Soil seed bank contributes significantly to genetic variation of Hypericum sinaicum in a changing environment

The contribution of soil seed bank of a desert endemic plant species in maintaining genetic diversity has been addressed in this paper through investigating the differences in genetic diversity and structure (using AFLP markers) between plants grown from soil seed bank and standing crop plants within and among five populations of H. sinaicum growing at St. Katherine Protectorate, southern Sinai, Egypt. Standard genetic diversity measures showed that the molecular variation within and among populations was highly significantly different between standing crop and soil seed bank. While soil seed bank had lower genetic diversity than standing crop populations, pooling soil seed bank with standing crop samples resulted in higher diversity. The results revealed also that soil seed bank had lower differentiation (7 %) than among populations of the standing crop (18 %). Results of neighbor-joining, Bayesian clustering and principal coordinate analysis showed that soil seed banks had a separate gene pool different from standing crop. The study came to the conclusion that the genetic variation of the soil seed bank contributes significantly to the genetic variation of the species. This also stresses the importance of elucidating the genetic diversity and structure of the soil seed bank for any sound and long-term conservation efforts for desert species. These have been growing in small-size populations for a long time that any estimates gained only from aboveground sampling of populations may be ambiguous.     

Pattern,phenology and sex ratio of Egyptian Thymelaea hirsuta populations

The distributional pattern, phenology and sex structure of the desert shrub Thymelaea hirsuta (L.) Endl. were evaluated in six major habitat types in the Mediterranean desert of Egypt.The distributional pattern changes from contagious in the less arid-to random in the more arid habitats.Soil salinity, low content of soil moisture, and extremes of temperature are of importance for the phenological activity.The plant is mainly dioecious. Males are more abundant in two of the habitats and are characterized by larger sizes compared with the females in all but one habitat.     

Spatial variation in a grassland on soil rich in heavy metals

Abstract. The vegetation in a grassland area in the prefecture of Kilkis (N. Greece), known for its surface Cu-mineralization, was studied. 43 quadrats were established along a transect through an area where the vegetation formed patches of different size. Cover-abundance and frequency estimates for all species were made. Normal Association Analysis revealed five quadrat groups characterized by Trifolium scabrum, Linaria pelisseriana, Anthoxanthum ovatum, Gypsophila muralis and Minuartia hirsuta ssp. falcata. 43 soil samples were analysed for pH, organic C, CaCO₃, total content of Fe, Zn, Pb, Cu, Mn, Ca, Mg, K, Na and soil texture. From a discriminant analysis performed on soil data five soil groups resulted, which are highly related to the five vegetation groups. Thymus sibthorpii, Minuartia hirsuta ssp. falcata and Rumex acetosella are the most important taxa with respect to physiognomy and patchi-ness of the vegetation. The number of species in each group of quadrats is affected by the relative favourableness or severity of the soil conditions. Metal contents, mainly Zn, Cu, Mg and Na, and soil texture are considered to be among the main factors controlling the structure and physiognomy of the vegetation.     

Patterns in vegetation, hydrology, and nutrient availability in an undisturbed river floodplain in Poland

In the undisturbed floodplain of the Biebrza river (N.E. Poland) wecompared vegetation composition, standing crop and the nutrients in standingcrop to site factors such as flood duration and inundation depth during springfloods, summer water levels and concentrations of chemical constituents inwaterand nutrient release rates from peat. Our analysis shows a number of clearspatial patterns of biotic and abiotic variables in the ca. 1 kmwide river marginal wetland. The distribution of vegetation types follows acertain pattern: Glycerietum maximae close to the river,followed by respectively Caricetum gracilis andCaricetum elatae and finally Calamagrostietumstrictae at the margin of the river plain. Species richnessincreasesand standing crop decreases from the river towards the margin. The elevation ofthe ground surface gently rises with increasing distance from the river; floodduration and flooding depths in spring decrease in the same direction.Groundwater tables in summer are less correlated to the elevation gradient buttend to be closer to the ground surface at the valley margin. These differencesalso lead to a higher amplitude close to the river and a fairly stable watertable far away from the river. Concentrations of major ions and ammoniumincrease towards the river. Nutrient release rates are also higher closer totheriver. Absence and presence of species and the variation in species compositionof the vegetation was explained best by flood variables; variables fromgroundwater explained much less of the variance. Variations in standing cropandnutrients in standing crop corresponded better to the rates of nutrient releasefrom the organic soil than to nutrient concentrations in the soil water. Weconcluded that river hydrology and nutrient release from the soil are clearlyrelated to vegetation composition, species richness and productivity of thevegetation.     

