Effect of Balanites glabra canopy cover on grass production,organic matter and soil moisture in a southern Kenyan rangeland

A study was undertaken in Kenya's southern savanna rangelands to determine the seasonal effect of Balanites glabra canopy cover on aboveground grass biomass, grass species composition, soil organic matter and soil moisture content. The study was conducted during the period June to December 1999 in order to capture both the dry and wet season effects. The grass biomass in the sub-canopy zone (2-4m from tree trunk) was found to be significantly higher than in the mid-canopy (0-2m from tree trunk) and open grassland zones (4-6m from tree trunk) during the dry season. However, the difference between the sub-canopy and the open grassland was not significant during the wet season, implying that the role of a tree canopy in enhancing grass biomass is greater during the dry than the wet season. Variations in percent grass species composition from the mid-canopy to the adjacent open grassland were observed, indicating that while B. glabra canopy cover favours certain grass species, other species find the micro-climatic conditions under the canopy unfavourable. Soil organic matter in the mid-canopy zone was significantly higher than in the sub-canopy and adjacent open zones during both dry and wet season. Although the sub-canopy zone exhibited significantly higher soil moisture content than the mid-canopy and open grassland zones during the dry season, the difference between the sub-canopy and the adjacent open grassland during the wet season was not significant, suggesting that the tree canopy influence on soil moisture is more pronounced in the dry than the wet season.     

Growth patterns and annual growth cycle of Acacia karroo Hayne in relation to water stress I. Leaf and shoot growth

Abstract

A field study was conducted to describe the growth patterns of A. karroo at different levels of water stress in different edaphic situations.

Shoots are heterophyllous and are formed by free growth. The degree of development of a shoot, relative to others in the canopy, is governed by branch and position in the canopy. At least six phenological phases were identified in the annual growth cycle.

The pattern of growth and the phenological cycle are not changed by water stress. Initiation, emergence and development of shoots and leaves are governed by how favourable environmental conditions are. If there is little shoot growth early in the season, these plants can partially compensate by producing more leaf per unit of shoot if environmental conditions improve.

Leaf and shoot growth at the beginning of the season took place only if there was sufficient moisture available, and if the minimum temperature had risen above a threshold amount. Where there was insufficient soil moisture, no growth was observed before rains had fallen. The growth strategy of A. karroo differs markedly from that of broadleaved African savanna tree species. Growth in A. karroo is dominated by current growing conditions, rather than those of the previous season. They are able to make opportunistic growth at any time.

Soil depth had a marked influence on plant growth, presumably due to a larger available nutrient and moisture pool.     

自然生草对渭北旱塬苹果园小气候及果实灼伤和早期落叶病的影响

为了探寻自然生草对果园小气候的影响,试验以苹果园清耕和人工生草为对照,监测了自然生草对渭北旱塬苹果园小气候、果实灼伤和早期落叶病的影响。结果表明：自然生草与人工生草果树行间的空气相对湿度较清耕分别提高了11.77%和10.53%,树冠内的分别提高了12.01%和11.16%。自然生草和人工生草降低了果树行间及树冠内的空气温度及果园土壤温度。自然生草和人工生草果树行间的光照强度较清耕分别降低了5.59%和5.05%,且降低了树冠反射光谱、新梢尖削度和果实日灼率,但却提高了早期落叶病的危害程度。自然生草对苹果园小气候、果实灼伤及早期落叶病的影响与人工生草的基本一致。综上所述,自然生草和人工生草的果园应加强修剪及病虫防治,以消除自然生草和人工生草对果树生长带来的不利影响。     

Minimal Plant Responsiveness to Summer Water Pulses: Ecophysiological Constraints of Three Species of Semiarid Patagonia

