Invasion of exotic plants in nutrient‐enriched urban bushland

Abstract Invasion of exotic plants into vegetation communities on low‐nutrient soils in Sydney is often attributed to increased phosphorus in the soil. However, the composition of native vegetation in nearby national parks has been found to be more closely correlated to combinations of soil nutrients and other environmental variables than phosphorus alone. This study examined whether phosphorus or a range of variables better matched patterns of native and exotic plants in urban bushland. Sites in urban bushland and national parks were sampled, vegetation frequency recorded and soil samples collected. Soil samples were analysed for a range of chemical and physical attributes. A significantly greater number of exotic species were found at the urban sites, and significantly fewer native species than in the national parks. All measured soil nutrients were found to be of a significantly increased concentration in urban soil. Using regression analysis, an index of all measured soil nutrients was found to explain more of the variation in the percentage of exotic species at a site than phosphorus alone. Multivariate analysis showed a gradient of sites from minimal exotic invasion to heavy invasion. However, this gradient also corresponded to changes in native species. The gradient was found to match that of increasing soil nutrient levels. A combination of soil nutrients was found to correlate better with the multivariate species composition than was phosphorus alone. The results suggest that it is the increase of many soil nutrients, not phosphorus alone, that is contributing to the invasion of urban bushland by exotic plants and the alteration of the suite of native species.     

Post‐fire vegetation dynamics in nutrient‐enriched and non‐enriched sclerophyll woodland

Abstract Exotic plant invasions are a significant problem in urban bushland in Sydney, Australia. In low‐nutrient Hawkesbury Sandstone communities, invasive plants are often associated with urban run‐off and subsequent increases in soil nutrients, particularly phosphorus. Fire is an important aspect of community dynamics in Sydney vegetation, and is sometimes used in bush regeneration projects as a tool for weed control. This study addressed the question: ‘Are there differences in post‐fire resprouting and germination of native and exotic species in nutrient‐enriched communities, compared with communities not disturbed by nutrient enrichment?’ We found that in non‐enriched areas, few exotic species emerged, and those that did were unable to achieve the rapid growth that was seen in exotic plants in the nutrient‐enriched areas. Therefore, fire did not promote the invasion of exotic plants into areas that were not nutrient‐enriched. In nutrient‐enriched areas after fire, the diversity of native species was lower than in the non‐enriched areas. Some native species were able to survive and compete with the exotic species in terms of abundance, per cent cover and plant height. However, these successful species were a different suite of natives to those commonly found in the non‐enriched areas. We suggest that although fire can be a useful tool for short‐term removal of exotic plant biomass from nutrient‐enriched areas, it does not promote establishment of native species that were not already present.     

Response of ant communities and ant–seed interactions to bush regeneration

Summary Bush regeneration programmes aim to restore native plant communities by interventions designed to assist natural recovery, supplemented by planting or direct seeding where necessary. The present study compared ground-dwelling ant communities and rates of seed removal by ants in weed-infested, regenerating and undamaged urban bushland in northern Sydney. Three replicate dry sclerophyll sites on sandstone were studied, each containing zones of weed-infested, regenerating and undamaged bushland. Canopy cover, midstorey cover, ground cover and litter depth were measured at each site. Each zone type showed distinctive vegetation and cover characteristics, particularly at the ground level. Ground foraging ants were sampled with pitfall traps, sorted to morphospecies and placed in functional groups. There were no significant differences in ant abundance, number of genera or number of morphospecies between site types. Ant diversity and equitability was highest in the undamaged zones, followed by regenerating zones, then weedy zones. There was a significant difference between zone types in the proportion of ant species in different functional groups. Weedy zones were dominated by Opportunist species whereas regenerating zones had a high proportion of Dominant Dolichoderinae. At undamaged zones, the distribution of ants across functional groups was more even. Differences in the ant communities between the three zone types were reflected by differences in interactions between ants and seeds. Seed removal rates of both native and exotic seeds were significantly lower at weedy zones than at undamaged zones, with the regenerating zones having intermediate rates. Sites subject to regeneration 4–10 years previously were intermediate between undamaged and weedy zones for ground cover, litter depth, ant species diversity and equitability, proportion of Opportunist ant species, and seed removal rates. Thus, the regeneration techniques used have been at least partially successful in restoring some aspects of the invertebrate fauna and ecological interactions typical of undamaged dry sclerophyll bushland.     

