不同植被被覆下温性草原土壤养分分异特征

以青海湖区4种不同植被被覆下温性草原为对象,研究在自然及放牧因素影响下土壤异质性分布格局.结果表明:速效养分(速效氮、速效磷、速效钾)具有明显的分层特征,表层土壤含量最高,随土层加深含量逐渐降低.紫花针茅退化样地各层土壤速效养分含量普遍低于其他3个样地,恢复时间较长的样地(早熟禾样地)和有外来物质输入的样地(赖草样地)含量较高.全量养分表现不同,全氮含量表现出分层现象,退化和恢复时间短样地(紫花针茅退化样地、垂穗披碱草样地)表层(0～10 cm)和第二层(10～20 cm)全氮含量高,下层含量迅速降低;早熟禾样地和赖草样地各层全氮含量都较高;全磷含量随土层降低没有出现显著差异(P＞0.05),紫花针茅退化样地0～40 cm土层全磷含量都显著低于其他样地(P＜0.05),其全钾和有机质含量也普遍低于其他样地;有机质与全量养分、速效养分均呈现极显著相关(P＜0.01).随土层加深土壤容重增高,退化使土壤pH值升高.退化温性草原在恢复6a后土壤基本得到恢复,人类扰动和自然因素都影响到土壤养分状况.     

火烧对古尔班通古特沙漠土壤养分和土壤酶活性的影响

以古尔班通古特沙漠2016年6月意外火烧事件为背景,对比分析火烧和未火烧样地区不同土壤深度化学性质、土壤酶活性的变化特征,为全面评估火烧对温带荒漠生态系统的影响提供土壤学依据。结果表明:火烧样地和对照样地土壤养分含量和酶活性总体上均表现为上层土壤(0—5 cm)大于下层土壤(5—10 cm),仅土壤氧化酶(过氧化氢酶)活性表现为下层土壤大于上层土壤。同时,火烧和土壤深度存在交互效应,火烧对土壤特性的影响受土壤深度的限制。土壤化学性质受火烧的影响主要表现在0—5 cm土壤层,尤其是速效养分在火烧之后有显著增加趋势。火烧对5—10 cm土壤层土壤化学性质无显著影响。火烧后,硝态氮(NO3-N)含量显著下降,铵态氮(NH4-N)含量上升。土壤水解酶、氧化酶活性在火烧之后降低,具体表现为,蔗糖酶、脲酶、β-葡萄糖苷酶活性在0—5 cm和5—10 cm土壤层均极显著下降,而碱性磷酸酶活性仅在0—5 cm土壤层显著下降。过氧化氢酶活性则在5—10 cm土壤层活性显著下降。表明上层土壤水解酶活性对火烧干扰较为敏感,氧化酶活性在火烧干扰下相对稳定。从各土层土壤酶活性的变化特征来看,火烧对水解酶活性的影响随土壤深度增加而降低,而氧化酶则呈现相反的趋势。总体而言,火烧显著提高了古尔班通古特沙漠土壤速效养分的含量,降低了土壤酶活性,不同土壤酶对火烧响应的敏感程度不同。为深入评估火烧干扰对温带荒漠生态系统的影响提供一定理论依据。     

大兴安岭火烧迹地恢复初期土壤微生物群落特征

对大兴安岭兴安落叶松2003年重度和中度火烧迹地以及未过火样地的土壤微生物群落进行了考察,旨在揭示火烧迹地恢复初期土壤微生物群落变化特征。研究结果表明火烧迹地土壤养分(全氮、全碳、土壤有机质、有效氮)和土壤水分与未过火对照样地存在显著差异;火烧迹地土壤微生物量碳氮、微生物代谢活性以及碳源利用能力均显著高于对照样地;但火烧迹地与对照样地土壤微生物群落结构指标土壤微生物量碳氮比(MBC/MBN)以及多样性指数没有显著差异。相关分析结果表明:土壤微生物量、代谢活性和碳源利用能力与土壤养分指标(全碳、全氮、速效氮、有机质)和土壤水分含量有显著相关性。主成分分析的结果表明火烧与否是火烧样地与对照样地土壤微生物对碳源利用能力差异的原因。所有样地土壤微生物群落真菌比例较高,可能与该地区土壤酸碱度有关(pH=4.12—4.68)。经过6a的恢复,重度和中度火烧迹地的土壤养分和水分、土壤微生物群落的生长、代谢、以及群落多样性仍存在差异,但均不显著,表明此时火烧程度对土壤微生物群落的影响已很微弱。     

