基于CA-Markov和InVEST模型的城市景观格局与生境质量时空演变及预测

由人类活动引起的城市景观格局变化是影响陆地生态系统的重要因素之一,城市景观格局分布对区域生物多样性服务功能的影响极大.为研究城市景观格局和生境质量演化及其变化原因,以武汉市作为典型区,基于武汉市2005、2010和2015年3期景观类型信息,使用马尔柯夫模型分析其景观格局时空变化特征;采用CA-Markov模型模拟预测武汉市2020年自然增长情景下的景观格局发展方向;使用Logistic回归模型分析景观变化的驱动力;结合InVEST模型评价3期景观格局分布下的生境质量分布和变化,以及2020年模拟情景下的生境质量分布特征,探究景观格局变化与人类活动之间的关系.结果表明: 2005—2015年间,研究区景观类型变化以耕地和人工表面为主.耕地面积呈现逐年减少的趋势,主要转变为人工表面.人工表面面积不断增多,主要由水田和旱地转变而来.研究区整体景观生境质量级别下降,大量高生境质量级别的景观向低生境质量级别转化.整体景观生境质量指数减少,生物多样性服务功能降低,生境质量发生退化.2015—2020年间,武汉市景观格局和生境质量继续保持2005—2015年的变化趋势,表现为人工表面增加、景观生境质量指数减少、生物多样性服务功能降低、生境质量退化.研究区景观格局变化的主要驱动因子是国内生产总值变化和地区财政收入变化.人类社会经济活动是影响研究区景观格局变化和生境质量下降的重要驱动力,城镇化扩张和填湖造地是武汉市生态景观变化的主要原因.     

普达措国家公园生态安全格局构建

生态安全格局作为景观生态学的热点和重点,其构建对维护区域生态安全水平以及实现区域可持续发展具有重要意义。选取云南省普达措国家公园为研究区域,基于2000、2010、2017年3期土地利用数据,利用InVEST模型评估其生境质量时空演变,并以此为基础确定生态源地。选取坡度、土地利用类型、生境质量指数、植被覆盖度（NDVI）和距水域距离等5个相关阻力因子建立阻力面,运用阻力阈值法提取保护关键区;最后利用最小累积阻力模型建立生态廊道和生态战略节点,构建出普达措国家公园的生态安全格局。结果表明：（1）普达措国家公园生境质量空间分布差异较大,与土地利用类型有一定的关联性,生境质量总体上处于较高水平,高质量生境占比80%以上。（2）2000-2017年,研究区平均生境质量先下降后基本不变,由0.8392到0.8295再到0.8294,总体保持较高水平,生境质量均值均为0.8以上;面积占比随着生境质量的变化相应变化。（3）研究区生态源地分布整体上较为集中,占普达措国家公园总面积的2.30%,最小累积阻力值分布总体上较为分散。（4）生态廊道呈现环状形态格局,生态战略节点位于环状中心和环状上部区域,保护关键区表现出"双三角"形态。研究结果有利于刻画普达措国家公园生境质量时空演变过程,对其土地资源的合理可持续利用与发展具有积极的指导意义,并为我国国家公园的生态保护提供借鉴。     

老铁山自然保护区景观格局与生境质量时空变化

由于人口数量的增长和日益频繁的人类活动促进了城市扩张,自然生态系统面积逐渐缩小,一些自然保护区内部生态环境和物种栖息地随之受到影响。因此以辽宁蛇岛老铁山国家级自然保护区中的老铁山自然保护区为研究区,以1997年、2007年和2017年该地区的遥感影像为数据源,解译出15种景观类型,分析景观格局变化趋势。再选取3个景观指数作为衡量人类干扰强度的指标,生成人类干扰强度空间分布图。InVEST模型由美国自然资本项目组开发,能够定量分析生态系统服务功能,因此采用InVEST模型计算生境质量,并探讨该地区20年来人类干扰强度与生境质量的时空变化,并分析二者的相关性。结果表明:(1)1997—2017年,老铁山自然保护区建筑用地、园地面积增加最多,林地、草地略有减少;耕地向园地的转移面积最大。(2)1997—2017年,研究区内试验区和缓冲区人类干扰强度逐年增强,而核心区部分呈现先减弱再增强的趋势,保护区整体呈现出干扰逐渐增强的趋势。(3)1997—2017年该地区的生境质量整体呈现逐渐下降的趋势,生境质量时空变化的热点集中在研究区核心区的周边地带。(4)生境质量与代表人类干扰强度的景观指数呈现出...     

