科尔沁沙地中南部34种植物叶功能性状及其相互关系

以科尔沁沙地中南部34种主要植物为研究对象,分别测定叶片鲜重(FW)、干重(DW)、干物质含量(LDMC)、面积(LA)和比叶面积(SLA),比较不同生活型(一二年生草本、多年生草本、灌木)和功能型(C₃、C₄植物)的叶片性状的差异性,探讨沙地植物叶片性状相互之间的内在联系及其对环境的适应性。结果表明:一二年生草本的LDMC(0.23 g·g^-1)显著小于多年生草本(0.31 g·g^-1)和灌木(0.32 g·g^-1);而一二年生草本的SLA(22.14 m²·kg^-1)显著大于多年生草本(17.18 m²·kg^-1)和灌木(13.41 m²·kg^-1)。一二年生和多年生C₄植物的LDMC显著大于C₃植物;多年生C₄植物SLA显著大于C₃植物;C₃植物的LDMC表现为一二年生草本<多年生<灌木。沙地植物的叶鲜重、叶干重和叶面积三者间极显著正相关,植物叶干重与SLA显著负相关;C₄植物和多年生植物叶干重与SLA显著负相关。沙地不同生活型、功能型植物叶片的功能性状差异明显,沙地灌木和多年生植物能够较强的适应干旱环境,一二年生草本则具有较强的保持体内营养和获取土壤资源的能力。     

5种荒漠短命植物养分再吸收对水氮添加的响应

人类活动和全球气候变化导致的大气N沉降升高和降水格局的变化,将会影响植物-土壤系统的养分循环。研究了5种荒漠优势短命植物在N添加和增加降水处理下,叶片N、P含量变化及叶片N、P的再吸收特征。结果表明:自然情况下,荒漠植物叶N、P含量相对较高(平均值分别为30.1 mg·g^-1、3.6 mg·g^-1),而叶片N:P很低(6.8~10.5);荒漠短命植物叶N再吸收率(NRE,34.08%)低于P再吸收率(PRE,73.03%);叶片养分含量和再吸收率在物种间的差异极显著;N添加对NRE和PRE没有显著影响;N添加使尖喙牻牛儿苗(Erodium oxyrrhynchum)、条叶庭荠(Alyssum linifolium)和卷果涩荠(Malcolmia scorpioides)N再吸收度(NRP)减小,使丝叶芥(Leptaleum filifolium)和齿稃草(Schismus arabicus)的NRP增加,对P再吸收度(PRP)影响很小。不同含量N添加处理对NRE没有显著影响,但对PRE具有显著影响;增加降水对NRE具有显著影响,使NRE增加(丝叶芥除外),对PRE、NRP和PRP没有显著影响,但PRE和NRP增加,PRP变化很小;N添加和增加降水对NRE没有显著交互作用,对PRE具有显著交互作用,但其变化因物种而异。总之,N输入增加和降水格局的变化,显著改变了荒漠短命植物养分状态及再吸收特征,这将对短命植物群落组成及所处荒漠生态系统养分循环产生重要影响。     

中国森林叶片功能属性的纬度格局及其影响因素

为了探究森林植物叶片功能属性的地理格局及其影响因素,在2013年7-8月期间系统调查了中国东部南北样带9个森林生态系统的847种植物的叶片面积（LA）、叶片厚度（LT）、比叶面积（SLA）和叶片干物质含量（LDMC）,并结合群落结构计算了各属性的群落加权平均值（LA_CWM、SLA_CWM、LT_CWM和LDMC_CWM）。结果显示：847种植物的LA、LT、SLA和LDMC的平均值（±标准误）分别为2860.01±135.37 mm²、0.17±0.003 mm、20.15±0.43 m² kg^-1和 316.73±3.81 mg g^-1。SLA和LDMC表现出了明显的纬度格局,随着纬度增加,SLA逐渐增加,LDMC降低;然而,LA和LT沿纬度的变化趋势不明显（R² = 0.02 ~ 0.06）。不同植物类型之间叶片属性的差异是影响LA、LT、SLA和LDMC空间变化的主要因素;叶片功能属性的群落加权值表现出了更加明显的纬度分布格局（R² = 0.46 ~ 0.71）,这主要受到了气候因素和土壤N含量的影响。本文结果完善了中国区域森林生态系统叶片功能属性地理分布的数据库,同时强调了在研究植物属性空间格局时,考虑群落结构在尺度扩展中的重要性。     

