Pursuing glacier retreat: genetic structure of a rapidly expanding Larix decidua population

One of the greatest threats to the long-term viability of migrating plant species is the loss of genetic diversity due to founder effects. Populations can expand as a response to climate change, but it is uncertain if long-lived plant species can maintain sufficient genetic diversity at the leading edge of migrating populations. This study uses an expanding Larix decidua population investigated along a chronosequence at landscape (350 ha) and local (0.8 ha) scales to test whether accelerated migration as a result of climate warming has the potential to intensify genetic erosion. Nine SSR markers revealed similar genetic diversity among eight sub-populations along the chronosequence (overall H(e) = 0.73; SE=0.04). Sub-populations were not genetically differentiated and all sampled individuals (N=730) formed one major genetic cluster indicating homogenizing gene flow despite spatial genetic structure (SGS) up to 80 m. At the local scale, individuals at the leading edge [early successional sub-population (ESSP), N =140] and a sub-population at equilibrium [late successional sub-population (LSSP), N = 290] revealed high genetic diversity in largest-sized cohorts. SGS among juveniles occurred up to 30 m in LSSP but there was no structure in ESSP. Accordingly, a maximum likelihood paternity assignment revealed local gene dispersal in LSSP (2-48 m) and intermediate-to-long distance dispersal into ESSP (115-3132 m). The findings indicate intensive mixing of the genes in this expanding population instead of founder effects and support the view that genetic diversity can be maintained in a long-lived species during rapid population expansion driven by climate warming.     

冰川消退带微生物群落演替及生物地球化学循环

冰川是生物圈重要组分之一。由于全球气候变化世界多地冰川加速消融,暴露原本被冰盖覆盖的区域,这些区域被称为冰川消退区域(glacier retreat area)或冰川前部区域(glacier foreland)。自暴露开始消退区随即发生初生演替,随着演替进行,物质循环逐步建立,生物量和土壤C、N总量逐步增加。生态系统C、N输入最初以矿化外来物为主,逐渐转变为以生物固C、固N为主。演替早期生态系统的发育主要受土壤C、N含量的限制,而演替后期的限制性营养物转变为P。演替区域土壤逐渐发育并促进生态位的分化,细菌、真菌、古菌,病毒及其他微生物群落的生物量和多样性不断增加直至达到该地区可承受的极值。随着生存条件的改善,不同生态策略物种的更替导致每个演替阶段微生物群落结构的差异。整体上,伴随演替进行微生物群落丰度、结构和活性呈现梯度性变化。气候变化对冰川消退带生态演替结果产生多方面的影响,而这些影响结果又综合反馈气候变化,因此目前难以准确估计气候变化对消退带生态演替的净效应。综述了近年冰川消退带微生物群落演替方面相关的研究结果,同时分别对该区域物质循环的建立、微生物群落演替和气候变化造成的影响这三个方面进行详细描述,并指出当前研究的不足。     

新疆玛纳斯河流域冰川生态系统服务功能价值评估

冰川在干旱区内陆河流域中具有极其重要的生态作用,为流域发展提供着巨大的服务功能.然而,在全球气候变暖的影响下,冰川退缩将导致冰川生态系统服务功能降低.应用GIS空间分析技术分析了玛纳斯河流域从1964年至2006年冰川面积变化,并评估其生态系统服务功能价值变化.结果表明,在全球变暖的影响下,流域冰川生态系统服务功能总价值急剧下降.流域冰川面积从1964年557.1km2退缩到2006年的464.1km2,面积减少了16.7%.冰川生态系统服务功能价值从1964年的1228.5×108元下降到2006年的960.1×108元.冰川退缩改变了流域的水资源分布特征,导致冰川生态系统服务功能价值下降.在未来的流域发展规划中,应高度重视冰川变化产生的生态效应.     