2000-2018年西秦岭景观格局变化及生态系统健康评价

西秦岭地区生态环境脆弱,人地矛盾日益加剧,区域景观格局变化及其生态系统健康演变趋势关系到区域生态安全。研究探讨2000—2018年西秦岭景观格局和生态系统健康状况的时空演变,采用2000—2018年的遥感数据,分析西秦岭的景观格局及其演变;并且在活力-组织力-反弹力(VOR)框架模型的基础上,结合生态系统服务能力和人类胁迫指标,分析西秦岭的生态系统健康状态及变化趋势。研究结果表明：西秦岭有三种优势景观,包括林地、耕地和草地,2000—2018年景观类型转移主要发生在这三者的互相转换;城镇用地的面积也处于增加的态势且增势较大。西秦岭景观扩张是通过大量小规模零散的斑块扩张实现的。由于秦岭生态保护的加强,西秦岭的景观异质性和破碎化程度在2005年出现转折点,景观类型呈均衡发展趋势。研究区超过60%面积的地区生态景观属于健康状态,且2000—2018年西秦岭的生态系统健康指数呈增加态势,生态系统的状态逐渐向好发展,但西秦岭的高寒山地以及秦岭与黄土高原复合边缘地带的生态脆弱区处于亚健康或不健康状态。研究成果对西秦岭生态脆弱敏感地带的生态保护与治理具有重要意义。     

漫湾库区景观破碎化对区域生境质量的影响

水利工程的建设不仅改变了库区的景观格局,还会导致区域生物生境质量的变化。以澜沧江漫湾库区为例,在综合海拔高度、植被类型和水源地距离生境因子的基础上,考虑生物扩散过程,研究了建坝前后整个库区以及典型研究小区(库首、库中、库尾、对照)的重要生境斑块空间分布变化。结果表明:漫湾水电站建成后库区的猕猴总体生境破碎化程度增加,景观连接度减少且重要生境斑块的比例也有所降低,生境质量整体下降;4个研究小区的景观格局变化情况同整个库区相一致。空间上,生境质量明显退化的地区主要分布在库区的西部和南部,尤其是库尾地区,其生境斑块数量相较于建坝前增长了9倍,而景观连接度指数下降了81.48%。回归分析结果表明景观连接度指数与占景观面积百分比指数(PLAND)呈显著正相关(R~2=0.973),与斑块数(NP)呈显著负相关(R~2=-0.611);肯德尔系数表明斑块数(NP)、最大斑块指数(LPI)、占景观百分比指数(PLAND)、相似邻近百分比指数(PLADJ)、连通度指数(CONNECT)和香农多样性指数(SHDI)7个景观格局指数与景观连接度指数均表现出显著一致性。由此看出,库区景观破碎化越严重、区域景观连接度越低生境质量退化越明显;而提高生境主要植被类型的覆盖率、保护连接度贡献大的重要斑块和建设生态廊道,可以有效恢复库区生物生境质量。     