Suburban development and resultant changes in the vegetation of the bushland of the northern Sydney region

Bushland sites in the northern suburbs of Sydney were compared to sites in Brisbane Waters National Park, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and Royal National Park which are relatively unaffected by suburban development. Both shale-derived and sandstone-derived soil in four physiographical locations were examined, with three replicates of each of the 16 combinations. Phosphorus levels are higher in the soils of suburban sites compared to soils derived from similar rock bases in non-suburban sites. Phosphorus levels are also higher on shale-derived than on sandstone-derived soils, and lower on hilltops than in other physiographic positions. Suburban sandstone sites have soil phosphorus levels similar to those of non-suburban shale sites. Three major and three minor clusters of species were distinguished using a hierarchical agglomerative clustering. The major clusters consisted of (1) species commonly associated with wet sclerophyll forests and rainforest margins, (2) species directly or indirectly related to the presence of man, and (3) species associated with dry sclerophyll forests and heaths. Using analyses of variance and covariance, and logit models, the abundance of the first main cluster was related to nutrient-rich soils and the abundance of the third main cluster to low nutrient soils whereas the presence of the second main cluster was almost entirely restricted to sites surrounded by suburbs. The development of suburbs around vegetation patches has led to an increase in the abundance of native and exotic mesomorphic species and the addition of phosphorus to the soils. The data presented in this paper indicates that high phosphorus levels and presence of mesomorphic species are related.     

Nutrient Concentrations in Foliage of Species Within a New South Wales Sub-Tropical Rainforest

Sub-tropical rainforests in New South Wales are complex, oftenwith more than 30 tree species ha^–1. Estimation of nutrientcontents involves obtaining information on the range of nutrientconcentrations both in different species and in different foreststrata. The foliage from the tree and shrub components of an undisturbedforest were analyzed chemically together with the small treeand shrub component of an area logged two years previously.The site had high nutrient availability. All nutrients analyzed(nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese,aluminium, sodium, zinc, iron, boron and chloride) varied betweenspecies. Some individuals accumulated high concentrations ofspecific nutrients, but an accumulator of one nutrient was notnecessarily an accumulator of any other. Assessment of nutrient concentrations on the basis of foreststrata showed major differences. Nutrients were accumulatedin higher concentrations on a disturbed site than on an undisturbedsite. This has been discussed in relation to nutrient conservationmechanisms after disturbance. Within the undisturbed stand,the large shrub stratum had the highest concentrations of nitrogen,phosphorus, potassium and boron. Mean concentrations of aluminium,sodium and chloride were highest in the small shrub stratum,mainly because several species accumulate these elements. Sub-tropical rainforest, nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, aluminium, sodium, zinc, iron, boron, chloride     

Foliar demand and resource economy of nutrients in dry tropical forest species

Important phenological activities in seasonally dry tropical forest species occur within the hot‐dry period when soil water is limiting, while the subsequent wet period is utilized for carbon accumulation. Leaf emergence and leaf area expansion in most of these tree species precedes the rainy season when the weather is very dry and hot and the soil cannot support nutrient uptake by the plants. The nutrient requirement for leaf expansion during the dry summer period, however, is substantial in these species. We tested the hypothesis that the nutrients withdrawn from the senescing leaves support the emergence and expansion of leaves in dry tropical woody species to a significant extent. We examined the leaf traits (with parameters such as leaf life span, leaf nutrient content and retranslocation of nutrients during senescence) in eight selected tree species in northern India. The concentrations of N, P and K declined in the senescing foliage while those of Na and Ca increased. Time series observations on foliar nutrients indicated a substantial amount of nutrient resorption before senescence and a ‘tight nutrient budgeting’. The resorbed N‐mass could potentially support 50 to 100% and 46 to 80% of the leaf growth in terms of area and weight, respectively, across the eight species studied. Corresponding values for P were 29 to 100% and 20 to 91%, for K 29 to 100% and 20 to 57%, for Na 3 to 100% and 1 to 54%, and for Ca 0 to 32% and 0 to 30%. The species differed significantly with respect to their efficiency in nutrient resorption. Such interspecific differences in leaf nutrient economy enhance the conservative utilization of soil nutrients by the dry forest community. This reflects an adaptational strategy of the species growing on seasonally dry, nutrient‐poor soils as they tend to depend more or less on efficient internal cycling and, thus, utilize the retranslocated nutrients for the production of new foliage biomass in summer when the availability of soil moisture and nutrients is severely limited.     