Global‐change drivers of ecosystem functioning modulated by natural variability and saturating responses

Humans are altering global environment at an unprecedented rate through changes in biodiversity, climate, nitrogen cycle, and land use. To address their effects on ecosystem functioning, experiments most frequently explore one driver at a time and control as many confounding factors as possible. Yet, which driver exerts the largest influence on ecosystem functioning and whether their relative importance changes among systems remain unclear. We analyzed experiments in the Patagonian steppe that evaluated the aboveground net primary production (ANPP) response to manipulated gradients of species richness, precipitation, temperature, nitrogen fertilization (N), and grazing intensity. We compared the effect on ANPP relative to ambient conditions considering intensity and direction of manipulations for each driver. The ranking of responses to drivers with comparable manipulation intensity was as follows: biodiversity>grazing>precipitation>N. For a similar intensity of manipulation, the effect of biodiversity loss was 4.0, 3.6, and 1.5, times larger than N deposition, decreased precipitation, and increased grazing intensity. We interpreted our results considering two hypotheses. First, the response of ANPP to changes in precipitation and biodiversity is saturating, so we expected larger effects when the driver was reduced, relative to ambient conditions, than when it was increased. Experimental manipulations that reduced ambient levels had larger effects than those that increased them. Second, the sensitivity of ANPP to each driver is inversely related to the natural variability of the driver. In Patagonia, the ranking of natural variability of drivers is as follows: precipitation>grazing>temperature>biodiversity>N. So, in general, the ecosystem was most sensitive to drivers that varied the least. Comparable results from Cedar Creek (MN) support both hypotheses and suggest that sensitivity to drivers varies among ecosystem types. Given the importance of understanding ecosystem sensitivity to predict global‐change impacts, it is necessary to design new experiments located in regions with contrasting natural variability and that include the full range of drivers.     

Long-term glacier monitoring at the LTER test sites Hintereisferner,Kesselwandferner and Jamtalferner and other glaciers in Tyrol: a source of ancillary information for biological succession studies

Background: Some 3% of the area of Tyrol is covered by glaciers. Since the end of the Little Ice Age, these glaciers have shrunk by about 50%, providing open ground for succession of biota. As the exposed bare ground becomes available for colonisation, pedogenesis, and primary succession, glaciological data provide important information for the analysis of chronosequences of biological succession.

Aims: This paper summarises long-term surveillance studies and provides information on annual glacier changes with a focus on the three Tyrolean LTER sites Hintereisferner, Kesselwandferner and Jamtalferner, together with two additional glaciers.

Methods: Annual changes in the length of 54 glaciers were recorded, with the first measurements made in 1891. In addition, the long-term mass balance data of five glaciers are presented. Two of these glaciers have been surveyed since 1953.

Results: Between 1901 and 2008, the temperature during the ablation season (May to September) increased by 1.7 °C (measured at one site in Vent). In the same period, winter (October to April) accumulation showed no significant trends. Measurements of length changes showed a general glacier retreat, with limited advances in the 1920s and 1980s. The mass balance measurements indicated mass losses since the 1980s at increasing rates, especially after 2000. The reaction of glaciers to the climate signal differed in timing and magnitude according to their topographic properties.

Conclusions: Although the Tyrolean glaciers have generally retreated since the end of the Little Ice Age, the magnitude and pace of advance or recession differs from glacier to glacier. This is important to consider in studies on succession of biological communities in glacier forelands     

中国西北典型冰川区大气氮素沉降量的估算——以天山乌鲁木齐河源1号冰川为例

高寒冰川区氮素沉降量的变化会对区域生态系统产生显著影响,定量评估冰川区的氮沉降状况可以为修正相关模型提供重要的原始数据。通过2004年1月至2006年12月在天山乌鲁木齐河源1号冰川连续采样,分析了中国西北典型冰川区大气氮素的沉降特征,并估算了该区域的年均氮素沉降量。研究结果表明,1号冰川湿沉降中的硝态氮 (NO₃^--N)、铵态氮 (NH₄⁺-N) 与总无机氮 (TIN) 存在着明显的季节变化特征:夏季沉降量最大,冬季最少,且与降水量表现出较好的对应关系。1号冰川氮素湿沉降的硝铵比 (NO₃^--N / NH₄⁺-N) 月平均值在0.3-1间波动。1号冰川TIN湿沉降量年平均值为1.51 kg/hm² (其中NH₄⁺-N沉降量占总量的69%,而NO₃^--N沉降量仅占31%),干湿沉降总量年均值为1.56 kg/hm²,总氮 (TN) 的干湿沉降总量年均值为3.85 kg/hm²。得到的冰川区氮素沉降量符合中国西部高寒区的一般水平,代表了该区域的本底值。     