沙漠绿洲过渡带柽柳灌丛沙堆-丘间地系统土壤养分空间异质性

以塔克拉玛干沙漠南缘策勒沙漠绿洲过渡带为研究区,选取植被盖度依次为30%、15%—20%、10%和5%的4个典型样地,对各样地的柽柳灌丛沙堆-丘间地系统典型部位0—10 cm和10—20 cm土壤进行系统采样,分析土壤枯落物、有机质、全效N、P、K和速效N、P、K含量,从风沙地貌的角度研究过渡带沙漠化进程中土壤养分分布特征。结果表明:(1)随着植被总盖度的降低,灌丛沙堆表层0—10 cm土壤的枯落物、有机质、全N、全K、速效K含量呈降低趋势,平均降幅为69.3%、37.0%、35.3%、8.3%和24.5%。全P含量没有明显的变化,速效N和速效P含量呈先减小后增大的趋势;(2)从灌丛下→沙堆边缘→丘间地→风影区,土壤枯落物、有机质、全N、全P、速效N、速效P、速效K含量表现出先减小后增大的趋势,最大值位于灌丛下部位,最小值位于丘间地,但在植被盖度5%的样地,沙堆-丘间地系统各部位之间养分含量无显著性差异;(3)与0—10 cm土层相比,10—20 cm土层的枯落物、有机质、全N、全P和速效P含量显著降低,平均降幅为40.0%、27.0%、25.0%、4.5%和2.0%,全K、速效N和速效K含量明显增加,平均增幅为4.8%、103.3%和12.1%。随着植被盖度的降低,10—20 cm土层的养分含量具有与0—10 cm土层相对一致的变化趋势;(4)灌丛的生物反馈作用使得灌丛下部位具有明显的养分富集效应,但随着植被总盖度的降低和风沙活动不断加剧,非生物因素逐渐占据主导,灌丛的养分富集效应趋于减弱和消失。     

火烧对中国北亚热带天然马尾松林土壤有机碳的影响

以北亚热带天然马尾松火烧迹地为研究对象,对火灾1年后0~50 cm各土层土壤有机碳和土壤养分含量变化进行分析。结果表明:火灾后各层土壤总有机碳、易氧化碳和轻组有机质含量均高于对照样地,增幅分别为4.5%~47.6%、6.6%~43.0%和9.0%~49.1%,且在0~10 cm和10~20 cm土层中差异极显著(P0.01);火灾发生1年后在0~50 cm土壤剖面土壤有机碳储量相比对照样地增加了23.8%(P0.01);过火后土壤总有机碳、易氧化碳和轻组有机质与土壤养分(全氮、水解氮、速效钾)的相关性均达到极显著水平(P0.01)。火后土壤有机碳增加的主要原因是植被层未充分燃烧的有机残体的混入。     

