Filtering and feeding rates of cyclopoid copepods feeding on phytoplankton

The algal biomass ingested by omnivorous cyclopoid copepods (Cyclops kolensis and C. vicinus) was measured by two methods in the hypertrophic Heiligensee in Berlin (West Germany). The clearance and ingestion rates inferred from measurements of natural populations of ¹⁴C labelled phytoplankton were compared with those obtained from chlorophyll a determinations using the presence/absence method (observed chlorophyll a content of natural lake phytoplankton with and without addition of cyclopoids). Both methods gave similar results. Nevertheless, the radio tracer method is preferred, mainly because the short feeding duration excludes high variations in both the food composition and food concentration that limit the presence/absence method.     

Bacterivory by starved marine heterotrophic nanoflagellates of two species which feed differently, estimated by uptake of dual radioactive-labelled bacteria

Abstract: The rates of ingestion of bacteria and of accumulation of bacterial biomass by hungry Pteridomonas danica and Paraphysomonas imperforata were measured using dual radioactive-labelled bacteria in experiments lasting 4–8 h. Pteridomonas continuously consumed 4–5 bacteria h⁻¹ throughout experiments lasting 8 h, irrespective of bacterial concentration above a threshold of about 5 × 10⁵ bacteria ml⁻¹, and continued to catch bacteria even below this density. The clearance rate of about 1 nl cell⁻¹ h⁻¹ at higher bacterial concentrations increased three or four times as bacterial numbers fell. Paraphysomonas cells, with only half the biomass of Pteridomonas , ingested up to 10 bacteria h⁻¹ at high bacterial concentrations, and gradually reduced the feeding rate, effectively ceasing to feed at 10⁶ bacteria ml⁻¹; their initial clearance rate of 1–2.5 nl cell⁻¹ h⁻¹ subsequently fell as low as 0.1 nl cell⁻¹ h⁻¹. Estimation of feeding rate by extrapolation from short-term experiments on such flagellates requires extreme caution. These flagellates, starved to levels typical of the natural environment, accumulated ingested bacterial biomass at an efficiency of between 16 and 21%, indicating that in nature they would recycle 80% or more of the nutrients contained in their food.     

Pasture intensification is insufficient to relieve pressure on conservation priority areas in open agricultural markets

Agricultural expansion is a leading driver of biodiversity loss across the world, but little is known on how future land‐use change may encroach on remaining natural vegetation. This uncertainty is, in part, due to unknown levels of future agricultural intensification and international trade. Using an economic land‐use model, we assessed potential future losses of natural vegetation with a focus on how these may threaten biodiversity hotspots and intact forest landscapes. We analysed agricultural expansion under proactive and reactive biodiversity protection scenarios, and for different rates of pasture intensification. We found growing food demand to lead to a significant expansion of cropland at the expense of pastures and natural vegetation. In our reference scenario, global cropland area increased by more than 400 Mha between 2015 and 2050, mostly in Africa and Latin America. Grazing intensification was a main determinant of future land‐use change. In Africa, higher rates of pasture intensification resulted in smaller losses of natural vegetation, and reduced pressure on biodiversity hotspots and intact forest landscapes. Investments into raising pasture productivity in conjunction with proactive land‐use planning appear essential in Africa to reduce further losses of areas with high conservation value. In Latin America, in contrast, higher pasture productivity resulted in increased livestock exports, highlighting that unchecked trade can reduce the land savings of pasture intensification. Reactive protection of sensitive areas significantly reduced the conversion of natural ecosystems in Latin America. We conclude that protection strategies need to adapt to region‐specific trade positions. In regions with a high involvement in international trade, area‐based conservation measures should be preferred over strategies aimed at increasing pasture productivity, which by themselves might not be sufficient to protect biodiversity effectively.     