基于InVEST模型的皖西大别山区生境质量时空演化及景观格局分析

新型城镇化及生态文明建设背景下,加强中国重要生态功能区的生境质量研究具有重要意义。以皖西大别山区舒城县为例,基于InVEST模型及地形位等方法进行生境质量时空演变与景观格局互动及梯度效应分析,结果表明:(1)1995—2015年,研究区生境质量指数从1995年的0.6392下降为2015年的0.6356,总体降幅不大;生境退化程度持续上升,由0.0133上升至0.0142。热点分析表明,生境质量较差的冷点区主要分布于东北部的城镇及其周边区域,质量较高的热点区主要位于西南部植被分布区;(2)生境质量及生境退化分布指数具有显著的地形位梯度效应。高生境质量分布指数与林地分布一致并随地形位梯度上升成主导优势,而低生境质量分布与建设用地和农地分布一致,并在低地形位梯度上占主导优势;(3)分区和整体生境质量与景观格局指数相关性显著,但不同区域内的二者之间相关性质各异。生境质量演化受地形和景观格局影响较大。研究结果对于大别山重要生态功能区的生境保护及生态系统功能调控具有一定的理论与实践价值。     

黄河口湿地生态网络构建与评价

构建生态网络能够有效连接破碎的生境,对保护物种多样性具有重要意义。以黄河口为研究区域,利用最小耗费距离模型和重力模型构建黄河口湿地“三横两竖”的生态网络框架,并基于景观连通性指数法、廊道土地利用类型分析法和网络结构分析法对黄河口湿地生态网络进行了评价。研究结果表明:(1)通过构建生态网络,生境源地的的IIC和PC分别提高到之前的4.5倍和8.6倍,各生境源地的斑块重要性较为均衡。(2)不同生境源地之间相互关系密切程度随着距离和面积的变化存在差异。(3)黄河口湿地生态网络的α指数为0.4396,β指数为1.8125,γ指数为0.6304,具有较大优化提升空间。(4)草本沼泽和灌丛湿地是生境源地主要景观组成,盐沼湿地、草本沼泽和灌丛湿地是构成生态廊道的优势景观,分别占生态网络景观组成的31.23%、23.86%和17.30%。黄河口湿地生态网络的构建对黄河口湿地生态保护和保护区规划有重要的参考价值。     

基于土地利用变化的黄土丘陵区生境质量时空演变特征——以榆中县为例

生境质量是生态系统服务水平的重要表征,是区域生态安全保障和人类福祉提升的关键环节,评估土地利用变化引起的生境质量时空演变可为区域生态保护和土地管理提供科学依据。以典型黄土丘陵区县域——榆中县为例,基于Arc GIS平台和InVEST模型探讨了该县1995、2005和2015年生境质量空间格局及其演变特征。结论如下:(1)研究区土地类型和景观格局变化明显,主要土地利用变化是耕地转向建设用地和林地,以及草地和耕地之间的相互转变,这些变化导致景观异质性增强和破碎度上升。(2)生境质量空间格局一直表现为"南部高、中部居中、北部低"的态势。生境质量上升区域主要在北部,原因是"退耕还林"及"生态北山"工程的实施使得林地面积增加,下降区域主要在中部,主要是由建设用地扩张占用耕地造成的。(3)生境质量热点以及"H-H"型聚集区主要位于南部山区,而冷点和"L-L"聚集区主要位于北部黄土丘陵区,2015年生境质量空间集聚程度较1995年有所增强,"H-H"聚集区增加0.68%,"L-L"聚集区增加0.67%。对该类型区域生境质量优化提出了相应的政策建议。     

城市扩张导致京津冀区域生境质量下降

城镇化发展极大地改变了区域生境分布格局和功能,从而影响区域生态安全。因此,开展生境质量的评估,对于城市生态安全保障具有重要作用。基于In VEST生境质量模型,评估了京津冀区域2005—2015年生境质量时空变化格局。研究结论如下:1)2005—2015年,京津冀生境面积减少7134.2 km~2,占2005年生境面积的3.7%。耕地、草地和水域生境面积分别减少5081.0、1695.1、421.6 km~2,占对应类型生境面积的4.7%,4.9%和7.2%。2)京津冀生境质量从0.88降至0.83,下降幅度达5.69%。其中,耕地生境质量下降最为严重,其次为水域生境质量。3)生境质量下降区域主要沿北京-保定-石家庄-邢台-邯郸等经济发展迅速的区域分布,表现为城市扩张侵占原有生境。4)京津冀高生境质量斑块破碎度增加,低生境质量斑块集聚度增加。整体上看,京津冀区域生境斑块破碎度增加。     

