Response of root distribution of Haloxylon ammodendron seedlings to irrigation amounts in the hinterlands of the Taklimakan Desert, China

We excavated soil to study root distribution in Haloxylon ammodendron seedlings grown with different amounts of irrigation (35, 24.5 and 14 kg water for each plant each time) in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert. The results indicated that: 1) With decreasing irrigation amounts, the root biomass tended to be distributed in deeper soil layers. Underground biomass had a significantly negative logarithmic relationship with soil depth under different irrigation amounts. 2) Maximum horizontal spread of roots was twice that of vertical root spread, and horizontal distribution of root biomass was similar under all irrigation amounts. 3) Vertical distribution of fine roots was nearly consistent with vertical changes in soil moisture, and all had a unimodal curve; but peak values of fine root biomass in different soil layers varied with different irrigation amounts. The smaller the amount of irrigation, the deeper were the fine roots concentrated in soil layers. 4) Root length, root surface area and root volume all exhibited a unimodal curve under different irrigation amounts; the less the irrigation amount, the deeper the peak values appeared in soil layers. 5) Rootshoot ratio and ratio of vertical root depth to plant height both increased as irrigation amounts decreased. __________ Translated from Journal of Plant Ecology (Chinese Version), 2007, 31 (5): 769–776 [译自: 植物生态学报]     

Exploring below ground complementarity in agroforestry using sap flow and root fractal techniques

Indices of shallow rootedness and fractal methods of root system study were combined with sapflow monitoring to determine whether these ‘short-cut’ methods could be used to predict tree competition with crops and complementarity of below ground resource use in an agroforestry trial in semi-arid Kenya. These methods were applied to Grevillea robusta Cunn., Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Walp., Melia volkensii Gürke and Senna spectabilis syn. Cassia spectabilis aged two and four years which were grown in simultaneous linear agroforestry plots with maize as the crop species. Indices of competition (shallow rootedness) differed substantially according to tree age and did not accurately predict tree:crop competition in plots containing trees aged four years. Predicted competition by trees on crops was improved by multiplying the sum of proximal diameters squared for shallow roots by diameter at breast height², thus taking tree size into account. Fractal methods for the quantification of total length of tree root systems worked well with the permanent structural root system of trees but seriously underestimated the length of fine roots (less than 2 mm diameter). Sap flow measurements of individual roots showed that as expected, deep tap roots provided most of the water used by the trees during the dry season. Following rainfall, substantial water uptake by shallow lateral roots occurred more or less immediately, suggesting that existing roots were functioning in the recently wetted soil and that there was no need for new fine roots to be produced to enable water uptake following rainfall. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Soil fractal features of typical forest stands in Jinyun Mountain, Chongqing City, Southwest China

In order to explore the forest soil physical property in the Three Gorges Reservoir areas, the fractal theory was adopted to study the soil fractal features of the four typical forest stands (mixed Pinus massoniana-broadleaf forests, evergreen broadleaved forests, Phyllostachys pubescens forests and evergreen broadleaved shrub forests) in Jinyun Mountain, Chongqing City, and they were compared with arable land. It has been proposed that the model can be used for the analysis of the relationship between the fractal dimensions and the properties of forest soil. The impacts of fractal dimensions on the soil properties were analyzed with the elasticity analysis and marginal yield analysis. Results showed that the fractal dimension of particle size distribution (PSD), the micro-aggregate size distribution (ASD) and the soil pore size distribution (SPD) can be used as the indices to evaluate the soil structure. In the typical stands of Jinyun Mountain, the fractal dimension of PSD is 2.7–2.9, the ASD is 2.5–2.8, and the SPD is 2.3–2.8. The soil structure of evergreen broadleaved shrub forests performed best in PSD, ASD and SPD, and the soil of P. pubescens forests is the worst. There were some relationships among the PSD, ASD, SPD and some soil properties in the different forests and farmland. The related coefficients are over 0.5. Based on the elasticity analysis and marginal yield analysis, the effect of PSD was more than those of ASD and SPD. Obviously, the further study on the fractal theory application in soil structure and soil properties has important significance. __________ Translated from Science of Soil and Water Conservation, 2006, 4(4): 39–46 [译自: 中国水土保持科学]     

