the effects of differences in root growth and nutrient pool on the competitive ability of Festuca ovina (short grass), Arrhenatherum elatius and Calamagrostis epigejos (tall grasses) grown in monocultures and in mixtures of homogeneous and heterogeneous environments during two growing seasons. Analysis of variance revealed a significant effect of plant species on nutrient concentrations in above-ground biomass and of substrate type on contents of N, K, Ca, Mg in biomass. The ANOVA also confirmed the significant effect of competitive environment on the concentration of N, K in above-ground biomass. In heterogeneous environments, both tall grasses (in competition with F. ovina) were able to produce more roots in the nutrient-rich patches and to accumulate more nitrogen in plant tissues, which was associated with higher yield of their above-ground biomass. Thus, the relative competitive ability for nutrients of both tall grasses was higher than that of F. ovina. This competitive ability of A. elatius to C. epigejos increased in heterogeneous treatments.     

Plant–plant interactions and soil moisture might be important in determining ozone impacts on grasslands

Ozone effects on plant species mixtures could depend on the characteristics of the species involved, their mixing ratio, or on environmental conditions. Predicting long-term effects on the dynamics of plant communities requires an understanding of the interactions involved. The present experiment was designed to determine the effects of ozone on grassland species in relation to mixing ratio and soil water content (irrigation) using binary mixtures. The grass Trisetum flavescens was grown in potted replacement-series mixtures with Centaurea jacea (Experiment A) or Trifolium pratense (Experiment B). The plants were exposed to three concentrations of ozone in open-top chambers in two irrigation treatments. Total above-ground dry weight over three growth periods was measured. The competitive ability of T. flavescens was expressed as the competitive ratio ( CR _T). In Experiment B, total above-ground dry weight was reduced by elevated ozone and by reduced soil moisture, and significant interactions were found for ozone × irrigation and ozone × ratio. In Experiment A these effects were not significant. Under well watered conditions, CR _T tended to be reduced by elevated ozone in Experiment A, but increased significantly in Experiment B, indicating the importance of the competing species in modifying the ozone effect on T. flavescens . In both experiments reduced irrigation decreased the magnitude of ozone effects on biomass production, which could be related to observed reductions in specific leaf conductance. The results suggest that under well watered conditions the effect of elevated ozone on the competitive balance between species depends on the species mixture, but that the mixing ratio is less important.     

荒漠草原三种蝗虫成虫种内和种间竞争的研究

荒漠草原三种蝗虫成虫种内和种间竞争的研究贺达汉方成郑哲民（宁夏农学院农学系,永宁７５０１０５）（陕西师范大学动物研究所,西安７１００６２）Ｉｎｔｒａ＿ａｎｄＩｎｔｅｒｓｐｅｃｉｆｉｃＣｏｍｐｅｔｉｔｉｏｎａｍｏｎｇｔｈｅＡｄｕｌｔｓｏｆＴｈｒｅｅＧｒ...     

The effect of light and seed mass on seed germination of common herbaceous species from the eastern Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau

Smaller seeds might encounter more severe selective pressure than larger ones because they have fewer food reserves and are more easily buried; thus, seed mass can be considered to be directly related to the effect of light on germination. To investigate the effect of light on seed germination and associated seed mass variation within a whole plant community, we compiled germination data for common herbaceous species from an alpine meadow on the eastern Qinghai‐Tibet plateau. The results showed the following. (i) Light had a general positive effect on seed germination. Under light, the proportion of species with lower germinability was decreased, mean germination percentage was increased by 20% and the speed of germination was doubled. (ii) Irrespective of light environment, species with medium‐sized seeds (seed mass ranging from 0.11 to 0.5 mg) had higher germination percentage and speed when compared with species within the largest seed mass group. (iii) The germination of smaller‐seeded species was more dependent on light stimulation than larger‐seeded ones. In darkness, the species within the smallest seed mass group had the lowest percentage and speed of germination; however, under light, the species within the largest seed mass group had the lowest percentage and speed of germination. Our results suggested that the germination characteristics and especially seeds’ response to light among species in the alpine meadow might be an adaptation to natural selective pressure.     

