冬季增温和减雪对黄土高原典型草原土壤养分和细菌群落组成的影响

冬季增温和积雪变化可改变土壤-微生物系统结构和功能。微生物作为陆地生态系统关键生物因子, 发挥着调控土壤养分循环的重要作用, 并对环境扰动, 特别是冬季气候变化十分敏感。开展半干旱区典型草原土壤养分和微生物特性对冬季气候变化的响应研究, 对预测未来气候变化情景下草地生态过程和功能变化意义重大。该研究以宁夏云雾山国家级自然保护区半干旱草原为研究对象, 于冬季布设增温、减雪、增温减雪互作及对照4种处理, 探究了黄土高原典型草原0-5 cm土层土壤养分、酶活性、土壤细菌群落组成对冬季温度和积雪变化的响应规律。结果表明: (1)冬季增温、减雪及互作均提高了0-5 cm土壤温度, 降低了土壤相对湿度, 但却显著增加了土壤冻融循环次数; (2)与对照相比, 不同处理整体上降低了微生物生物量及其多样性, 降低了土壤β-1,4-葡萄糖苷酶(BG)、β-1,4-N-乙酰基氨基葡萄糖苷酶(NAG)、碱性磷酸酶(AKP)活性, 增加了土壤有机碳、全氮、速效磷及铵态氮含量, 硝态氮含量有所下降; (3)研究区土壤细菌以酸杆菌门、变形菌门、放线菌门、芽单胞菌门为主, 优势菌纲以酸杆菌纲、γ-变形杆菌纲、嗜热油菌纲及σ-变形菌纲为主。冗余分析显示, 速效磷含量对细菌群落构成影响最显著, 对群落变异的解释度为21.3%。总之, 冬季气候变化可通过影响土壤温湿度, 特别是冻融循环进而作用于土壤养分循环、酶活性和土壤细菌多样性变化, 这些结果对丰富和拓展气候变化对草地生态系统影响过程与机制的认识, 准确预测典型草原中长期动态变化具有重要意义。     

Characteristics and simulation of snow interception by the canopy of primary spruce‐fir Korean pine forests in the Xiaoxing'an Mountains of China

Snow interception by the forest canopy is an important control on the forest hydrological cycle in the Xiaoxing'an Mountains within the northern temperate region of China. In this study, the effects of snowfall characteristics and stand structures on the snowfall redistribution of the canopies within primary spruce‐fir Korean pine forests are analyzed at the forest stand scale. Characteristics of snowfall, through‐canopy snowfall, and stand structure are continuously measured using positioning observations. A semiempirical theoretical model is used to conduct snow interception simulations in the Xiaoxing'an Mountain region. The results indicate that the snowfall, canopy density, slope gradient, and tree height have a significant effect on the through‐canopy snowfall. The interception efficiency gradually decreases with an increase in the amount of snowfall and is particularly sensitive to the snowfall and canopy density, although it shows no significant correlation with average diameter at breast height, tree height, basal area, canopy height, canopy width, leaf area, or slope gradient. Very similar results have been observed in Canada and Switzerland, suggesting the transferability of the results between North America, Western Europe, and China. However, although model results provide a satisfactory simulation of snow interception, further studies are required to optimize the model in this region.     

Increased snowfall weakens complementarity of summer water use by different plant functional groups

Winter snowfall is an important water source for plants during summer in semiarid regions. Snow, rain, soil water, and plant water were sampled for hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes analyses under control and increased snowfall conditions in the temperate steppe of Inner Mongolia, China. Our study showed that the snowfall contribution to plant water uptake continued throughout the growing season and was detectable even in the late growing season. Snowfall versus rainfall accounted for 30% and 70%, respectively, of the water source for plants, on the basis of hydrogen stable isotope signature (δD) analysis, and accounted for 12% and 88%, respectively, on the basis of oxygen stable isotope signature (δ¹⁸O) analysis. Water use partitioning between topsoil and subsoil was found among species with different rooting depths. Increased snowfall weakened complementarity of plant water use during summer. Our study provides insights into the relationships between precipitation regimes and species interactions in semiarid regions.     

降雪对荒漠地区藓类结皮中真藓生理生化的影响

生物土壤结皮的生存环境是地球上自养生物生存最为极端的生境之一,真藓是荒漠结皮中最为重要的组分之一。很少有研究涉及冬季降雪对结皮层生物体的影响。以宁夏沙坡头人工植被区内发育良好、长势均匀的真藓结皮为研究对象,系统研究降雪影响下荒漠地区藓类结皮层真藓的光合色素含量、可溶性糖含量、可溶性蛋白含量、丙二醛(MDA)含量以及脯氨酸含量的变化,并探讨其对降雪的生理生化响应。采用了4个降雪处理,分别是无降雪、0.5倍降雪、1倍降雪、2倍降雪。结果表明:随着降雪量的增加,其光合色素含量和可溶性蛋白含量显著增加;而可溶性糖含量、游离脯氨酸含量以及MDA含量均呈下降趋势。研究结果表明,作为生物土壤结皮重要水源之一的冬季降雪,能够为结皮层生物体提供适宜的水分条件以激发其生理生化活性,对维持荒漠生态系统的稳定性具有重要作用。     

