Understorey plant and soil responses to disturbance and increased nitrogen in boreal forests

Question: How do N fertilization and disturbance affect the understorey vegetation, microbial properties and soil nutrient concentration in boreal forests? Location: Kuusamo (66°22′N; 29°18′E) and Oulu (65°02′N; 25°47′E) in northern Finland. Methods: We conducted a fully factorial experiment with three factors: site (two levels), N fertilization (four levels) and disturbance (two levels). We measured treatment effects on understorey biomass, vegetation structure, and plant, soil and microbial N and C concentrations. Results: The understorey biomass was not affected by fertilization either in the control or in the disturbance treatment. Fertilization reduced the biomass of deciduous Vaccinium myrtillus. Disturbance had a negative effect on the biomass of V. myrtillus and evergreen Vaccinium vitis‐idaea and decreased the relative proportion of evergreen species. Fertilization and disturbance increased the biomass of grass Deschampsia flexuosa and the relative proportion of graminoids. The amount of NH₄⁺ increased in soil after fertilization, and microbial C decreased after disturbance. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the growth of slow‐growing Vaccinium species and soil microbes in boreal forests are not limited by N availability. However, significant changes in the proportion of dwarf shrubs to graminoids and a decrease in the biomass of V. myrtillus demonstrate the susceptibility of understorey vegetation to N enrichment. N enrichment and disturbance seem to have similar effects on understorey vegetation. Consequently, increasing N does not affect the rate or the direction of recovery after disturbance. Moreover, our study demonstrates the importance of understorey vegetation as a C source for soil microbes in boreal forests.     

长期不同施肥措施下岩溶水稻土可培养细菌群落变化及其主要影响因素

【背景】施肥是目前提高作物产量的较优策略,不同的施肥措施在不同程度上影响土壤肥力和微生物群落结构。【目的】探究岩溶水稻土理化性质变化与细菌群落变化的对应关系,进而反映不同施肥措施对土壤可培养细菌群落的影响。最后选出最优施肥方案,为后续的合理施肥工作提供依据。【方法】对岩溶水稻土进行不施肥、常规施肥、常规施肥加绿肥3种施肥处理,通过对土壤理化性质、可培养细菌群落丰度及多样性变化的研究,探究在不同施肥措施下对岩溶水稻土壤细菌群落的影响。【结果】对比不施肥处理,常规施肥处理下土壤pH值和有机碳含量下降,结合大量研究结果证明,无机肥或氮肥的长期过量施加使土壤pH值下降,常规施肥加绿肥有利于有机碳的积累。分离纯化共得到164株菌,分别来自Actinobacteria、Bacteroidetes、Firmicutes和Proteobacteria。属水平上常规施肥配施绿肥较常规施肥组优势菌属Sphingomonas、Lysobacter的相对丰度增加。细菌群落多样性增加,出现Paenibacillus、Streptomyces和Pseudomonas等特有功能菌属。优势菌属Sphingopyxis、Lysobacter、Paenibacillus、Bosea、Streptomyces、Pseudomonas和Bacillus与TN存在显著正相关,在常规施肥加绿肥处理土壤中增加。【结论】常规施肥加绿肥处理下,固氮、溶磷等功能菌丰度增加,增加土壤肥力,保持土壤养分的可利用性,对作物的增产起重要作用。岩溶水稻土常规施肥配施绿肥处理的效果优于不施肥和常规施肥处理。     

鼎湖山不同自然植被土壤动物群落结构时空变化

2001年10月~2002年8月采用大型改良干漏斗和手拣法对鼎湖山鼎湖山南亚热带典型常绿阔叶林、河岸常绿阔叶林、山地常绿阔叶林、针阔混交林、沟谷常绿阔叶林和灌木草丛6种自然植被类型土壤动物群落结构时空变化进行初步调查。结果表明,蜱螨目(A carina)和弹尾目(Co llem bo la)为6种自然植被常年优势类群,缨翅目(T hysanoptera)、鞘翅目(Co leoptera)、膜翅目(Hym enoptera)和双翅目(D iptera)幼虫则为常年常见类群。土壤动物群落类群和个体数量的消长规律分别是:10月=6月=8月>4月>2月=12月和4月>10月>6月>8月>2月>12月。土壤动物个体数量总数依次为南亚热带典型常绿阔叶林>河岸常绿阔叶林>山地常绿阔叶林>沟谷常绿阔叶林>针阔混交林>灌木草丛;不同月份、不同植被类型以及不同月份和不同植被类型之间土壤动物群落的组成具有较大变化,组成差异极显著(F=5.63,α=0.0001;F=11.08,α=0.0001;F=2.97,α=0.0001),不同类群之间个体数量差异极显著(F=102.38,α=0.0001),但月份间类群数差异不显著(F=0.50,α>0.05)。多样性分析表明,类群多样性和均匀性指数除南亚热带典型常绿阔叶林、山地常绿阔叶林12月最高外,其它则2月最高,优势度指数则相反;山地常绿阔叶林土壤动物群落多样性指数和均匀性指数最大,针阔混交林则最小。     