荒漠植物叶片碳同位素组成及其水分利用效率

水分通常是影响荒漠植物生长的主要限制因子,然而当前很少有关于荒漠群落中植物水分利用效率的报道。作为指示水分利用效率的可靠指标,叶片稳定碳同位素组成(δ¹³ C值)可以用来探讨植物适应干旱环境的强弱程度。对阜康和金塔同种或同属的植物叶片δ¹³ C的测量结果表明,干旱可使植物叶片δ¹³ C升高:年降水量每增加1mm,叶片δ¹³ C则降低001‰~ 0015‰。阜康荒漠灌木叶片δ¹³ C值明显高于草本,这样的趋势也存在于甘肃金塔主要荒漠植物中,与前人的报道也基本一致。说明灌木可能更适应干旱胁迫,并且这种现象可能是全球荒漠生态系统的一种共性。对阜康四种荒漠代表植物红砂、梭梭、补血草和骆驼刺的SOD活性的测定结果间接地支持了这一结果。进一步的分析表明,藜科、豆科和某些禾本科植物适应干旱环境的能力相对较强。     

齿肋赤藓（Syntrichia caninervis）氮磷计量特征对降水量的响应

荒漠藓类植物是典型的变水植物,对水分能够快速做出反应,恢复光合、呼吸等生理活性,且荒漠藓类植物对水分的敏感性显著高于维管束植物。藓类植物的生态化学计量特征易受到微环境影响,对于藓类植物生态化学计量特征是否受荒漠降水梯度的影响并不清楚。为深入了解荒漠藓类结皮氮（N）、磷（P）化学计量特征对荒漠年降水的响应特征,以齿肋赤藓（Syntrichia caninervis）作为研究对象,测定3个年降水量下齿肋赤藓植物地上、地下部分N、P元素含量,分析不同降水梯度下齿肋赤藓植物N、P元素化学计量特征。结果表明：（1）齿肋赤藓植物地上部分N、P含量显著高于地下部分,地下部分N、P元素的变异系数比地上部分高,齿肋赤藓植物地上部分氮磷比（N∶P）值为10.17～12.03,生长可能受到氮限制;（2）随年降水量的增加,齿肋赤藓植物地上部分N、P含量呈下降趋势,N∶P比均呈升高趋势;（3）齿肋赤藓植物N、P含量显著正相关,且随年降水量的增加,齿肋赤藓植物地上、地下部分的N-P幂关系指数无显著变化。古尔班通古特沙漠齿肋赤藓植物在N、P养分分配上具有较高的稳定性,且能够通过调节地上与地下部分N、P元素化学计量特...     

中国荒漠C4木本植物和土壤无机固碳研究回顾与展望

碳是贯穿自然和社会的首要元素之一,碳循环是自然和社会系统的重要纽带。陆地生态系统的自然固碳途径有2种,一种是植物碳同化,另一种是土壤碳同化,人们一直关注植物的有机固碳,对于土壤的无机固碳重视不够。本文回顾了中国荒漠区固碳能力强的C₄木本植物和土壤无机固碳研究进展。通过解剖结构观察、δ¹³C值和气体交换特征全面分析得出,荒漠植物梭梭（Haloxylon ammodendron）和沙拐枣（Calligonum mongolicum）为典型的C₄木本植物,梭梭同化枝有大量的含晶细胞,沙拐枣同化枝有大量的黏液细胞。干旱区荒漠的非生物固碳能力至今缺乏合理解释。通过对戈壁、沙漠和壤质荒漠土壤无机碳密度和碳储量分析,提出了土壤碳同化（soil carbon assimilation）概念,并给出了土壤碳同化途径的3个阶段,解释了土壤无机固碳这一现象;与植物碳同化比较,土壤碳同化是荒漠固碳的主要途径。最后,展望了荒漠C₄木本植物和土壤碳同化的研究方向及对中国2060年前实现碳中和目标的可能贡献。     

