科尔沁固定沙地植被特征对降雨变化的响应

选择科尔沁固定沙地利用一种野外增减雨试验装置研究了沙地植被生长特征对降雨增减变化的响应。结果表明:(1)在6月,降雨增减变化对植物群落高度有显著影响(P0.05)。减雨60%和30%时,植物群落平均高度比对照分别降低8.8%和2.3%,增雨60%和30%时,则分别增加6.8%和1.4%;相比增雨60%,增雨30%更能促进群落盖度的增大;降雨量变化影响群落植株密度。(2)1a的降雨增减变化对沙地植被的多样性和均匀度均没有显著影响,但减雨可显著增加7月物种的丰富度(P0.05)。(3)随着降雨量的增加,地上生物量逐渐增大,在增雨30%时达到最大值;而地下生物量会随着降雨量增加而显著增大,同时,减雨60%也使地下生物量增加。此外,降雨量的增加和减少都会使地下与地上生物量的比值增加。(4)固定沙地地下生物量主要分布在0—20 cm之间,占总地下生物量的52.7%;降雨量的增加显著增加20—40 cm土壤中根系的分布,当降雨量减少60%时,20—40 cm土壤中根系的分布也略有增加,增雨60%和减雨60%对地下生物量在40—60 cm土层的分布具有明显的促进作用。     

防治荒漠化的“三圈”生态-生产范式机理及其功能

防治荒漠化的“三圈”生态-生产范式,是干旱生态系统优化与重建的新结构。根据在鄂尔多斯和新疆等地的研究和实践,从干旱生态系统结构、过程和功能来讨论荒漠化防治的“三圈”范式。地理圈层结构（地理地带性）是“三圈”范式的自然地理背景。从宏观尺度和功能方面划分,“三圈”范式在空间尺度上有大“三圈”和小“三圈”之分,大“三圈”控制洲际范围的荒漠化扩展及沙尘暴蔓延,小“三圈”则以控制区域性风沙活动、沙尘暴和就地起沙的危害。防治荒漠化工程是复杂的多元组合和多功能的系统,我国西北地区受荒漠化影响严重,宏观的大“三圈”与多区域的小“三圈”有机结合,形成圈圈相护、层层设防的严密防护与生产系统,有效地控制大范围风沙危害、改善地方气候与小气候,并对发展经济,提高人民生活发挥重要作用。因此,“三圈”范式的概念与结构既是以自然地理地带性为基础,又是人类对自然、环境与生态系统格局的规律认识,更是科学的人类恢复、重建干旱区生态环境与可持续发展的生态设计范式。     

Terrestrial carbon balance in a drier world: the effects of water availability in southwestern North America

Global modeling efforts indicate semiarid regions dominate the increasing trend and interannual variation of net CO₂ exchange with the atmosphere, mainly driven by water availability. Many semiarid regions are expected to undergo climatic drying, but the impacts on net CO₂ exchange are poorly understood due to limited semiarid flux observations. Here we evaluated 121 site‐years of annual eddy covariance measurements of net and gross CO₂ exchange (photosynthesis and respiration), precipitation, and evapotranspiration (ET) in 21 semiarid North American ecosystems with an observed range of 100 – 1000 mm in annual precipitation and records of 4–9 years each. In addition to evaluating spatial relationships among CO₂ and water fluxes across sites, we separately quantified site‐level temporal relationships, representing sensitivity to interannual variation. Across the climatic and ecological gradient, photosynthesis showed a saturating spatial relationship to precipitation, whereas the photosynthesis–ET relationship was linear, suggesting ET was a better proxy for water available to drive CO₂ exchanges after hydrologic losses. Both photosynthesis and respiration showed similar site‐level sensitivity to interannual changes in ET among the 21 ecosystems. Furthermore, these temporal relationships were not different from the spatial relationships of long‐term mean CO₂ exchanges with climatic ET. Consequently, a hypothetical 100‐mm change in ET, whether short term or long term, was predicted to alter net ecosystem production (NEP) by 64 gCm^?2 yr^?1. Most of the unexplained NEP variability was related to persistent, site‐specific function, suggesting prioritization of research on slow‐changing controls. Common temporal and spatial sensitivity to water availability increases our confidence that site‐level responses to interannual weather can be extrapolated for prediction of CO₂ exchanges over decadal and longer timescales relevant to societal response to climate change.     

生态脆弱带不同区域近缘优势灌木的生理生态学特性

小叶锦鸡儿、中间锦鸡儿和柠条锦鸡儿分别为中国北方生态脆弱带典型区域——科尔沁沙地、毛乌素沙地和腾格里沙漠的优势灌木。为了探讨生长在地理位置相距很远的不同气候类型区、但亲缘关系较近的沙漠植物种之间特性的差异及近缘种间引种成功的可能性 ,对 3种灌木在原产地和引种地 (腾格里沙漠 )的气体交换、叶绿素荧光参数、β胡萝卜素和脯氨酸累积等特性进行了对比研究 ,结果显示 :各区优势灌木的气体交换特征不同 ,主要依照区域光照和温湿条件的不同组合而变化 ,各区域的环境条件组合最利于其建群种的生长 ;引进种对引种地环境变化的反应调节较乡土种敏感 ;地理位置相距较近的近缘种间生理特性相近 ,引种易于成功     

Restoration and Science: A Practitioner/Scientist's View from Rare Habitat Restoration at a Southern California Preserve

