Aluminum accumulation in nineteen Melastomataceae species from three contrasting plant formations in acid soils

This study describes the aluminum (Al) accumulation in relation to macronutrient and micronutrient elements in 19 Melastomataceae species in the Guayana Region in Venezuela. The purpose was to investigate the Al accumulation in four tribes and different life forms. Aluminum accumulation was predicted in the basal tribes Miconieae and Merianieae in contrast to the derived tribes and herbs from any tribe, which generally do not accumulate Al. The survey was done in a vegetation continuum, which includes a savanna shrubland, a palm‐swamp community, and an evergreen forest in the Guayana region in southeastern Venezuela. The highest value of soil Al concentration was found in the savanna shrubland, where ten lignified Miconiae and one Merianeae Al accumulators were present. At the forest, the site with highest soil acidity, four Al‐accumulator tree species from Miconiae were found. Miconia lepidota showed similar Al foliar concentrations in the savanna shrubland and forest, but foliar Ca was lower in the forest, even though it was the site with highest Ca in the soil. At the palm‐swamp community, the Melastomeae shrub Macairea pachyphylla was found with an Al concentration of 0.59 g kg^–1 in leaves and 0.16 g kg^–1 in bark. At the same site, Al accumulation occurred in one Microlicieae species, one Miconieae species, and in the Melastomeae herbs Pterogastra divaricata (13.25 g [kg dry mass]^–1) and Pterolepis trichotoma (17.83 g kg^–1). The report of Al hyperaccumulation in P. trichotoma is new for the genus, and Al accumulation in herbs is considered exceptional. The foliar Al concentration was positively correlated (p < 0.005) with Fe (r = 0.64, n = 20) and Zn (r = 0.63). The analysis of the relationships between soil Al, Fe, or Zn and the concentrations of these elements in leaves revealed they were not significantly correlated. The results indicate Al hyperaccumulation in two herbaceous Melastoamataceae species and suggest Al accumulation in this life form deserves future research. However, they also confirm the highest number of Al accumulators in lignified species of the ancient tribe Miconiae (14 out of 19 species studied).     

夏尔希里自然保护区典型植被土壤水源涵养功能探究

为了探究夏尔希里自然保护区不同植被类型土壤水源涵养功能特征,在保护区内选取具有代表性的草地、灌木、森林样地共13个,以不同植被类型的土壤为试验材料,采用野外调查与室内试验相结合的方法,分别对保护区内的草地区、灌木区、森林区的土壤水源涵养能力进行定量分析。结果表明:(1)随着土层深度的增加,研究区草地土壤容重逐渐增大,在土壤层0-10 cm处出现最小值为0.69 g/cm^3。草地土壤持水能力和蓄水能力变化规律一致,均表现为0-10 cm>10-20 cm>20-30 cm。(2)随着土层深度的增加,灌木土壤容重变化差异较大,变化范围为0.98~1.63 g/cm^3,最小值出现在土壤层0-10 cm处。各水源涵养能力指标含量在不同的土层深度上差异性显著(P<0.05),灌木持水能力大体表现为0-10 cm>10-20 cm>20-30 cm>30-40 cm>40-50 cm,蓄水能力随着土层深度的增加,呈现先增加后减小的趋势。(3)森林土壤水文物理性质和土壤水源涵养指标之间存在显著性差异(P<0.05),随着土层深度的增加,土壤容重逐渐增大,在土层0-10 cm处出现最小值为0.45 g/cm^3。森林土壤持水能力主要以0-10,20-30,40-50 cm为主,占总持水量的71.6%,蓄水量在水源涵养功能中占比较小。     