不同火强度对河北平泉油松林土壤有机碳及土壤养分影响

选择河北省平泉县油松林火烧迹地为研究区, 按照过火林地燃烧状况, 划分轻度火烧(L)、中度火烧(M)、重度火烧(H)3 个强度的林地作为研究样地, 选择相邻未过火林地(CK)作为对照样地。以0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, 20-30 cm 的顺序采集土壤样品。样品用于分析不同火烧影响下土壤有机碳(SOC)、土壤养分中铵态氮(NH₄⁺-N)、硝态氮(NO₃^- -N)、全氮(TN)、全钾(TK)、全磷(TP)、速效氮(AN)、速效钾(AK)、速效磷(AP)含量和土壤pH 值变化, 以及土壤有机碳和土壤养分其在火烧之后不同土层深度之间的数值波动。结果表明: (1)不同火烧强度对土壤有机碳含量差异影响显著(P<0.05), 与未过火林地相比, 中度、轻度火烧的土壤有机碳含量降低, 重度火烧土壤有机碳含量增加; 土壤有机碳含量变化随土层深度增加而降低; (2)不同火烧强度对土壤养分中所有指标的差异性显著 (P < 0.05), 不同土层深度之间的数量变化明显。铵态氮含量在各土层均表现为重度火烧后增加, 中、轻度火烧则减少; 硝态氮含量受轻度、中度、重度火烧后在各土层整体增加; 速效氮含量在0-10 cm 土层轻度、中度、重度火烧后增加, 在10-20 cm 土层中度、重度火烧后减少而轻度火烧后增加, 在20-30 cm 土层重度和轻度火烧后增加, 中度火烧后减少。轻度、中度、重度火烧后的全氮和全磷含量在各土层整体降低。速效磷含量在0-10 cm 土层受重度和轻度火烧后增加, 10-20 cm、20-30 cm 土层重度、中度、轻度火烧后含量皆减少。全钾含量在0-10 cm 土层重度、轻度火烧后含量降低, 中度火烧后含量增加, 10-20 cm土层火烧后含量均会增加, 20-30 cm 土层火烧后含量均会降低。速效钾含量受重度、中度、轻度火烧后在各土层含量均会减少; (3) 不同火烧强度与土壤pH 值差异性极显著(P < 0.01), 火烧后pH 值上升。上述结果可为研究林火干扰后土壤有机碳和土壤养分的变化规律, 以及火烧迹地植被恢复的研究提供参考。     

火烧对黔中喀斯特山地马尾松林土壤理化性质的影响

在黔中喀斯特山地马尾松人工次生林内取样分析火烧和对照样地间土壤理化指标的变化,研究了火烧对林地土壤理化性质的影响。结果表明马尾松火烧林地表层土壤毛管孔隙度和总孔隙度升高、最大持水量和最小持水量增加,土壤密度和非毛管孔隙度降低、土壤质量含水量和体积含水量减少;土壤有机质、全N量、全P量、全K量,水解N量、有效P量、速效K量、交换性盐基量和pH值增大,阳离子交换量降低。林火对马尾松林地土壤主要理化指标影响的趋势为或表层土壤影响率大于剖面影响率、或表层土壤影响率小于剖面影响率,不同指标在土壤剖面的变化趋势或增加、或降低,对数或幂函数拟合曲线均达相关显著性水平。火烧和对照样地间的表层土壤理化指标变化主要反映了林火影响,近岩层土壤理化指标变化主要是成土母质在空间上的分异,也受生物的影响。乔木层植株死亡率同表层土壤最大持水量、最小持水量、有机质量和全N量的正相关性显著,同土壤密度的负相关性显著;灌木层植株死亡率同表层土壤密度正相关性显著,同毛管孔隙度、总孔隙度、质量含水量、最大持水量、最小持水量、有机质量、全N量、全P量和速效K量的负相关性达显著或极显著水平;灌木层生物损失量同表层土壤密度和有机质量正相关显著,同速效K量的负相关性显著,枯物层生物损失量同pH值的正相关性显著。火烧马尾松林分平均胸径同表层土壤密度正相关性显著,同毛管孔隙度、总孔隙度、质量含水量、最大持水量、最小持水量和有机质量的负相关性显著。     

