Morphological responses of Leymus chinensis (Poaceae) to the large-scale climatic gradient along the North-east China Transect (NECT)

A field experiment was conducted to examine the morphological variations of Leymus chinensis along the climatic gradient of the North‐east China Transect (NECT), from 115° to 125° E, in the vicinity of 43.5° N, in north‐eastern China. Ten sites selected for plant sampling along the gradient have approximately uniform theoretical radiation, but differ in precipitation and geographical elevation. The results of analyses showed that vegetative and reproductive shoot heights, flag leaf lengths and widths and seed numbers per inflorescence increased from the west to the east with precipitation, but decreased with aridity. Leaf lengths and widths for most leaf types from 115° to 124° E exhibited little variations. Significant correlations of plant heights, flag leaf lengths and widths and seed numbers per inflorescence with large‐scale climatic variables (e.g. annual precipitation, aridity) and geographical variation (longitude) found in this study indicated that climatic factors have significant effects on some morphological traits of L. chinensis along the NECT.     

The changes in water-use efficiency and stoma density of Leymus chinensis along Northeast China Transect

Leymus chinensis is a keystone species in the temperate zone grassland of China. Along the NECT (Northeast China Transect) in 2001, water-use efficiency of L. chinensis was analyzed with δ¹³C, and changes in the stoma density of its leaves were observed and computed under a microscope. Results showed that the ecological plasticity modulation of the stoma density of L. chinensis and its water-use efficiency were two important mechanisms for its broad ecological adaptability. From east to west along the NECT, the δ¹³C of the species varied from -27.49‰ to -23.57‰, consisting with the reduction of annual precipitation, soil water and annual average temperature, but increased with the increase of the elevation of sampling sites. The stoma density increased from 96.9/mm² to 169.5/mm², indicating that the water-use efficiency for the species was improved along the gradient. The linear coefficient between the two parameters was significant (R² = 0.7338). The results of a stepwise regression analysis showed that the soil water was the first marked factor for determining the stoma density, and the next was the annual precipitation, which suggested that the water factors were the primary ecological factors influencing the stoma density of L. chinensis. The findings in this study showed that the responses of the stoma density and the water-use efficiency for L. chinensis to environmental changes were very complicated. They may be the outcome operated synthetically by all environmental factors in the long-term adaptation to different ecological environments, including human activity, for L. chinensis.     

中国东北样带关键种羊草水分利用效率与气孔密度

沿中国东北样带,从长春到阿巴嘎旗,大约每个经度设1个样地,共10个样地,研究了草原段关键种羊草的水分利用效率、叶片下表面气孔密度和气孔大小的变化,以及它们与年降水量、年均温度、土壤水分和海拔的关系．结果表明：自东向西,随年降水量、年均温度、土壤水分的降低和海拔的升高,羊草水分利用效率有明显增强的趋势,而气孔密度有明显增大的趋势,气孔大小没有明显变化规律并主要与取样时刻开张状态有关,说明羊草气孔数量的增多有利用提高水分利用效率．逐步回归分析结果表明,土壤水分是决定羊草气孔密度变化的第一显著因子,其次是年降水量,说明水分条件是羊草气孔密度变化的主要生态因子．从数据分布散点图、温度和放牧干扰作用的复杂性以及受土壤和地形条件特殊性影响样地的分析表明,羊草水分利用效率和气孔密度对环境变化的响应是非常复杂的,是包括植被利用方式与强度在内的环境因子综合作用的结果,也是羊草长期适应各样地环境的结果．     

羊草种群生物量生殖分配的初步研究

对羊草种群生物量生殖分配的研究表明,在生殖生长过程中,种群用于根茎和营养生长的生物量生殖分配占有绝对优势比例,而用于有性生殖的生物量生殖分配比例较小,在10%以下。在羊草种群构件生物量生殖分配中,根茎和营养枝的叶占有较大比例(20%～40%),而用于有性繁殖体种子生产的比例很小,在1.5%以下。对有性繁殖的小比例投资是导致羊草种群有性繁殖体种子产量低的重要原因.     