Photosynthetic responses of birch and alder saplings grown in a free air CO2 enrichment system in northern Japan

Though birch and alder are the common pioneer tree species which dominate in northeast Asia, little is known about the effects of the predicted increase in atmospheric CO₂ concentrations ([CO₂]) upon their photosynthesis in field conditions. To investigate this, we grew 2-year-old saplings of three Betulaceae species (Betula platyphylla var. japonica Hara, Betula maximowicziana Regel, and Alnus hirsuta Turcz) for 2 years in a free air CO₂ enrichment system in northern Japan. Since the effect of high [CO₂] is known to depend on soil conditions, we evaluated the responses in two soils which are widely distributed in northern Japan: infertile and immature volcanic ash (VA) soil, and fertile brown forest (BF) soil. For B. platyphylla, photosynthetic down-regulation occurred in both soils, but for B. maximowicziana, down-regulation occurred only in VA soil. The explanation is reduced nitrogen and Rubisco content in the leaf. For A. hirsuta, down-regulation occurred only in BF soil because of the accumulation of starch in foliage, which restricts CO₂ diffusion inside the chloroplast. The higher photosynthetic rate of A. hirsuta in infertile VA soil could be due to the sink for photosynthates in the N₂-fixing symbiont. These three species are all able to down-regulate at high [CO₂]. However, it is possible that A. hirsuta would dominate in VA soil and B. maximowicziana in BF soil in the early stages of forest succession in a CO₂-enhanced world.     

Sex expression in EgyptianThymelaea hirsuta (Thymelaeaceae) populations

The sex expression inThymelaea hirsuta was assessed in five habitats in the western Mediterranean desert of Egypt. The survey over two main flowering periods indicated that the sexual expression of this plant is complex and labile. Beside the dioecious male and female states, five monoecious states were detected. The dioecious states are more abundant and less labile. There is a clear shift from monoecious towards dioecious states and in general favour of males from the first (late autumn) to the second (late winter) flowering period. These results are discussed in view of the adaptive theories and evolution.     

Habitat engineering under dry conditions: The impact of pikas (Ochotona pallasi) on vegetation and site conditions in southern Mongolian steppes

Question: Does ecosystem engineering by small mammals have a significant influence on vegetation patterns in the arid steppe vegetation of southern Mongolia? Location: Gobi Altay Mountains, southern Mongolia. Methods: We assessed the impact of the small lagomorph Ochotona pallasi on plant community composition, nutrient levels and biomass production in montane desert steppes. Data were derived from vegetation relevés, harvests of above‐ground standing crop and a bioassay, followed by analyses of soil and plant nutrient contents. Results: Although the local climate is arid with <150 mm annual precipitation, clear evidence of allogenic ecosystem engineering was found. Plant communities on burrows differed from those on undisturbed steppe in that they contained more species of annuals and dwarf shrubs, and a greater abundance of the important fodder grass Agropyron cristatum. Standing crop and nutrient concentrations were higher for plants growing on burrow soil. In situ measurements and a pot experiment showed that this effect was related to increased levels of soil nutrients (P, K, N) rather than moisture availability. Conclusions: The study confirms that O. pallasi positively influences soil nutrient levels on its burrows, which leads to increased grassland productivity even under dry conditions. Thus, O. pallasi does not deteriorate site conditions, and the need for presently applied pest control schemes aimed at this species should be reassessed.     

Using ecological niche modeling to predict the distributions of two endangered amphibian species in aquatic breeding sites

Waterfowl can cause substantial reductions in plant standing crop, which may have ecological and economic consequences. However, what determines the magnitude of these reductions is not well understood. Using data from published studies, we derived the relationship between waterfowl density and reduction in plant standing crop. When waterfowl density was estimated as individuals ha⁻¹ no significant relationship with reduction in plant standing crop was detected. However, when waterfowl density was estimated as kg ha⁻¹ a significant, positive, linear relationship with reduction in plant standing crop was found. Whilst many previous studies have considered waterfowl species as homologous, despite large differences in body mass, our results suggest that species body mass is a key determinant of waterfowl impact on plant standing crop. To examine relative impacts of waterfowl groups based on species body mass, a measure of plant biomass reduction (R _s) per bird per hectare was calculated for each group. Comparison of R _s values indicated some differences in impact between different waterfowl groups, with swans having a greater per capita impact than smaller-bodied waterfowl groups. We present evidence that this difference is linked to disparities in individual body size and associated differences in intake rates, diet composition and energy requirements. Future research priorities are proposed, particularly the need for experiments that quantify the importance of factors that determine the magnitude of waterfowl impacts on plant standing crop.     