芦芽山典型植被土壤有机碳剖面分布特征及碳储量

摘要: 基于芦芽山沿海拔梯度分布的灌丛草地、针阔混交林、寒温性针叶林和亚高山草甸四类典型植被下土壤剖面实测数据,分析了土壤有机碳的垂直分布特征及其与土壤理化因子的关系。结果表明,各植被类型下土壤剖面上层SOC含量最高,最大值往往出现在10—20 cm层,然后向下逐渐减小。土壤有机质含量由剖面上层最大值向下降低过程中,某深度土壤剖面层段有机质含量急剧减小。亚高山草甸剖面这一深度为20 cm,寒温性针叶林剖面为50 cm,针阔混交林剖面为20 cm,灌丛草地剖面为40 cm。0—10 cm层各植被类型间SOC含量差异不显著;10—20 cm层,亚高山草甸和寒温性针叶林SOC含量显著高于其他类型;20—50 cm层,亚高山草甸SOC含量与灌丛草地接近,显著高于针阔混交林,低于寒温性针叶林。植被类型对有机碳剖面分布影响较大。土壤剖面各层有机碳含量与容重呈显著负相关,与土壤含水量和全氮含量呈显著正相关,与土壤pH值呈弱的负相关,与深层黏粒和粉粒含量正相关,在30—50 cm正相关性显著。逐步回归分析结果表明,亚高山草甸SOC含量与土壤总氮含量、含水量和容重的显著相关,寒温性针叶林SOC含量与全氮含量显著相关,针阔混交林SOC含量则与总氮含量和土壤容重显著相关,而灌丛草地SOC含量与容重显著相关。在20 cm深度,四种植被土壤有机碳密度差异不显著;50 cm深度亚高山草甸、寒温性针叶林土壤有机碳储量显著高于针阔叶混交林和灌丛草地,50 cm深度土壤有机碳储量与海拔高度呈显著线性正相关（R2=0.299,P=0.01）。     

火烧对马尾松林土壤酶活性和有机碳组分的影响

土壤酶参与土壤有机质矿化过程,林火能通过改变土壤中微生物的群落结构等来改变土壤酶的活性,进而影响土壤有机碳的动态过程。土壤有机碳库是陆地碳库的重要组成部分,火烧会使土壤有机碳组分发生变化,研究火烧后土壤有机碳组分的变化对于土壤有机碳库的管理具有重要意义。以我国中亚热带典型马尾松人工林火烧迹地为研究对象,通过对比研究,探讨了火烧对土壤酶活性和土壤有机碳组分的影响以及两者之间的关系。结果表明:(1)与对照相比,火烧后一年0—10 cm土层土壤p H值明显升高(P0.05),土壤总碳含量显著降低(P0.05),土壤全氮含量平均降低17.5%(P0.05)。0—10 cm土层和10—20 cm土层土壤含水量均显著低于对照(P0.05)。(2)相比对照,土壤β-葡萄糖苷酶活性在0—10 cm土层显著降低(P0.05),土壤酚氧化物酶活性和过氧化物酶活性显著升高(P0.05)。(3)火烧后一年0—10 cm土层土壤微生物量碳、土壤颗粒性有机碳、土壤易氧化碳含量比对照分别降低26.4%、30.9%和2.69%,但无显著差异,土壤溶解性有机碳含量则显著降低(P0.05);两个土层土壤不稳定有机碳含量和粘粒有机碳含量变化不显著。     