Biomass and nutrient distribution in a 15.5 year old forest growing on a rehabilitated bauxite mine

Abstract Above-ground biomass and its nutrient content were measured in a 15.5 year old rehabilitated bauxite mine in the jarrah forest of southwest Australia. The litterfall and its nutrient content was also measured on the same site, 4–6 years and 8–10 years after rehabilitation. The total mass of the vegetation and litter was 103t ha^?1, 25% of that in a nearby jarrah forest. The mass of the trees was 58t ha^?1, approximately 22% of that in the jarrah forest. The amount of nitrogen in the soil, in the litter and in the understorey, and in the total system, exceeded that in the nearby jarrah forest. Annual litterfall in the rehabilitated area was comparable to that measured in the jarrah forest and other dry sclerophyll forests. The nitrogen content of the litterfall in the rehabilitated area was around three to four times that in other dry sclerophyll forests.     

Microbats in a ‘leafy’ urban landscape: are they persisting,and what factors influence their presence?

Urbanization is an extreme form of habitat modification, but retention of native vegetation in bushland reserves may improve the ecological sustainability of cities. We focused on bats (Microchiroptera) and investigated the use of the urban matrix and surrounding bushland in a region of Sydney, Australia, where remnant bushland persists and gardens often support large trees. Ultrasonic surveys were conducted at 40 sites over one summer season in the backyard matrix, bushland remnants and surrounding National Parks to determine which species were present, and the influence of landscape elements and habitat characteristics on activity, species richness and presence of individual species. In total, 15 of the 17 microbat species known from the Sydney region were recorded in the study area. Yet only three of these species, Chalinolobus gouldii, Mormopterus species 2 and Miniopterus schreibersii were present in more than 40% of sites. Bat activity was significantly higher in remnant bushland on shale soils and in backyards, compared with sandstone gully and ridge remnants, or reference sites in nearby National Parks. Furthermore, species assemblages in urban areas were different from assemblages in reference sites. Of all the habitat characteristics examined, the amount of bushland within 0.5–3 km surrounding a site and tree density were the most common predictors of individual species presence, particularly rare species. Area of bushland, hollow abundance and average tree diameter were positively correlated with species richness, while tree diameter was the strongest predictor of total microbat activity. The proximity of large areas of bushland and the many trees remaining in residential areas of the northern ‘leafy’ suburbs of Sydney allowed the persistence of a range of bat species. The higher bat activity on fertile shale soils indicated that bushland remnants embedded within cities can have high conservation value for bats. Surveys in more urbanized areas of Sydney are needed to test predictions of the models derived in this study.     

Phosphorus conservation during post‐fire regeneration in a Chilean temperate rainforest

Nitrogen and phosphorus are the main elements limiting net primary production in terrestrial ecosystems. When growing in nutrient‐poor soils, plants develop physiological mechanisms to conserve nutrients, such as reabsorbing elements from senescing foliage (i.e. nutrient retranslocation). We investigated the changes in soil N and P in post‐fire succession in temperate rainforests of southern Chile. In this area, forest recovery often leads to spatially scattered, discrete regeneration with patches varying in age, area, species richness and tree cover, representing different degrees of recovery from disturbance. We hypothesized that soil nutrient concentrations should differ among tree regenerating patches depending on the progress of forest regeneration and that nutrient resorption should increase over time as colonizing trees respond to limited soil nutrients. To evaluate these hypotheses, we sampled 40 regeneration patches in an area of 5 ha, spanning a broad range of vegetation complexity, and collected soil, tree foliage and litter samples to determine N and P concentrations. Nutrient concentrations in leaf litter were interpreted as nutrient resorption proficiency. We found that soil P was negatively correlated with all the indicators of successional progress, whereas total soil N was independent of the successional progress. Foliar N and P were unrelated to soil nutrient concentrations; however, litter N was negatively related to soil N, and litter P was positively related with soil P. Finally, foliar N:P ratios ranged from 16 to 25, which suggests that P limitation can hamper post‐fire regeneration. We provide evidence that after human‐induced fires, succession in temperate forests of Chile can become nutrient limited and that high nutrient retranslocation is a key nutrient conservation strategy for regenerating tree communities.     