杜鹃灌丛草地土壤容重与水分特征对不同休牧模式的响应

以土壤容重与土壤水分特征为主要指标,研究了祁连山高寒杜鹃灌丛草地对全生长季休牧(分枯草期重牧与枯草期轻牧)和传统夏季休牧(重牧)的响应。结果表明,随着土层深入,休牧杜鹃灌丛草地土壤呈容重增大、含水率减小、有机质含量降低的基本变化态势;休牧杜鹃灌丛土壤异质化明显,灌丛冠幅下土壤容重小于灌间土壤,土壤水分大于灌间;6月的土壤容重较8和10月的小,而土壤含水率高;高寒杜鹃灌丛草地土壤含水率与土壤容重间呈极显著的负相关关系,与土壤有机质间呈正相关关系;与传统夏季休牧相比,全生长季休牧的杜鹃灌丛草地灌间畜蹄践踏小径的宽度、深度和面积显著减少,土壤紧实度降低,土壤含水率升高,有效改善了土壤功能;枯草期的高强度放牧降低了全生长季休牧对杜鹃灌丛草地土壤状况的有效恢复;研究证实合理的休牧时期确定与利用强度控制是实现退化高寒杜鹃灌丛草地土壤功能修复的关键。     

Minimum viable population and conservation status of the Atlantic Forest spiny rat Trinomys eliasi

A population viability analysis (PVA) was conducted to assess the minimum viable population (MVP) of the Atlantic Forest spiny rat Trinomys eliasi, a species threatened by habitat loss and restricted geographical distribution. Objectives were to suggest quasi-extinction thresholds, estimate minimum areas of suitable habitat (MASH) and MVPs, and compare results with the species’ current status. The computer package VORTEX was used. The model predicted sizes of 200 animals to achieve demographic stability, but buffering declines in genetic variability required populations of 2000 animals. Estimated MASHs were approximately 250 and 2500 ha for demographic and genetic stability, respectively. Mortality rate and mean litter size were the most sensitive parameters to changes in model assumptions. The protection of known populations and the search for extant populations are the first steps in conservation. T. eliasi's issue could help protecting the coastal shrubland ecosystem of Rio de Janeiro state. Observing IUCN's criteria for listing threatened species, it is suggested that T. eliasi should be ranked as vulnerable in red lists.     

拉萨河下游灌草交错区土壤养分空间分异特征

以拉萨河下游半干旱区亚高山带灌草交错区为研究区域,分别对其南、北坡的灌丛、灌草和草地土壤养分含量进行对比分析。结果表明,土壤p H值在6.6~8.5,总体呈中性偏弱碱性,适宜中性和弱碱性植物生长,南、北坡灌丛及南坡草地的土壤p H值与土层深度均可用二次函数拟合。土壤有机质含量在15.15~43.74 g/kg,南坡0~40 cm土层土壤有机质平均含量表现为草地灌草灌丛,北坡表现为灌草灌丛草地;南、北坡灌丛和草地及北坡灌草的土壤有机质含量与土层深度均呈显著负相关,且符合二次函数关系。土壤全氮含量在0.72~2.15 g/kg,南坡土壤全氮含量表现为草地灌草灌丛,北坡表现为灌丛灌草草地;南、北坡灌丛及南坡灌草土壤全氮含量与土层深度呈显著负相关,且符合二次函数关系;南、北坡草地土壤全氮含量与土层深度无显著相关性。土壤全磷含量在0.22~0.54 g/kg,南坡土壤全磷含量表现为草地=灌草灌丛,北坡表现为灌丛草地灌草;南坡灌草土壤全磷含量与土层深度无显著相关性,而北坡则呈显著正相关,且南、北坡灌草全磷含量与土层深度均可用二次函数拟合。土壤全钾含量在2.70~4.59 g/kg,南坡全钾含量表现为草地灌草灌丛,北坡表现为灌草草地灌丛,且南、北坡灌丛、灌草和草地的土壤全钾含量与土层深度均无显著相关性,南、北坡灌丛土壤全钾含量与土层深度的关系都可用二次函数拟合。总体上,南、北坡的土壤养分含量有明显差异,其中南坡灌丛和灌草的土壤有机质、全氮、全磷和全钾含量都低于北坡;对于草地,除南坡土壤全磷含量低于北坡外,其余养分含量均为南坡高于北坡。     

Interactions of grazing and rainfall on vegetation at Grootfontein in the eastern Karoo§

