施肥对荒漠化草原草本植物种群密度和生物量的影响

通过外源施加N肥、P肥和N-P混合肥的试验,研究了荒漠化草原草本植物种群密度和生物量对不同肥料的响应,3种肥料均设置了0(对照)、5、10 g·m-2和20 g·m-2 4个投加水平。一年的研究结果表明：种群密度在3种肥料作用下均随着施肥水平的增大呈现逐渐降低的趋势,尤其是在高的N肥（20 g·m-2）处理下,优势种草本植物茵陈蒿（Artemisia capillaris）、多根葱（Allium polyrhizum）和冠芒草（Enneapogon brachystachyus）的密度及总密度均显著低于对照（p<0.05）;地上部及根部生物量在3种肥料处理下的响应同种群密度,即地上和根部生物量均随着施肥水平的增大而减小,其中,3种优势种草本植物的地上部生物量及总的地上部生物量随着施肥水平的增大均呈现出显著的负相关的关系,其决定系数（R2）均在0.80以上。可见,在荒漠区较低的降水条件下（年降水<180 mm）,施肥会抑制荒漠草本植物的种群密度和生物量,且其抑制作用与肥料种类无关。     

草原化荒漠植被草本层片植物对人工施加氮素的响应

水分是干旱区生态过程的第一非生物限制因子,土壤氮由于直接影响着生物生产力和土壤生态过程而被认为是仅次于水分的限制因子。利用人工施加氮肥的控制试验研究了荒漠植被草本层片植物在多度、物种丰富度、高生长以及地上部分生物量等群落学特征对不同施肥处理的响应。结果表明,在施肥量分别为12.5、25、50 g·m-2时,样方植物多度和物种丰富度在施肥当年和第二年较对照均有不同程度的降低,且施肥量越高,降低越明显,这一结果支持来自典型草地和森林植被生物多样性对氮素增加或氮降沉增加响应的结论,即氮素的增加会使生物多样性减少。地上部分生物量对施氮肥的响应在施肥当年(年降水量为多年平均值的1.4倍)和第二年(年降水量为多年平均值的0.7倍)表现出相反的规律,即施肥当年随着施肥量的增加生物量显著增加,而在第二年则显著减小,说明水肥耦合同样有利于荒漠生态系统生物生产力的提高。氮素对植物高生长的影响不明显,各施肥梯度与对照相比均无显著性差异(P>0.05),这可能主要取决于荒漠草本植物本身固有的生物学特性。     

古尔班通古特沙漠草本植物生物量分配特征

草本植物层片是古尔班通古特沙漠早春生产力的主要贡献者,为深入了解荒漠草本植物在群落水平上对荒漠环境的整体适应性,分析了沙漠中部1 hm2样地中草本植物层片地上与地下生物量分配关系,并验证了草本植物层片生物量与根冠比、物种丰富度以及植株密度之间的关系.结果 表明:(1)类短命植物囊果苔草(Carex physodes)是...     

Effect of sheep grazing on rangeland plant communities: Case study of landscape depressions within Syrian arid steppes

The arid rangelands of Syria cover over half of the nation's landmass. Punctuating this landscape are broad, dry basins, or wadis, and gentle landscape depressions that exhibit localized elevated vegetation productivity and unique edaphic and hydrologic properties. Historically, continuous heavy grazing and aggressive agricultural activities resulted in excessive ecological degradation within these sensitive environments. Information is needed to determine the influence of livestock grazing on plant communities in landscape depressions and the impact that this has on ecosystem resilience. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effect of short-term sheep grazing on vegetation characteristics and plant community structure within depressions, and to provide recommendations for improved grazing management. Study plots were randomly located within paired topographic depressions located in northwestern Syria. Vegetation samples were collected along transects including plant biomass, plant density, herbaceous cover, and species diversity. In grazed plots, plant biomass was 49 g DM/m² compared to 234.4 g DM/m² in protected plots. Average plant density was 65 plants/m² in grazed plots compared to 1013 plants/m² in protected plots (P = 0.001). Herbaceous cover was 175% higher on protected sites compared to grazed plots. Average diversity (Shannon–Wiener index value) was 0.8 in grazed plots compared to 2.3 in protected plots. These results suggest that plant community structure will be impacted from short-term grazing and that a site's ability to positively respond to disturbance over time may be limited. We conclude that carefully planned grazing management should result in greater plant productivity and diversity.     