载畜率对内蒙古荒漠草原冷蒿种群资源分配格局的影响

研究植物的资源分配格局以揭示其对环境变化的响应机制有重要的生态学意义。以内蒙古短花针茅(Stipa breviflora)草原冷蒿(Artemisia frigida)种群为研究对象,设置4个载畜率水平的随机区组试验,由冷蒿地上、地下及各构件生物量的变化入手,探讨了载畜率对该种群资源分配格局的影响规律,为退化草地的恢复及合理的放牧管理提供参考。结果表明:(1)冷蒿种群的高度随载畜率的增大而显著降低(P0.05),中度与重度放牧显著降低了该种群的盖度(P0.05),轻度放牧使该种群密度显著增加(P0.05);(2)地上、地下生物量及总生物量均随载畜率的增加而显著降低(P0.05),3a的年际效应及载畜率与年际的互作效应对总生物量、地上和地下生物量的影响差异均显著(P0.05);(3)生物量分配的总体格局是根茎叶花/果,且各构件的生物量均随着载畜率的增加而减少;(4)各构件的生物量分配比例对载畜率的响应不同,中度与重度放牧显著增大了生物量在根的分配(P0.05),茎的生物量分配在轻度放牧显著增加,重度放牧显著降低(P0.05),轻度与中度放牧显著促进了叶的生物量分配(P0.05),花/果的生物量分配随载畜率的增加而显著降低(P0.05);(5)随着载畜率的增大,冷蒿的有性繁殖能力减弱,而无性繁殖能力增强。     

放牧强度对高寒草甸土壤理化性状和植物功能群的影响

为明晰放牧强度对植物功能群落的物种分布特征和土壤理化性状的影响。在青藏高原东北缘高寒草甸设置6块放牧强度样地开展试验。采用多元排序和方差分解等方法,分析放牧强度作用下植物功能群落物种分布与土壤物理结构和化学养分因子的定量关系。结果表明:(1)随放牧强度增加,禾本科、莎草科和多年生杂类草植物群落的物种丰富度、盖度和实际重要值均显著降低,而一年生杂类草无显著变化。(2)对于土壤化学养分,不同放牧强度区,土壤速效钾、全氮和有机质含量均随土层深度的增加而降低,土壤速效磷在不同放牧强度区变化规律不一致。随放牧强度增加,土壤速效钾和全氮含量增加,而土壤速效磷和有机质含量无明显变化。(3)对于土壤物理性状,不同放牧强度区,随土层深度增加,土壤紧实度和容重均增加,而土壤含水量和通气孔隙度均降低。随放牧强度增加,0—30 cm各土层深度的土壤紧实度和容重均增加,土壤含水量和通气孔隙度均降低。(4)以功能群为基本单元对植物群落进行方差分解得出,土壤物理性状可单独解释群落功能群分布总方差的58.10%。(5)基于物种尺度对不同功能群落与环境因子进行定量研究表明,土壤紧实度是决定每种功能群物种分布格局的最主要因子。禾本科、莎草科和多年生草本植物均受土壤物理性状的显著影响,贡献率分别为26.3%、31.0%和16.5%。而一年生草本植物不受土壤物理和化学性状的显著影响。综上所述,放牧强度对土壤化学性状的影响具有不确定性,而对土壤物理性状和群落特征的影响具有确定性。土壤物理结构性状主导了高寒草甸植物功能群落的物种分布格局。     

A synthesis of the effect of grazing exclusion on carbon dynamics in grasslands in China

Grazing exclusion (GE) is considered to be an effective approach to restore degraded grasslands and to improve their carbon (C) sequestration. However, the C dynamics and related controlling factors in grasslands with GE have not been well characterized. This synthesis examines the dynamics of soil C content and vegetation biomass with the recovery age through synthesizing results of 51 sites in grasslands in China. The results illustrate increases in soil C content and vegetation biomass with GE at most sites. Generally, both soil C content and vegetation biomass arrive at steady state after 15 years of GE. In comparison, the rates of increase in above‐ and belowground biomass declined exponentially with the age of GE, whereas soil C content declined in a milder (linear) way, implying a lagged response of soil C to the inputs from plant biomass. Mean annual precipitation (MAP) and the rate of soil nitrogen (N) change were the main factors affecting the rate of soil C content change. MAP played a major role at the early stage, whereas the rate of soil N change was the major contributor at the middle and late stages. Our results imply that the national grassland restoration projects in China may be more beneficial for C sequestration in humid regions with high MAP. In addition, increased soil N supply to grasslands with GE at the latter recovery stage may enhance ecosystem C sequestration capacity.     

