The role of zooplankton in the ecological succession of plankton and benthic algae across a salinity gradient in the Shark Bay solar salt ponds

The relatively low biodiversity and simple hydrodynamics make solar salt ponds ideal sites for ecological studies. We have studied the ecological gradient of the primary ponds at the Shark Bay Resources solar salt ponds, Western Australia, using a coupled hydrodynamic ecological numerical model, DYRESM–CAEDYM. Seven ponds representative of the primary system were simulated with salinity ranging from 45 to 155 ppt. Five groups of organisms were simulated: three phytoplankton, one microbial mat plankton, and one zooplankton as well as dissolved inorganic and particulate organic nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon. By extracting the various carbon fluxes from the model, we determined the role that the introduced zooplankton, Artemia sp., plays in grazing the particulate organic carbon (POC) from the water column in the high salinity ponds. We also examined the nutrient fluxes and stoichiometric ratios of the various organic components for each pond to establish the extent to which observed patterns in nutrient dynamics are mediated by the presence of Artemia sp. Model results indicated that Artemia sp. grazing was responsible for reduced water column POC in the higher salinity ponds. This resulted in an increase in photosynthetic available radiation (PAR) reaching the pond floor and consequent increase in microbial mat biomass, thus demonstrating the dual benefits of Artemia sp. to salt production in improved quality and quantity. In contrast, this study found no direct link between Artemia sp. and observed changes in planktonic algal species composition or nutrient limitation across the salinity gradient of the ponds. Guest Editors: J. John & B. Timms Salt Lake Research: Biodiversity and Conservation—Selected Papers from the 9th Conference of the International Society for Salt Lake Research     

Patterns and Correlates of Tropical Dry Forest Structure and Composition in a Highly Replicated Chronosequence in Yucatan,Mexico

Research on tropical dry forest (TDF) succession i0s needed for effective conservation and management of this threatened and understudied ecosystem. We used a highly replicated chronosequence within a 37,242‐ha TDF landscape to investigate successional patterns by plant size class and to evaluate the influence of stand age, topographic position, soil properties and spatial autocorrelation on forest structure and composition. We used a SPOT5 satellite image to obtain a land‐cover thematic map, and sampled woody vegetation (adults: >5 cm diam; saplings: 1–5 cm) and soil properties in 168 plots distributed among four vegetation classes: VC1 (3–8‐yr‐old forest), VC2 (9–15‐yr‐old forest), VC3 (>15‐yr‐old forest on flat areas), VC4 (>15‐yr‐old forest on hills). Stem density decreased with stand age and was lowest in VC3, while height, basal area and species density increased with age and were higher in older than in younger forests. Topographic position also influenced forest structure and composition. Basal area and height were largely determined by stand age, whereas stem and species density, and composition were influenced mostly by soil variables associated with fertility, and by spatial autocorrelation. Adults and saplings showed contrasting patterns and correlates of community structure, but similar patterns and correlates of composition, possibly due to the prevalence of coppicing. Our results show that our sampling approach can overcome several limitations of chronosequence studies, and provide insights in the patterns and drivers of succession, as well as guidelines for forest management and conservation. Abstract in Spanish is available at http://www.blackwell‐synergy.com/loi/btp .     

The power of potential natural vegetation (and of spatial‐temporal scale): a response to Carrión & Fernández (2009)

A commentary by Carrión & Fernández (Journal of Biogeography, 2009, 36 , 2202–2203) compared Holocene pollen records with models of potential natural vegetation (PNV) proposed in the phytosociological literature and concluded that the predicted PNV resulted from anthropogenic disturbance. However, the authors misinterpreted PNV, leading to two serious flaws in their assumptions: (1) PNV is not defined as a pre‐anthropic or climax plant community; and (2) PNV is not a concept restricted to the phytosociological method. Therefore we criticize the conclusions expressed in the commentary, and we stress the need for an interdisciplinary approach based on multi‐temporal and multi‐spatial scales to achieve a modern framework for the study of plant communities.     

Understanding properly the `potential natural vegetation' concept

This is a response to critical comments concerning the inappropriate use of the potential natural vegetation (PNV) concept made in a recent contribution to the Commentary section of this journal. We consider that the PNV concept has been misinterpreted. PNV has been used extensively in several European countries since the mid‐1950s and was never intended to be used to make a prediction of what vegetation would dominate in an area if human influence were removed. PNV maps express hypothetical assumptions of what corresponds to dominant or natural vegetation in each area. Remnants of the vegetation of the past provided by palaeopalynology and other disciplines provide valuable information for interpreting modern vegetation, but natural changes and anthropogenic influences operating over the last millennia have to be taken into account. Annex I of the Habitats Directive provides a balanced list of habitat types for implementing conservation policies within the European Union.     