宁夏贺兰山、六盘山典型森林类型土壤主要肥力特征

采用野外调查结合室内分析的方法,对该区域典型森林类型下土壤的主要剖面肥力特征进行了研究,并对主要理化指标进行了因子分析.结果表明:受森林凋落物的累积、分解和成土母质、气候条件的影响,贺兰山、六盘山主要森林土壤的剖面肥力具有明显差异.其中,土壤孔隙度(54.50％-72.22％,剖面均值,下同)受有机质影响显著,随土层加深逐渐减小,容重(0.72-1.21 g/cm3)、比重(2.55-2.68 g/cm3)随土层加深显著增大,且六盘山各样地比重大于贺兰山.受有机质归还作用影响,有机碳(24.03-65.37 g/kg)、全N(1.48-3.49 g/kg)、NO3--N(1.88-10.50 mg/kg)、NH4+-N(5.02-11.01 mg/kg)、全P (0.37-1.19 g/kg)、有效P(4.82-13.38 mg/kg)、速效K含量(82.03-244.62 mg/kg)均随土层加深逐渐降低;全K含量(18.92-26.14 g/kg)随土层加深逐渐增大,且六盘山各样地全K含量大于贺兰山.土壤C/N (11.74-19.88)旱现B层＞C层＞A层,且贺兰山各样地C/N大于六盘山.土壤CEC(23.94-40.30 cmol/kg)受有机质的主导作用明显,随土层加深显著减小,pH值(7.09-8.09)、ESP(0.59％-2.47％)及BSP(51.24％-80.57％)均随土层加深逐渐增大,且贺兰山各样地pH值、ESP大于六盘山.粘粒(5.46％-10.20％)、TDS (0.33-1.12 g/kg)及CaCO3(1.44-14.23 g/kg)均未出现明显积聚,且贺兰山各样地TDS、CaCO3含量大于六盘山.因子分析显示,对于该区域各样地土壤的肥力特征,可以应用有机质因子、环境因子和NO3--N因子进行综合描述.其中青海云杉、山杨混交林下土壤的有机质因子得分最高,贺兰山各样地环境因子得分显著大于六盘山,NO3--N因子得分则以小叶金露梅灌丛和华北落叶松天然林最高.     

No changes in soil organic carbon and nitrogen following long-term prescribed burning and livestock exclusion in the Sudan-savanna woodlands of Burkina Faso

Fire and overgrazing reduce aboveground biomass, leading to land degradation and potential impacts on soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) dynamics. However, empirical data are lacking on how prescribed burning and livestock exclusion impact SOC in the long-term. Here we analyse the effects of 19 years of prescribed annual burning and livestock exclusion on tree density, SOC and TN concentrations in the Sudanian savanna ecoregion at two sites (Tiogo and Laba) in Burkina Faso. Results revealed that neither livestock exclusion nor prescribed burning had significant impact on SOC and TN concentrations. The results at both sites indicate that 19 years of livestock and fire exclusion did not result in a significant increase in tree density compared to grazing and annual prescribed burning. The overall mean (± SEM) of SOC stocks in the 0–50 cm depth increment in the unburnt (53.5 ± 4.7 Mg C ha⁻¹) and annually burnt (56.4 ± 4.3 Mg C ha⁻¹) plots at Tiogo were not statistically different. Similarly, at Laba there was no significant difference between the corresponding figures in the unburnt (37.9 ± 2.6 Mg ha⁻¹) and in the annually burnt plots (38.6 ± 1.9 Mg ha⁻¹). Increases in belowground inputs from root turnover may have countered changes in aboveground biomass, resulting in no net change in SOC and TN. We conclude that, contrary to our expectation and current policy recommendations, restricting burning or grazing did not result in increase in SOC stocks in this dry savanna ecosystem.     

The effects of a high intensity fire on nutrient cycling in jarrah forest

The effects of high intensity fire on the cycling of nutrients in litter and canopy through fall were studied in pole stand jarrah (E. marginata Bonn ex Sm.) forest near Dwellingup, south-western Australia. In the first year following burning, twice as much litter fell on the burnt site as on an unburnt control site. Concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen were higher in post-fire litter probably because crown scorch during burning prevented withdrawal of phosphorus and nitrogen into the tree before leaf fall. This, together with the increased weight of litter, resulted in a four-fold increase in the accession of phosphorus and nitrogen to the forest floor in litter one year after the fire on the burnt site. The concentrations of potassium, magnesium, sodium and chlorine in the litter were all significantly lower on the burnt site than on the unburnt site in the first year following burning. During the second year after the fire, significantly less litter fell on the burnt area than on the unburnt control site. Phosphorus concentrations in the litter from the burnt site remained 50% higher than in litter from the control but the other nutrient elements returned to their pre-fire levels. There are indications that more phosphorus and potassium are cycled via canopy leaching immediately after burning. In the second winter following the fire there were no significant differences in the amounts of nutrients in canopy leachate on the burnt and unburnt areas.     