Rainfall and grazing are primary drivers of vegetation composition in the Nama-Karoo. Increased rainfall increases grassiness, to where Nama-Karoo transitions to grassland. Severe grazing treatments (e.g. continuous or summer-only) increase abundance of grazing-tolerant dwarf shrubs and annual grasses, and decrease perennial grasses. Grootfontein, which is ecotonal between the Nama-Karoo and Grassland Biomes, houses long-term grazing trials. The area has experienced higher-than-average rainfall in recent decades. Plant basal cover data from the 1960s and 2010s allow several hypotheses to be addressed: (1) historical severe grazing (until 1985) will limit subsequent grassiness (grazing legacy effect); (2) severe grazing will preclude increases in grassiness, independent of rainfall (herbivore trap effect); and (3) historically leniently-grazed sites will transition to grassland with increased rainfall (biome shift effect). Rainfall was lower from 1957–1966 (350 mm) than from 2003–2012 (490 mm). The grazing legacy effect was supported based on the abundance of Aristida diffusa, despite all sites becoming much grassier. The herbivore trap effect was not supported. The biome shift effect was supported in that shifts to grassland sometimes occurred. Results suggest that increasing rainfall has prompted a shift to much increased grassiness and decreased abundance of dwarf shrubs, and that grazing had a smaller secondary effect.     

Relationships between landforms,geomorphic processes,and plant communities on a watershed in the northern Chihuahuan Desert

The close correlation of plant communities to landforms and geomorphic surfaces resulted from differences in the redistribution of water and organic matter between landform in the northern Chihuahuan Desert. Biotic processes are limited by water and nitrogen, and the interactions between landforms, geomorphic processes, soils, and plant communities control the redistribution of these limiting resources within internally drained catchments. Geomorphic processes are regulated by the geologic structure and gross topographic relief of internally drained catchments over geological time scales. Land forming processes can be viewed as static at time scales of 10's to 100's of years, with individual landforms regulating geomorphic processes, namely erosion and deposition resulting from the horizontal redistribution of water within the catchment. The vegetation composition is a critical feedback, reinforcing the erosional or depositional geomorphic processes that dominate each landform. The Jornada Long-Term Ecological Research site may be one of the simplest cases in which to decipher the relationship between landforms, geomorphic processes and plant communities. However, these geomorphic processes are common to all internally drained catchments throughout the Basin and Range Province, and result in the development of characteristic landforms and associated vegetation communities. Although the patterns may be modified by differences in parent material, watershed size, and land use history — erosional, depositional, and transportational landforms can still be identified. The sharpness of ecotones between plant communities on individual landforms is related to the degree to which landforms are linked through the flow of water and sediment. Sharp ecotones occurred at the transition from depositional to erosional landforms where little material was transferred and steep environmental gradients are maintained. Gradual ecotones occurred at the transition from erosional to depositional landforms where large quantities of material were transferred leading to the development of a gradual environmental gradient. The relationships between geomorphic processes and vegetation communities that we describe have important implications for understanding the desertification of grasslands throughout semi-arid regions of North America. Disturbances such as grazing and climate change alter the composition of plant communities, thereby affecting the feedbacks to geomorphic processes, eventually changing drainage patterns and the spatial patterns of plant communities supported within the landscape.     

东祁连山高寒灌丛土壤微生物的分布特征

对东祁连山高寒灌丛草地土壤微生物的分布特征进行了研究,结果表明:在灌丛土壤中,均以细菌数量占绝对优势,放线菌次之,真菌最少,且好气性微生物数量随土层的加深数量减少,差异显著,嫌气性纤维素分解菌随土层的加深数量增多;微生物生理功能群数量分布为反硝化细菌>硝化细菌>氨化细菌>嫌气性自生固氮菌>好气性自生固氮菌>芽孢杆菌>好气性纤维素分解菌>嫌气性纤维素分解菌;不同灌丛土壤中,除反硝化细菌,芽孢杆菌和硝化细菌在金露梅灌丛略少于杜鹃灌丛外,其余微生物数量,包括微生物总数、细菌、真菌、放线菌、嫌气性自生固氮菌、好气性自生固氮菌、好气性纤维素分解菌、嫌气性纤维素分解菌等均依次为金露梅灌丛>杜鹃灌丛>高山柳灌丛。