High belowground biomass allocation in an upland black spruce (Picea mariana) stand in interior Alaska

The root system of forest trees account for a significant proportion of the total forest biomass. However, data is particularly limited for forests in permafrost regions. In this study, therefore, we estimated the above- and belowground biomass of a black spruce (Picea mariana) stand underlain with permafrost in interior Alaska. Allometric equations were established using 4–6 sample trees to estimate the biomass of the aboveground parts and the coarse roots (roots >5 mm in diameter) of P. mariana trees. The aboveground biomass of understory plants and the fine-root biomass were estimated by destructive sampling. The aboveground and coarse-root biomasses of the P. mariana trees were estimated to be 3.97 and 2.31 kg m^?2, respectively. The aboveground biomass of understory vascular plants such as Ledum groenlandicum and the biomass of forest floor mosses and lichens were 0.10 and 0.62 kg m^?2, respectively. The biomass of fine roots <5 mm in diameter was 1.27 kg m^?2. Thus, the above- and belowground biomasses of vascular plants in the P. mariana stand were estimated to be 4.07 and 3.58 kg m^?2, respectively, indicating that belowground biomass accounted for 47% of the total biomass of vascular plants. Fine-root biomass was 36% of the total root biomass, of which 90% was accumulated in the surface organic layer. Thus, this P. mariana stand can be characterized as having extremely high belowground biomass allocation, which would make it possible to grow on permafrost with limited soil resource availability.     

准噶尔荒漠小山蒜的形态与生物量特征及其相互关系

小山蒜(Allium pallasii)是中国新疆特有的类短命植物。调查了准噶尔荒漠16个20 m×20 m样地内小山蒜种群的分布概况,研究了小山蒜盛花期的生物学特征、器官生物量分配及其相互关系。结果表明:①小山蒜多生于沙丘中下部,密度为0.187株·m–2;平均株高为(22.93±5.15)cm,多为3片叶;花序近球形,平均半径(2.44±0.37)cm,纵断面角度211.39°±60.4°,表面积和体积分别为(50.95±34.19)cm2和(43.37±29.45)cm3。②其形态指标(平均叶长、4个花球指标及鳞茎直径)间、生物量指标(根生物量除外)间,及二者之间多为显著(P<0.05)或极显著(P<0.01)正相关,协同生长关系较强。③小山蒜生物量分配呈鳞茎>花葶>花球>叶片>根的格局,根冠比为0.873,生殖分配占49.66%。④形态指标与生物量间均呈α<1的异速生长关系,而生物量指标间多为等速关系,其中地上、地下生物量间符合α=3/4的异速关系。⑤生物量估测表明,小山蒜单株地上生物量平均为0.312 g,单株地下生物量平均为0.264 g,种群总生物量密度仅为0.106 g·m-2,其生物量在整个荒漠生态系统中可忽略不计,但它作为准噶尔荒漠重要而独特的种质资源,应从多个方面深入研究,同时进行适当保护。     

氮素添加对黄土高原荒漠草原草本植物物种多样性和生产力的影响

为了解大气氮沉降对荒漠草原植物物种多样性和生产力的影响,在黄土高原荒漠草原区进行了氮素添加试验,研究了氮素添加量对草本植物物种多样性和植物生产力的短期影响.结果表明:随氮素添加量的增加,群落Margalef物种丰富度指数和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数显著减小,中,高水平氮素添加处理下,群落Margalef物种丰富度指数和Shannon-Wiener 多样性指数分别比对照下降了39.14%、47.07% 和25.57%、31.52%.随氮素添加量的增加,主要优势植物种相对重要值增大;处于弱势的伴生植物种在氮素添加后从群落中消失.氮素添加后,群落生产力显著提高,尤其是低水平氮添加时生产力增加量最大.氮素增加在短期内即可以提高黄土高原荒漠草原草本植物群落生产力,促进优势种群的生长,抑制不占主要地位的伴生种的生长,改变物种组成并降低物种多样性.     