Richness of species and growth-forms within sclerophyll and mesophyll vegetation in eastern Australia

Abstract The patterns in total species richness and in the richness of the dominant growth-forms of vegetation communities of coastal sclerophyll and mesophyll vegetation in eastern Australia are examined. Plant species richness data were obtained from two 500 m² quadrats from 50 sites within a single geographical region north of Sydney, New South Wales. Concentrically nested subquadrats within each quadrat enabled the determination of species-area relationships for total species richness and its components. Three growth-forms were examined (trees, shrubs and ground cover) and patterns in the richness of these components were compared to those exhibited by total species richness. Total species richness was higher in sclerophyll communities on Hawkesbury Sandstone soils than in adjacent mesophyll communities on Narrabeen shales and sandstones. Significant patterns in total species richness within the two soil types were also found. Shrub and ground cover species richness showed strong correlations with total species richness, with higher richness in the sclerophyll communities. However, tree species richness contributed little to the patterns in total species richness. The results of this study suggest that differential patterns in the components of total species richness must be taken into account for effective modelling of natural areas based on species richness and diversity parameters.     

Herbivore and nutrient control of lawn and bunch grass distributions in a southern African savanna

In African savannas, bottom-up soil nutritional factors and top-down herbivory have both been suggested to control the distribution patterns of bunch and lawn grasses. We tested the separate and combined roles of these factors on grassland distribution in a South African savanna by focusing on three main objectives, namely (1) are grazing patches and lawns restricted to specific soils or sites, (2) does herbivory alter rates of nutrient cycling which facilitates lawns and (3) are there any differences in foliage quality between lawn and bunch grass-dominated sites that might influence animals in choosing to feed on lawns? We set up ten sites along a grazing gradient in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. At these sites, we measured total soil nutrients, soil nutrient turnover rates and grass foliage nutrient concentrations. We found that in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park the spatial distribution of lawn and bunch grassland types appears to be an animal-driven phenomenon and not dependent on specific soil properties. The short-structured and distinct species found in lawns do not appear to be restricted to nutrient-enriched patches. However, the grasses of these lawns had significantly higher nutrient concentrations, in their foliage, which might explain the high attraction to these patches by herbivores. We also did not find any animal-induced stimulation of nutrient cycling rates that are often associated with lawn grass species.     

Critical foliage concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus as a guide to the nutrient status of araucaria underplanted to pinus

Summary The growth ofAraucaria cunninghamii Ait. planted in lateritic podzolic soils on dry sclerophyll forest sites in southern Queensland is known to be limited primarily by lack of nitrogen; phosphorus is a secondary deficiency. However, Araucaria can be grown without fertilizers on these sites by underplanting to Pinus.A factorial fertilizer trial was used to establish critical levels of foliage nitrogen and phosphorus in Araucaria. The critical level of nitrogen depends     

Deforestation and biodiversity: effects of bushland cultivation on dung beetles in semi-arid Tanzania

Dung beetles provide important ecosystem services in the habitats where they occur. The activity of dung beetles enhances soil nutrient cycling and increases the soil’s ability to absorb and hold water. Consequently, these beetles are particularly important in semi-arid environments. This study analyses the importance of remaining wooded habitat patches (bushland) for the survival of a diverse dung beetle fauna in an otherwise cultivated landscape in semi-arid Tanzania. Dung beetles were sampled by pitfall trapping in maize fields and bushland habitats. In total, 6037 dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), representing 77 species from 25 genera, were collected. Many species, particularly amongst the ball-rollers, showed a clear preference for wooded patches, species richness being significantly higher in the bushland patches than in the cultivated sites. The number of trapped specimens in bushland was also considerably higher than that found in maize fields, although the differences were not significant. In conclusion, bushland fragments appear to have an important conservation value as to maintaining a high diversity and abundance of dung beetles, thereby enhancing the ecosystem services provided by these beneficial insects.     

More is not necessarily better: the impact of limiting and excessive nutrients on herbivore population growth rates

Abstract 1. The body tissues of insect herbivores contain higher concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus than do their host plants, leading to an elemental mismatch that can limit herbivore growth, fecundity and ultimately influence population dynamics. While low nutrient availability can limit herbivore growth and reproduction, nutrient levels that exceed an organism’s nutritional requirements, i.e. an organisms’ threshold elemental ratio, can also decrease performance. 2. We conducted a laboratory experiment to examine the impacts of nitrogen and phosphorus additions on population growth rates of a phloem‐feeding insect herbivore. 3. Herbivore per capita population growth rates were highest at intermediate foliar nitrogen concentrations, indicating a performance cost on the highest nitrogen foliage. While there was no direct effect of foliar phosphorus concentration on insect performance, there was a strong and unexpected indirect effect. High soil phosphorus availability increased both foliar nitrogen concentrations and aphid tissue nitrogen, resulting in low population growth rates when both soil nitrogen and phosphorus availabilities were high. 4. In this study, experimental increases in foliar nitrogen levels led to a decrease in herbivore performance suggesting that excessive nutrient levels can limit herbivore population growth rates.     