The changes in water-use efficiency and stoma density of Leymus chinensis along Northeast China Transect

Leymus chinensis is a keystone species in the temperate zone grassland of China. Along the NECT (Northeast China Transect) in 2001, water-use efficiency of L. chinensis was analyzed with δ¹³C, and changes in the stoma density of its leaves were observed and computed under a microscope. Results showed that the ecological plasticity modulation of the stoma density of L. chinensis and its water-use efficiency were two important mechanisms for its broad ecological adaptability. From east to west along the NECT, the δ¹³C of the species varied from -27.49‰ to -23.57‰, consisting with the reduction of annual precipitation, soil water and annual average temperature, but increased with the increase of the elevation of sampling sites. The stoma density increased from 96.9/mm² to 169.5/mm², indicating that the water-use efficiency for the species was improved along the gradient. The linear coefficient between the two parameters was significant (R² = 0.7338). The results of a stepwise regression analysis showed that the soil water was the first marked factor for determining the stoma density, and the next was the annual precipitation, which suggested that the water factors were the primary ecological factors influencing the stoma density of L. chinensis. The findings in this study showed that the responses of the stoma density and the water-use efficiency for L. chinensis to environmental changes were very complicated. They may be the outcome operated synthetically by all environmental factors in the long-term adaptation to different ecological environments, including human activity, for L. chinensis.     

Change of tree diversity on Northeast China Transect (NECT)

Analysis of information from about 287 sample plots on Northeast China Transect (NECT) indicated that between 1986 and 1994 at latitude 43.48° N to 43.55° N and longitude 124.93° E to 131.28° E, the relative abundance of different tree species changed differently. The change of relative abundance for the moisture-sensitive tree species, such as Quercus mongolica and Larix olgensis, was helpful to detect climate change. Use of GIS software and the and _w indices of tree diversity on NECT showed that the areas of high and medium tree diversity decreased, respectively, while the area of low tree diversity increased. The heterogeneity of habitats along the NECT increased with climate change and local human activities.     

中国东北样带羊草群落C3和C4植物功能群生物量及其对环境变化的响应

在全球动态植被模型的发展中,受限于人力、物力和财力使得在物种水平上的研究变得既不可能也无必要。植物功能群的划分是从生态学的,而不是系统发育的角度来相互比较地对待不同地区的植物,从而削减了植被变化研究中植物分类群的数量,已成为研究植被变化及生物多样性对生态系统功能作用的重要单位。植物的不同光合途径（C3、C4和CAM）从叶片组织结构到生理功能,从生态适应到地理分布均表现出对不同水、热、光环境的响应,是理想的植物功能群分类。为此,分析了中国东北样带以羊草（Leymus chinensis）为建群种或共建种的草原群落植物光合类型功能群生物量及其与群落初级生产力和环境变化的关系。结果表明：（1）C4植物生物量具有明显的变化规律,且对环境变化的响应显著,其变异性较高,更能反映样地问环境变化的差异;（2）C4与C3植物变化具有明显的互补性,并且多数C4植物常在逆境中起到更大作用,如干旱化、盐碱化和放牧干扰;（3）C4植物种类少,在所有调查样方中仅出现7种,占总出现种类的9．72％。这些特点说明C4植物可以考虑作为评估和预测我国温带草原植被及其生态系统变化的重要植物功能群。     

国产赖草属的分类修订

通过标本研究和野外考察,对中国赖草属（Leymus Hochst.）进行了分类修订。结果在中国共确认了3组、33种、7变种赖草属植物,其中多穗组包含4种,少穗组包含24种、7变种,单穗组包含5种,新报道的3个种和新修订的4个类群（即3个新组合和1个新名称）皆隶于少穗组。同时对赖草属的研究简史、属的形态特征和一些类群的地理分布也分别作了简要介绍。     

The Complexity and Diversity of Typical Plant Communities Along the Northeast China Transect (NECT)

This study examine the notion of plant community complexity in a broad sense and develop a new measure based on the average length L(S) (L(S)=∑ qj=1p jl j ) of the communication-theoretical parsimonious code required to describe the community (S). Total complexity may be differentiated into organized and unorganized complexity. The author refers to Shannon-Wiener entropy H(S) (H(S)=-∑ qj=1 p j log 2 p j ) and Renyi entropy H 12 (S) (H α(S)=11-αlog 2∑ qj=1 p α j , where α =12) as “disorder-based complexity", L(S) as “total complexity" and the difference Δ(S)=L(S)-H(S) and Δ 12 (S)=L(S)-H 12 (S) as “structural complexity". The complexity and diversity of typical plant communities along the NECT (Northeast China Transect) were discussed. The results suggest that structural complexity is higher in the lightly grazed grassland than the heavily grazed grassland. Clearly, structural complexity and disorder-based diversity are not substitutes for one another and should be considered as autonomous, equally important properties. Δ 12(S) measures a community complexity distinct form the disorder-based complexity H 12 (S) .     