Pressurized gas transport in two Japanese alder species in relation to their natural habitats

Oxygen uptake measurements have shown that pressurized gas transport, resulting from the physical effect of thermo-osmosis of gases, improves oxygen supply to the roots of the seedlings in two alder speciesAlnus japonica (Thunb.) Steud. andAlnus hirsuta (Spach) Rupr., which are both native in Japan. When gas transport conditions were established by irradiation of the tree stems the internal aeration was increased to a level nearly equal to the oxygen demand of the root system in leafless seedlings ofA. hirsuta, but was higher inA. japonica so that excess oxygen was excreted into the environment. An increase of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, which protects plants from toxic oxygen radicals and post-anoxic injury, has been observed in root tissues ofA. japonica when the seedlings were flooded for 3 days. The increase of SOD activity, in concert with high gas transport rates, may enable this tree species to grow in wet sites characterized by low oxygen partial pressure in the soil and by varying water tables. A less effective gas transport, flood-induced reduction of SOD activity in root tissues, and reduced height growth in waterlogged soil may be responsible for the fact thatA. hirsuta is unable to inhabit wettland sites.     

Cropping as a Phytoremediation Practice for Oily Desert Soil with Reference to Crop Safety as Food

Broad beans (Vicia faba)could tolerate up to 10% (w)w) crude oil in desert soil (sand), therefore, the potential of this crop for cleaning oily desert soil via rhizosphere technology was investigated. The amounts of hydrocarbons recovered from oily desert soil samples supporting V. faba plants were less than the amounts extracted from uncultivated oily soil samples. Excised fresh V. faba roots with their intact rhizospheres resulted in the attenuation of n-octadecane, phenanthrene, and crude oil when shaken into sterile desert soil extract containing these hydrocarbons. The amounts of hydrocarbons eliminated were greater with roots of plants previously raised in oily soil than with roots of plants raised in clean soil. Similar hydrocarbon attenuation effects were recorded when, instead of excised roots, whole plants were used with their roots submerged in the hydrocarbon containing soil extract. The various parts of plants raised in oily desert soil contained more linolenic acid in their total lipids than did the same parts of plants raised in clean desert soil. This was much more pronounced for the roots than for shoots and seeds. The hydrocarbons of roots and shoots of V. faba plants were not as affected by oil pollution as were those of seeds, in which the proportions of very long chain hydrocarbons increased with increasing oil concentration in the soil. Those hydrocarbons are not recommended for human and animal nutrition.     

SEXUAL TETRAMORPHISM IN THYMELAEA HIRSUTA (THYMELAEACEAE): EVIDENCE OF THE PATHWAY FROM HETERODICHOGAMY TO DIOECY AT THE INFRASPECIFIC LEVEL

After more than 5 years of study on natural populations of Thymelaea hirsuta (L.) Endl. (Thymelaeaceae), four distinct sexual phenotypes are shown to occur: protogynous, protandrous, subandroecious (male), and subgynoecious (female) individuals. The four populations studied differ significantly in the relative abundance of sexual types. Plant size and sexual phenotype are independent in three populations. Each sexual form produces viable seeds. Growth and morphogenesis of the aerial vegetative and sexual parts are described and found not to be related to sexual phenotype. The system, called sexual tetramorphism, combines characteristics of subdioecy (subandroecious and subgynoecious individuals) and heterodichogamy (protogynous and protandrous individuals). High fruit production in females and protandrous plants vs. low fruit production in males and protogynous plants provides evidence of a strong tendency toward functional dimorphism. The probable specialization of protogynous types toward the male function and the obvious specialization of protandrous types toward the female function suggest an evolution from heterodichogamy to dioecy, sexual tetramorphism being the intermediate stage. Tetramorphism in T. hirsuta provides further support for the hypothesis of an evolutionary pathway from heterodichogamy to dioecy.     