Effect of soil K, Ca and Mg saturation and endomycorrhization on growth and nutrient uptake of sugar maple seedlings

Nutrient imbalances of declining sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) stands in southeastern Quebec have been associated with high exchangeable Mg levels in soils relative to soil K and Ca. A greenhouse experiment was set up to test the hypothesis that the equilibrium between soil exchangeable K, Ca, and Mg ions influences the growth and nutrient status of sugar maple seedlings. Also tested was whether endomycorrhization can alter nutrient acquisition under various soil exchangeable basic cations ratios. Treatments consisted of seven ratios of soil exchangeable K, Ca, and Mg making up a total base saturation of 58%, and a soil inoculation treatment with the endomycorrhizal fungus Glomus versiforme (control and inoculated), in a complete factorial design. Sugar maple seedlings were grown for 3 months in the treated soils. Plant shoot elongation rate, dry biomass and nutrient concentrations in foliage were influenced by the various ratios of soil cations. The predicted plant biomass and foliar K concentration were highest at a soil Ca saturation of 38%, a soil K saturation of 12%, and a soil Mg saturation of 8%. Potassium concentration in foliage was dependent on the level of Ca and Mg saturation in the soil when soil K saturation was close to 12%. Foliar Ca and Mg levels were more dependent on their corresponding levels in soil than foliar K. Colonization by G. versiforme did not influence seedling growth and macronutrient uptake. The results confirm that growth and nutrition of sugar maple are negatively affected by imbalances in exchangeable basic cations in soils.     

High variation in foliage and leaf litter chemistry among 45 tree species of a neotropical rainforest community

Distinct ecosystem level carbon : nitrogen : phosphorus (C : N : P) stoichiometries in forest foliage have been suggested to reflect ecosystem-scale selection for physiological strategies in plant nutrient use. Here, this hypothesis was explored in a nutrient-poor lowland rainforest in French Guiana. Variation in C, N and P concentrations was evaluated in leaf litter and foliage from neighbour trees of 45 different species, and the litter concentrations of major C fractions were also measured. Litter C ranged from 45.3 to 52.4%, litter N varied threefold (0.68-2.01%), and litter P varied seven-fold (0.009-0.062%) among species. Compared with foliage, mean litter N and P concentrations decreased by 30% and 65%, respectively. Accordingly, the range in mass-based N : P shifted from 14 to 55 in foliage to 26 to 105 in litter. Resorption proficiencies indicated maximum P withdrawal in most species, but with a substantial increase in variation in litter P compared with foliage. These data suggest that constrained ecosystem-level C : N : P ratios do not preclude the evolution of highly diversified strategies of nutrient use and conservation among tropical rainforest tree species. The resulting large variation in litter quality will influence stoichiometric constraints within the decomposer food web, with potentially far-ranging consequences on nutrient dynamics and plant-soil feedbacks.     

四种北方阔叶树种苗木对土壤镉胁迫的生长反应与抗性比较

采用盆栽方法,研究了4种北方阔叶树种茶条槭、山梨、五角槭和山荆子一年生苗木对土壤镉胁迫的生长反应和抗性.采用土壤和风化砂混合物作为栽培基质,设计5种土壤镉浓度梯度处理(对照、10、50、100、200mg·kg^-1).结果表明,低浓度处理(≤50mg·kg^-1)刺激各树种苗木的地径、树高生长,其中茶条槭在10mg·kg^-1处理下地径和苗高增加幅度最大,分别为对照的135.8%和146.0%;随着镉处理浓度的增加,地上部生长量下降,茶条槭在最高浓度处理下,生长量降低最大,地径和苗高仅分别为对照的241%和280%.叶片和新枝生物量变化存在较大种间差异,茶条槭和山梨在低浓度处理时总体上表现增加;山荆子新枝生物量增加,叶生物量减少;五角槭表现一致减少.最高浓度处理时,叶和新枝生物量受影响最大的是茶条槭,分别为对照的4.6%和7.3%;其次为五角槭,分别为对照的5.7%和7.9%;山梨和山荆子受影响的幅度相对较小.新根生物量除山梨外,其它3个树种苗木的生物量表现一致下降,其中下降幅度以茶条槭最大,最高浓度处理仅为对照的2.3%.山梨在低浓度处理下,新根生物量有所增加,分别为对照的125.5%和117.1%.     