县域空间贫困的地理识别研究——以宁夏泾源县为例

空间贫困研究是对多维贫困理论的丰富和发展,创新空间贫困度量方法是精准配置扶贫资源和提高农村扶贫质量的关键。本文借鉴国际空间贫困研究的基本理论思想,总结出了空间贫困三维结构分析框架,构建了县域空间贫困指标体系和地理识别方法,以宁夏泾源国家扶贫开发重点县为例,开展了空间贫困地理识别。研究发现：① 不同自然地理区SPI排序为侵蚀堆积河谷平川区（均值1.571）>剥蚀构造丘陵区（均值-0.199）>侵蚀构造石山区（均值-0.334）,表明侵蚀构造石山区贫困程度最大,是减贫重点区域,其中3个自然地理区空间贫困的共同特点是存在经济劣势（C₄~C₇、C₁₇）,主要差异是侵蚀堆积河谷平川区生态劣势（C₂₅、C₁₆）>经济劣势（C₅）>位置劣势（C₂₀）>政治劣势（C₈）;剥蚀构造丘陵区经济劣势（C₅~C₇、C₁₇）>位置劣势（C₁₈~C₂₀）>生态劣势（C₁₆、C₂₃~C₂₅）>政治劣势（C₈）;侵蚀构造石山区经济劣势（C₄~C₇、C₁₇）>政治劣势（C₈）>位置劣势（C₁₈~C₂₀）>生态劣势（C₁₆、C₂₁~C₂₅）。② 不同民族村SPI排序为汉族村（均值1.484）>回族村（均值1.262）>回汉混居村（均值-1.033）,表明县域尺度上回汉混居村是减贫重点村。不同民族村空间贫困的共同特征是由于距离最近市场远（C₁₇）形成的经济劣势,以及人均耕地面积（C₂₃）和农作物特别经济作物种植面积小（C₂₄）形成的生态劣势。不同民族村空间贫困的主要差异在于汉族村人居环境差和灾损率高形成的生态劣势,以及贷款不足（C₅）导致的经济劣势突出,回族村主要因文化知识素质较低（C₁₂、C₁₃）导致进入市场的机会成本高而形成经济劣势,回汉混居村因汉族和回族生产生活方式差异,造成扶贫资源配置困难,农户对扶贫政策满意率最低（C₈）,反映该类村空间贫困的政治劣势最为显著。③ 同一自然地理区域不同民族村空间贫困存在显著差异。侵蚀堆积河谷平川区汉族村、回族村和回汉混居村SPI均值分别为0.526、2.557和1.644,表明该类型区汉族村贫困程度高,经济劣势显著（C₅）;剥蚀构造丘陵区回族村和回汉混居村的SPI均值分别约为0.321和-1.934,表明该类型区回汉混居村贫困程度较高,经济劣势（C₂、C₆、C₇）和生态劣势（C₁₆）突出;侵蚀构造石山区汉族村、回族村和回汉混居村的SPI均值分别为1.031、-0.029和-0.842,表明该类型区回汉混居村贫困程度亦高,经济劣势（C₅~C₇、C₁₇）、政治劣势（C₈）、位置劣势（C₁₈~C₂₀）和生态劣势（C₁₆、C₂₅）并存。因此,侵蚀堆积河谷平川区的汉族村、剥蚀构造丘陵区和侵蚀构造石山区的回汉混居村是减贫重点村。     

