臭柏群落在不同演替阶段某些群落特征的研究

毛乌素沙地臭柏群落自发演替的基本过程为：半流动沙地沙竹 +沙米（有时是白沙蒿）群落→半固定沙地油蒿+臭柏群落→固定沙地臭柏+硬质早熟禾群落→固定沙地臭柏群落→老固定沙地臭柏+苔藓群落,最后可能发展成为地带性的本氏针茅草原。演替早期向演替亚顶级群落发展过程中物种多样性逐步增加,生态环境逐渐变湿。随着臭柏的衰退,某些喜湿植物的退出,物种多样性开始减少,群落生境向旱生化发展。     

石羊河下游白刺灌丛演替过程中群落结构及数量特征

白刺灌丛(Nitraria tangutorum Bobr.)是在石羊河下游存活面积最大的天然植被类型,研究不同演替阶段白刺灌丛群落的结构和数量特征可为该区白刺群落保护与恢复提供科学依据.根据白刺灌丛生长及其生境状况,在石羊河下游选择了初期发育、稳定、衰退、严重衰退的群落,研究了各演替过程中各阶段的群落物种组成、生活型谱,群落盖度、群落物种多样性及各演替阶段群落的相似性特征.结果表明,从初期发育阶段到稳定阶段的群落物种数量明显减少,而从稳定阶段至严重衰退阶段的演替过程中群落物种是逐渐增加的.在整个演替过程中,1年生植物所占比例逐渐增加,至严重衰退阶段时1年生植物所占的比重高达80％.不同演替阶段群落盖度最高、最低值出现的月份也不相同,5-10月群落盖度的平均值为稳定阶段＞初期发育阶段＞衰败阶段＞严重衰败阶段.各演替阶段多样性Simpson、Shannon-Wiener指数以及Pielou均匀度指数5-10月均呈现波动变化特征,Simpson、Shannon-Wiener指数大小顺序均表现为初期发育阶段＞严重衰退阶段＞衰退阶段＞稳定阶段,而均匀度Pielou指数为衰退阶段＞严重衰退阶段＞稳定阶段＞初期发育阶段.各演替阶段群落之间的相似性均较低,演替序列越相近,相似性系数越高.     

Succession of crustose coralline red algae (Rhodophyta) on coralgal reefs exposed to physical disturbance in the southwest Atlantic

Biological and physical disturbances create the conditions for species succession in any biological ecosystem. In particular, coral reefs are susceptible to this process because of the complexity of their ecological relationships. In the southwest Atlantic, nearshore reefs are mostly coated by a thin layer of coralline crusts rather than stony corals. However, little is known about the succession of crustose coralline algae. We studied this process by means of a series of experimental and control discs exposed to physical disturbance. Our results showed that the dominant species in natural conditions, Pneophyllum conicum, had early recruits and later became dominant on the discs, replicating the community structure of the actual reef. This species had mature reproductive structures and available spores from the beginning of the colonization experiments. Thicker crusts of Porolithon pachydermum and Peyssonnelia sp. were found on the discs after 112 days, and significantly increased their cover over the succeeding months; and after 1 year, P. conicum was less abundant. Physical disturbance increased crust recruitment and the low-light environment created by sediments. The data demonstrated coexistence among crustose coralline species and a tolerance to physical disturbance, which seemed to favor the thinner crusts of P. conicum over thick-crust species during succession. The succession pattern observed in this subtropical Brazilian coral reef differs from that described for shallow tropical reef communities.     

Ascomycota Members Dominate Fungal Communities during Straw Residue Decomposition in Arable Soil

This study investigated the development of fungal community composition in arable soil during the degradation of straw residue. We explored the short-term responses of the fungal community over 28 days of decomposition in soil using culture-independent polymerase chain reaction in combination with a clone library and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Fungal cellobiohydrolase I (cbhI) genes in the soil were also characterized, and their diversity suggested the existence of a different cellulose decomposer. The DGGE profiles based on fungal internal transcribed spacer analysis showed different successions of fungal populations during residue decomposition. Members of Lecythophora and Sordariales were dominant in the early succession, while Hypocrea and Engyodontium were better adapted in the late succession. The succession of fungal communities might be related to changes of residue quality during decomposition. Collectively, sequences assigned to Ascomycota members were dominant at different stages of the fungal succession during decomposition, revealing that they were key drivers responsible for residue degradation in the arable soil tested.     