荒漠草原生态系统景观格局变化及其对气候的响应

荒漠草原是荒漠与草原间的过渡带，生态系统非常脆弱，一旦被破坏，难以恢复。四子王旗荒漠草原作为内蒙古温带草原中最干旱的一个类型，其生态系统景观格局演变不仅关系到自身草原生态系统多样性，而且对邻近草原的生态功能恢复具有重要意义。本研究利用卫星遥感技术结合景观生态学理论和InVEST模型，评估了2003—2017年四子王旗生态系统景观格局和生境质量演变，并进一步选取草地生产力NPP作为关键生态系统参数，分析了四子王旗草原生态系统对气候因子的响应。结果表明：2003—2017年，四子王旗生态系统景观格局破碎化程度提升，优势斑块景观连接性进一步减弱，总体生境质量下降了约2%,表现出明显的区域差异；四子王旗NPP总体趋势是逐年降低，并呈现北少南多的空间分布特征；相较于气温，四子王旗草地NPP与累积降水的相关性更大，并且存在明显的滞后效应，滞后时间2.96个月。     

入侵种互花米草空间扩张模式识别与景观变化模拟

在3S技术支撑下,通过景观格局指数、质心变化等方法,分析2006—2015年研究区内互花米草群落的景观空间分布特征,并利用2015年高分二号影像识别出扩张模式及预测扩张趋势。结果表明:(1)近年来,互花米草沼泽向陆扩张速度大于向海扩张速度,其质心不断向陆方向移动。(2)2006—2015年,互花米草斑块密度变大,面积加权平均形状指数也相应增大为8.63,景观形状越来越复杂。(3)利用LEI和PFD识别出互花米草的3种扩张模式,边缘扩张面积远大于外部隔离扩张面积,外部隔离扩张斑块数量远多于边缘扩张和潮沟引领式扩张斑块数之和,潮沟对互花米草的向陆扩张起到引领作用。(4)利用缓冲区分析模拟互花米草向陆扩张的趋势,未来5年碱蓬沼泽的面积将减少11.45%。研究可为进一步认识互花米草入侵碱蓬沼泽机制提供科学参考。     

人工管理和自然驱动下盐城海滨湿地互花米草沼泽演变及空间差异

将盐城国家级自然保护区核心区划分为人工管理区和自然湿地区两种模式,根据2000年、2006年、2011年3个时相的ETM+影像,运用RS、GIS技术和景观生态学方法,分析不同驱动力下互花米草沼泽景观变化的差异.结果表明:(1)人工管理区,2000-2011年,互花米草沼泽面积由272hm2增加到781hm2;平均分维数呈下降的趋势,聚合度指数呈上升的趋势,表明互花米草沼泽在空间上趋于聚集,在形状上趋于规则;从互花米草沼泽增长速率看,2000-2011年,呈现先快后慢的特征.在景观空间演变上,互花米草沼泽的平均宽度从598.679m增加到1719.002m,表现出向海陆两个方向扩张的特征.(2)自然湿地区,2000-2011年互花米草沼泽面积由2023hm2增加到3974hm2;平均分维数和聚合度指数呈先上升后下降的趋势;米草沼泽增长稳定,年增长约160-180 hm2/a,单位长度岸线年增长面积约为15 hm2· km-1·a-1左右;比较发现,自然湿地区互花米草沼泽的增长速度高于人工管理区的增长速度.在景观空间演变上,互花米草沼泽平均宽度从1625.586m增加到3193.317m,2000-2006年表现出向海洋单方向扩张的特征,2006-2011年表现出向海陆两个方向扩张的性质.(3)在自然条件下互花米草沼泽扩张受到气候、地貌过程、水文过程、植被类型及种间竞争的影响,表现出明显的带状特征.在人工管理下,通过建设拦水堤坝等,阻止了潮汐作用下海水的扩散能力,生态过程发生改变,致使生态系统类型向淡水湿地方向演变,抑制了互花米草沼泽的扩张,表现出一定的镶嵌格局.     