Photosynthesis and reflectance indices for rainforest species in ecosystems undergoing progression and retrogression along a soil fertility chronosequence in New Zealand

Measurements of photosynthesis at saturating irradiance and CO₂ partial pressure, A _max, “adjusted” normalised difference vegetation index, R _aNDVI, and photochemical reflectance index, R _PRI, were made on trees sampled along a soil chronosequence to investigate the relationship between carbon uptake and ecosystem development in relation to nutrient availability. Measurements were made on the three most dominant species at six sites along the sequence in South Westland, New Zealand with soil age ranging from <6 to 120,000 years resulting from the retreat of the Franz Josef glacier. The decrease in soil phosphorus availability with increasing soil age and high soil nitrogen availability at the two youngest sites, due to the presence of a nitrogen-fixing species, provided marked differences in nutrient availability. Mean A _max was high at the two youngest sites, then decreased markedly with increasing site age. Analysis of the data for individual species within sites revealed separation of groups of species in the response of A _max to N _m and P _m, suggesting complex interactions between the two nutrients. There were strong linear relationships for leaf-level R _aNDVI and R _PRI with A _max, at high irradiance, showing that measurements of reflectance indices can be used to estimate A _max for foliage with a range in morphology and nutrient concentrations. Notwithstanding the change in species composition from angiosperms to conifers with increasing site age, the presence of nitrogen-fixing species, the variability in foliage morphology from flat leaves to imbricate scales and a wide range in foliar nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, there were strong positive linear relationships between site average A _max and foliage nitrogen, N _m, and phosphorus, P _m, concentrations on a foliage mass basis. The results provide insights to interpret the regulation of photosynthesis across natural ecosystems with marked gradients in nitrogen and phosphorus availability.     

喀斯特不同植被恢复阶段土壤有机酸季节变化与有效氮磷的关系

植物分泌有机酸在提高土壤养分有效性方面起到重要作用。为了解喀斯特地区不同植被恢复阶段土壤有机酸含量季节性变化与氮磷有效性的关系,在灌木林和原生林各选择3种优势植物,测定雨季和旱季两个季节根际土和非根际土的有机酸含量、碳氮磷含量和比值、有效性氮磷含量及微生物生物量碳。结果表明:原生林植物根际土的草酸含量高于灌木林,而苹果酸和乙酸含量则低于灌木林;根际土草酸含量均高于非根际土; 2个植被根际土和非根际土的草酸含量在雨季高于旱季,而苹果酸和乙酸含量则低于旱季;土壤草酸含量与有机碳、全氮、全磷和N∶P值呈显著正相关,与C∶N呈显著负相关;土壤有效氮和有效磷与草酸和微生物生物量碳呈显著正相关。上述结果表明,植物分泌有机酸的季节性变化与土壤养分状态和自身养分需求相关,而有机酸耦合微生物对养分有效性的提高具有积极的作用。因此,根际土的有机酸季节变化可能是喀斯特生态系统中植物适应土壤养分限制的一种重要机制。     

Micronutrient levels in some temperate European tree species: a comparative field study

Micronutrient concentrations in foliage and stemwood (including bark) of six European tree species (Betula pendula Roth., Quercus robur L., Fraxinus excelsior L., Fagus sylvatica L., Tilia cordata Mill. and Picea abies (L.) Karst.) planted on the same type of soil at six sites in three different countries were studied. Micronutrient concentrations in foliage were considerably higher than in stemwood for all elements and species studied, except for Fe in spruce. Interspecies comparisons revealed significant differences in concentrations both in foliar and stemwood biomass, as well as in stemwood:foliage nutrient ratios. Lime foliage showed a considerably higher concentration of B than all other species, while the stemwood concentration of this element was highest in ash. Mn concentration in both foliar and stemwood biomass of ash was extremely low compared with concentrations in other species. Birch stemwood showed nearly double the level of Zn in other species at all sites. Zn concentrations in the birch foliage were also higher than in other species, with the exception of the Lithuanian sites, which showed lower EDTA-extractable Zn concentrations in the soils. The concentration of Cu was lowest in spruce foliage, while Cu concentrations in stemwood were similar in all species. It was concluded that species-related differences in microelement nutrition must be taken into account when evaluating the nutrient status of common European forest tree species, and when using them as bio-indicators of the effects of environmental pollution.