In arid ecosystems, a few large summer rains frequently differentiate wet years from dry ones. However, use of this additional water by plants has limited experimental evidence. We applied a 16-mm summer water pulse (12% of mean annual precipitation) to two plant communities of the Patagonian steppe, and compared responses of three dominant species, which can be ordered by decreasing xerophytism and increasing rooting depth and summer activity: 1) colapiche, evergreen dwarf shrub (Nassauvia glomerulosa [Lag.] Don); 2) coirón amargo, evergreen grass (Stipa speciosa Trin. et Rupr.); and 3) neneo, drought deciduous shrub (Mulinum spinosum [Cav.] Pers.). Shallow-rooted species (S. speciosa and N. glomerulosa), which use water from dry soil layers, showed a greater leaf water potential response to watering than deep-rooted species (M. spinosum). Leaf water potential response was greater and quicker in xerophytic species than in mesophytic ones (N. glomerulosa > S. speciosa > M. spinosum). However, this response only translated into leaf conductance and transpiration responses for coirón amargo, probably because the species with winter phenological cycle (N. glomerulosa) is less able to utilize summer water inputs than species with a summer phenological cycle (S. speciosa). The lack of response of deep-rooted M. spinosum in leaf conductance, transpiration, and photosynthesis may have been due to the high leaf water potential of control plants. Instead, in S. speciosa and N. glomerulosa net photosynthesis decreased below zero following watering, suggesting the start of growth pulses. The complex chain of plant processes triggered by rainfall, and the constraints imposed to different species by rooting depth, phenology, and xerophytism, could explain the frequent low response to both large rainfall events and above-average rainfall years in this arid community. Our results suggest that, paradoxically, water may be suboptimally used at local scales in arid rangeland ecosystems.     

贵州黔南野生木质藤本植物资源多样性及开发利用

为深入研究贵州黔南野生木质藤本植物资源的现状,通过野外实地调查、标本鉴定的方法,对该区野生木质藤本植物的科属组成、生活型、区系分布、观赏特性等进行了系统分析与研究。结果表明,黔南共有野生木质藤本植物478种(含32变种),隶属于45科118属,其中双子叶植物具有明显的优势,有41科111属447种,单子叶植物有3科6属28种,裸子植物仅1科1属3种,蕨类植物缺乏。在科属组成中,含2~10种木质藤本植物的科最多,单种属和含2~5种木质藤本植物的属也较多。生活型上,以高位芽藤本为主导,占总种数的89.12%;在攀援方式上,搭靠类、卷曲类和吸固类较少,而缠绕藤本优势明显,占总种数的46.23%;在生活习性上,以落叶型占主导,占总种数的74.06%,而常绿和半常绿型占的比例较少;始花期主要集中在春季,呈现出按春夏秋冬依次大幅递减的趋势。该区地理成分复杂多样,以热带地理成分为主,有87属,占总属数的73.72%;其中以热带亚洲地理分布居首位,其次为泛热带分布,说明该区系具有明显的热带性质。同时,该区的大部分木质藤本植物都具有重要的观赏特性,其生态、经济和药用价值明显,开发利用潜力巨大。     

Food plant selection by the wild Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) with reference to the traces eaten

Vegetation and plants eaten by the serow were investigated once a month from spring to autumn in two areas with different vegetative composition of deciduous broad‐leaved trees and forbs. Then we calculated Ivlev's electivity indices (EI) for some plant species and six plant groups: the deciduous broad‐leaved tree, the evergreen broad‐leaved tree, the conifer, the forb, the graminoid and the fern. In Area 1, the frequency of deciduous broad‐leaved trees and forbs was 78.2% and 1.1%, respectively. The proportion of deciduous broad‐leaved trees and forbs eaten was 65.9% and 33.1%, respectively. In Area 2, the frequency of deciduous broad‐leaved trees and forbs was 32.4% and 23.1%, respectively. The proportion of deciduous broad‐leaved trees and forbs eaten was 46.9% and 52.0%, respectively. In Area 1, the deciduous broad‐leaved tree was eaten in proportion to its frequency in the habitat (EI, 0.06–0.05) except in May (?0.32) and June (?0.11). The deciduous broad‐leaved tree was a little selected in Area 2 (0.02–0.46) except in June (?0.41) when serows selected some forb species. In Area 2, forbs were selected throughout the observational period (0.16–0.97), except during July (?0.05) when serows fed mainly on deciduous broad‐leaved trees (0.46).     