Temperature and snowfall trigger alpine vegetation green‐up on the world's roof

Rapid temperature increase and its impacts on alpine ecosystems in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, the world's highest and largest plateau, are a matter of global concern. Satellite observations have revealed distinctly different trend changes and contradicting temperature responses of vegetation green‐up dates, leading to broad debate about the Plateau's spring phenology and its climatic attribution. Large uncertainties in remote‐sensing estimates of phenology significantly limit efforts to predict the impacts of climate change on vegetation growth and carbon balance in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, which are further exacerbated by a lack of detailed ground observation calibration. Here, we revealed the spatiotemporal variations and climate drivers of ground‐based herbaceous plant green‐up dates using 72 green‐up datasets for 22 herbaceous plant species at 23 phenological stations, and corresponding daily mean air temperature and daily precipitation data from 19 climate stations across eastern and southern parts of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau from 1981 to 2011. Results show that neither the continuously advancing trend from 1982 to 2011, nor a turning point in the mid to late 1990s as reported by remote‐sensing studies can be verified by most of the green‐up time series, and no robust evidence for a warmer winter‐induced later green‐up dates can be detected. Thus, chilling requirements may not be an important driver influencing green‐up responses to spring warming. Moreover, temperature‐only control of green‐up dates appears mainly at stations with relatively scarce preseason snowfall and lower elevation, while coupled temperature and precipitation controls of green‐up dates occur mostly at stations with relatively abundant preseason snowfall and higher elevation. The diversified interactions between snowfall and temperature during late winter to early spring likely determine the spatiotemporal variations of green‐up dates. Therefore, prediction of vegetation growth and carbon balance responses to global climate change on the world's roof should integrate both temperature and snowfall variations.     

CLIMATE CHANGE AND RINGED SEAL (PHOCA HISPIDA) RECRUITMENT IN WESTERN HUDSON BAY

Climate warming is predicted to reduce the extent of ice cover in the Arctic and, within the Hudson Bay region, the annual ice may be significantly decreased or entirely lost in the foreseeable future. The ringed seal ( Phoca hispida ), a key species that depends on sea ice, will likely be among the first marine mammals to show the negative effects of climatic warming. We used 639 ringed seals killed by Inuit hunters from western Hudson Bay (1991–1992, 1999–2001) to assess trends in recruitment relative to snow depth, snowfall, rainfall, temperature in April and May, North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) from the previous winter, and timing of spring break-up. Snowfall and ringed seal recruitment varied from lower than average in the 1970s, to higher in 1980s and lower in 1990s. Prior to 1990, seal recruitment appeared to be related to timing of spring ice break-up which was correlated with the NAO. However, recent 1990–2001 environmental data indicate less snowfall, lower snow depth, and warmer temperatures in April and May when pups are born and nursed. Decreased snow depth, particularly below 32 cm, corresponded with a significant decrease in ringed seal recruitment as indicated by pups born and surviving to adults that were later harvested. Earlier spring break-up of sea ice together with snow trends suggest continued low pup survival in western Hudson Bay.     

Survivorship and growth in the larvae of Luehdorfia japonica feeding on old leaves of Asarum megacalyx

Although the papilionid butterfly Luehdorfia japonica, usually lays eggs on new leaves of the host plant (Asarum sp.; Aristolochiaceae), eggs of the butterfly were frequently found on old leaves of Asarum megacalyx in Suyama, Tokamachi, Niigata prefecture. Larvae hatched on new leaves and those hatched on old leaves did not show significant differences in their survival rate in the field. In laboratory breeding, about 90% of larvae that were fed old leaves survived and developed normally to the pupal stage. Their growth rate, however, was slightly lower than those that were fed new leaves. No nutritional differences were found between the old and new leaves. The reason why oviposition on the old leaves was so frequent and why larvae that hatched on old leaves could survive in the study area is discussed.     

荒漠区不同微生境下齿肋赤藓对一次降雪的生理生化响应

耐旱苔藓广泛分布于干旱半干旱荒漠地区, 对荒漠生态系统稳定性与功能多样性具有重要作用。齿肋赤藓(Syntrichia caninervis)是古尔班通古特沙漠苔藓结皮层的优势物种, 生于不同的微环境中。古尔班通古特沙漠冬、春季降雪频繁, 并能形成稳定的积雪层。目前关于降雪与微生境对齿肋赤藓生理生化特征影响的研究极为缺乏。该研究探讨了初冬一次降雪前后活灌丛、死灌丛和裸露地3种微生境下齿肋赤藓相关生理生化特征。结果表明, 与降雪前相比, 降雪后各微生境下齿肋赤藓植株的含水量、荧光活性、可溶性糖含量、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和过氧化物酶(POD)活性均有明显提高, 但脯氨酸、可溶性蛋白和丙二醛(MDA)含量有不同程度的降低。微生境对齿肋赤藓的生理指标有不同程度的影响, 而且与降雪具有显著的交互作用(脯氨酸除外)。降雪前后, 活灌丛下的齿肋赤藓具有较高的含水量和光合活性, 以及较低的保护酶(POD和SOD) 活性, 裸露地则表现出完全相反的特点。表明前者面临的胁迫最小, 生理活性最大, 但抗性较弱; 而后者具有更大的抗胁迫能力, 但生理活性低。降雪后, 脯氨酸、MDA、POD及SOD均与植株含水量呈显著负相关, 而荧光活性、可溶性糖及可溶性蛋白含量与植株含水量为显著正相关, 表明降雪降低了齿肋赤藓的水分胁迫程度, 改善并促进了生理活性与光合作用, 而且初冬的低温也起到了促进作用。