黑龙江不同玉米秸秆还田方式下土壤动物群落结构及其对秸秆降解的影响

以黑龙江省海伦市典型黑土耕地为试验样区,研究黑土区不同秸秆还田方式下土壤动物群落结构特征及其在秸秆降解中的作用。实验选取6目、30目、260目降解袋,设置5个处理:17kg玉米秸秆+2kg水还田+含微生物100%浓度催腐剂(样方A)、8.5kg玉米秸秆+1kg水还田+含微生物50%浓度催腐剂(样方B)、原始样方(样方C)、8.5kg玉米秸秆+1kg水还田(样方D)、17kg玉米秸秆+2kg水还田(样方E),并于2009—2011每年9月份测定不同样方的玉米秸秆降解率和微生物数量。结果表明:所有样方累积秸秆降解率都达55%以上,秸秆降解率从高到低排序依次为:样方A>样方B>样方C>样方D>样方E;对秸秆降解起主要作用的动物类群为中小型土壤动物中的甲螨亚目、中气门亚目和节跳虫科,约占土壤动物个体数的86.70%;不同处理样方中,土壤动物群落结构相似;相同处理样方中,不同规格的降解袋中土壤动物个数与类群差异显著(P<0.001);不同孔径降解袋中土壤动物的个数、类群数、多样性基本都与秸秆降解率呈正相关,进一步表明土壤动物对秸秆降解具有促进作用。     

Animal behaviour shapes the ecological effects of ocean acidification and warming: moving from individual to community‐level responses

Biological communities are shaped by complex interactions between organisms and their environment as well as interactions with other species. Humans are rapidly changing the marine environment through increasing greenhouse gas emissions, resulting in ocean warming and acidification. The first response by animals to environmental change is predominantly through modification of their behaviour, which in turn affects species interactions and ecological processes. Yet, many climate change studies ignore animal behaviour. Furthermore, our current knowledge of how global change alters animal behaviour is mostly restricted to single species, life phases and stressors, leading to an incomplete view of how coinciding climate stressors can affect the ecological interactions that structure biological communities. Here, we first review studies on the effects of warming and acidification on the behaviour of marine animals. We demonstrate how pervasive the effects of global change are on a wide range of critical behaviours that determine the persistence of species and their success in ecological communities. We then evaluate several approaches to studying the ecological effects of warming and acidification, and identify knowledge gaps that need to be filled, to better understand how global change will affect marine populations and communities through altered animal behaviours. Our review provides a synthesis of the far‐reaching consequences that behavioural changes could have for marine ecosystems in a rapidly changing environment. Without considering the pervasive effects of climate change on animal behaviour we will limit our ability to forecast the impacts of ocean change and provide insights that can aid management strategies.     

Zoobenthos of the Cheshskaya Bay (southeastern Barents Sea): spatial distribution and community structure in relation to environmental factors

Structural and functional characteristics of zoobenthos of the Cheshskaya Bay (SE Barents Sea) were studied at 21 stations in June/July 1995. Strong prevailing cyclonic and tidal currents result in relatively uniform temperature and salinity in the area. Sediments consist mainly of sand and pebbles, while the flux of suspended matter from rivers locally increases the share of finer fractions. Analysis of species composition (419 taxa), abundance (up to 4,200 ind m⁻² and up to 29,000 ind m⁻² with juveniles) and biomass (up to >6,000 g wet wt m⁻²) indicates high species richness in most parts of the bay, especially in the northeast. Analysis of community structure using production characteristics of species revealed a general predominance of suspension feeders partitioned into seven communities. The dominant species of these communities were Mytilus edulis and Balanus crenatus (Type 1), B. crenatus (Type 2), Modiolus modiolus and Verruca stroemia (Type 3), Flustra foliacea and V. stroemia (Type 4), Hydrallmania falcata (Type 5), V. stroemia and Chirona hameri (Type 6), and Ophelia limacina (Type 7). The structure of the communities is mainly regulated by sediment type, water depth and, to some extent, by riverine input. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