滇南热带3种乡土地被植物的坪用研究初报

通过物候期观测、绿期观测、成坪指标测定、再生性测定、叶面积指数测定、茎生长指标测定和抗性指标评价,对滇南热带地区的3种乡土地被植物穗序木蓝Indigofera spicata、三点金Desmodium triflorum和地石榴Ficus tikoua进行了初步研究分析。结果表明:三者的花期集中于当地植物开花不多的雨季;绿期均达304 d以上;雨季成坪速度均快于干季,穗序木蓝雨季成坪62 d,成坪初期高12 cm,三点金雨季成坪28 d,成坪初期高1.5 cm,地石榴雨季成坪近3个月,成坪初期高度低于30 cm;三点金、穗序木蓝修剪后可在10 d内恢复盖度,地石榴需30 d左右;叶面积指数依次为4.69、2.52和1.69;生长旺盛,多分枝;抗性表现尤其是抗热、抗旱性均较强。研究认为3种乡土地被植物具有一定的园林应用前景。     

洛阳市园林绿化植物现状、问题及对策

从园林绿化植物的种类和园林应用形式等方面对洛阳市园林绿化植物的种类进行了分析和探讨,发现问题主要存在于:垂直立体绿化和水面绿化植物种类单一;常绿树种数量较少;有潜力的乡土树种没有得以充分利用.提出了增加灌木及藤本的栽植种类和数量,形成层次分明的绿地景观群落;尝试引种阔叶常绿树种和彩叶植物,丰富城市四季景色;重视乡土植物,体现地方特色;改善行道树的种植方式,丰富道路景观,增加覆盖率;加强绿地的维护管理等建议.     

Effects of Fire and Neighboring Trees on Ashe Juniper

The survival of Ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei Buchh.) plants of all sizes was compared between paired burned and unburned plots in four savanna sites on the eastern Edwards Plateau. Smaller plants were less likely to survive a fire than larger plants, over the entire range of plant sizes. Overall fire survival rates varied from ∼45% (0- to 50-cm-tall plants) to ∼92% (&spigt; 2-m-tall plants). The high rate of survival of small plants indicates that fires like those typically used in this region are not likely to control even the early stages of the encroachment of Ashe juniper. If fire is to be used to maintain savannas in this region, multiple burns, more intense fires, or supplementary mechanical removal will probably be needed. Junipers 0 to 200 cm tall were significantly more likely to be growing under the canopy of a tree (defined as a plant &spigt; 2 m tall of any species) than in the open. Small (0 to 50 cm tall) junipers under a tree canopy were significantly more likely to be alive than plants in the same size class growing in the open, suggesting facilitation of small Ashe juniper by neighboring trees. There was, however, no significant effect of neighboring trees on the rate at which small Ashe juniper survived fire, contrary to our initial expectation.     

Seasonal changes in the parasite prevalence of a small Malagasy lemur species (Lepilemur edwardsi)

Parasitic infections can impact the fitness of individuals and can have influence on animals’ population dynamics. An individuals’ parasite prevalence often changes depending on external or seasonal changes, for example, rainfall and ambient temperatures, but also on internal changes, for example, changes in body condition. In this study we aimed to identify the environmental factors that may influence the intestinal parasite and ectoparasite prevalence of the folivorous Malagasy primate species, Lepilemur edwardsi, living in a seasonal dry deciduous forest. Species living in this habitat have to adapt to seasonal changes of ambient temperature, with almost no precipitation during the dry season and hence strong fluctuations of resource availability throughout the year. We sampled the feces and ectoparasites of L. edwardsi throughout the year. Intestinal parasite prevalence increased from the wet to the dry season and was highest in the late dry season, which might be due to the accompanying decrease in diet quality. Conversely, ectoparasite prevalence decreased in the dry season, presumably due to the prevailing unfavorable environmental conditions for the development of ectoparasites (i.e., mites and ticks). Paired with the higher resting metabolism and stress level of L. edwardsi during the late dry season, it seems that this species may struggle when dry seasons intensify in its habitat.     