Geographic variation in seed traits within and among forty‐two species of Rhododendron (Ericaceae) on the Tibetan plateau: relationships with altitude,habitat, plant height,and phylogeny

Seed mass and morphology are plant life history traits that influence seed dispersal ability, seeding establishment success, and population distribution pattern. Southeastern Tibet is a diversity center for Rhododendron species, which are distributed from a few hundred meters to 5500 m above sea level. We examined intra‐ and interspecific variation in seed mass and morphology in relation to altitude, habitat, plant height, and phylogeny. Seed mass decreased significantly with the increasing altitude and increased significantly with increasing plant height among populations of the same species. Seed mass differed significantly among species and subsections, but not among sections and subgenera. Seed length, width, surface area, and wing length were significantly negative correlated with altitude and significantly positive correlated with plant height. Further, these traits differed significantly among habitats and varied among species and subsection, but not among sections and subgenera. Species at low elevation had larger seeds with larger wings, and seeds became smaller and the wings of seeds tended to be smaller with the increasing altitude. Morphology of the seed varied from flat round to long cylindrical with increasing altitude. We suggest that seed mass and morphology have evolved as a result of both long‐term adaptation and constraints of the taxonomic group over their long evolutionary history.     

不同施肥对水稻土作物碳同化与土壤碳固定的影响——以太湖地区黄泥土肥料长期试验为例

肥料施用对农田土壤生产力及土壤碳循环的影响是农业与陆地生态系统碳循环及全球变化研究的重要科学问题。以太湖地区黄泥土的长期肥料定位试验为例,研究不同施肥处理对水稻土-作物系统作物碳同化及土壤碳固定的影响。所研究的肥料施用处理包括不施肥(NF)、单施化肥(CF)、化肥与秸秆配施(CFS)以及化肥与猪粪配施(CFM)4个处理,始于1987年,一直实行稻-油轮作,实行少耕。连续观测水稻和油菜的产量,并于2004年和2005年分别采集了土壤剖面样品和耕作层(0~5cm和5~15cm)土壤,测定土壤总有机碳含量。研究表明,不同施肥处理对水稻产量有显著影响,尤其以配施有机无机肥处理水稻产量显著最高且最为稳定,而对油菜产量的影响不明显。施肥显著提高了耕层土壤碳密度,而对全土碳密度没有显著影响。施肥处理的固碳速率介于0.1~0.4t/(hm2.a),配施有机肥处理显著高于单施化肥处理。相关分析表明,土壤固碳速率与作物根茬 有机肥源碳的总碳输入量呈显著的对数关系。这提示土壤有机碳积累主要与作物产量有关,而并非依变于有机肥源碳输入。因此,与作物产量直接关联的作物碳输入的增加是土壤中碳固定提高的重要途径。施入N素对水稻碳同化和土壤碳固定的效应均为化肥配施有机肥处理显著高于单施化肥处理,这揭示化肥配施有机肥是提高与稳定稻田生产力和促进土壤固碳和温室气体减排的双赢措施。当然,不同施肥下上述效应的差异可能与土壤-作物系统中碳分配和土壤生物碳利用的差异有关。     

Intrinsic and extrinsic factors acting on the reproductive process in alpine‐snowbed plants: roles of phenology,biological interaction,and breeding system

Pollinator activity and competition for pollinators lead to quantitative and qualitative pollen limitations on seed production and affect the reproductive success of plant species, depending on their breeding system (e.g., self‐compatibility and heterospecific compatibility) and genetic load (e.g., inbreeding depression and hybrid inviability). In alpine ecosystems, snowmelt regimes determine the distribution and phenology of plant communities. Plant species growing widely along a snowmelt gradient often grow with different species among local populations. Their pollinators also vary in their abundance, activity, and behavior during the season. These variations may modify plant–pollinator and plant–plant interactions. We integrated a series of our studies on the alpine dwarf shrub, Phyllodoce aleutica (Ericaceae), to elucidate the full set of intrinsic (species‐specific breeding system) and extrinsic factors (snow condition, pollinator activity, and interspecific competition) acting on their reproductive process. Seasonality of pollinator activity led to quantitative pollen limitation in the early‐blooming populations, whereas in the late‐blooming populations, high pollinator activity ensured pollination service, but interspecific competition for pollinators led to qualitative and quantitative pollen limitation in less competitive species. However, negative effects of illegitimate pollen receipt on seed‐set success might be reduced when cryptic incompatibility systems (i.e., outcross pollen grains took priority over self‐ and heterospecific pollen grains) could effectively prevent ovule and seed discounting. Our studies highlight the importance of species‐specific responses of plant reproduction to changing pollinator availability along environmental gradients to understand the general features of pollination networks in alpine ecosystems.