中国东北样带（NECT）植物群落复杂性与多样性研究

在更广的意义上考虑群落复杂性的概念,将群落总复杂性分离为基于无序的复杂性和结构复杂性,并以群落的两个原始数据－群落组分（例如种群）数和各组分个体的比例分布为基础,用描述群落的最小剩余码的平均码长Ｌ（Ｓ）＝ｑ／∑／ｊ＝１ｐｊｌｊ（其中ｌｊ为物种Ｓ的相对多度的Ｈｕｆｆｍａｎ码字长度,ｑ是物种数,ｐｊ满ｑ／∑／ｊ＝１ｐｊ＝１）测度群落总复杂性,用Ｓｈａｎｎｏｎ－Ｗｉｅｎｅｒ熵Ｈ（Ｓ）＝－ｑ／∑／ｊ＝１ｐ     

国产赖草属(禾本科)两个类群的修订

根据标本研究、野外考察和实验观察,对国产赖草属Leymus两个类群进行了分类修订,将阿尔金山赖草Leymus arjinshanicus D．F．Cui和L．aerginshanicus D．F．Cui ssp．ruoqiangensis（S．L．Lu＆Y.H．Wu）D．F.Cui处理为若羌赖草L．ruoqiangensis S．L．Lu＆YH．Wu的新异名,将纤细赖草L．secalinus（Georgi）Tzvel．var．tenuis L．B．Cai提升为一个独立的种L．tenuis（L．B．Cai）L．B．Cai．     

割草频率对土壤微生物数量和植物地下生物量的影响

以内蒙古锡林郭勒羊草(Leymuschinensis)草原为对象,研究了割草频率对土壤微生物数量和植物地下生物量的影响。结果表明,经过17年的割草,土壤微生物的数量和植物地下生物量均随割草频率的增加而降低。根据割草频率的土壤微生物数量和植物地下生物量的变化,提出较为合理的割草频率是割1年休1年,其次是割2年休1年。但是,多年围封不割草,不仅造成大量牧草资源的浪费,也削弱了微生物在土壤养分转化过程中的作用。     

中国东北样带树种（属）的空间特性及变化

对中国东北样带上１６个树种（属）在１９８６年与１９９４年景观水平的地理分布、出现频率、优势度及空间相关性等空间特性的分析得出,红松（Ｐｉｎｕｓ ｋｏｒａｉｅｎｓｉｓ Ｓｌｅｂ．ｅｔ Ｚｕｃｃ．）与花曲柳（Ｆｒａｘｉｎｕｓ ｒｈｙｎｃｈｏｐｈｙｌｌａ Ｈｅｍｓｌ．）分别是向西和向东扩展最快;种群的分布边界形态与该边界的移动有密切关系;红松、山杨（Ｐｏｐｕｌｕｓ ｄａｖｉｄｉａｎａ Ｄｏｄｅ．）、黄檗     

中国东北样带关键种羊草水分利用效率与气孔密度

沿中国东北样带, 从长春到阿巴嘎旗, 大约每个经度设1个样地, 共10个样地, 研究了草原段关键种羊草的水分利用效率、叶片下表面气孔密度和气孔大小的变化, 以及它们与年降水量、年均温度、土壤水分和海拔的关系. 结果表明: 自东向西, 随年降水量、年均温度、土壤水分的降低和海拔的升高, 羊草水分利用效率有明显增强的趋势,而气孔密度有明显增大的趋势, 气孔大小没有明显变化规律并主要与取样时刻开张状态有关, 说明羊草气孔数量的增多有利用提高水分利用效率. 逐步回归分析结果表明, 土壤水分是决定羊草气孔密度变化的第一显著因子, 其次是年降水量, 说明水分条件是羊草气孔密度变化的主要生态因子. 从数据分布散点图、温度和放牧干扰作用的复杂性以及受土壤和地形条件特殊性影响样地的分析表明, 羊草水分利用效率和气孔密度对环境变化的响应是非常复杂的, 是包括植被利用方式与强度在内的环境因子综合作用的结果, 也是羊草长期适应各样地环境的结果.     