Book Review

Agricultural landscapes are typically associated with a decreased biodiversity, particularly when they extend across large spatial scales. Despite the fact that some African bat species seem to provide essential ecosystem services across landscapes, we only have a limited understanding of how intensive agricultural practices influence bat communities. This study investigated the effects of sugarcane monoculture on the composition of both bat species and functional groups across a conservation-agricultural matrix. Specifically, we wanted to understand changes in the bat communities within savannas and sugarcane plantations. We categorised bats into broad foraging (functional) groups based on their echolocation call structure: open-air; clutter-edge; and, clutter. To measure bat activity, we established twelve 25 ha grids randomly located in savanna and sugarcane vegetation. Within each grid we placed nine acoustic detectors, in 3 × 3 formation, 250 m apart; totalling 54 plots in each land use. We sampled each plot over four nights (two in the wet season and two in the dry season) during a one-year period. We did not observe a significant difference in species richness between savanna and sugarcane. However, there was a difference in functional group composition. Sugarcane negatively affected clutter foragers; this group was practically absent here despite occurring within neighbouring savannas. We observed distinct patterns of seasonality in bat activity, with activity of all functional groups being reduced in the dry season.     

科尔沁沙地灌丛内外草本植物狗尾草叶性状的比较研究

对科尔沁沙地小叶锦鸡儿(Caragana microphylla)灌丛内部和外部草本植物狗尾草(Setarria viridis)的主要叶性状比叶面积(SLA)、叶干物质含量(LDMC)、叶面积(AR)、叶干重(DM)、叶厚度(TH)、叶氮含量(LNC)以及叶磷含量(LPC)的变异特征进行了研究。结果表明,灌丛内外狗尾草叶性状各因子间差异较大,与灌丛外部相比,灌丛内部狗尾草的比叶面积、叶面积、叶干重和叶氮含量分别增加了47.9％,115.2％,56.3％和63.3％。而叶干物质含量、叶厚度和叶磷含量分别下降了22.1％,24.0％和34.6％,说明灌丛引起的微环境的改变影响了狗尾草的生长。所研究的叶性状因子中变异最大的是叶面积,说明狗尾草可能通过增加光合作用的叶面积以适应灌丛内部遮荫引起的光合速率的下降。叶氮含量和叶磷含量在灌丛内外的变化趋势完全相反,说明灌丛遮荫对狗尾草的养分吸收及分配产生影响,而叶氮含量在灌丛内部增加显著,可能是灌丛肥岛和遮荫的交互作用所导致。     

The Feral Pig in a Low Impacted Ecosystem: Analysis of Diet Composition and Its Utility

The feral pig is an exotic species in the Sierra La Laguna Biosphere Reserve, Baja California Sur, Mexico, and is considered harmful to the woodlands and tropical deciduous forest because of its foraging habits. To determine the taxonomic, nutrient, and energy content of the feral pig diet in this area, stomach contents of forty feral pigs were analyzed during the dry and rainy seasons in the woodlands and the tropical deciduous forest. Results indicate that feral pigs are frugivore-herbivore and stenophagous, feeding on a high percentage of fruits and seeds (77–87%) that provide high metabolizable energy (8293–11,585 kJ kg⁻¹ dry matter) and moderate crude protein (94.1–151.6 g kg⁻¹ dry matter) year round in the woodland and during the dry season in the tropical deciduous forest, or high percentage of leaves, stems, and tubers (44%) that provide low metabolizable energy (4740 kJ kg⁻¹ dry matter) and moderate crude protein (107.5 g kg⁻¹ dry matter) in the rainy season in the tropical deciduous forest. Therefore, diets based on fruits and seeds favor a lower quantity of food to meet the energy for maintenance of feral pigs than those based on other plant tissues: pine nuts < acorns ≈ wild figs < leaves, stems, and tubers. The observed diet based on acorns, along with estimates of acorn production results in a carrying capacity estimate of 0.031 adult feral pig ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ during years of low acorn production. Thus, feral pigs in the area use fruits and seeds in both woodlands and tropical deciduous forest because of their quality as food resources. The availability of the food resources preferred by pigs (pine nuts, acorns, fan-palm fruits, and wild figs) during the year can be used to inform potentially sustainable feral pig carrying capacities and establish hunting programs.     