沙埋对河西走廊荒漠绿洲过渡带一年生草本植物的影响

一年生草本植物是荒漠绿洲过渡带人工固沙植物群落草本层的优势植物类群,由于风沙活动剧烈,风蚀和沙埋成为一年生草本植物生存的关键选择动力因素。以河西走廊荒漠绿洲过渡带典型一年生草本植物狗尾草（Setaria viridis）、虎尾草（Chloris virgata）、白茎盐生草（Halogeton arachnoideus）和雾冰藜（Bassia dasyphylla）为研究对象,通过0（对照）、1、2、3、5、10、15 cm深度沙埋试验,探寻沙埋对一年生草本植物的影响。结果表明：（1）4种一年生草本植物在0—1 cm埋深出苗率最高,狗尾草最大出苗深度为10 cm,虎尾草和雾冰藜为5 cm,白茎盐生草为3 cm;（2）不同沙埋深度下,4种一年生草本植物的生长（株高和总生物量）和繁殖（种子数量和百粒重）高值区位于2—3 cm埋深,3 cm往下虎尾草和雾冰藜存活率显著下降,而狗尾草仍保持较高存活率;（3）不同沙埋深度下,4种一年生草本植物的渗透调节物质（可溶性糖、可溶性蛋白和游离脯氨酸）含量在2—3 cm埋深达到最高,丙二醛（MDA）含量高值主要位于3—5 cm埋深,叶绿素含量在1—2 cm埋深最高,2 cm往下开始降低;（4）一年生草本植物的生长存活与游离脯氨酸和叶绿素含量呈极显著相关关系,表明二者对保持植物叶片水分平衡和保证光合作用、维持植物正常生长起着更关键的作用。研究可为荒漠绿洲过渡带一年生草本植物恢复提供科学依据。     

准噶尔盆地荒漠植物碳同位素组成研究

通过对准噶尔盆地古尔班通古特沙漠南缘17个科、41个属的53种荒漠植物的稳定碳同位素分析,结果显示准噶尔盆地荒漠植物的叶片稳定碳同位素值在-7.77‰~-30.10‰之间变化,其稳定碳同位素比值分布范围较广,C3和C4植物资源丰富。其中,C3植物有34种,δ13C值分布区间为-23.27‰~-30.10‰,平均值为-26.77‰;C4植物有19种,δ13C值的变化范围为-7.77‰～-14.90‰,平均值为-13.04‰。研究区内木本植物和草本植物的δ13C平均值分别为-16.74‰和-19.81‰,说明木本植物的水分利用效率明显高于草本植物,这种现象可能是全球荒漠生态系统的一种共性。但是一年生草本植物的δ13C平均值（-19.54‰）却高于多年生草本植物的δ13C平均值（-20.07‰）,由于植物叶片δ13C可以用来间接指示植物的长期水分利用效率,即δ13C值越大,植物的水分利用效率越高;也就是说在该地区,相对于多年生草本植物而言,一年生草本植物对环境的适应能力较强。     

沙地玉米水分利用效率日变化特征

以科尔沁沙地玉米农田生态系统为研究对象，利用涡度相关技术和便携式光合作用测定系统（LI-COR6400）同步观测玉米（郑单958）主要生育期（苗期、拔节期、抽穗期、灌浆期和成熟期）群体和叶片尺度瞬时CO₂交换及水汽交换速率，并分析其水分利用效率的日变化特征。结果表明：各生育期玉米群体尺度瞬时CO₂交换速率分别为-2.205、-26.113、-26.118、-8.201、-3.672 μmolCO₂·m^-2·s^-1，叶片尺度光合速率分别为27.57、59.55、24.38、22.03、20.09 μmolCO₂·m^-2·s^-1。各生育期群体水分利用效率（WUE_C）的日动态呈现“L”型，峰值出现在日出后（约06：00），分别为0.025、0.039、0.088、0.058、0.191 gCO₂·g^-1H₂O，叶片尺度瞬时水分利用效率（WUE_L）的日动态呈“~”型，峰值出现在06：00—10：00，分别为0.029、0.041、0.017、0.019、0.024 gCO₂·g^-1H₂O。玉米各生育期群体及叶片尺度瞬时CO₂交换速率和水分利用效率均存在明显差异。     

梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)叶片气孔导度与气体交换对典型降水事件的响应

C4植物以其较高的水分利用效率而表现出较强利用荒漠环境有限降水的能力,但对其气孔行为和气体交换对降水响应的理解并不深入。本研究选择荒漠区沙丘上6~7年生的梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron),利用自制的降水拦截设施,将每次降水事件后样地中接受的降水量分别减少和增加10%、20%和30%,形成包括对照在内的7个降水梯度,研究梭梭气孔导度(Gs)与净光合速率(Pn)对典型降水事件的响应。结果表明:6~12mm的降水对土壤水分的补给集中在50cm土壤深度范围内。降水量每增加10%,Gs和Pn分别增加9.17%和4.17%;Gs和Pn在降水前后呈现先增加后降低的单峰型趋势,峰值出现在降水后第1天,两者与土壤水分含量(SVWC)、空气相对湿度(RH)以及水汽压差(VPD)显著相关。降水后梭梭黎明前叶水势在-2.08~-2.74 MPa时叶片气体交换主要受气孔因素影响,而当叶水势降至-3.16MPa以下时主要受非气孔因素控制。     

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.     