Culturable bacteria community development in postglacial soils of Ecology Glacier, King George Island, Antarctica

Glacier forelands are excellent sites in which to study microbial succession because conditions change rapidly in the emerging soil. Development of the bacterial community was studied along two transects on lateral moraines of Ecology Glacier, King George Island, by culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches (denaturating gradient gel electrophoresis). Environmental conditions such as cryoturbation and soil composition affected both abundance and phylogenetic diversity of bacterial communities. Microbiocenosis structure along transect 1 (severe cryoturbation) differed markedly from that along transect 2 (minor cryoturbation). Soil physical and chemical factors changed along the chronosequence (time since exposure) and influenced the taxonomic diversity of cultivated bacteria, particularly along transect 2. Arthrobacter spp. played a pioneer role and were present in all soil samples, but were most abundant along transect 1. Cultivated bacteria isolated from transect 2 were taxonomically more diverse than those cultivated from transect 1; those from transect 1 tended to express a broader range of enzyme and assimilation activities. Our data suggest that cryoturbation is a major factor in controlling bacterial community development in postglacial soils, shed light on microbial succession in glacier forelands, and add a new parameter to models that describe succession phenomena.     

Bacterial succession during 500?years of soil development under agricultural use

Soil bacterial succession under intensive anthropogenic disturbances is not well known. Using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms and 454 pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes, this study investigated how soil bacterial diversity and community structure changed under two agricultural land uses (paddy rice and upland cropping) in relation to soil development along a 500-year chronosequence created by intermittent reclamation of estuarine salt marshes. Multivariate analysis revealed orderly changes in soil physicochemical properties and bacterial community structure with time, confirming the occurrence of soil development and bacterial succession. Patterns of soil development and bacterial succession resembled each other, with recent land uses affecting their trajectories but not the overall direction. Succession of bacterial community structure was mainly associated with changes in ??-Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia. Two stages of bacterial succession were observed, a dramatic-succession stage during the first several decades when bacterial diversity increased evidently and bacterial community structure changed rapidly, and a long gradual-succession stage that lasted for centuries. Canonical correspondence analysis identified soil Na⁺, potentially mineralizable nitrogen, total phosphorous, and crystallinity of iron oxyhydrates as potential environmental drivers of bacterial succession. To conclude, orderly succession of soil bacterial communities occurred along with the long-term development of agroecosystems, which in turn was associated with soil physicochemical changes over time.     

Seasonal Periodicity in Lacustrine Phytoplankton and the Theory of Ecological Succession

An attempt has been made to examine the extent to which seasonal periodicity of lacustrine phytoplankton corresponds to the general concepts of the theory of ecological succession. The study was carried out on an eutrophic lake (Aydat, France). As REYNOLDS (1980, 1984) suggests, the seasonal periodicity of phytoplankton is an autogenic succession which may be perturbed by allogenic physical processes that change the initial direction of the succession. Thus, in this lake, only spring succession of phytoplankton can be considered as a true succession, consistent with the theory of ecological succession in that it was a directional and predictable phenomenon leading to an increasing complexity of community.     