退化次生林恢复过程中群落结构和生态位动态

在海南白沙县南开乡按人为干扰程度的不同依次选取次生演替中植被恢复初期、早期、近中期和后期4个典型群落,分别对群落结构、树种组成、重要值和生态位宽度等指标进行研究。结果表明:中前期次生演替过程中优势种作用明显,具有最大的生态位宽度;随着次生演替的进行,种群生态位宽度趋于均衡,群落表现出物种丰富度和多样性增加、林分结构复杂化、树种的优势作用弱化等正向演替的趋势;此外,该地区由于经营史的特殊性,中前期次生群落保留了很多原始林的痕迹,出现了一些本应在原始林内出现的生态稳定种,这些物种在中前期次生群落中数量少,生态位宽度小,却表现出强大的生活力;在演替中前期次生林的经营中,最大程度地发挥优势树种的作用、增加林内生态稳定种的数量是该地区次生林恢复经营的重要技术方向。     

川西亚高山不同演替阶段天然次生林土壤碳氮含量及酶活性特征

为了解次生林自然更新演替过程中土壤碳氮含量及酶活性的变化规律, 采用空间代替时间的方法, 在川西亚高山米亚罗林区选取环境条件基本一致的20世纪60、70和80年代采伐迹地自然更新演替的次生林(60-NSF、70-NSF和80-NSF)和岷江冷杉(Abies faxoniana)原始林(对照, CK)为对象, 研究了表层(0-20 cm)土壤碳氮含量和土壤酶活性的关系。结果表明: 表层土壤有机碳(SOC)、可溶性有机碳(DOC)、轻组有机碳(LFOC)含量均随森林植被更新演替呈显著降低趋势, 而全氮(TN)和可溶性有机氮(DON)含量则表现为60-NSF < 80-NSF < 70-NSF, 但70-NSF和80-NSF间差异不显著; 次生林表层土壤有机碳氮及其活性组分含量均低于CK, 其中80-NSF的DOC和DON含量与CK差异不显著。次生林的β-葡萄糖苷酶(βG)、β-N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶(NAG)和多酚氧化酶(PHO)活性均显著低于CK, 纤维素水解酶(CBH)和过氧化物酶(PEO)活性与CK无显著差异; 天然次生林中, 60-NSF的βG和CBH活性显著低于70-NSF和80-NSF; 80-NSF的NAG活性显著高于60-NSF和70-NSF; 4种林型之间的PEO活性无显著性差异。Pearson相关分析和冗余分析显示, 土壤TN、LFOC和DOC含量与土壤酶活性显著相关, 其中TN含量解释了酶活性变化的65.4%, 说明土壤氮含量变化可能会影响到土壤碳的水解酶活性, 同时也表明土壤微生物优先利用易分解碳和氮。因此, 次生林近60年的天然更新演替引起了TN、LFOC及DOC含量的显著下降, 导致表层土壤某些胞外酶(如βG、CBH和NAG)活性降低。从土壤酶活性角度看, 岷江冷杉原始林比早期演替阶段的次生林(<60 a)更有利于川西亚高山高海拔森林生态系统的碳氮循环。     

Threatened vascular plant species in spontaneously revegetated post‐mining sites

The occurrence of threatened vascular plant species has been occasionally reported from some disturbed sites. Nevertheless, almost nothing is known about the conservation potential of post‐mining habitats for vascular plant species at a landscape scale. We asked how much threatened species occur in the artificial habitats, and if the participation of particular threatened species categories differ over the course of succession. We studied 10 successional series running in 321 post‐mining sites across the Czech Republic, Central Europe. In total, 2,597 vegetation samples comprising 935 vascular plant species were analyzed. We found 235 threatened species (14% of the country's threatened flora). The majority of the threatened plants, namely 223, avoided plots overgrown by woody species, in which only 48 species occurred. The importance of spontaneously revegetated habitats for nature conservation differed among successional stages formed by discontinuous vegetation cover (not fully developed and still open, up to approximately 25 years since site abandonment), which harbored especially critically endangered species of open habitats, and continuous vegetation cover (fully developed and closed, over approximately 25 years), which was suitable for specialized threatened species typical of fully established vegetation. A mosaic of various successional stages comprising both categories of vegetation cover should be applied as an effective restoration solution to maintain a variety of habitats for threatened species.