生物肥部分替代化肥对甘蓝(Brassica oleracea)养分吸收、光合作用以及品质的影响

采用大田试验,研究了化肥减量20%~40%、配施生物肥对春茬甘蓝(Brassica oleracea)生长、养分吸收利用、光合作用以及品质的影响。结果表明:与当地施肥量(底肥:N 139.2kg·hm-2,P2O5255kg·hm-2,K2O 93.6kg·hm-2;追肥:N 208.8kg·hm-2)相比,化肥减量并配施生物肥使甘蓝生长前期、后期的茎粗变小;对甘蓝的叶片数、冠幅投影面积无显著影响;叶片的气孔导度、净光合速率均与对照无显著差异;促进了甘蓝叶球生长,叶球中硝酸盐和可溶性固形物含量降低,Vc含量增加;甘蓝叶球、叶片和根系氮含量降低,氮在叶球分配的比例提高,在叶片、根系分配的比例降低。化肥减量并配施生物肥提高了幼苗株高、增加了茎粗,气孔导度和净光合速率升高,降低了硝酸盐和可溶性固形物含量、叶球氮含量和根系的钾含量。     

科尔沁沙地52种植物叶片性状变异特征研究

研究严重沙化生境中植物叶片性状的变异特征,不仅有助于了解植物对区域环境变化的适应特征,而且还可以为群落分类、群落结构特征的揭示等提供重要的依据。本研究以科尔沁沙地52种植物为对象,比较不同功能群植物叶片性状的变异特征,分析植物各叶片性状之间的关系。结果表明,科尔沁沙地52种植物比叶面积在6.9～34.4 m2·kg-1之间变动,与其他区域的研究结果相比,该区域植物比叶面积偏小,说明该区域植物能较好地适应贫瘠环境。52种植物中,大多数植物的氮磷比小于14,说明科尔沁沙地植物主要受氮制约。研究结果还表明,不同功能群植物的叶性状存在显著差异。固氮植物叶片氮含量最高,杂类草的叶干物质含量（平均值为0.22±0.06 g·g-1）显著小于其他功能群植物,但是植物叶片磷含量和比叶面积在不同功能群之间差异不显著。相对于多年生植物,一年生草本植物的比叶面积显著偏大,但是叶干物质含量显著偏小。科尔沁沙地52种植物叶干物质含量分别与比叶面积和叶片氮含量呈显著负相关,叶片磷含量和氮含量之间呈显著正相关。     

Chlorophyll meters for monitoring foliar nitrogen in three tree species from arid Central Asia

Leaf chlorophyll meters can be used to support easy and efficient crop nitrogen (N) management. They can be used on tree species native to Central Asia that have been suggested for afforesting salt-affected croplands, but its use demands a priori calibration as the relationship between chlorophyll meter measurements and leaf N contents is crop/species specific. Data collected with a SPAD-502 leaf chlorophyll meter during 2006–2008 was used to generate a calibration dataset for the leaf N status of three tree species. The second-degree polynomial relationships between the SPAD-502 readings and total leaf chlorophyll and N content had higher predictive power than linear relationships for all species, although with differences among them. The validation was completed with the same species grown at a different location (difference in space) and with older trees (difference in age). The comparison between predicted and spectrophotometrically determined leaf N content showed a root mean square error (RMSE) of 25 mg g⁻¹ DM, which corresponds to a relative RMSE of 10% for Elaeagnus angustifolia. For Gleditsia triacanthos and Robinia pseudoacacia they were 11 mg g⁻¹ DM and 16%, 14 mg g⁻¹ DM and 10%, respectively. The findings demonstrate that the SPAD-502 can with confidence be used for non-destructive assessment of tree foliar N status of these three species, although only within the range of the SPAD-502 values used for the calibration. Options for the use of the SPAD-502 for forest management in agroforestry-based land use systems in Central Asia are addressed.     