Stochastic Assembly of Bacteria in Microwell Arrays Reveals the Importance of Confinement in Community Development

The structure and function of microbial communities is deeply influenced by the physical and chemical architecture of the local microenvironment and the abundance of its community members. The complexity of this natural parameter space has made characterization of the key drivers of community development difficult. In order to facilitate these characterizations, we have developed a microwell platform designed to screen microbial growth and interactions across a wide variety of physical and initial conditions. Assembly of microbial communities into microwells was achieved using a novel biofabrication method that exploits well feature sizes for control of innoculum levels. Wells with incrementally smaller size features created populations with increasingly larger variations in inoculum levels. This allowed for reproducible growth measurement in large (20 μm diameter) wells, and screening for favorable growth conditions in small (5, 10 μm diameter) wells. We demonstrate the utility of this approach for screening and discovery using 5 μm wells to assemble P. aeruginosa colonies across a broad distribution of innoculum levels, and identify those conditions that promote the highest probability of survivial and growth under spatial confinement. Multi-member community assembly was also characterized to demonstrate the broad potential of this platform for studying the role of member abundance on microbial competition, mutualism and community succession.     

Ecological Theory and Community Restoration Ecology

Community ecological theory may play an important role in the development of a science of restoration ecology. Not only will the practice of restoration benefit from an increased focus on theory, but basic research in community ecology will also benefit. We pose several major thematic questions that are relevant to restoration from the perspective of community ecological theory and, for each, identify specific areas that are in critical need of further research to advance the science of restoration ecology. We ask, what are appropriate restoration endpoints from a community ecology perspective? The problem of measuring restoration at the community level, particularly given the high amount of variability inherent in most natural communities, is not easy, and may require a focus on restoration of community function (e.g., trophic structure) rather than a focus on the restoration of particular species. We ask, what are the benefits and limitations of using species composition or biodiversity measures as endpoints in restoration ecology? Since reestablishing all native species may rarely be possible, research is needed on the relationship between species richness and community stability of restored sites and on functional redundancy among species in regional colonist “pools.” Efforts targeted at restoring system function must take into account the role of individual species, particularly if some species play a disproportionate role in processing material or are strong interactors. We ask, is restoration of habitat a sufficient approach to reestablish species and function? Many untested assumptions concerning the relationship between physical habitat structure and restoration ecology are being made in practical restoration efforts. We need rigorous testing of these assumptions, particularly to determine how generally they apply to different taxa and habitats. We ask, to what extent can empirical and theoretical work on community succession and dispersal contribute to restoration ecology? We distinguish systems in which succession theory may be broadly applicable from those in which it is probably not. If community development is highly predictable, it may be feasible to manipulate natural succession processes to accelerate restoration. We close by stressing that the science of restoration ecology is so intertwined with basic ecological theory that practical restoration efforts should rely heavily on what is known from theoretical and empirical research on how communities develop and are structured over time.     

深圳湾福田红树林群落演替

对深圳湾福田凤塘河红树林演替过程中的群落结构、物种组成、多样性变化及演替趋势的研究结果表明:(1)演替各阶段群落均由秋茄(Kandelia candel)、木榄(Bruguiera gymnorrhiza)、桐花树(Aegiceras corniculatum)、白骨壤(Avicennia marina)及老鼠簕(Acanthus ilicifolius)5个种类组成。(2)演替早期(4 a)群落高度增长较快,之后继续保持较快增长,至17 a时趋于稳定,之后增长速度缓慢。(3)4 a和17 a的群落立木级均分布在Ⅱ级—Ⅳ级,56 a和73 a的群落立木均达到最高级Ⅴ级,该两群落立木在Ⅱ级—Ⅴ级均有分布。(4)随着演替的进展,除了73 a群落盖度较56 a群落稍有下降外,其它演替群落盖度逐渐增加;群落胸高断面积表现出与盖度一致的变化趋势;群落个体密度则逐渐下降;群落物种多样性和均匀度不断提高,群落优势度则逐渐下降;群落相似性系数的变化表明在演替过程中群落物种组成结构没有发生明显变化。(5)群落变化及演替为:秋茄+桐花树群落→秋茄群落→白骨壤+秋茄群落→白骨壤群落。     