土壤微生物多样性海拔格局研究进展

生物多样性的海拔分布格局与维持机制是生物多样性与生态系统功能研究的热点领域。相比动植物多样性海拔分布格局,土壤微生物多样性海拔分布格局的研究还处在起步阶段。近年来,随着以罗氏454、Illumina Mi Seq等为代表的高通量测序平台的发展,土壤微生物海拔梯度分布格局的研究进展较快。对土壤微生物多样性海拔分布格局最新研究综述发现,土壤微生物海拔分布模式并不明确,表现为无趋势、下降、单峰或者下凹型等多种海拔分布模式。这与大型动植物并不相同,暗示其驱动机制可能存在一定的差异。微生物由于其个体微小、扩散能力强以及较高的多样性和个体丰度而在局域尺度上可能更易受到气候环境因素的影响。土壤pH、碳、氮等因子是影响微生物多样性和群落组成在海拔梯度上变异的重要因素。此外,温度和降水也具有重要作用。另外,除微生物自身属性以及取样限制外,测序深度可能是影响土壤微生物物种丰富度海拔分布格局的重要因素。目前,对土壤微生物群落的研究在功能基因、群落构建机制以及生态学理论的验证方面还存在着不足。未来的研究应进一步加大测序深度,增加取样密度,着重关注全球气候变化及生物多样性丧失背景下土壤微生物群落的构建和维持机制及其生态系统功能等方面。     

The last 50 years of climate‐induced melting of the Maliy Aktru glacier (Altai Mountains,Russia) revealed in a primary ecological succession

In this article, we report and discuss the results obtained from a survey of plants, microorganisms (bacteria and fungi), and soil elements along a chronosequence in the first 600 m of the Maliy Aktru glacier's forefront (Altai Mountains, Russia). Many glaciers of the world show effects of climate change. Nonetheless, except for some local reports, the ecological effects of deglaciation have been poorly studied and have not been quantitatively assessed in the Altai Mountains. Here, we studied the ecological changes of plants, fungi, bacteria, and soil elements that take the form of a primary ecological succession and that took place over the deglaciated soil of the Maliy Aktru glacier during the last 50 year. According to our measurements, the glacier lost about 12 m per year during the last 50 years. Plant succession shows clear signs of changes along the incremental distance from the glacier forefront. The analysis of the plant α‐ and β‐diversity confirmed an expected increase of them with increasing distance from the glacier forefront. Moreover, the analysis of β‐diversity confirmed the hypothesis of the presence of three main stages of the plant succession: (a) initial (pioneer species) from 30 to 100 m; (b) intermediate (r‐selected species) from 110 to 120–150 m; and (c) final (K‐selected species) from 150 to 550. Our study also shows that saprotrophic communities of fungi are widely distributed in the glacier retreating area with higher relative abundances of saprotroph ascomycetes at early successional stages. The evolution of a primary succession is also evident for bacteria, soil elements, and CO₂ emission and respiration. The development of biological communities and the variation in geochemical parameters represent an irrefutable proof that climate change is altering soils that have been long covered by ice.     

氮沉降对热带亚热带森林土壤氮循环微生物过程的影响研究进展

近年来,高速的城市化和工业化建设导致全球大气氮沉降量逐年递增,其中热带亚热带地区氮沉降量显著高于全球平均水平,而大部分热带亚热带森林土壤趋近氮饱和状态,氮沉降增加将持续向土壤输入外源活性氮,极易导致土壤氮过剩,进而破环整个森林生态系统氮循环的平衡。我国热带亚热带地区经济发展快速,氮沉降增加导致的土壤养分失衡和林地退化等生态问题日益凸显,森林土壤氮循环对大气氮沉降的响应及适应机制已引起了学术界的广泛关注。研究表明氮循环各环节均由特定的功能微生物驱动完成,明确氮沉降增加对热带亚热带森林土壤氮循环功能微生物及其介导的关键过程的影响,对评价未来氮沉降增加背景下全球森林土壤氮循环的响应及驱动机制有重要作用,可为促进我国热带亚热带地区森林修复、生态环境的改善与提升提供科学支撑。鉴于此,本文综述了热带亚热带森林土壤氮循环主要过程（如固氮、硝化、反硝化、厌氧氨氧化等）及其功能微生物群落丰度、活性、组成等对氮沉降增加的响应,同时分析了这些功能微生物的群落特征与主要环境因子（如NH₄⁺、NO₃^-、有机碳、pH、含水量等）的关联性。在此基础上探讨了氮沉降增加下功能微生物对热带亚热带森林土壤氮循环的调控作用,重点探讨了功能微生物如何通过改变丰度与群落组成而影响氮循环过程,并对目前研究中存在的主要问题与未来研究重点进行了简要剖析。     