Spatial and temporal variations in C3 and C4 plant abundance over the Chinese Loess Plateau since the last glacial maximum

Stable carbon isotopes of soil organic matter from 12 sites in the southern Chinese Loess Plateau are reviewed to examine spatial and temporal patterns of C₃ and C₄ plants in the arid to semiarid monsoonal region during three key periods - last glacial maximum, mid-Holocene, and modern. We have tentatively corrected the effects of atmospheric CO₂ concentrations and precipitation amounts on the δ¹³C endmembers for C₃ plants to reconstruct the relative proportion of C₄ plants because the δ¹³C values of C₃ plants are variable under different CO₂ and climate conditions. The results indicate that C₄ grasses increase from northwest to southeast spatially, which is consistent with present-day increasing precipitation and temperature patterns. This suggests that for a monsoon-dominant arid to semiarid region, such as the Loess Plateau, warm-season rainfall is a primary factor limiting C₄ plants growth, and thus C₄ grasses have been outcompeted by C₃ grasses/shrubs under cold-dry climate conditions. However, temporal fluctuations in atmospheric CO₂ concentration may also affect plant growth through altering water-use efficiency (WUE). Enhanced drought caused by decreased WUE due to low atmospheric CO₂ concentrations during glacial periods, combined with a cold-dry climate, leads to a decline in C₄ grasses, canceling out any advantages gained from lowered atmospheric CO₂ concentrations. To reconstruct accurately the abundance of C₃ and C₄ plants in an ecosystem and explore their controlling factors, process-based vegetation models integrating CO₂ and climatic parameters interactive with plant physiology are necessary.     

Gas exchange responses of a desert herbaceous perennial to variable sunlight in contrasting microhabitats

Over the course of a day, aridland plants experience a range of incident photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) spanning three orders of magnitude. Rapid photosynthetic responses to changes in PPF have large effects on individual plant carbon gain and water use patterns, hence are important to plant distribution and success. We investigated the response over time of photosynthesis (A), stomatal conductance (g), and inter-cellular CO₂ concentration (C_i) to step changes in PPF in a long-lived aridland perennial that typically occurs in two contrasting microhabitats, shade under shrubs of other species and unshaded inter-shrub spaces. An initial rapid response in A and C_i for plants in both microhabitats occurred after abrupt changes in PPF. This was followed by slower changes in these parameters during the rest of the light or dark period. Stomatal conductance responded more gradually to step changes in PPF. The initial increase in A after a dark cycle was significantly greater for plants under shrubs than for plants in inter-shrub spaces, but other changes in A, g and C_i did not differ. We attribute the similar responses in plants from different microhabitats to natural variations in solar radiation and limited selection for differentiation due to population gene pools dominated by plants in the open. Our results support the hypothesis that variable light regimes select for photosynthetic gas exchange processes that closely track changes in incident PPF. Our data also support the hypothesis that gas exchange responses to variable light regimes in aridland plants minimize trade-offs between carbon gain and water loss.     

Direct application of compound-specific radiocarbon analysis of leaf waxes to establish lacustrine sediment chronology

This study demonstrates use of compound-specific radiocarbon analysis (CSRA) for dating Holocene lacustrine sediments from carbonate-hosted Ordy Pond, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. Long-chain odd-numbered normal alkanes (n-alkanes), biomarkers characteristic of terrestrial higher plants, were ubiquitous in Ordy Pond sediments. The δ¹³C of individual n-alkanes ranged from −29.9 to −25.5‰, within the expected range for n-alkanes synthesized by land plants using the C₃ or C₄ carbon fixation pathway. The ¹⁴C ages of n-alkanes determined by CSRA showed remarkably good agreement with ¹⁴C dates of rare plant macrofossils obtained from nearby sedimentary horizons. In general, CSRA of n-alkanes successfully refined the age-control of the sediments. The sum of n-alkanes in each sample produced 70–170 μg of carbon (C), however, greater age errors were confirmed for samples containing less than 80 μg of C. The ¹⁴C age of n-alkanes from one particular sedimentary horizon was 4,155 years older than the value expected from the refined age-control, resulting in an apparent and arguable age discrepancy. Several lines of evidence suggest that this particular sample was contaminated by introduction of ¹⁴C-free C during preparative capillary gas chromatography. This study simultaneously highlighted the promising potential of CSRA for paleo-applications and the risks of contamination associated with micro-scale ¹⁴C measurement of individual organic compounds.     