Root architecture characteristics of plant inlay in live slope grating

In the experimental garden of the Department of Soil Bioengineering and Landscape Construction, University of Applied Life Sciences in Vienna, Austria, coarse root systems of three different brush species were completely excavated and semi-automatically digitized. The species were Lonicera xylosteum, Ligustrum vulgare and Euonymus europaeus. The 3-D root ar-chitectures reveal different growth strategies between species, which are related to ecological characteristics and physical soil proper-ties. The root architecture of Lonicera xylosteum and Ligustrum vulgare, planted in the under layer of the live slope grading, where the soil is very tight and the soil water content and fertility are relatively low, is shallow. However, the root distribution of E. eu-ropaeus, planted in the middle layer, where environmental conditions are better, is deeper. Most of the root biomass of the three spe-cies is concentrated in the 0-30 cm soil layer. A quarter of the root biomass of Ligustrum vulgare is distributed in the upper layer of the plant inlay. E. europaeus has a relatively even distribution in the 30-60 cm and 60-90 cm soil layer.     

江南油杉细根生物量空间分布及其对土壤水分的响应

[目的]探明广西不同栽培区江南油杉细根生物量的空间分布共性及其对土壤水分的响应机制.[方法]以广西3个栽培区江南油杉人工幼林为研究对象,采用根系全株分层挖掘和根系形态结构分析法,定量分析江南油杉幼树不同径级细根生物量密度、根长密度和表面积密度的空间分布特征.[结果]1)江南油杉幼林期细根生物量在垂直方向上主要分布在0～...     

平邑甜茶根系形态构型对氯化镉处理的响应

以平邑甜茶幼苗为试材,在水培条件下研究氯化镉对根系形态构型及根系丙二醛(MDA)含量的影响。结果表明:处理第5天时,只有10～20mg.L-1的氯化镉使根系分形维数、主根长度、根系直径显著变小;处理第15天时,2.5～20mg.L-1氯化镉均使根系分形维数、侧根长度、根系表面积、根系体积以及根系直径显著降低,降低程度随着氯化镉浓度的升高而增大;侧根生长比主根生长更易受到氯化镉抑制。2.5～20mg.L-1氯化镉可显著提高粗根所占比例并进而改变根系组成,随着氯化镉浓度的提高根系组成改变更明显。在2.5～20mg.L-1范围内,根系MDA含量随着氯化镉浓度的提高而显著增加;同样氯化镉浓度下,MDA变化幅度大于根系形态构型的变化幅度。氯化镉导致的细胞损伤是其改变根系组成和形态构型的重要原因。     

Impact factors on fine root seasonal dynamics in Fraxinus mandshurica plantations

Fine root turnover plays important roles in carbon allocation and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. Seasonal dynamics of fine roots is critical for understanding the processes of fine root turnover. From May to October 2002, soil core method was used for estimating the seasonal pattern of fine root (diameter < 1 mm) parameters (biomass, specific root length (SRL) and root length density (RLD)) in a Manchurian ash (Fraxinus mandshurica) plantation located at the Maoershan Experiment Station, Heilongjiang Province, northeast of China. The relationships of fine root biomass, SRL and RLD with available nitrogen in soil, average soil temperature per month in 10 cm depth and soil moisture content were analyzed. Seasonal variation of fine root biomass was significant (P < 0.05). The peak values of fine root biomass were observed both in spring and in autumn, but SRL and RLD were the highest in spring and lowest in autumn. Specific root length and root length density were higher in spring and summer, which means that fine root diameter was thinner. In autumn, both parameters decreased significantly due to secondary incrassation of fine root diameter or the increase of tissue density. Seasonal dynamics of fine roots was associated with available nitrogen in soil, soil temperature in 10 cm depth and moisture content. Fine root biomass has a significant relationship with available NH₄ ⁺-N in soil. Available NO₃ ⁻-N in soil, soil temperature in 10-cm depth and moisture content have a positive correlation with fine root biomass, SRL and RLD, although these correlations are not significant (P > 0.05). But the compound effects of soil available N, soil temperature and soil moisture content are significant to every root parameter. The variations of these three root parameters in different seasons show different physiological and ecological functions in different growing periods. Translated from Scientia Silvae Sinicae, 2006, 42(9): 7–12 [译自: 林业科学]     

Fine root production and turnover in forest ecosystems in relation to stand and environmental characteristics