Ecological processes shaping Central Patagonian salt marsh landscapes

Plant zonation is one of the most conspicuous ecological features of salt marshes worldwide. In this work we used a combination of field transplant and greenhouse experiments to evaluate the importance of interspecific interactions and physical stress in the determination of the major plant zonation patterns in Central Patagonian salt marshes. There, Spartina alterniflora dominates the low marsh, and Sarcocornia perennis the high marsh. We addressed two questions: (i) What prevents Spartina alterniflora from colonizing the Sarcocornia perennis‐dominated high marsh zone? and (ii) What prevents Sarcocornia perennis from colonizing the Spartina alterniflora‐dominated low marsh zone? Our experimental transplants combined with neighbour exclusion treatments showed that the presence of Sarcocornia perennis negatively affects Spartina alterniflora, preventing it from surviving and/or spreading. Complementary field transplant and greenhouse experiments showed that Sarcocornia perennis did not survive the frequent tidal submersion by approximately 1.5 m of turbid seawater in the Spartina alterniflora zone, but its survival was independent of the presence of Spartina neighbours, and of the strong soil anoxia as well. Our results suggest that Spartina alterniflora is excluded by Sarcocornia perennis towards the low marsh, where frequent and prolonged submersion limit the survival of the latter. We provide and discuss key baseline information to facilitate the future design of ecophysiological experiments designed to accurately identify the exact mechanisms acting in every situation.     

Phenotypic plasticity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Spartina alterniflora</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phragmites australis</Emphasis> in response to nitrogen addition and intraspecific competition

Phenotypic plasticity of the two salt marsh grasses Spartina alterniflora and Phragmites australis in salt marshes is crucial to their invasive ability, but the importance of phenotypic plasticity, nitrogen levels, and intraspecific competition to the success of the two species is unclear at present. Spartina alterniflora Loisel. is an extensively invasive species that has increased dramatically in distribution and abundance on the Chinese and European coasts, and has had considerable ecological impacts in the regions where it has established. Meanwhile, Phragmites australis Cav., a native salt marsh species on the east coast of China, has replaced the native S. alterniflora in many marshes along the Atlantic Coast of the US. This study determined the effects of nitrogen availability and culm density on the morphology, growth, and biomass allocation traits of Spartina alterniflora and Phragmites australis. A large number of morphological, growth, and biomass parameters were measured, and various derived values (culm: root ratio, specific leaf area, etc.) were calculated, along with an index of phenotypic plasticity. Nitrogen addition significantly affected growth performance and biomass allocation traits of Spartina alterniflora, and culm density significantly affected morphological characteristics in a negative way, especially for Spartina alterniflora. However, there were no significant interactions between nitrogen levels and culm density on the morphological parameters, growth performances parameters, and biomass allocation parameters of the two species. Spartina alterniflora appears to respond more strongly to nitrogen than to culm density and this pattern of phenotypic plasticity appears to offer an expedition for successful invasion and displacement of Phramites australias in China. The implication of this study is that, in response to the environmental changes that are increasing nitrogen levels, the range of Spartina alterniflora is expected to continue to expand on the east coast of China.     

Edaphic diatom communities associated with Spartina alterniflora and S. patens in New Jersey

Edaphic diatoms inhabiting the sediments beneath dwarf Spartina alterniflora Loisel. and S. patens (Ait.) Muhl. in Great Bay salt marsh, Tuckerton, New Jersey were collected from 24 September 1974 through 20 August 1975. Of the 91 taxa encountered, 8 were endemic to the dwarf S. alterniflora habitat and 42 endemic to the S. patens habitat. The edaphic diatom community associated with S. patens was comprised of a much greater number of taxa and possessed higher values for species diversity (H') and evenness (J') than the community associated with dwarf S. alterniflora. The salinity of the marsh surface showed a completely opposite trend, being greatly reduced at the S. patens habitat. A highly significant relationship (P < 0.001) between the number of diatom taxa and marsh surface salinity at the S. patens habitat was demonstrated by a least squares regression. This finding led to the conclusion that the dissimilarity in the structure of the two edaphic diatom communities was primarily due to the very low marsh surface salinities at the S. patens habitat from January through June, and that this sustained. low-salinity regime allowed a very large number of taxa to coexist only in the S. patens community. Comparison of the diatom flora of Great Bay salt marsh with that of a Delaware marsh studied previously by the author showed that 67.0% of the 91 taxa encountered in New Jersey also occur on the Delaware marsh.     