古尔班通古特沙漠植被与环境关系分析

The Gurbantunggut Desert is the largest stable and semi-stable sand desert in China, yet few data exist on vegetation pattern and species-environment relationships for these diverse desert landscapes. The sand dunes of the survey area are mainly of the longi- tudinal form from north to south, but checkerboard-shaped and honeycomb-shaped forms are also present, with the height of 10-50 m. We measured vegetation and soil data on north-south transects and compared them with vegetation and soil data on east-west transects. Analysis revealed that the varying trend and strength of the species diversity, dominance and cover of the plant communities in the longitudinal and transverse directions across the landscape are significantly different. The results of CCA ordination show that the microhabitats of soil organic matter （OM）, soil salts （TS）, sorting index （ σ ）, topsoil water-content （SM） and pH relate to the differences in vegetation observed as differences in species assemblage from salt-intolerant ephemerals, micro-subshrubs and subshrubs to salt-tolerant shrubs and micro-arbors. The terrain （alt.） and soil texture （the contents of Mz and Ф 1） affect the spatial differentiation of many species. However, this spatial differentiation is not so marked on transects running longitudinally with the landscape, in the same direction as the dunes. The species of the desert vegetation have formed three assemblages under the action of habitat gradients, relating to three sections running transversely across the landscape, at right angles to the direction of the dune crests. In the mid-east section of the study area the topography is higher, with sand-lands or dune-slopes with coarse particles. Here the dominant vegetation comprises shrubs and subshrubs of Seriphidium santofium and Ephedra distachya, with large numbers of ephemeral and ephemeroid plants of Senecio subdentatus, and Carex physodes in spring and summer. On the soil of the dune-slopes in the mid-west of the study area, with coarse partic     

Rainfall partitioning by desert shrubs in arid regions

We measured the rainfall partitioning among throughfall, stemflow, and interception by desert shrubs in an arid region of China, and analyzed the influence of rainfall and canopy characteristics on this partitioning and its ecohydrological effects. The percent-ages of total rainfall accounted for by throughfall, stemflow, and interception ranged from 78.85±2.78 percent to 86.29±5.07 per-cent, from 5.50±3.73 percent to 8.47±4.19 percent, and from 7.54±2.36 percent to 15.95±4.70 percent, respectively, for the four shrubs in our study (Haloxylon ammodendron, Elaeagnus angustifolia, Tamarix ramosissima, and Nitraria sphaerocarpa). Rain-fall was significantly linearly correlated with throughfall, stemflow, and interception (P < 0.0001). The throughfall, stemflow, and interception percentages were logarithmically related to total rainfall (P < 0.01), but were quadratically related to the maximum 1-hour rainfall intensity (P < 0.01). The throughfall and stemflow percentages increased significantly with increasing values of the rainfall characteristics, whereas the interception percentage generally decreased (except for average wind speed, air temperature, and canopy evaporation). Regression analysis suggested that the stemflow percentage increased significantly with increasing crown length, number of branches, and branch angle (R2 = 0.92, P < 0.001). The interception percentage increased significantly with increasing LAI (leaf area index) and crown length, but decreased with increasing branch angle (R2 = 0.96, P < 0.001). The mean funnelling percentages for the four shrubs ranged from 30.27±4.86 percent to 164.37±6.41 percent of the bulk precipitation. Much of the precipitation was funnelled toward the basal area of the stem, confirming that shrub stemflow conserved in deep soil layers may be an available moisture source to support plant survival and growth under arid conditions.