暖季型草坪草大规模种质资源抗盐性评价指标的选择

目前国内外用于暖季型草坪草抗盐评价的指标很多,但尚未系统研究过其在大规模种质资源抗盐性评价中的效果.试验通过水培法,从操作时间、准确性、相互关系等方面,对6种暖季型草坪草在不同盐度处理下8个指标的系统比较研究,探讨了暖季型草坪草大规模种质资源抗盐评价的指标选择方法.结果表明叶片烧伤度、枝叶修剪干质量和根系修剪干质量3个指标操作方便省时、准确性高,是开展大规模种质资源抗盐评价的理想指标.但这3个指标在盐胁迫下的反应不一致,要求以叶片烧伤度为基本指标,结合枝叶修剪干质量和根系修剪干质量进行综合评价.     

The ecological potential of the kudu for commercial production in savanna regions

Abstract

This paper considers the choice of a browsing ungulate to supplement cattle in savanna regions susceptible to problems of bush encroachment, and evaluates the kudu in particular. Relevant aspects of its ecology considered include (i) the vegetation components utilized at different seasons and in different areas, with regard to principal food species, reserve dry season species, rejected plant species and potential food limitations; (ii) social grouping patterns and home range extent; (iii) population densities, reproductive parameters, survival rates and population dynamics in relation to rainfall; (iv) impact on the vegetation of browsing and branch breakage. Features of the kudu are compared with those of other browsing ungulates, including giraffe, eland, impala and goats. It is concluded that the kudu is a prime candidate for inclusion alongside cattle in mixed species ranching enterprises in most regions of savanna vegetation.     

气候变化对荒漠区5种主要灌木植物物候的影响

物候常作为指示气候变化的一项可靠指标,基于物候资料分析气候变化对荒漠区5种灌木物候的影响,对阐明荒漠生态系统碳循环具有重要意义。因此,本研究采用一元线性回归法和相关分析法对阿拉善左旗荒漠区5种灌木30年来的物候及其对应的气象数据进行了分析,结果表明,1)1983-2012年研究区增温明显,气温平均增幅0.43℃·10a-1,降水量无显著变化,气候朝着暖干化方向发展;2)5种灌木春季物候均表现出提前的趋势,枯黄期则表现出显著的提前或不明显的推后趋势,生长季长度有所延长;3)3月均温、4月均温和10月均温对研究区5种灌木物候期影响显著,月降水量仅与白刺(Nitraria tangutorum)的春季物候期呈显著(P0.05)或极显著(P0.01)的相关关系。     

Density-Dependent Ecohydrological Effects of Piñon–Juniper Woody Canopy Cover on Soil Microclimate and Potential Soil Evaporation