Exotic Spartina alterniflora invasion alters ecosystem–atmosphere exchange of CH4 and N2O and carbon sequestration in a coastal salt marsh in China

Coastal salt marshes are sensitive to global climate change and may play an important role in mitigating global warming. To evaluate the impacts of Spartina alterniflora invasion on global warming potential (GWP) in Chinese coastal areas, we measured CH₄ and N₂O fluxes and soil organic carbon sequestration rates along a transect of coastal wetlands in Jiangsu province, China, including open water; bare tidal flat; and invasive S. alterniflora, native Suaeda salsa, and Phragmites australis marshes. Annual CH₄ emissions were estimated as 2.81, 4.16, 4.88, 10.79, and 16.98 kg CH₄ ha^?1 for open water, bare tidal flat, and P. australis, S. salsa, and S. alterniflora marshes, respectively, indicating that S. alterniflora invasion increased CH₄ emissions by 57–505%. In contrast, negative N₂O fluxes were found to be significantly and negatively correlated (P < 0.001) with net ecosystem CO₂ exchange during the growing season in S. alterniflora and P. australis marshes. Annual N₂O emissions were 0.24, 0.38, and 0.56 kg N₂O ha^?1 in open water, bare tidal flat and S. salsa marsh, respectively, compared with ‐0.51 kg N₂O ha^?1 for S. alterniflora marsh and ?0.25 kg N₂O ha^?1 for P. australis marsh. The carbon sequestration rate of S. alterniflora marsh amounted to 3.16 Mg C ha^?1 yr^?1 in the top 100 cm soil profile, a value that was 2.63‐ to 8.78‐fold higher than in native plant marshes. The estimated GWP was 1.78, ?0.60, ?4.09, and ?1.14 Mg CO₂eq ha^?1 yr^?1 in open water, bare tidal flat, P. australis marsh and S. salsa marsh, respectively, but dropped to ?11.30 Mg CO₂eq ha^?1 yr^?1 in S. alterniflora marsh. Our results indicate that although S. alterniflora invasion stimulates CH₄ emissions, it can efficiently mitigate increases in atmospheric CO₂ and N₂O along the coast of China.     

Top-down and bottom-up control of infauna varies across the saltmarsh landscape

Responses of infaunal saltmarsh benthic invertebrates to whole-ecosystem fertilization and predator removal were quantified in Plum Island Estuary, Massachusetts, USA. Throughout a growing season, we enriched an experimental creek on each flooding tide to 70 μM NO₃⁻ and 4 μM PO₄^− 3 (a 10× increase in loading above background), and we reduced Fundulus heteroclitus density by 60% in a branch of the fertilized and a reference creek. Macroinfauna and meiofauna were sampled in creek (mudflat and creek wall), marsh edge (tall-form Spartina alterniflora) and marsh platform (Spartina patens and stunted S. alterniflora) habitats before and after treatments were begun; responses were tested with BACI-design statistics. Treatment effects were most common in the mid-range of the inundation gradient. Most fertilization effects were on creek wall where ostracod abundance increased, indices of copepod reproduction increased and copepod and annelid communities were altered. These taxa may use epiphytes (that respond rapidly to fertilization) of filamentous algae as a food source. Killifish reduction effects on meiobenthic copepod abundance were detected at the marsh edge and suggest predator limitation. Fish reduction effects on annelids did not suggest top-down regulation in any habitat; however, fish reduction may have stimulated an increased predation rate on annelids by grass shrimp. Interactions between fertilization and fish reduction occurred under S. patens canopy where indirect predator reduction effects on annelids were indicated. No effects were observed in mudflat or stunted S. alterniflora habitats. Although the responses of infauna to fertilization and predator removal were largely independent and of similar mild intensity, our data suggests that the effects of ecological stressors vary across the marsh landscape.     