Arctic warming: nonlinear impacts of sea‐ice and glacier melt on seabird foraging

Arctic climate change has profound impacts on the cryosphere, notably via shrinking sea‐ice cover and retreating glaciers, and it is essential to evaluate and forecast the ecological consequences of such changes. We studied zooplankton‐feeding little auks (Alle alle), a key sentinel species of the Arctic, at their northernmost breeding site in Franz‐Josef Land (80°N), Russian Arctic. We tested the hypothesis that little auks still benefit from pristine arctic environmental conditions in this remote area. To this end, we analysed remote sensing data on sea‐ice and coastal glacier dynamics collected in our study area across 1979–2013. Further, we recorded little auk foraging behaviour using miniature electronic tags attached to the birds in the summer of 2013, and compared it with similar data collected at three localities across the Atlantic Arctic. We also compared current and historical data on Franz‐Josef Land little auk diet, morphometrics and chick growth curves. Our analyses reveal that summer sea‐ice retreated markedly during the last decade, leaving the Franz‐Josef Land archipelago virtually sea‐ice free each summer since 2005. This had a profound impact on little auk foraging, which lost their sea‐ice‐associated prey. Concomitantly, large coastal glaciers retreated rapidly, releasing large volumes of melt water. Zooplankton is stunned by cold and osmotic shock at the boundary between glacier melt and coastal waters, creating new foraging hotspots for little auks. Birds therefore switched from foraging at distant ice‐edge localities, to highly profitable feeding at glacier melt‐water fronts within <5 km of their breeding site. Through this behavioural plasticity, little auks maintained their chick growth rates, but showed a 4% decrease in adult body mass. Our study demonstrates that arctic cryosphere changes may have antagonistic ecological consequences on coastal trophic flow. Such nonlinear responses complicate modelling exercises of current and future polar ecosystem dynamics.     

Variations of soil structure and microbial population in a compost amended soil

Changes in soil structure and in microbial population were recorded in a long term field experiment over the growing season of maize (June–November). Determinations were made on samples from plots which had received, for two years, the following treatments: mineral fertilizers, farmyard manure and three rates of compost. Seasonal variations were observed for the stability of soil aggregates, total porosity, pore size distribution, mycorrhizal infection and aerobic cellulolytic microorganisms. The stability of the soil aggregates changed in a similar way to that found for both mycorrhizal infection and the number of aerobic cellulolytic microorganisms. Physical characteristics were not affected in any instance by the organic dressings and microbiological populations were generally influenced only by the higher doses of compost.     

Ecosystem change and stability over multiple decades in the Swedish subarctic: complex processes and multiple drivers

The subarctic environment of northernmost Sweden has changed over the past century, particularly elements of climate and cryosphere. This paper presents a unique geo-referenced record of environmental and ecosystem observations from the area since 1913. Abiotic changes have been substantial. Vegetation changes include not only increases in growth and range extension but also counterintuitive decreases, and stability: all three possible responses. Changes in species composition within the major plant communities have ranged between almost no changes to almost a 50 per cent increase in the number of species. Changes in plant species abundance also vary with particularly large increases in trees and shrubs (up to 600%). There has been an increase in abundance of aspen and large changes in other plant communities responding to wetland area increases resulting from permafrost thaw. Populations of herbivores have responded to varying management practices and climate regimes, particularly changing snow conditions. While it is difficult to generalize and scale-up the site-specific changes in ecosystems, this very site-specificity, combined with projections of change, is of immediate relevance to local stakeholders who need to adapt to new opportunities and to respond to challenges. Furthermore, the relatively small area and its unique datasets are a microcosm of the complexity of Arctic landscapes in transition that remains to be documented.     