C4 plant species and geographical distribution in relation to climate in the desert vegetation of China

Water use efficiency of C₄ plants is higher than that of C₃ plants, and CAM (Crassulaceae Acid Metabolism) plants have the highest water use efficiency. In the desert regions of China, CAM plants are scarce, and C₄ plants, especially C₄ woody plants, have an important position and role in the desert ecosystem. There are 45 species of C₄ woody plants in the desert regions of China, including semi-woody plants, accounting for 6% of the total desert plant species in China, and most of them are concentrated in the families of Chenopodiaceae and Polygonaceae, which are 19 species and 26 species, respectively. The number of C₄ herbaceous plants is 107 species, including 48 monocot species and 59 dicot species. C₄ woody plants mainly inhabit the northwestern arid desert regions of China west of the Helan Mountains. The drought-resistance and drought-tolerance of C₄ herbaceous plants are worse than C₄ woody plants, and C₄ herbaceous plants mainly inhabit areas with shallow groundwater depth and better water conditions in the desert regions, and are widely distributed along the margins of oases. The abundance of C₄ woody plants is closely correlated with drought, but the abundance of C₄ herbaceous plants increases with wet conditions.     

Desert grassland canopy arthropod species richness: temporal patterns and effects of intense, short-duration livestock grazing

Arthropods living in the canopies of two woody shrub species (a sub-shrub (Gutierrezia sarothrae) and a large shrub (Prosopis glandulosa)) and perennial grasses plus associated herbaceous species, were sampled on 18, 0.5 hectare plots in a Chihuahuan Desert grassland for five consecutive years. Mesquite shrubs were removed from nine plots, six plots were grazed by yearling cattle in August and six plots were grazed in February for the last 3 years of the 5 year study. Arthropod species richness ranged between 154 and 353 on grasses, from 120 to 266 on G. sarothrae, and from 69 to 116 on P. glandulosa. There was a significant relationship between the number of families of insects on grass and G. sarothrae and growing season rainfall but species richness was not a function of growing season rainfall on any of the plants. Several of the arthropod families that were the most species rich in this grassland were found on all of the plants sampled, i.e. Salticid spiders, Bruchid and Curculionid beetles, Cicadellid and Psyllid homopterans, and ants (Formicidae). There were more species rich families that were shared by grasses and the sub-shrub G. sarothrae than with mesquite. The absence of a relationship between growing season rainfall and species richness was attributed to variation in life history characteristics of arthropods and to the non-linear responses of annual and perennial desert grassland plants to rainfall.There were no significant differences in insect family or species richness on any of the plant types as a result of removal of mesquite (P. glandulosa) from selected plots. Intense, short duration (24 h) grazing by livestock during in late summer resulted in reduced species richness in the grass-herb vegetation layer but had no effect on insect species richness on snakeweed or mesquite shrubs. Livestock grazing in winter had no effect on insect species richness on any of the vegetation sampled.     