盐度及种间相互作用对海三棱藨草、互花米草萌发及生长的影响

盐度和种间作用是影响湿地植物群落构建的关键因子。然而,已有研究主要集中于植物成体阶段,我们对生活史早期更新阶段的种间相互作用了解十分有限。崇明东滩国家级自然保护区是位于长江口的重要湿地,外来入侵植物互花米草对优势土著物种海三棱藨草的竞争排斥对当地生态系统造成了严重的负面影响。通过受控实验探讨了盐度及种间作用对海三棱藨草和互花米草种子萌发及生长的影响,以深入了解更新过程在盐沼湿地植物群落构建中的作用。结果表明,在培养皿中盐度对海三棱藨草的萌发有显著抑制作用,互花米草的萌发率受盐度影响不显著但萌发进程被延迟。混种处理对两者的萌发存在一定促进效应,且其作用强度受到盐度的调控。海三棱藨草与互花米草种子在萌发阶段的相互促进并非是通过化感作用实现的,可能是由于萌发过程对盐分的吸收减弱了盐胁迫的影响。盆栽条件下,两物种混种时的萌发及生长表现（高度、地上生物量）较单种时有所下降,但差异不显著。种间竞争受环境胁迫程度及生活史阶段的影响,竞争作用在胁迫较弱的淡水环境及生活史后期更强。盐沼湿地植物群落在形成早期受到盐度等环境因子的影响较大,不同植物对盐胁迫的响应是影响种群建成的主导因素,后期种间竞争的重要性不断增加,最终决定了植物群落的整体格局。     

EFFECT OF AN AMMONIUM NITRATE PULSE ON THE GROWTH AND ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF NATURAL STANDS OF SPARTINA ALTERNIFLORA AND JUNCUS ROEMERIANUS

A nitrogen (ammonium nitrate) pulse of 200 kg ha“¹ was added to stands of tall (1.0–1.5 m) Spartina alterniflora, short (< 0.5 m) Spartina alterniflora, and Juncus roemerianus in a Georgia salt marsh in July. The major response ten weeks later was an increase in the aerial biomass and a sharp reduction in the C/N ratio in short Spartina alterniflora. One year after the treatment the difference between the biomass in enriched and control plots was greater than ten weeks after treatment, but the C/N ratio in the plants in the treated plots had risen to that of the controls. The availability of nitrogen appears to limit growth in the middle elevation Georgia salt marsh (short S. alterniflora), but not in the lower (tall S. alterniflora) or higher (J. roemerianus) portions.     

Sulfur storage changed by exotic Spartina alterniflora in coastal saltmarshes of China

For the purpose of ecological engineering, Spartina alterniflora was introduced to China in 1979 and now covers about 112,000 ha of China's coastal lands. It was hypothesized that S. alterniflora could actively change the habitat environment, thus facilitating its competition over native species. In Yancheng Nature Reserve, sulfur storage of sediments and plant tissues was compared among marshes dominated by the exotic S. alterniflora and adjacent native Suaeda salsa and Phragmites australis and bare mudflat. Results showed that the S. alterniflora marsh contained the highest content of water-soluble, adsorbed, carbonate-occluded and total sulfur in the sediment. The sulfur levels were higher in the center than at the edges of the S. alterniflora marsh. Native marshes showed no significant difference in sediment sulfur levels. With greater biomass and higher tissue sulfur concentrations, plant sulfur storage of S. alterniflora vegetation was also larger than those of the native vegetations. Because higher concentrations of sulfur increase the competitive advantage of S. alterniflora over native halophytes, the results of the research showing that S. alterniflora increased marsh sulfur storage may shed light on the mechanism of expansion of monospecific vegetation in coastal China.