Effect of accidental fire on soil mite density in a forest reserve in Nigeria

Mite populations in a forest reserve, where accidental fire swept through almost half of the total area covered by the forest, were enumerated at one, three, and six months after burning. Mite densities in both burnt and unburnt plots were extremely low immediately after burning. Six months after burning, the density of juvenile cryptostigmatid mites were higher in the burnt area than the unburnt area and several mite genera had recovered from the deleterious effect of burning, but overall mite densities were still lower in the burnt than the unburnt area. Some of the typical dominant mite genera of the tropical rainforest, namely Haplozetes sp., Scheloribates sp., Nothrus sp. and Carabodes sp. did not recover from the effect of burning within six months. The selective influence of burning on mite genera/families, as well as the different rates of recovery observed in this study, were attributed to differences in feeding requirements, phenological patterns and life history tactics of the mites. Juvenile cryptostigmatid mites were more in the burnt than unburnt plots suggesting that reproductive activities of this group increased after burning.     

Rapid Recovery of an Urban Remnant Reptile Community following Summer Wildfire

Reptiles in urban remnants are threatened with extinction by increased fire frequency, habitat fragmentation caused by urban development, and competition and predation from exotic species. Understanding how urban reptiles respond to and recover from such disturbances is key to their conservation. We monitored the recovery of an urban reptile community for five years following a summer wildfire at Kings Park in Perth, Western Australia, using pitfall trapping at five burnt and five unburnt sites. The reptile community recovered rapidly following the fire. Unburnt sites initially had higher species richness and total abundance, but burnt sites rapidly converged, recording a similar total abundance to unburnt areas within two years, and a similar richness within three years. The leaf-litter inhabiting skink Hemiergis quadrilineata was strongly associated with longer unburnt sites and may be responding to the loss of leaf litter following the fire. Six rarely-captured species were also strongly associated with unburnt areas and were rarely or never recorded at burnt sites, whereas two other rarely-captured species were associated with burnt sites. We also found that one lizard species, Ctenotus fallens, had a smaller average body length in burnt sites compared to unburnt sites for four out of the five years of monitoring. Our study indicates that fire management that homogenises large areas of habitat through frequent burning may threaten some species due to their preference for longer unburnt habitat. Careful management of fire may be needed to maximise habitat suitability within the urban landscape.     

Germination activity of smoke residues in soils following a fire

A simple and rapid bioassay was implemented to detect the germination activity of extracts from soils in pre/post-burn conditions. Soil samples taken from burnt, unburnt and adjacent plots at depths of 0–2, 2–4, 4–6 and 6–8 cm before and after burning mesic grassland in South Africa were analysed for germination activity over an eight-week period. Soil samples were extracted using dichloromethane and bioassayed using Grand Rapids lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) achenes (seeds). The Grand Rapids lettuce seeds exhibited greater germination percentages when treated with extracts from burnt soil compared to the other plots. The magnitude of the germination activity declined with time since the burn. The Grand Rapids lettuce seeds also exhibited significantly higher germination when treated with unburnt soil extracts compared to the control (distilled water) which indicates the existence of other factors controlling germination in unburnt soil. Germination activity in the adjacent plots decreased with time. These findings indicate that the germination activity of the smoke derived from burning plant-material diffuses into the soil and its persistence declines with time. Considering that the soil seed bank contains viable seeds, at a moderate depth, and that they are initially unaffected by the heat of the fire, then smoke residues following a fire can influence the germination and recruitment of plant species that are responsive to smoke-derived compounds and are represented in the germinable soil seed bank.     