干旱荒漠区植物生态位对水盐的响应

全球气候变化对生态系统功能的影响决定着种群地位和群落演替,由于干旱区的特殊性成为研究生物响应环境变化的热点地区。为探索艾比湖流域荒漠区植物生态位对土壤水盐梯度的响应,在研究水、盐含量和植物生态位特征的基础上,应用变系数模型,分析了土壤水盐梯度下的群落组成和生态位响应趋势。结果显示:(1)随土壤水盐梯度的降低,艾比湖流域群落的物种组成呈倒"V"型分布,说明土壤水盐交互作用影响着植被分布和群落类型。(2)高水盐环境下,胡杨(Populus euphratica)、琵琶柴(Reaumuria soongorica)和梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)等生态位宽度值(B_i)较大,柽柳(Tamarix ramosissima)、骆驼刺(Alhagi sparsifolia)和甘草(Glycyrrhiza uralensis)等B_i较小;中水盐环境下,白刺(Nitraria schoberi)和琵琶柴的B_i较大,铃铛刺(Halimodendron halodendron)、甘草和盐节木(Halocnemum strobilaceum)的B_i较小;低水盐环境下,梭梭、花花柴(Karelinia caspica)和琵琶柴等B_i较大,盐节木的B_i较小;说明土壤水盐环境和物种生态学特性是影响B_i的重要因素。(3)物种水平上,B_i较大的种群与其他物种的生态位重叠(O_(ij))一般较大,但B_i较小的物种间的O_(ij)不一定小(例如:高水盐土壤环境下柽柳和骆驼刺的O_(ij)为1);群落水平上,B_i与O_(ij)具有一定的正相关性;说明由于资源纬度的相似性增大了低B_i物种间的O_(ij),并且B_i和O_(ij)由物种向群落尺度转换时,两者之间的关系存在冗余。(4)土壤水盐梯度与群落生态幅呈现一种非线性相关特征,高水盐格局对群落B_i有一定的促进效应,而低水盐模式对B_i具有一定的限制作用,表明土壤水盐的协同效应影响着物种在群落的地位,并在一定程度上决定了群落向正负两极演替的方向。     

稻田节肢动物群落优势功能集团的垂直分布、数量动态及天敌作用估计

研究了稻田节肢动物群落中优势功能集团的垂直空间分布和数量动态规律.结果表明,狼蛛的分布范围不象过去认识的那样广,而是主要分布在稻株的中下部.蛸蛛也不仅仅限制在稻株叶冠层,其在受到农药干扰后,向下部转移.顶位物种与基位物种垂直空间分布的相关性不大.在稻田内影响天敌对褐飞虱种群动态控制作用大小的因素,除了天敌的数量之外,尚有天敌与褐飞虱的空间分布特征,褐飞虱占天敌食谱中的比例等.提出了包含天敌、褐飞虱、中性昆虫的数量动态、空间分布、取食特性等信息的评价天敌作用的模型.     

热带次生林不同林层植物叶片非结构性碳水化合物的季节变化及其对氮磷添加的响应

非结构性碳水化合物(Non-structural Carbohydrates, NSCs)是植物生长代谢过程中重要的能量来源。通过在华南热带次生林进行氮磷添加试验,探究不同林层植物叶片NSCs的季节变化及其对氮磷添加的响应,取样时间为2019年1月、4月、7月和10月。结果表明:1)植物叶片NSCs存在显著的种间差异,磷(P)添加对叶片淀粉和NSCs含量具有显著影响,且物种与磷添加的交互作用显著影响叶片淀粉含量。2)黑嘴蒲桃和紫玉盘叶片NSCs含量对氮(N)添加的响应较为敏感,而白车和竹节叶片NSCs含量对P添加的响应较为敏感,氮磷同时添加(+NP)对植物叶片NSCs的增效作用最好。3)植物叶片NSCs存在显著的季节性变化,且季节与林层间的交互作用对叶片可溶性糖和NSCs含量具有显著影响。4)不同林层植物对氮磷添加的响应不同,氮磷添加使林下层植物叶片可溶性糖含量增高,林冠层降低,在干季,N添加会使林下层植物叶片淀粉含量增高,林冠层降低。P添加的影响恰好与之相反。在湿季,氮磷添加使林下层和林冠层植物叶片的淀粉含量增加。5)林冠层植物叶片NSCs含量高于林下层,且林下层植物叶片NSCs含量...     