高寒矮嵩草群落退化演替系列氮、磷生态化学计量学特征

运用历史资料与实地调查相结合的方法,以多元数量统计为手段确定采样地点,以空间尺度代替时间尺度,确定演替系列,以生态化学计量学为基础探讨了高寒矮嵩草草甸退化演替系列氮(N)磷(P)含量及化学计量学特征,发现:1)高寒矮嵩草草甸土壤全量N、P含量随退化演替程度的加深而呈倒"V"字形变化趋势,速效N、P含量随退化程度的加深呈降低趋势,但土壤草甸全量及速效N/P化学计量学特征则呈现降低趋势;2)地上植物N/P化学计量学特征在整个退化演替过程没有明显的差异。说明高寒矮嵩草群落退化改变了土壤中全量及速效N、P的积累和分解速率,打破了土壤系统养分平衡模式,但并没有明显改变植物地上部分整体的N/P化学计量学特征,因此在退化演替过程中植物N/P比为草地退化诊断的惰性指标;土壤N/P化学计量学特征变化同草地退化演替过程具有较好的同步性,其对草地退化演替的敏感性较高,有可能成为未来草地退化诊断的生态指示指标。     

黄土区次生植被恢复对土壤有机碳官能团的影响

以植被空间排列顺序推断时间演替顺序,采用同步辐射软X射线探讨子午岭林区典型植物样地白羊草(Bothriochlor ischaemum)狼牙刺(Sophora viciifolia)辽东栋群落(Quercus liaotungensis)演替过程中土壤有机碳官能团变化。图谱定性分析显示,恢复过程中各植被条件下0-5 cm和20-40 cm土层土壤脂肪-C、酮-C吸收强度明显增加;0-5 cm土层土壤脂肪-C吸收较20-40 cm强,而土壤酮-C吸收较20-40 cm弱。半定量分析结果显示,随植被演替进程,0-5 cm土层土壤各官能团相对百分含量都有所增加,如芳香-C、脂肪-C、酮-C呈现逐渐增加趋势,至辽东栎群落时,20-40 cm土层土壤脂肪-C相对百分含量明显增加。植被恢复过程中,各样地SOC官能团组成基本一致,但植被恢复影响土壤SOC官能团数量变化;植被恢复能促进0-5 cm和20-40 cm土层土壤脂肪-C、酮-C含量增加,并且这种作用随着植被恢复时间的延长逐渐增强,说明植被演替增强了土壤有机碳化学稳定性。     

Early faunal successional patterns in artificial reefs used for restoration of impacted biogenic habitats

This study describes the early epifaunal succession associated with an artificial reef constructed to regenerate damaged biogenic habitats formed by Modiolus modiolus (Linnaeus, 1758). Clumps of live M. modiolus were translocated onto three treatments: flattened cultch, elevated cultch, and directly onto the sea floor. Photographic surveys were carried out 1, 6, and 12 months after completion of the experimental array to test the hypothesis that the artificial reef would enhance habitat complexity thus increasing biodiversity and accelerating faunal community succession. These effects were predicted to be greater on elevated cultch due to higher level of protection and greater accessibility to food compared to sea floor treatments. Univariate analysis indicated that after 12 months the artificial reef had developed a significantly richer and more diverse community compared to 1- and 6-month stages. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant temporal shift in species composition from mobile taxa to sessile and interstitial macroinvertebrates as the artificial reef settled. Reef elevation offered no significant advantages for the development of the epifaunal assemblage. Although further regular monitoring is advisable, this study demonstrated that translocation of a foundation species can help restore marine benthic habitats through the development of a diverse community in a relatively short time.     