Herbaceous layer development during spring does not deplete soil nitrogen in the Portuguese montado

Nitrogen (N) content in the soil and in the herbaceous biomass were monitored during spring of 2004-2006 to determine how the herbaceous layer development influences soil N availability in the montado ecosystem of southern Portugal. Highest (246.6 ± 52.7 g m⁻²) and lowest (123.2 ± 89.5 g m⁻²) peak biomass occurred in 2006 and 2005 respectively. Total soil N within the top 20 cm soil profile ranged between 0.2 ± 0.1% in February and 0.41 ± 0.2% in May, while available soil N was lowest (5 ± 2 μg g⁻¹soil) in February but increased three-to-five fold in March and was >17.5 μg g⁻¹soil at senescence in May. Significant (p < 0.001) increase in total N in the aboveground pool occurred between February and May. There was however, no decay in soil N content. Instead, the herbaceous vegetation enhanced soil N input and N retention in the ecosystem. Most of the herbaceous plants were annuals with large reserves of organic N at senescence, which returned to the soil as detritus. The herbaceous vegetation is a critical component of the montado that contributes to N recharge and cycling within the ecosystem.     

阿拉善荒漠典型植物功能群氮、磷化学计量特征

氮（N）、磷（P）作为荒漠生态系统重要的养分元素和限制性因子,在维持植物功能群组成及结构稳定、生态系统内养分循环中发挥着重要的作用。本研究沿水热梯度从东至西在阿拉善荒漠设置52个调查样地,通过对优势植物的调查取样,分析了荒漠植物不同功能（类）群N、P元素的生态化学计量特征,并就N、P含量及N：P值对荒漠植物的限制性作用进行了检验和讨论。结果显示：（1）所调查阿拉善荒漠区植物叶片的N、P含量分别为10.65±7.91 mg·g^-1和1.04±0.81 mg·g^-1,N：P值为11.53±5.06,叶片N含量与P含量及N：P值均显著正相关,P含量与N：P值显著负相关;通过对比分析认为该区植物同时受到N、P双重制约,且更易受N限制。（2）从植物生活型比较,认为草本植物叶片N、P含量均高于灌木植物叶片,而灌木植物叶片的N：P值大于草本植物;对光合作用途径分析发现,C₃植物叶片N含量高于C₄植物叶片,而C₄植物叶片P含量高于C₃植物叶片;从系统发育类型方面分析,认为单子叶植物叶片N含量低于双子叶植物叶片N含量,而P含量则高于双子叶植物叶片P含量。     

Effects of heavy metal (Pb) concentration on some growth parameters of plants grown in lead polluted soil under organic fertilizer amendment

This study investigated morphological variation and biomass accumulation that occurred in Sida acuta and Chromolaena odorata plants grown in lead polluted soil under organic fertilizer amendment. The study was carried out in the screen house at the Biological Gardens of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. The experiment was a factorial combination of one heavy metal (Pb) at five levels of concentration (0, 200, 400, 800 and 1,000 mg/kg) in a completely randomized design, and were replicated three times for each of the two plants and two levels (0 g/kg and 9.4 g/kg) of organic fertilizer (OBD-Plus). Each pot was filled with 5 kg of air-dried and sieved soil and placed on a plastic tray for the collection of excess water. Two weeks after planting, seedlings of uniform height were transplanted from the nursery to experimental pots at the rate of one seedling per pot and grown for 10 weeks. The growth parameters of the plants were biomonitored for 7 weeks. After 10 weeks of treatment, the plants were harvested and dried to calculate the biomass accumulation. The two plant species performed better under fertilizer application than without it. For each of the plant species the growth parameters decreased as the levels of Pb concentration increased. Furthermore, the plants' biomass decreased significantly (p<0.05) as the levels of Pb concentration increased. The organic fertilizer helped to improve the plants' performance in lead-polluted soil.     