Effect of fire on soil microorganisms in a meghalaya pine forest

The effect of man-made fire on soil mierobial population in a natural subtropical pine forest eco-system, was studied. A nearly fifty years old pine(Pinus kesiya Royle) forest was cut and burnt in March 1977. Another half of this pine forest was left uncut and unburnt. Microbial population was destroyed completely just after the burning and recolonization occurred after some days. Bacteria and actinomycetes were found to be the first colonizers followed by fungi. Burning initiated better growth and higher population of bacteria after two or three showers. Bacterial population was highest in July in burnt and in May in unburnt forest. Maximum fungal population in burnt site was recorded in July while it was highest in April and May in unburnt site.Penicillium spp.,Cladosporium sp. andTrichoderma sp. were found to be first colonizing fungi just after the burning. In unburnt forest eco-systemAbsidia sp.,Trichoderma sp.,Fusarium sp. andPenicillium spp. were found to be dominant.     

Fire frequency has a contrasting effect on vegetation and topsoil in subcoastal heathland,woodland and forest ecosystems,south-east Queensland,Australia

Ecosystems managed with contrasting fire regimes provide insight into the responses of vegetation and soil. Heathland, woodland and forest ecosystems along a gradient of resource availability were burnt over four decades in approximately 3- or 5-year intervals or were unburnt for 45–47 years (heathland, woodland), or experienced infrequent wildfires (forest: 14 years since the last fire). We hypothesized that, relative to unburnt or infrequent fires, frequent burning would favour herbaceous species over woody species and resprouting over obligate seeder species, and reduce understorey vegetation height, and topsoil carbon and nitrogen content. Our hypothesis was partially supported in that herbaceous plant density was higher in frequently burnt vegetation; however, woody plant density was also higher in frequently burnt areas relative to unburnt/infrequently burnt areas, across all ecosystems. In heathland, omission of frequent fire resulted in the dominance of fern Gleichenia dicarpa and subsequent competitive exclusion of understorey species and lower species diversity. As hypothesized, frequent burning in woodland and forest increased the density of facultative resprouters and significantly reduced soil organic carbon levels relative to unburnt sites. Our findings confirm that regular burning conserves understorey diversity and maintains an understorey of lower statured herbaceous plants, although demonstrates the potential trade-off of frequent burning with lower topsoil carbon levels in the woodland and forest. Some ecosystem specific responses to varied fire frequencies were observed, reflecting differences in species composition and fire response traits between ecosystems. Overall, unburnt vegetation resulted in the dominance of some species over others and the different vegetation types were able to withstand relatively high-frequency fire without the loss of biodiversity, mainly due to high environmental productivity and short juvenile periods.     

The role of Rhytidoponera metallica (Hymenoptera,Formicidae) in facilitating post‐fire seed germination of three ant‐dispersed legume species

The fire avoidance hypothesis proposes that a benefit of seed dispersal by ants (myrmecochory) is to protect seeds from being killed during fire and to facilitate post‐fire germination of seeds that require heat shock to break their physical dormancy. The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of fire and seed burial by a predominant seed‐dispersing ant, Rhytidoponera metallica (subfamily: Ectatomminae) on germination levels of three ant‐dispersed legume species (Pultenaea daphnoides, Acacia myrtifolia and Acacia pycnantha). Experimental burial of seeds within aluminium cans at a site prior to being burnt and at an adjacent unburnt site showed that fire increased germination levels, particularly for seeds buried at 1‐ and 2‐cm deep and that overall, germination levels differed among the three plant species. To quantify seed burial depths and post‐fire germination levels facilitated by R. metallica ants, seeds were fed to colonies prior to fire at the burnt and unburnt sites. Of the seeds buried within nests that were recovered, between 45% and 75% occurred within the upper 6 cm of the soil profile, although unexpectedly, greater percentages of seeds were recovered from the upper 0–2 cm of nests in the unburnt site compared with nests in the burnt site. Germination levels of buried seeds associated with R. metallica nests ranged from 21.2% to 29.5% in the burnt site compared with 3.1–14.8% in the unburnt site. While increased seed germination levels were associated with R. metallica nests following fire, most seeds were buried at depths below those where optimal temperatures for breaking seed dormancy occurred during the fire. We suggest that R. metallica ants may provide fire avoidance benefits to myrmecochorous seeds by burying them at a range of depths within a potential germination zone defined by intra‐ and inter‐fire variation in levels of soil heating.     