Many rangeland processes are driven by microclimate and associated ecohydrological dynamics. Most rangelands occur in drylands where evapotranspiration normally dominates the water budget. In these water-limited environments plants can influence abiotic and biotic processes by modifying microclimate factors such as soil temperature and potential soil evaporation. Previous studies have assessed spatial variation in microclimate and associated ecohydrological attributes within an ecosystem (e.g., under vs. between woody canopies) or across ecosystems (e.g., with differing amounts of woody canopy cover), but generally lacking are assessments accounting systematically for both, particularly for evergreen woody plants. Building on recently quantified trends in near-ground solar radiation associated with a piñon–juniper gradient spanning 5% to 65% woody canopy cover, we evaluated trends in soil temperature and associated estimates of potential soil evaporation as a function of amount of woody canopy cover for sites overall and for associated canopy vs. intercanopy locations. Quantified soil temperature trends decreased linearly with increasing woody canopy cover for intercanopy as well as canopy patches, indicating the coalescing influence of individual canopies on their neighboring areas. Notably, intercanopy locations within high-density (65%) woody canopy cover could be as much as ～10°C cooler than intercanopy locations within low-density (5%) cover. Corresponding potential soil evaporation rates in intercanopies within high-density woody canopy cover was less than half that for intercanopies within low density. Our results highlight ecohydrological consequences of density-dependent shading by evergreen woody plants on soil temperature and potential soil evaporation and enable managers to rapidly estimate and compare approximate site microclimates after assessing amounts of woody canopy cover. Such predictions of microclimate have general utility for improving management of rangelands because they are a fundamental driver of many key processes, whether related to understory forage and herbaceous species or to wildlife habitat quality for game or nongame species.     

南荻种质资源表型性状遗传多样性

本研究测定了采自于黄淮平原亚地区(ⅢD9a),江汉平原亚地区(ⅢD9b),赣南-湘东丘陵亚地区(ⅢD9d)和川、鄂、湘亚地区(ⅢD10c)4个植物区系32份南荻(Miscanthus lutarioriparius)种质材料的干物质产量、冠层高、花茎高、茎径、茎密度、叶长、叶宽、叶茎比、含水量9个表型性状,并采用巢式方差分析、偏相关分析和UPGMA聚类分析方法进行了数据分析。结果表明,1)干物质产量、冠层高、花茎高、茎径、茎密度和含水量6个表型性状在区系间存在显著差异(P0.05),9个表型性状在区系内均存在极显著差异(P0.01),其变异系数范围为13.53%~45.54%。2)干物质产量与茎径显著正相关(P0.05),与叶茎比显著负相关(P0.05);冠层高与花茎高、含水量极显著正相关(P0.01);茎径与叶茎比极显著正相关(P0.01);叶宽与叶长显著正相关(P0.05),与含水量显著负相关(P0.05);海拔与冠层高、茎径显著负相关(P0.05),与茎密度极显著正相关(P0.01);经度与干物质产量显著负相关(P0.05);纬度与茎密度极显著正相关(P0.01),与茎径显著负相关(P0.05)。3)采用UPGMA聚类方法进行综合聚类,4个区系被分为3类,黄淮平原亚地区和赣南-湘东丘陵亚地区为第Ⅰ类,该类群南荻植株较矮、茎秆细小、产量较小;江汉平原亚地区和川、鄂、湘亚地区为第Ⅱ类,该类群南荻植株高大、茎秆粗壮、产量大;江汉平原、赣南-湘东丘陵和川、鄂、湘3个亚地区的南部地区为第Ⅲ类,该类群南荻介于第Ⅰ类和第Ⅱ类之间。     

Aboveground biomass production of a semi-arid southern African savanna: towards a new model

Following a field campaign to determine the species composition, canopy cover, aboveground annual production and leaf area index (LAI) of the semi-arid savanna of north-western Namibia, we present a production model that can be used by graziers to determine the livestock carrying capacity. The model predicts the annual aboveground net primary production (ANPP) from regression equations of canopy cover by annual production fraction for plant functional classes. We tested the output of the model against another fully independent net primary production (NPP) model, namely the MODIS NPP product. The mean MODIS NPP for the 29 sites was 343 ± 22?kg dry matter (DM) ha^?1 y^?1 as opposed to 285 ± 142?kg DM ha^?1 y^?1 for the fAP model that used the regression method (p < 0.01). As a proof of concept, these landscape-scale ANPP values are used to calculate a recommended livestock carrying capacity for the Ehirovipuka Communal Conservancy, a 1 980 km² communal area with both wildlife and livestock populations. In addition, we also provide details of a field method for predicting landscape-scale LAI from line transect data. This approach can be used to ground reference the LAI values generated from the MODIS LAI product.