Invasive Congeners Differ in Successional Impacts across Space and Time

Invasive species can alter the succession of ecological communities because they are often adapted to the disturbed conditions that initiate succession. The extent to which this occurs may depend on how widely they are distributed across environmental gradients and how long they persist over the course of succession. We focus on plant communities of the USA Pacific Northwest coastal dunes, where disturbance is characterized by changes in sediment supply, and the plant community is dominated by two introduced grasses – the long-established Ammophila arenaria and the currently invading A. breviligulata. Previous studies showed that A. breviligulata has replaced A. arenaria and reduced community diversity. We hypothesize that this is largely due to A. breviligulata occupying a wider distribution across spatial environmental gradients and persisting in later-successional habitat than A. arenaria. We used multi-decadal chronosequences and a resurvey study spanning 2 decades to characterize distributions of both species across space and time, and investigated how these distributions were associated with changes in the plant community. The invading A. breviligulata persisted longer and occupied a wider spatial distribution across the dune, and this corresponded with a reduction in plant species richness and native cover. Furthermore, backdunes previously dominated by A. arenaria switched to being dominated by A. breviligulata, forest, or developed land over a 23-yr period. Ammophila breviligulata likely invades by displacing A. arenaria, and reduces plant diversity by maintaining its dominance into later successional backdunes. Our results suggest distinct roles in succession, with A. arenaria playing a more classically facilitative role and A. breviligulata a more inhibitory role. Differential abilities of closely-related invasive species to persist through time and occupy heterogeneous environments allows for distinct impacts on communities during succession.     

鸭绿江口及邻近海域生物群落的胁迫响应

利用ABC曲线法结合粒径谱理论对鸭绿江口近岸海域的生物群落特征、优势种演替、多样性水平、稳定性状况等进行了分析,并尝试构建了鸭绿江口近岸海域生物群落稳定性的评估模型.研究结果表明,鸭绿江口滨海湿地生物群落结构相对简单,优势种演替明显,受外界干扰较大.春、夏季浮游植物以r-对策者为主,群落数量偏离平衡点;秋季以r-对策者为主的微小型浮游植物逐渐被中大型k-对策者演替,群落完成反馈调节,恢复到平衡点.浮游动物由于较高的能量供应其幼体全年一直处于较高优势水平,但生态效率转换相对较慢.潮间带底栖生物群落结构相对简单,优势种演替明显,系统具有低多样性低密度的特点,群落在夏季受外界扰动较大.游泳生物群落主要以小型个体为主,已处于极不稳定状态.构建的群落稳定性评估模型测算结果与上述结论基本一致,这也验证了该评估模型具有一定的有效性与实用性.综合以上分析结果,说明鸭绿江口近岸海域生物群落稳定性较差,受外界干扰比较严重.     

甘肃兴隆山森林演替过程中的土壤理化性质

在森林群落恢复演替过程中,由于森林类型及其所处立地环境不同,森林与土壤相互作用过程具有复杂性。以甘肃兴隆山6种森林类型(青杄林、青杄-白桦林、山杨-白桦林、灌丛林、落叶松林和油松林)0—60 cm土壤层为研究对象,探讨森林恢复演替过程中土壤理化性质的变化规律,旨在为该区域退化森林生态系统恢复与重建提供依据。结果表明:1)在土壤剖面上,兴隆山森林土壤容重随深度的增加而逐渐增大,总孔隙度、毛管孔隙度、自然含水量、最大持水量、毛管持水量、田间持水量均随深度的增加而减小;pH值差异不显著,无明显变化规律;土壤有机质、全N、水解N、有效P、速效K均随深度的增加而变小,表聚效应明显;全P差异不显著,呈"圆柱体"分布模式;2)在森林恢复演替过程中,天然林容重、孔隙度、持水能力、渗透性明显好于人工林,随森林正向演替的进行,天然林容重不断减少,孔隙度明显改善,通透性能不断增强,而人工林土壤物理性质出现明显退化现象;天然林pH值在演替方向上并未表现出酸化现象;天然林土壤有机质、全N、水解N、有效P和速效K变化规律不明显,但总的变化趋势为先增加后减小;3)有机质与全N、水解N、最大持水量、毛管持水量、田间持水量呈显著正相关,而与容重呈显著负相关;全N与水解N呈显著正相关;土壤有机质在改善土壤理化性质和促进养分循环方面具有重要作用,已成为植被恢复过程中土壤变化的一个重要标志。     