Tree mortality in the eastern and central United States: patterns and drivers

Substantial uncertainty surrounds how forest ecosystems will respond to the simultaneous impacts of multiple global change drivers. Long‐term forest dynamics are sensitive to changes in tree mortality rates; however, we lack an understanding of the relative importance of the factors that affect tree mortality across different spatial and temporal scales. We used the US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis database to evaluate the drivers of tree mortality for eastern temperate forest at the individual‐level across spatial scales from tree to landscape to region. We investigated 13 covariates in four categories: climate, air pollutants, topography, and stand characteristics. Overall, we found that tree mortality was most sensitive to stand characteristics and air pollutants. Different functional groups also varied considerably in their sensitivity to environmental drivers. This research highlights the importance of considering the interactions among multiple global change agents in shaping forest ecosystems.     

Stabilization of enzymes by dormancy autoinducers as a possible mechanism of resistance of resting microbial forms

Alkyl-substituted hydroxybenzenes (AHBs), autoinducers of microbial dormancy (ord ₁ factors), were found to stabilize the structure of protein macromolecules, making them metabolically less active and more resistant to stresses. In vitro experiments with theBacillus intermedius ribonuclease and chymotrypsin showed that the degree of the physical and chemical stability of these enzymes treated with AHBs depends on their concentration and incubation time. Experiments with RNase, which is capable of refolding, i.e., renaturation after heat denaturation, revealed that AHBs efficiently interact with both intact and denatured proteins. The data obtained allow the inference to be made thatd ₁ factors may play the role of natural chemical chaperons, blocking metabolism in dormant cells through the formation of catalytically inactive thermostable complexes with enzymes.     

Ocean temperature and density dependence as key drivers of the population dynamics of an intertidal crab at the Brazilian oceanic islands

Understanding how climatic and density-dependent processes affect demography is crucial for predicting population responses to climate change. For marine invertebrates with complex life cycle such as decapod crustaceans, increasing temperatures might affect survival and development of early pelagic stages, whereas high density can increase competition and thus reduce growth and fecundity of older life stages. In this study, we investigate the effects of warm ocean events, body size and density on the population dynamics of the intertidal Sally lightfoot crab (Grapsus grapsus) at the Brazilian oceanic islands. Firstly, we assessed the trends of marine heatwaves (MHW) and positive temperature anomalies (ΔSST+) at the equatorial St Peter and St Paul (SPSP) Archipelago and Rocas Atoll and the subtropical Trindade Island. We then jointly analyzed short-term count, capture-recapture and fecundity data, and long-term population monitoring data (2003–2019) using an integrated population model. Warm ocean events have become more frequent and intense only at the equatorial islands. Increasing MHW frequency positively influenced recruitment in the high-density SPSP population, while MHW intensity and ΔSST+ frequency had negative impacts. Conversely, no climatic effects were observed for the low-density Rocas population, which has the largest crabs. Despite a lack of warming in Trindade, this subtropical population with intermediate density and body size was negatively affected by ΔSST+. Our findings revealed population-specific responses to climate change when accounting for local life history and ecology. Thus, environmental and density-dependent effects should be broadly considered in future conservation studies regarding ocean warming impacts on marine invertebrate populations.     

Phenotypic variation and selective mortality as major drivers of recruitment variability in fishes

An individual's phenotype will usually influence its probability of survival. However, when evaluating the dynamics of populations, the role of selective mortality is not always clear. Not all mortality is selective, patterns of selective mortality may vary, and it is often unknown how selective mortality compares or interacts with other sources of mortality. As a result, there is seldom a clear expectation for how changes in the phenotypic composition of populations will translate into differences in average survival. We address these issues by evaluating how selective mortality affects recruitment of fish populations. First, we provide a quantitative review of selective mortality. Our results show that most of the mortality during early life is selective, and that variation in phenotypes can have large effects on survival. Next, we describe an analytical framework that accounts for variation in selection, while also describing the amount of selective mortality experienced by different cohorts recruiting to a single population. This framework is based on reconstructing fitness surfaces from phenotypic selection measurements, and can be employed for either single or multiple traits. Finally, we show how this framework can be integrated with models of density‐dependent survival to improve our understanding of recruitment variability and population dynamics.