Researchers reexamining the relationship between restoration science and practice report a continuing scientist‐practitioner gap. As a land manager with scientific training, I offer my perspective of the chasm and describe a restoration practice infused with as much science as the realities of limited budget and time allow. The coastal sage scrub (CSS) restoration project at Starr Ranch, a 1,585 ha Audubon preserve in southern California, combines non‐chemical invasive species control, restoration, and applied research. Our practices evolve from modified scientific approaches and the scientific literature. Results from experiments with non‐optimum replication (on effects of seed rates, soil tamping, and timing of planting) nonetheless had value for management decisions. A critical practice came from academic research that encouraged cost‐effective passive restoration. Our passive restoration monitoring data showed 28–100% total native cover after 3–5 years. Another published study found that restoration success in semiarid regions is dependent on rainfall, a finding vital for understanding active restoration monitoring results that showed a range of 0–88% total native cover at the end of the first season. Work progresses through a combination of applied research, a watchful eye on the scientific literature, and “ecological intuition” informed by the scientific literature and our own findings. I suggest that it is less critical for academic scientists to address the basic questions on technique that are helpful to land managers but rather advocate practitioner training in methods to test alternative strategies and long‐term monitoring.     

Coupled plant traits adapted to wetting/drying cycles of substrates co-define niche multidimensionality

Theories attempting to explain species coexistence in plant communities have argued in favour of species' capacities to occupy a multidimensional niche with spatial, temporal and biotic axes. We used the concept of hydrological niche segregation to learn how ecological niches are structured both spatially and temporally and whether small scale humidity gradients between adjacent niches are the main factor explaining water partitioning among tree species in a highly water-limited semiarid forest ecosystem. By combining geophysical methods, isotopic ecology, plant ecophysiology and anatomical measurements, we show how coexisting pine and oak species share, use and temporally switch between diverse spatially distinct niches by employing a set of functionally coupled plant traits in response to changing environmental signals. We identified four geospatial niches that turned into nine, when considering the temporal dynamics of the wetting/drying cycles in the substrate and the particular plant species adaptations to garner, transfer, store and use water. Under water scarcity, pine and oak exhibited water use segregation from different niches, yet under maximum drought when oak trees crossed physiological thresholds, niche overlap occurred. The identification of niches and mechanistic understanding of when and how species use them will help unify theories of plant coexistence and competition.     

Reducing boll weevil populations by clipping terminal buds and removing abscised fruiting bodies

Cotton pests damaging fruiting bodies (squares and young bolls) are difficult to control and their damage results in direct yield loss. Small growers, with low technological inputs, represent a large portion of cotton growers worldwide comprising more than 76 countries; they rely mainly on cultural practices to counteract pest attack in their crops. Boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), oviposition involves puncturing cotton squares and young bolls, causing abscission. We examined the impact on boll weevil population of collecting abscised cotton fruiting bodies and clipping plant terminals at 50% boll maturation in the field during two cotton‐growing seasons and under field cage conditions. Greatest numbers of damaged squares occurred ca. 117 days after planting and clipped plants resulted in reduction of abscised structures and adult boll weevils compared with non‐clipped plants, irrespective of cotton variety. Damaged young bolls were found ca. 128 days after planting in 2009 and 2011, but clipping had no effect. Numbers of boll weevils found in plants of the varieties BRS 201 and BRS Rubi (both in 2009) and BRS Rubi (in 2011) were, respectively, 13‐, 17‐, and 20‐fold greater when clipping plus collecting abscised fruiting bodies were not practiced. Furthermore, the average percentage of the boll weevil parasitoid Bracon vulgaris Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) emerging from abscised and collected structures was similar between clipped and non‐clipped plant terminals in both seasons. Clipping plant terminals did not result in yield reduction and reduced adult boll weevil production. Collecting abscised reproductive structures, clipping plant terminals, and using both practices together reduced boll weevil populations by as much as 63, 57, and 79%, respectively, in cage trials. Thus, these practices cause significant impact on boll weevil populations and are feasible of adoption, especially for smallholder cotton growers.     

Water and carbon storage capacity in Isolatocereus dumortieri (Cactaceae) in an intertropical semiarid zone in Mexico

In the biosphere reserve Barranca de Metztitlán in Mexico, there is an extensive area with a semiarid scrub. The dominant species is the cactus Isolatocereus dumortieri. This is a key species in the ecosystem, because many species of birds, bats and insects are feeding from its nectar, pollen and fruits during the dry season thanks to their capacity to store water and carbon. However, there is no information about their potential to store water and carbon. The purpose of this study was to estimate the ability of I. dumortieri to store water and carbon. Water content per plant was estimated as 537.64 ± 71.59 L during the dry season and 692.24 ± 92.18 L during the wet season. In the same way the carbon stored per cactus was 16.75 kg ± 7.07 corresponding to 1.25 kg C m². The results shows the importance of I. dumortieri in maintaining the ecosystem services of the scrub vegetation.     

Seasonal distribution of increased precipitation in maternal environments influences offspring performance of Potentilla tanacetifolia in a temperate steppe ecosystem

Aims Precipitation is predicted to increase in arid and semiarid regions under climate change, with greater changes in intra- and inter-annual distribution in the future. As a major limiting factor in these regions, changes in precipitation undoubtedly influence plant growth and productivity. However, how the temporal shifts in precipitation will impact plant populations are uncertain.