Population characteristics of Gammarus pulex (L.) from five English streams

Gammarus pulex were sampled from five English streams during April 1992. The population density, number of precopula pairs and incidence of parasitic infection were recorded, and the biomass was estimated from subsamples by relating body area to dry weight. Physical and chemical measurements were taken from each stream. The abundance and standing crop biomass differed significantly between streams, probably due to the influence of pollutants or the physical structure of the stream bed. The size of individual G. pulex also differed significantly between streams, although there was no obvious causal explanation for this. Few individuals were visibly parasitised in any of the populations. Males were significantly larger than females, both in precopula pairs and in the general populations. The sex ratio differed between populations and may explain inter-stream differences in the relationship between precopula male and female size.     

Local habitat-induced variations in the population dynamics of Patella vulgata L.

The recruitment, growth and maximum size, life span, standing crop and biomass of Patella vulgata L. reveal considerable local differences in a range of habitats on the same shore. While some differences are related to physical conditions (e.g., standing water, tidal level), others arise from local biological interactions and may reverse expectations based on tidal level alone. Wet and bare surfaces apart, juvenile input is regularly highest among mid- and upper-shore mussels, while growth and maximum size are least among barnacles at any tidal level. The extreme permutations of population characteristics range from high-level, dry barnacle areas where limpet recruitment averages 15 % of standing crop, growth rate and maximum size are low and survival for 15–17 years is possible to low-level, bare rock where input averages 66 %, growth and maximum size are high and life span unlikely to exceed 4–5 years. Population densities vary annually but the relative densities of the different habitats have remained fairly steady as long as the biological conditions have remained similar; the latter largely control the recruitment and survival characteristics upon the balance of which the population density appears to depend. Although liable to distortions due to years of abnormal recruitment, the size-frequency structure of their populations is highly diagnostic of many habitats.     

Burrow structure and foraging costs in the fossorial rodent,Thomomys bottae

Summary A model for calculating the energy cost of burrowing by fossorial rodents is presented and used to examine the energetics of foraging by burrowing. The pocket gopher Thomomys bottae (Rodentia: Geomyidae) digs burrows for access to food. Feeding tunnels of Thomomys are broken into segments by laterals to the surface that are used to dispose of excavated soil. Energy cost of burrowing depends on both soil type and on burrow structure, defined by the length of burrow segments, angle of ascent of laterals, depth of feeding tunnels, and burrow diameter. In a desert scrub habitat, Thomomys adjust burrow segment length to minimize cost of burrowing. Observed segment lengths (mean=1.33 m) closely approximate the minimum-cost segment length of 1.22 m. Minimizing energy expended per meter of tunnel constructed maximizes efficiency of foraging by burrowing in the desert scrub. Burrow diameter and cost of burrowing increase with body size, while benefits do not, so foraging by burrowing becomes less enconomical as body size increases. Maximum possible body size of fossorial mammals depends on habitat productivity and energy cost of burrowing in local soils.     

高寒草甸植物群落不同根序根系特征对降雨量变化的响应

根系是草原生态系统中最重要的碳库之一,分析高寒草甸植物群落生物量和地下不同径级根系碳分配特征及根系的生长特征对降雨变化的响应,有利于了解全球变化背景下高寒草甸植物根系、土壤碳氮循环及其过程。采用微根管技术原位监测5种降雨处理下(增雨50%:1.5P、自然降雨:1.0P、减雨30%:0.7P、减雨50%:0.5P、减雨90%:0.1P)高寒草甸植物群落和根系属性(现存量、生产量、死亡量、根系寿命和周转速率)的变化特征,结果表明:(1)降雨变化对地上植物群落生物量无显著影响,但0.5P和0.1P显著增加禾本科生物量(P<0.05)。(2)总根系现存量在处理间无显著差异,但随着降雨量减少呈先增加后降低的趋势。土层间不同径级根系现存量差异显著,0-10 cm土层1.5P和0.7P1级根现存量显著增加,2级和3级根现存量显著降低;在10-20 cm土层,1.0P2级根系现存量显著高于其余处理(P<0.05)。(3)总根生产量与死亡量随降雨减少而降低,在0-10 cm土层,1.0P总根生产量和死亡量最高,0.1P显著降低了1级根生产量(P<0.05)。(4)0.1P显著增加10-20 cm土层1级根和总根寿命(P<0.05)。(5)根系周转随降雨量减少呈降低趋势,但无显著差异(P>0.05)。(6)结构方程模型进一步表明:根系现存量和生产量受土层和水分的直接影响,土层和养分对根系周转有负效应。综上所述,降雨量的变化并未显著改变地下总根系生物量,但少量降雨变化(0.7P、1.5P)会降低植物对2、3级根生物量的分配,投入更多资源以促进1级根的生长;而水分下降至轻度水分胁迫(0.1P),植物会减少地下各径级根系生物量的分配,保持低根系生物量消耗和低根系生长来维持其正常的生长状态,完成其正常的生态功能。     