Rapid, landscape scale responses in riparian tundra vegetation to exclusion of small and large mammalian herbivores

Productive tundra plant communities composed of a variety of fast growing herbaceous and woody plants are likely to attract mammalian herbivores. Such vegetation is likely to respond to different-sized herbivores more rapidly than currently acknowledged from the tundra. Accentuated by currently changing populations of arctic mammals there is a need to understand impacts of different-sized herbivores on the dynamics of productive tundra plant communities. Here we assess the differential effects of ungulate (reindeer) and small rodent herbivores (voles and lemmings) on high productive tundra vegetation. A spatially extensive exclosure experiment was run for three years on river sediment plains along two river catchments in low-arctic Norway. The river catchments were similar in species pools but differed in species abundance composition of both plants and vertebrate herbivores. Biomass of forbs, deciduous shrubs and silica-poor grasses increased by 40–50% in response to release from herbivory, whereas biomass of silica-rich grasses decreased by 50–75%. Hence both additive and compensatory effects of small rodents and reindeer exclusion caused these significant changes in abundance composition of the plant communities. Changes were also rapid, evident after only one growing season, and are among the fastest and strongest ever documented in Arctic vegetation. The rate of changes indicates a tight link between the dynamics of productive tundra vegetation and both small and large herbivores. Responses were however not spatially consistent, being highly different between the catchments. We conclude that despite similar species pools, variation in plant species abundance and herbivore species dynamics give different prerequisites for change.     

两湖泊轮虫群落结构的时空动态对水体氮磷含量及“下行效应”的响应

为探讨氮和磷、"上行效应"和"下行效应"在轮虫群落结构时空变动调控中的相对重要性,于2011年7月至2012年6月每月两次采集了芜湖市九莲塘和汀棠湖中的轮虫样品,利用相关分析法和典范对应分析法(CCA)分析了轮虫群落结构的时空变动与水体理化因子及其潜在捕食者密度间的关系。卡尔森营养状态指数表明,两湖均处在富营养化初期。除了总氮和硝态氮的年均浓度、晶囊轮虫(Asplanchna)和剑水蚤(Cyclopoidea)无节幼体的年均密度存在显著差异外(P0.05),两湖泊的其他水环境因子间并未表现出明显的差异(P0.05)。实验室鉴定发现九莲塘中共有轮虫48种,隶属于15科21属;汀棠湖中共有轮虫55种,隶属于15科24属。两湖泊中,疣毛轮虫(Synchaeta)、臂尾轮虫(Brachionus)和异尾轮虫(Trichocerca)均是主要轮虫类群,而密度优势种分别有7种和4种。相关分析结果显示,P含量与九莲塘轮虫群落的均匀度和物种多样性指数间均呈现显著的负相关(P0.05),而N含量却与汀棠湖轮虫群落的物种多样性指数呈现显著的正相关(P0.05);两湖泊中的轮虫物种多样性指数均与水体中的TN∶TP(质量比)间呈现显著的正相关(P0.05)。CCA分析结果显示,九莲塘中桡足类和其无节幼体密度显著高于其他采样批次时的轮虫群落聚成Ⅰ类,汀棠湖中晶囊轮虫密度显著高于其他批次时的轮虫群落聚成Ⅱ类,而其他的轮虫潜在捕食者密度很低或未出现时的轮虫群落聚成Ⅲ类。研究结果表明,湖泊中的TN∶TP(质量比)可能是反映N和P含量对轮虫群落物种多样性影响程度的较为合适的指标。当水体中的轮虫潜在捕食者密度较高时,两湖泊轮虫群落结构的变动均主要取决于"下行效应";而当轮虫潜在捕食者密度很低时,"上行效应"可能是调控两湖泊轮虫群落结构变动的主要因素。