中国东北样带树种(属)的空间特性及变化

The 16 tree species on Northeast China Transect (NECT) were analyzed from the change of geographical distribution, frequency and dominance pattern and the spatial correlation at landscape scale in 1986 and 1994. Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc. and Fraxinus rhynchophylla Hemsl. had spread rapidly towards west and east, respectively. The frontier form of species had close relation with its movement. The patch size of Pinus koraiensis, Populus davidiana Dode., Phellodendron amurense Rupr., Juglans mandshurica Maxim., Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr., Betula dahurica Pall., Picea koraiensis Nakai, Abies nephrolepis Maxim. and Larix olgeusis var. koreana Nakai decreased, however, Quercus mongolica Fisch., Betula costata Trautv., Acer mono Maxim., Tilia spp., Ulmus spp., Betula platyphylla Suk. and Fraxinus rhynchophylla increased. The frequency pattern of Populus davidiana, Betula platyphylla, Fraxinus rhynchophylla and Betula dahurica changed significantly. The dominance pattern of Populus davidiana, Tilia spp., Juglans mandshurica, Betula platyphylla, Betula dahurica and Abies nephrolepis changed significantly. The spatial correlation between Quercus mongolica and Betula dahurica, Betula costata and Picea spp., Betula costata and Abies nephrolepis, Picea spp. and Abies nephrolepis declined, however, the spatial correlation between Larix spp. and Betula platyphylla, Acer mono and Ulmus spp. increased.     

Application of Discriminant Analysis in Distinguishing Plant Photosynthetic Types-A Case Study in Northeast China Transect (NECT) Area

Discriminant analysis is an important method in multivariate statistic analysis to distinguish whatever type an individual should belong to. Based on the field actual photosynthetic data obtained from the research platform--Northeast China Transect (NECT), the concept and principle of discriminant analysis were used to distinguish the different plant photosynthetic types. A number of indices related to plant photosynthetic rate measured by a LCA4 photosynthesis system were selected to build the discriminant model. In this case study, 15 plant species from C4 plant functional groups and 51 from C3 plant functional groups were selected to build a discriminant model. The rate of accuracy, of returned classification using methods of squared Mahalanobis distances from group centroids and posterior probabilities, reached to 98.48 %. With the help of this model, any plants' photosynthetic types could be distinguished simply by using their four related parameters, viz., photosynthetic rate, transpiration, stomatal conductance and the temperature difference between leaf surface and atmosphere.     

Spatial Characteristics and Change for Tree Species along the North East China Transect (NECT)

Spatial characteristics of sixteen tree species were analyzed by theinformation from 287 permanent plots in 1986 and 1994 on North East ChinaTransect (NECT). Some species expanded and some retracted theirdistribution extents. Betula costata andPhellodendron amurense spread most fast toward west andeast, respectively. All tolerant tree species extended their frontiers and allintolerant tree species retracted their frontiers except Betulaplatyphylla. The distribution area decreased for all species exceptBetula costata, Juglans mandshurica,Ulmus spp. and Fraxinusrhynchophylla.The patch sizes of Pinus koraiensis, Populusdavidiana, Phellodendron amurense,Juglans mandshurica, Fraxinusmandshurica, Betula dahurica,Picea spp., Abies nephrolepis andLarixolgensis decreased, however, the patch sizes of Quercusmongolica, Betula costata, Acermono, Tilia spp., Ulmusspp., Betula platyphylla and Fraxinusrhynchophylla increased. The frequency pattern of Populusdavidiana, Betula platyphylla,Fraxinus rhynchophylla and Betuladahurica changed significantly(p< 0.05). The dominance pattern ofPopulus davidiana, Tilia spp.,Juglans mandshurica, Betulaplatyphylla, Betula dahurica andAbiesnephrolepis changed significantly(p < 0.05). The spatial correlation betweenspecies changed, such as the spatial correlation between Larixolgensis and Betula platyphylla, Acermono and Ulmus spp. increased. The possiblecause of these changes might be climate change, disturbances and habitat loss.     