马尾松林采伐迹地火烧黑炭对土壤活性碳氮库的影响

黑炭是火烧过程中不完全燃烧的产物,在火烧迹地的分布具有异质性。为了解黑炭输入量对土壤活性碳氮库的影响,选取中亚热带33年生马尾松人工林采伐迹地为研究对象,对比炼山1年后移除(B0)、单倍(B1)和双倍黑炭输入(B2)处理和未火烧对照土壤可溶性有机碳氮含量(DOC和DON)、矿质氮、土壤微生物量碳氮含量(MBC和MBN)之间的差异。结果表明:炼山对土壤DOC和DON含量的影响因土层而异,在0—10 cm土层,火烧土壤DOC和DON含量与对照土壤没有显著差异,而在10—20 cm土壤要显著低于对照土壤(P0.05)。火烧土壤矿质氮、土壤MBC和MBN含量均低于对照土壤,但差异未达到显著性水平(P0.05)。火烧土壤含水率、pH、全碳和全氮、铵态氮、土壤MBN含量均与黑炭输入量成正比,特别是在10—20 cm土层,B2处理土壤铵态氮含量显著高于B0和B1处理(P0.05)。对于土壤MBN,黑炭输入处理(B1和B2)火烧土壤MBN含量与对照土壤没有显著差异,而去除黑炭处理(B0)火烧土壤MBN含量则显著低于对照土壤(P0.05)。结果说明黑炭输入对火烧土壤的微生物群落恢复和N素保持具有积极意义,因此亚热带人工林管理过程中应重视黑炭的利用。     

The effect of fire and ants on the seed-bank of a shrub in a semi-arid grassland

Abstract Invasion of grasslands by woody plants following the introduction of domestic stock is a worldwide phenomenon. Burning is frequently recommended as a remedial measure but for a pastoral enterprise it is costly and the frequency of the fires required is of critical economic importance. The size and longevity of the soil seed-bank is an essential part of the response of shrub populations to prescribed fire regimes. In this study the seed-bank of the semi-arid zone shrub Dodonaea attenuata in Eragrostis eriopoda tussock grassland was examined in relation to harvesting by ants and the burning history of the sites. On unburnt sites, more than 3500 seeds per m2 entered the seed-bank in the summer 1984–85 but sites burnt 5 years previously produced less than one-third of that number. Burnt shrubs did not flower for 5 years and no seeds survived in the soil through to 1985. Burning immediately prior to seed ripening destroyed the seed crop but burning after seed-fall stimulated a greater germination in the following spring than on unburnt treatments. Ants rapidly harvested most of the seeds produced and after 20 months the combined effects of ant harvesting and germination had reduced the seed-bank at unburnt sites to 8–21 seeds per m2 and at sites burnt 7 years previously to less than two seeds per m2. Seeds were initially harvested in summer by Pheidole spp. of ants for their elaiosome and then discarded in middens outside the entrance to the ant nest. During the subsequent cool season the seeds were taken back into the nest and stored at depths ranging from 2 to 30cm. It was concluded that ants provided short-range dispersal (< 10 m) and promoted the contagious distribution of D. attenuata, which is advantageous for a fire-susceptible, arid-zone shrub invading a grassland liable to be burnt: seedlings derived from seeds in ant storage chambers near the soil surface and in sparse grass situations caused by competition from shrubs may obtain some survival advantage. Prescribed fire has potential as a management tool for controlling population density of D. attenuata because, depending upon season and frequency, it reduces seed rain by killing shrubs, suppresses flowering activity and destroys seed crops on the plant. Under the influence of a regime of regular burning, such as prevailed prior to the European pastoral industry, the limited soil seed-bank would have been a major constraint on D. attenuata populations.