人工柠条-荒漠草地交错带拟步甲昆虫群落多样性

选取宁夏东部盐池县人工柠条灌丛-荒漠草地交错带为研究样地,以距离梯度形式,利用巴氏诱罐法对拟步甲科昆虫群落多样性进行了调查,研究了边缘效应对拟步甲昆虫群落多样性的影响。共采集拟步甲昆虫1405只,分属8属13种。结果表明,克小鳖甲和弯齿琵甲个体数量分别占总个体数的32.74%和43.27%,为该地区的优势种类。拟步甲昆虫在人工柠条灌丛-荒漠草地交错带的分布可分为3种类型,优势种克小鳖甲和弯齿琵甲属于栖息地广布型,但二者并没有表现出十分均匀的适应性,而且他们在各样带的分布呈显著负相关,克小鳖甲的分布趋向于沙生荒漠环境,弯齿琵甲的分布趋向于柠条灌丛;常见种蒙古漠王、小皮鳖甲的分布偏向于喜好荒漠草地;异距琵甲、奥氏真土甲、网目土甲和淡红毛隐甲的分布则偏向于喜好柠条灌丛。拟步甲昆虫丰富度与Shannon-Wiener多样性沿边缘分别向柠条灌丛和荒漠草地内部降低,个体数量总体上沿柠条灌丛、交错带向荒漠草地内部降低,但各样带差异不显著。从季节动态看,荒漠草地和柠条灌丛物种多样性季节变化相似,3种生境拟步甲活动密度季节变化相似。边缘效应强度分析呈现边缘正效应。CCA排序图显示分类地位相近的物种在生态适应上具有趋同性。多元回归分析表明,植被密度影响拟步甲昆虫群落的优势种和个体数量,植被盖度和高度分别影响拟步甲群落的均匀度和丰富度。主坐标分析(PCo A)排序表明人工柠条灌丛-荒漠草地交错带的拟步甲昆虫群落组成与柠条灌丛内部没有明显分化,但趋于向柠条灌丛生境演替。     

Effects of mutual intercropping on cadmium accumulation by the accumulator plants Conyza canadensis,Cardamine hirsuta,and Cerastium glomeratum

In this study, three cadmium (Cd) accumulator species (Conyza canadensis, Cardamine hirsuta, and Cerastium glomeratum) were co-cultured in Cd-contaminated soil in pots to study the effects of intercropping on co-remediation. Only C. canadensis intercropped with C. glomeratum, C. hirsuta intercropped with C. glomeratum, and three-species intercropping increased plant biomass compared with their respective monocultures. The treatments of C. canadensis intercropped with C. glomeratum and three-species intercropping increased the Cd contents in roots and shoots of C. canadensis, whereas the other intercropping treatments decreased or had no significant impact on Cd contents. As for Cd accumulation, the treatments of C. canadensis intercropped with C. glomeratum, C. hirsuta intercropped with C. glomeratum, and three-species intercropping increased Cd accumulation in a single plant compared with that of their respective monocultures, whereas other intercropping treatments decreased Cd accumulation in individual plants. Only the treatments of C. canadensis intercropped with C. glomeratum and C. hirsuta intercropped with C. glomeratum increased Cd accumulation in shoots of a single pot compared with that of their respective monocultures. Therefore, C. canadensis intercropped with C. glomeratum and C. hirsuta intercropped with C. glomeratum may improve the phytoremediation efficiency for Cd-contaminated soil.     