柴达木盆地几种荒漠灌丛植被的生物量分配格局

选择柴达木盆地的8种荒漠灌丛为研究对象,利用样方收获法对生物量及其分配格局进行了研究。结果表明：柴达木盆地荒漠灌丛生物量的空间分布具有高度异质性,介于11.11~58.63 t·hm^-2,平均为27.15 t·hm^-2。灌木层生物量是整个荒漠生态系统最重要的生物量组分,占总生物量的92.71%。灌木层地上生物量的变幅为7.93~46.10 t·hm^-2,地下生物量的变幅为1.15~25.64 t·hm^-2。地上生物量远大于地下生物量,根冠比介于0.07~2.45。几种荒漠植被的生物量在各个器官间分配格局为：枝生物量>根生物量>叶生物量,分别占建群种生物量的比例为38.05%、34.92%、27.03%。影响柴达木生物量及其分配的因子主要是灌木的高度及土壤含水量。     

荒漠植被草本层片植物对火因子的响应

火因子是生态系统中重要的干扰因素,对生态系统格局与过程有着深远的影响。采用人为放火的方法研究了草原化荒漠草本层片植物物种丰富度、地上部生物量、植物多度以及高度等群落学特征对火因子的响应。结果表明,火烧后两年（2008—2009年）,火烧样地单位面积中草本层片植物物种丰富度有所降低;植物多度多于对照样地,但无显著性差异（P>0.05）。火烧后当年,火烧样地中草本植物地上部生物量显著高于对照样地（P<0.05）,第2年地上部生物量无显著性差异（P>0.05）,说明火烧后当年有利于提高荒漠生态系统生物生产力,而第2年该效应消除。火烧后当年,研究区3种主要草本植物多根葱、无芒隐子草和茵陈蒿的高度受到了抑制,第2年其高度较对照样地又有所增长,但另一主要植物刺蓬则与其他3种植物反应相反,这可能与荒漠草本植物种不同生长特性有关。     

Effects of fire, grazing, and the presence of shrubs on Chihuahuan desert grasslands

Responses of herbaceous and suffrutescent species to fire, grazing, and presence of Prosopis glandulosa were examined in a Chihuahuan desert grassland in south-central New Mexico. Treatments were assigned randomly to eight 12×8 m plots within each of two blocks. Following fires in June 1995, unfenced plots were exposed to livestock grazing over 4 years. Plots were established that either included or excluded P. glandulosa. Perennial grass cover, primarilyBouteloua eriopoda , decreased by 13% in burned plots but increased 5% in unburned areas. Conversely, perennial forb cover was 4% greater after fire. Perennial grass frequency decreased 30% more and perennial forb frequency increased 10% more following burning. Further, increases in evenness after fire resulted in a 225% increase in species diversity. Grazing also resulted in a decrease in perennial grass cover while frequency decreased 22% more in grazed than ungrazed plots. Only frequency and not cover of perennial forbs and annual grasses increased more following grazing. Presence of P. glandulosa had no differential effect on responses of non-shrub species. Fires were conducted during near drought conditions while grazing occurred during years of precipitation equivalent to the long-term average. Precipitation immediately following fire may be critical for recovery of B. eriopoda -dominated desert grasslands; relationships between fire and post-fire precipitation patterns require future investigation.     

Plants as soil indicators along the Saudi coast of the Arabian Gulf

Soils of different vegetation types of the Saudi Arabian Gulf coast, dominated by mangrove, salt marsh and desert plant communities have been analysed for their soil profiles, texture, salinity, pH, water content and ionic concentration (Ca²⁺, Cl⁻, K⁺, Na⁺, SO₄²⁻). The results show some important relationships between soils and plants. Special emphasis was given to the dominant intertidal plantsAvicennia marina, Arthrocnemum macrostachyum, Salicornia europaea, Halocnemum strobilaceum, Halopeplis perfoliata, Limonium axillare, the terrestrialZygophyllum qatarense, and non-vegetated sabkhas.     