羊草草原枯枝落叶积累的研究──自然状态下枯枝落叶的积累及放牧、割草对积累量的影响

在自然状态下,羊草草原枯枝落叶积累季节动态是积累量从５月出现,随着时间推移呈指数形式递增,１０月末出现最大值。当枯枝落叶输入量和分解速率保持恒定时,积累量的年变化,随着时间的进展不断增加,最后达到稳定状态,量大积累量为５７２ｇ／ｍ￣２,达９５％稳定状态时间约为７─８ａ。放牧对枯枝落叶积累有明显的抑制作用,当放牧强度达７．５８羊（只）／ｈｍ￣２时,积累量比非放牧区减少近７４％。割草对枯枝落叶积累的影响也是显著的,随着割草频度增加,积累量明显减少,当一年内刈割３次,积累量减少８３％。刈割时间对积累量的影响表现在割草期的早晚,伴随刈割时间推迟,积累量逐渐减少。     

甘南高寒湿地草地放牧系统管理的AHP决策分析及生态恢复对策

以甘南玛曲县的高寒湿地为研究对象,系统探讨了湿地植被退化及土地沙漠化的主要动因及其时空变化特征。采用多层次的AHP(Analytic Hierarchy Process)决策模型,对导致湿地植被退化的主要因素及诸种恢复措施综合效果进行了管理决策分析。结果表明：引发湿地植被退化的诸因素中,长期超载放牧和鼠害、虫害是其主要因素,其权重分别为0．4995和0．2684;在湿地恢复的诸管理措施中,围栏轮牧和建植人工草地或半人工草地的综合效果显著,其组合权重分别为0．2584和0．2009。基于上述分析,提出了湿地生态恢复与可持续利用的主要管理对策。     

放牧作用下高寒草甸群落物种分布与土壤因子的关系

以青藏高原东北缘高寒草甸为对象,研究不同放牧强度下植物群落和土壤因子的变化,以及群落物种分布与土壤物理结构和化学养分因子的定量关系.结果表明: 放牧导致优势种为垂穗披碱草和大针茅的原植物群落发生分异,高强度放牧样地优势种变为矮生嵩草和阴山扁蓿豆,低强度放牧样地变为垂穗披碱草和冷地早熟禾.随放牧强度增加,物种丰富度、重要值和生物量均显著降低.各放牧强度样地重要值的物种序列均可用对数模型进行拟合;随放牧强度增加,植物重要值累积到占整个群落重要值50%时,需要的物种数降低.土壤速效P、速效K、紧实度、含水量、稳定入渗速率和大团聚体指标随放牧强度显著变化,但变化规律不一致.CCA排序表明,土壤紧实度是放牧作用下影响群落物种分布格局的最关键因子.方差分解表明,土壤因子共解释群落物种分布变异的30.5%,其中土壤物理性状单独解释群落物种分布的22.8%,对群落物种分布的贡献率最高,主要影响放牧干扰下高寒草甸植物群落物种的分布格局.     

荒漠草原不同放牧强度背景下添加氮水对凋落物分解的影响

凋落物分解是连接生态系统地上、地下过程的重要环节,决定了生态系统养分循环速率,但到目前为止对凋落物分解在荒漠草地生态系统受放牧以及外源资源补给影响的研究较少。本研究通过对不同放牧强度(对照、轻牧、中牧和重牧)短花针茅草原群落进行添加氮素(10.0 g N m~(-2) a~(-1))和增水(108 mm/a)处理,探讨群落水平凋落物分解速率的变化。研究结果显示,过去不同强度放牧历史对群落凋落物分解影响极显著(P0.0001)。凋落物前期分解(135 d)过程中,凋落物初始C∶N比与凋落物分解速率常数呈显著负相关关系,表明凋落物可降解性在凋落物前期分解中起主要作用。轻度放牧影响下凋落物分解速度最快,这与该条件下凋落物C∶N比显著低于其他放牧强度下的有关,说明适度放牧不仅有利于群落维持,也在一定程度上有利于生态系统养分循环。当凋落物分解更长时间(870 d)后,对照区凋落物分解速率显著低于放牧处理样地,但凋落物初始C∶N比对凋落物分解速率没有显著影响。进一步分析显示,不同放牧强度背景下长期凋落物分解速率与分解环境的土壤微生物多样性成正相关关系,与群落盖度呈极显著(P0.001)负相关关系。添加氮素显著(P0.05)降低凋落物分解速度,但对凋落物氮含量无显著影响。生长季加水未影响凋落物质量及凋落物分解速度。研究结果表明,凋落物前期分解受凋落物质量影响,但较长时间凋落物分解则与分解过程中接受到的太阳辐射量有关。