高寒沙地典型固沙植物在沙丘不同地貌部位的水分利用特征

乌柳是高寒半干旱沙地植被恢复中常用的灌木树种,对乌柳水分利用来源的研究有助于理解沙地人工生态系统的稳定性维持及可持续发展。在青海湖湖东沙地,以沙丘不同地貌部位（迎风坡、丘顶和背风坡）生长的乌柳为研究对象,利用IsoSource模型分析植物生长季内的水分利用来源。研究结果表明：在生长季内,乌柳主要利用3个层次的土壤水,但不同地貌部位的乌柳在不同生长季利用不同层次的土壤水。生长季初期,迎风坡的乌柳以深层（60-150cm）土壤水为主要水源（50.28±18.11）%,而丘顶和背风坡的乌柳主要利用表层20cm的土壤水,利用比例分别为（79.96±7.59）%和（53.47±6.47）%。生长季中期,迎风坡的乌柳更多地利用中层20-60cm土壤水（45.52±26.91）%,丘顶的乌柳主要利用表层土壤水（45.17±20.14）%,而背风坡的乌柳以深层土壤水为主要水源（39.26±23.28）%。生长季末期,迎风坡的乌柳仍以（46.07±27.17）%的比例利用中层土壤水,丘顶的乌柳转而利用深层土壤水（44.25±26.23）%,而背风坡的乌柳却以表层土壤水作为主要水源（42.57±18.78）%。不同沙丘地貌部位乌柳对土壤水分的利用模式与其根系分布特征及其下方的土壤含水量具有相关性。     

青藏高原东北缘黄土区典型立地人工林分土壤水分特性研究

为探讨青藏高原东北缘黄土区典型立地人工林分的土壤水分特性及耗水特性,本研究以青海云杉林地和祁连圆柏林地作为研究对象,对其土壤持水特性、土壤渗透特性、土壤水分动态和土壤耗水特性进行综合分析。研究结果表明:(1)在相同土壤水吸力作用下,青海云杉林地的持水性比祁连圆柏好,荒草地的持水性比林地差。(2)青海云杉林地的土壤渗透性总体优于祁连圆柏,荒草地的土壤渗透性最差。相同坡向,上坡位的土壤渗透性小于下坡位。(3)青海云杉林地土壤水分条件总体优于祁连圆柏,而荒草地土壤水分条件优于林地;半阴坡林地土壤含水量随坡位由上至下逐渐升高。(4)生长季期间,青海云杉林地平均耗水量大于祁连圆柏,而荒草地耗水量远小于林地。综上,青海云杉林地的土壤水分特性整体优于祁连圆柏林地,且二者的土壤水分状况都比较好,并未出现土壤干层、土壤水分过度消耗等现象,青海云杉和祁连圆柏在研究区的配置是合理的,可以作为当地的水源涵养树种。     

Effects of elevated CO2 on fine root dynamics in a Mojave Desert community: a FACE study

Fine roots (≤1 mm diameter) are critical in plant water and nutrient absorption, and it is important to understand how rising atmospheric CO₂ will affect them as part of terrestrial ecosystem responses to global change. This study's objective was to determine the effects of elevated CO₂ on production, mortality, and standing crops of fine root length over 2 years in a free‐air CO₂ enrichment (FACE) facility in the Mojave Desert of southern Nevada, USA. Three replicate 25 m diameter FACE rings were maintained at ambient (～370 μmol mol^?1) and elevated CO₂ (～550 μmol mol^?1) atmospheric concentrations. Twenty‐eight minirhizotron tubes were placed in each ring to sample three microsite locations: evergreen Larrea shrubs, drought‐deciduous Ambrosia shrubs, and along systematic community transects (primarily in shrub interspaces which account for ～85% of the area). Seasonal dynamics were similar for ambient and elevated CO₂: fine root production peaked in April–June, with peak standing crop occurring about 1 month later, and peak mortality occurring during the hot summer months, with higher values for all three measures in a wet year compared with a dry year. Fine root standing crop, production, and mortality were not significantly different between treatments except standing crop along community transects, where fine root length was significantly lower in elevated CO₂. Fine root turnover (annual cumulative mortality/mean standing crop) ranged from 2.33 to 3.17 year^?1, and was not significantly different among CO₂ treatments, except for community transect tubes where it was significantly lower for elevated CO₂. There were no differences in fine root responses to CO₂ between evergreen (Larrea) and drought‐deciduous (Ambrosia) shrubs. Combined with observations of increased leaf‐level water‐use efficiency and lack of soil moisture differences, these results suggest that under elevated CO₂ conditions, reduced root systems (compared with ambient CO₂) appear sufficient to provide resources for modest aboveground production increases across the community, but in more fertile shrub microsites, fine root systems of comparable size with those in ambient CO₂ were required to support the greater aboveground production increases. For community transects, development of the difference in fine root standing crops occurred primarily through lower stimulation of fine root production in the elevated CO₂ treatment during periods of high water availability.