干旱胁迫下钠复合肥对霸王(Zygophyllum xanthoxylum)根系生长的促进作用

霸王(Zygophyllum xanthoxylum)是荒漠区广为分布的一种多浆旱生植物。采用盆栽育苗的方法,初步评价了干旱胁迫下Na+对霸王根系生长的贡献,探讨了一种新型钠复合肥对霸王根系形态、生理学指标的影响。结果显示,钠复合肥能显著促进霸王根系的生长并提高其抗旱性:(1)正常浇水时,钠复合肥对霸王的促进作用主要体现在株高的增加和侧根的增长上,根系活力显著增强;(2)自然干旱15d后,钠复合肥使得霸王根系活跃吸收面积显著提高24%,促进主根的加粗和伸长以吸收更多的水分和矿质养分;(3)干旱胁迫下,钠复合肥处理使霸王根部Na+浓度保持较高水平,K+浓度下降42%。因此认为,干旱前钠复合肥显著促进了霸王侧根的生长和根系活力的提高,干旱后钠复合肥通过促进根系活跃吸收面积的扩大和主根的生长以提高霸王的抗旱性,其主要原因是根和叶中积累了较多的Na+、而非K+。     

Small-scale vegetation dynamics in semi-arid steppe in Inner Mongolia

Small-scale vegetation dynamics were followed for ecotones and in uniform stands inArtemisia-dominated steppe vegetation under grazing and when recovering from heavy grazing. Species composition was followed annually for 5 years in 1 m²and 0·25 m²plots for (1) presence–absence; (2) density; and (3) biomass.More rapid vegetation dynamics, in terms of change of type of vegetation and distance moved in DCA species space between sampling occasions, were observed in smaller plots and in early seral stages, where species were few and alpha diversity low. Only the plots recently protected from grazing showed a directional vegetation change; those protected for more than 3 years and those under continued grazing showed, at this scale, non-directional dynamics.     

Effects of simulated storm sizes and nitrogen on three Chihuahuan Desert perennial herbs and a grass

Establishment and growth of three perennial herbs and a small tussock grass were studied in an experiment that provided simulated rainfall of 6 mm week⁻¹ or 25 mm once per month and nitrogen fertilization in combination with the different simulated rainfall regimes. Wild onion, Allium macropetalum, failed to establish in plots receiving 25 mm month⁻¹ simulated rainfall. The perennial composite, Bahia absinthifolia, occurred at higher densities in plots that were not irrigated but there were no differences in biomass in any of the irrigation or fertilization treatments. Desert holly, Perezia nana, failed to establish in nitrogen fertilized plots and developed higher abundance and biomass in plots receiving 25 mm month⁻¹. Nitrogen fertilization had either no effect or an adverse effect on the perennial herbs. The tussock grass, Dasychloa pulchella exhibited highest abundance and biomass with 6 mm week⁻¹ added water plus nitrogen. Since global climate change will affect both rain storm frequency and size and atmospheric nitrogen deposition, the results of this study are applicable to understanding vegetation responses climate change.     

Leaching requirement and salinity threshold for the yield and agronomic characteristics of halophytes under salt stress

An experiment was carried out at Nahshala Farm, north west of Al-Ain City, U.A.E. during the 1998–2000 growing seasons, using six halophytes (Batis maritima, Distichlis spicata, Juncus roemerianus, Paspalum vaginatum, Salicornia bigelovii and Spartina alterniflora) and two levels of leaching fraction (0·25 and 0·50) under three irrigation salinity levels (10, 20, and 40 gL⁻¹) in a randomized complete block design arranged in split plots. The purpose of the research was to apply the theory of crop salt tolerance on aboveground yields and agronomic characteristics of halophytes to determine their thresholds for salinity and to determine leaching requirements. The results indicated that the halophyte species tested can grow with minimum reduction in the growth potential at <20 gL⁻¹of mean salinity of soil solution. Leaching fraction (LF) of 0·25 at the highest salinity of irrigation water (40 gL⁻¹) was inadequate to attain the steady-state salt balance during the growth period, although the drainage salinity reached more than 90 g L⁻¹. Furthermore, if the same level of LF is used for longer period, soil salinity under this high salt treatment will continue to rise, and plant growth may deteriorate. Leaching fraction of 0·50 is preferable if salinity of irrigation water was more than 20 gL⁻¹and dry matter production is considered, although the amount of water use will be excessive