Role of endogenous hormones,glumes, endosperm and temperature on germination of Leymus chinensis (Poaceae) seeds during development

Aims Leymus chinensis is an original dominant plant in the Songnen grassland, and it has great value for restoration of severely degraded land. However, seeds are dormant, and low germination percentage is a problem for restoring L.chinensis grassland. The mechanism of seed dormancy is not been well understood. The primary aims of the present study were to investigate the dormancy mechanism of L.chinensis seeds (caryopses) with reference to the role of embryo-covering layers, endogenous hormones and temperature.Methods Changes in concentration of the endogenous hormones GA 3, indoleacetic acid (IAA), zeatin riboside (ZR) and abscisic acid (ABA) in L.chinensis seeds from anthesis to maturity were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Germination at different stages of maturity were tested at 16/28°C, 5/28°C and 5/35°C for intact seeds with glumes (control), intact seeds with glumes removed (naked-whole seeds) and intact seeds with glumes and one-half of the endosperm removed (naked-half seeds).Important findings Of the four endogenous hormones monitored, only the concentration of ZR differed significantly between the beginning and the end of seed development (increased); the GA 3 /ABA ratio also did not differ. Rank of germination percentage of control at the three temperature regimens was 5/28°C> 16/28°C> 5/35°C. Germination percentage of the naked-half seeds reached 100% under the three temperature regimens. We concluded that dormancy of L.chinensis seeds is not mainly controlled by endogenous hormones. Germination temperature, mechanical resistance of glumes and inhibition of endosperm are the main factors controlling dormancy and germination of L.chinensis seeds.     

沿中国东北样带 (NECT)分布的若干克隆植物与非克隆植物光合速率与水分利用效率的比较(英文)

比较了沿 1 6 70km长的中国东北样带 (NECT)分布的在繁殖习性上不同的植物功能型 ,克隆植物 (clonalplant)与非克隆植物 (non_clonalplant)的光合作用、蒸腾作用、气孔导度、水分利用效率。所测定的 2 1 8种植物中有1 1 5种属于克隆植物。对于灌木和草本植物功能型而言 ,净光合速率 (Pn)和水分利用效率 (WUE)在样带东西两端较低 ,在样带中间较高 ;蒸腾速率在温带荒漠植物分布的西端出现升高的趋势。在森林乔木、森林灌木、森林草本、草甸草原灌木、草甸草原草本、典型草原灌木、典型草原草本、荒漠草原灌木、荒漠草原草本等不同功能型的植物中 ,典型草原灌木和草本植物的光合生理指标较高。在相同的生长环境中 ,克隆植物比非克隆植物表现出较高的Pn 以及其他生理指标。克隆植物的光合速率、蒸腾速率、气孔导度、水分利用效率分别比非克隆植物高出 2 2 %、1 5 %、2 3%和 1 4 %。这种现象表明克隆植物在CO2 、光能和水分资源利用能力上优于非克隆植物     

A Comparative Study on Photosynthesis and Water Use Efficiency Between Clonal and Non-clonal Plant Species Along the Northeast China Transect (NECT)

Net photosynthesis (P n), transpiration (E), stomatal conductance (g s) and water use efficiency (WUE) of more than 218 species belonging to two different reproductive functional types, i.e. clonal (115 species) and non-clonal species (103 species), along the 1 670 km Northeast China Transect (NECT) were analyzed. The results showed that P n and WUE appeared to be lower in the east and west ends of NECT, with peaks in the middle. Transpiration was found to be higher in the west end, where most temperate desert species were distributed. On the same site, most clonal species showed higher P n and related physiological variables than non-clonal species. For different growth forms over NECT, e.g. forest trees, shrubs and grasses, meadow steppe shrubs and grasses, typical steppe shrubs and grasses, the meadow steppe and typical steppe grasses, showed higher values of physiological variables than the forest or the desert species. But for the two reproductive plant functional types (PFTs), clonal species had higher physiological variables, with averages of 22%, 15%, 23% and 14% higher than the non-clonal ones for P n, E, gs, and WUE, respectively. Such differences indicated that clonal species might have advantages over non-clonal species in utilizing environmental resources such as light, CO2, and especially water.