Altitudinal Distribution of Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea and Bacteria in Alpine Grassland Soils Along the South-Facing Slope of Nyqentangula Mountains,Central Tibetan Plateau

Nitrogen is a major limiting nutrient for the net primary production of terrestrial ecosystems, especially on sentinel alpine ecosystem. Ammonia oxidation is the first and rate-limiting step on nitrification process and is thus crucial to nitrogen cycle. To decipher climatic influence on ammonia oxidizers, their communities were characterized by qPCR and clone sequencing by targeting amoA genes (encoding the alpha subunit of ammonia mono-oxygenase) in soils from 7 sites over an 800 m elevation transect (4400–5200 m a.s.l.), based on “space-to-time substitution” strategy, on a steppe-meadow ecosystem located on the central Tibetan Plateau (TP). Archaeal amoA abundance outnumbered bacterial amoA abundance at lower altitude (<4800 m a.s.l.), but bacterial amoA abundance was greater in surface soils at higher altitude (≥4800 m a.s.l.). Archaeal amoA abundance decreased with altitude in surface soil, while its abundance stayed relatively stable and was mostly greater than bacterial amoA abundance in subsurface soils. Conversely, bacterial amoA abundance gradually increased with altitude at all three soil depths. Statistical analysis indicated that altitude-dependent factors, in particular pH and precipitation, had a profound effect on the abundance and community of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, but only on the community composition of ammonia-oxidizing archaea along the altitudinal gradient. These findings imply that the shifts in the relative abundance and/or community structure of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea may result from the precipitation variation along the altitudinal gradient. Thus, we speculate that altitude-related factors (mainly precipitation variation combing changed pH), would play a vital role in affecting nitrification process on this alpine grassland ecosystem located at semi-arid area on TP.     

Stoichiometry and large-scale patterns of leaf carbon and nitrogen in the grassland biomes of China

Nitrogen (N) and carbon–nitrogen (C:N) ratio are key foliar traits with great ecological importance, but their patterns across biomes have only recently been explored. We conducted a systematic census of foliar C, N and C:N ratio for 213 species, from 41 families over 199 research sites across the grassland biomes of China following the same protocol, to explore how different environmental conditions and species composition affect leaf N and C:N stoichiometry. Leaf C:N stoichiometry is stable in three distinct climatic regions in Inner Mongolia, the Tibetan Plateau, and Xinjiang Autonomous Region, despite considerable variations among co-existing species and among different vegetation types. Our results also show that life form and genus identity explain more than 70% of total variations of foliar N and C:N ratio, while mean growing season temperature and growing season precipitation explained only less than 3%. This suggests that, at the biome scale, temperature affects leaf N mainly through a change in plant species composition rather than via temperature itself. When our data were pooled with a global dataset, the previously observed positive correlation between leaf N and mean annual temperature (MAT) at very low MATs, disappeared. Thus, our data do not support the previously proposed biogeochemical hypothesis that low temperature limitations on mineralization of organic matter and N availability in soils lead to low leaf N in cold environments.     

黄土高原不同降水区休闲期土壤贮水效率及其对冬小麦水分利用的影响

土壤贮水是影响黄土高原冬小麦生产力的最重要因素,分析休闲期贮水效率对有效利用水资源具有重要意义。利用黄土高原旱作区4个农业气象观测站土壤水分长期观测资料和冬小麦产量资料,探讨了不同气候区休闲期土壤贮水和耗水特征及对冬小麦水分利用的影响。结果表明:(1)黄土高原旱作区休闲期1 m土层多年平均贮水量半湿润区为9 1mm,贮水效率为30.7%,半干旱区为32 mm,贮水效率为16.5%,且不同降水年型、不同气候区休闲期贮水量和贮水效率差别较大;(2)黄土高原旱作区1 m土层贮水量从土壤解冻至封冻期间基本呈波谷型分布,休闲期为主要贮水阶段,冬小麦返青—开花期为休闲期贮水的主要消耗阶段。半湿润区休闲期土壤贮水量主要消耗在起身至开花期,半干旱区主要消耗在越冬至拔节期;(3)黄土高原旱作区播种—越冬前消耗0—40 cm土层贮水,越冬-起身期各土层贮水量都有消耗,起身—开花期半湿润区主要消耗0—40 cm土层贮水量、半干旱区主要消耗0—60 cm土层贮水量,开花—成熟期半湿润区主要消耗40 mm以下土层贮水量、半干旱区主要消耗60 cm以下土层贮水量;(4)黄土高原休闲期贮水效率与冬小麦产量显著相关,半湿润区水分利用效率远高于半干旱区。黄土高原不同区域降水时空分布不均和土壤贮水能力的差异是造成不同气候区休闲期水分贮存差异的主要原因,通过调整耕作方式、水肥管理、种植结构进一步实现冬小麦增产和水分高效利用。     

Effects of plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) on alpine meadow phytocoenosium and analysis of the strategy it uses to expand habitat

High-density plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) disturbance is one of the main causes of alpine meadow degradation. The response of phytocoenosium to the disturbance of plateau pika may reflect its habitat expanding strategy. We used quadrat sampling method to investigate vegetation height, coverage, and aboveground biomass of non-pika area (NA), transition area (TA), and pika-active area (AA) distributed continuously in alpine meadow located in Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous County of Qinghai Province in 2011 and 2012. The results showed that, from NA to AA (i) vegetation coverage, height, and above-ground biomass decreased (P < 0.01). (ii) While the number of plant species decreased from 41 to 30, and species diversity decreased significantly (P < 0.05), evenness of the alpine meadow showed no significant variations. (iii) Dominant species changed from grasses to weeds. (iv) While plants in TA showed no obvious difference in height between 2011 and 2012, coverage reduced significantly (P < 0.05). These results demonstrate that (i) plateau pikas disturbance on alpine meadow will change plant community structure and composition, directly leading to degeneration of alpine meadow. Additionally, (ii) plateau pikas expand their habitat by altering plant coverage firstly.     