Biophysical Controls on Community Succession in Stream Biofilms

Biofilm formation is controlled by an array of coupled physical, chemical, and biotic processes. Despite the ecological relevance of microbial biofilms, their community formation and succession remain poorly understood. We investigated the effect of flow velocity, as the major physical force in stream ecosystems, on biofilm community succession (as continuous shifts in community composition) in microcosms under laminar, intermediate, and turbulent flow. Flow clearly shaped the development of biofilm architecture and community composition, as revealed by microscopic investigation, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis, and sequencing. While biofilm growth patterns were undirected under laminar flow, they were clearly directed into ridges and conspicuous streamers under turbulent flow. A total of 51 biofilm DGGE bands were detected; the average number ranged from 13 to 16. Successional trajectories diverged from an initial community that was common in all flow treatments and increasingly converged as biofilms matured. We suggest that this developmental pattern was primarily driven by algae, which, as “ecosystem engineers,” modulate their microenvironment to create similar architectures and flow conditions in all treatments and thereby reduce the physical effect of flow on biofilms. Our results thus suggest a shift from a predominantly physical control to coupled biophysical controls on bacterial community succession in stream biofilms.     

Patterns of Gut Bacterial Colonization in Three Primate Species

Host fitness is impacted by trillions of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract that facilitate development and are inextricably tied to life history. During development, microbial colonization primes the gut metabolism and physiology, thereby setting the stage for adult nutrition and health. However, the ecological rules governing microbial succession are poorly understood. In this study, we examined the relationship between host lineage, captive diet, and life stage and gut microbiota characteristics in three primate species (infraorder, Lemuriformes). Fecal samples were collected from captive lemur mothers and their infants, from birth to weaning. Microbial DNA was extracted and the v4 region of 16S rDNA was sequenced on the Illumina platform using protocols from the Earth Microbiome Project. Here, we show that colonization proceeds along different successional trajectories in developing infants from species with differing dietary regimes and ecological profiles: frugivorous (fruit-eating) Varecia variegata, generalist Lemur catta, and folivorous (leaf-eating) Propithecus coquereli. Our analyses reveal community membership and succession patterns consistent with previous studies of human infants, suggesting that lemurs may serve as a useful model of microbial ecology in the primate gut. Each lemur species exhibits distinct species-specific bacterial diversity signatures correlating to life stages and life history traits, implying that gut microbial community assembly primes developing infants at species-specific rates for their respective adult feeding strategies.     

庞泉沟自然保护区寒温性针叶林演替优势种格局动态分析

以华北落叶松和青杆为主的寒温性针叶林是庞泉沟自然保护区的重要林型,也是主要保护对象之一。通过空间代时间构建庞泉沟自然保护区寒温性针叶林演替的时间序列,序列1是华北落叶松单优群落稳定发展的过程,序列2是从华北落叶松单优群落演替至华北落叶松-青杆共优群落再到青杆单优群落的过程,采用点格局分析法和与Monte-Carlo拟合检验对演替过程中华北落叶松和青杆的分布格局及其相互关系进行了研究。结果表明:(1)序列1在华北落叶松单优群落稳定发展过程中,华北落叶松的分布格局由集群分布趋向于随机分布,甚至在0—2.5 m上表现为均匀分布,驱动力是种内竞争引起的自疏现象。序列2从华北落叶松单优群落演替至青杆单优群落过程中,华北落叶松的分布格局同样是由集群分布趋向于随机分布,驱动力主要来自于由于青杄侵入扩散而形成的种间竞争;青杄集群的尺度逐步增大,驱动力主要是种群拓殖和种内竞争。(2)二者种间关系,在华北落叶松单优群落阶段无明显相关,共优阶段由于竞争在0—6.5 m尺度上呈显著正相关,在青杄单优群落,青杄竞争获胜,在0—2.5 m尺度上无明显相关,二者种间关系的变化主要来自于群落剩余资源驱动下的种内种间竞争。