陇东黄土高原若干轮作技术方案水保效能评价分析

陇东黄土高原若干轮作技术方案水保效能评价分析李锋瑞,高崇岳（兰州大学生物系７３００００）（甘肃草原生态研究所兰州７３００２０）ＳｏｉｌａｎｄＷａｔｅｒＣｏｎｓｅｒｖａｔｉｏｎＥｆｆｉｃｉｅｎｃｉｅｓｏｆｓｅｖｅｒａｌＲｏｔａｔｉｏｎＰａｔｔｅｒｎｓｏ...     

西藏昌都发现白领凤鹛、小鹀和黑颈辟鸟虒鸟

2013年08月—11月,在西藏昌都地区拍摄到3种鸟类,经过分类鉴定分别为白领凤鹛(Yuhina diademata)、小鹀(Emberiza pusilla)和黑颈(Podiceps nigricollis)。查阅资料后,证实这三种鸟为西藏的新纪录。     

Alpine grassland plants grow earlier and faster but biomass remains unchanged over 35 years of climate change

Satellite data indicate significant advancement in alpine spring phenology over decades of climate warming, but corresponding field evidence is scarce. It is also unknown whether this advancement results from an earlier shift of phenological events, or enhancement of plant growth under unchanged phenological pattern. By analyzing a 35‐year dataset of seasonal biomass dynamics of a Tibetan alpine grassland, we show that climate change promoted both earlier phenology and faster growth, without changing annual biomass production. Biomass production increased in spring due to a warming‐induced earlier onset of plant growth, but decreased in autumn due mainly to increased water stress. Plants grew faster but the fast‐growing period shortened during the mid‐growing season. These findings provide the first in situ evidence of long‐term changes in growth patterns in alpine grassland plant communities, and suggest that earlier phenology and faster growth will jointly contribute to plant growth in a warming climate.     

半干旱黄土高原苜蓿草地撂荒过程土壤水分变化特征

土壤水分是黄土高原植被恢复和生态建设的主要限制因子,明确土壤水分随植被演替的变化规律是阐明黄土高原植被与水分相互作用机制的重要基础。以半干旱黄土高原小流域苜蓿草地撂荒过程为研究对象,通过对2016-2018年生长季苜蓿群落、苜蓿+赖草群落、赖草群落和长芒草群落四种草地群落0-1.8 m土壤水分进行动态监测以及0-5 m深度土壤水分测定,分析不同演替阶段苜蓿草地土壤水分的动态特征,探讨土壤水分对苜蓿草地撂荒过程的响应。结果表明：（1）在苜蓿草地撂荒演替过程中,土壤水分随群落恢复时间的延长呈先增加后降低的变化,降水的年际动态显著影响不同演替群落的土壤水分响应;（2）0-0.4 m土壤水分主要受降水影响,使得各草地群落在这一层次没有显著差异（P>0.05）,而1 m以下的土壤水分含量则主要受植被类型的影响,各草地群落之间存在显著差异（P<0.05）;（3）0-5 m深层土壤水分随群落的演替,1 m以下各土层土壤水分含量逐渐增加,表明撂荒过程中使土壤水分得到了一定程度的恢复。研究结果揭示了苜蓿草地撂荒过程土壤水分的变化规律,可为黄土高原生态恢复提供理论依据。     

陕北黄土高原植被生态系统水分利用效率气候时滞效应

基于月尺度气温、降水以及MODIS-GPP、MODIS-ET遥感数据,采用基于像元的时滞偏相关分析,揭示了陕北黄土高原植被生态系统水分利用效率气候时滞效应及其影响因素。结果表明:①2000—2014年,受退耕还林草生态工程和气候变化的双重影响,陕北黄土高原WUE呈波动变化趋势,2001—2003年显著下降,2003—2005年、2010—2013年显著上升。受不同植被类型的影响,年内WUE呈急速双峰、缓速双峰和单峰型3种变化状态。②陕北黄土高原WUE对降水存在明显的时滞效应,滞后时间多为3个月,人为扰动较大的I-1、I-2、Ⅱ-2生态区以及植被覆盖度较高的Ⅲ-3生态区WUE对降水的时滞响应程度明显低于其他生态区;而对气温的时滞效应较弱,仅南部的Ⅲ-2、Ⅲ-3生态区WUE对气温存在1—2个月滞后时间。③不同植被类型WUE对降水的时滞效应较明显,荒漠类植被WUE对降水时滞响应程度最强,滞后时间近3个月,针叶林时滞响应程度最弱,滞后时间为2.1个月;但对气温的时滞效应总体较弱,针叶林WUE对气温滞后时间为15 d,其余大多数植被类型WUE对气温不存在滞后时间。④WUE气候时滞效应对植被覆盖度...     

Review of the genus Chrysotimus Loew from Tibet (Diptera,Dolichopodidae)

A review of the species of the genus Chrysotimus from Tibet is provided. The following four species are described as new to science: C. motuoensis sp. n., C. tibetensis sp. n., C. xuankuni sp. n., C. zhui sp. n. A key to the eight Tibetan species is presented.