The production and turnover of fine roots (diameter ?2 mm) contributes significantly to carbon cycling in forest ecosystems. We compiled an up-to-date global database covering 186 stands from the literature and estimated fine root production (FRP) and fine root turnover (FRT) for boreal, temperate and tropical forests in order to study the relationships between FRP or FRT and environmental and stand variables. FRP for all plants (trees + understorey) was 311 ± 259 (n = 39), 428 ± 375 (n = 71) and 596 ± 478 g m⁻² a⁻¹ (n = 32) in the boreal, temperate and tropical forests, respectively, and the corresponding annual FRT rates were 0.77 ± 0.70, 1.21 ± 1.04 and 1.44 ± 0.76, respectively. When the FRP and FRT of trees were estimated separately for boreal and temperate forests the differences between the two biomes were insignificant. The mean FRP of trees for the two biomes combined was 306 ± 240 g m⁻² a⁻¹ (n = 86) and the annual FRT was 1.31 ± 1.43. Fine root biomass (FRB) was the most significant factor explaining the variation in FRP, and more so at the tree level than at the stand level, explaining 53% of the variation in FRP for trees at the tree level. The corresponding proportions at the stand level were 21% for all plants and 12% for trees. Latitude, mean annual temperature and annual precipitation each explained <20% of the variation in FRP or FRT. Fine root production and FRT estimates are highly dependent on the species included in the sampling, the sampling depth and the methods used for estimating FRP or calculating FRT. The results indicate that the variation in FRP on a global scale can be explained to a higher degree if we focus on tree roots separately from the roots of the understorey vegetation and on FRP at the tree level instead of FRP at the stand level or on FRT.     

Effect of Poplar (Populus deltoides) shelterbelt on the growth and yield of wheat in Punjab, India

A study was conducted around Chandigarh (Punjab), India to assess the effect of Populus deltoides shelterbelt on wheat. Crop density, root and shoot length, biomass and grain yield of wheat at crop maturity were significantly lower, up to 12 ± 1 m in the fields sheltered by P. deltoides than in unsheltered plots. The reduction of biomass and grain yield of wheat were comparatively more than that of other parameters. The observed reduction in the growth and yield of wheat could be attributed to phytotoxic interference of the phenolics from the tree with the crop. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Impacts of fractal features of soil on moisture infiltration capacity of typical stands in Jinyun mountain of Chongqing city

The soil structure was expressed with fractal dimensions of particle size distribution (PSD), aggregate size distribution (ASD), and soil pore size distribution (SPD). The effect of soil fractal features on soil infiltration velocity and process was studied. The result of the fractal feature shows that fractal dimensions of PSD are obviously greater than those of ASD and SPD, and in different soil genetic horizons, the fractal dimension of ASD has the greatest variability, and shows a downtrend on the top-to-bottom genetic horizon. According to the soil infiltration process curve, the infiltration process was divided into three phases: (1) the initial phase (0–5 min), (2) the transition phase (5–30 min), and (3) the stable phase (30–180 min). In the initial phase of infiltration, the soil structure of soil genetic horizon A was the major influencing factor; in the transition phase of infiltration, the pore distribution of soil horizon AB and soil structure of horizon B were the major influencing factors; in the stable phase of infiltration, the soil structure of horizon C was the major influencing factor to the infiltration velocity. Soil infiltration process is influenced comprehensively by soil PSD, ASD, and SPD. In the overall soil water infiltration, the infiltration in shrub forest land was much faster than that in other land uses, and in the initial infiltration phase, arable land soil infiltration was much faster than that in forest land, and in the stable infiltration phase, the infiltration velocity in forest land was faster than that in arable land. __________ Translated from Journal of Beijing Forestry University, 2006, 28(3): 73–78 [译自: 北京林业大学学报]     

高速公路生态边坡灌木根系垂直分布特征

选择高速公路生态边坡8种灌木根系,从根长、根量、根系削弱系数3个参数对其根系垂直分布特征进行研究,结果表明根系垂直分布大体呈现出由土壤表层至深层逐渐下降的趋势。但不同灌木根长、根量和根系削弱系数均在不同径级、不同土层中存在着较为明显的垂直分布差异。     

Comparison of fractal characteristics of species richness patterns among different plant taxonomic groups along an altitudinal gradient

This study was done using the non brown fractal model to quantify and compare the variations in the species richness of trees, shrubs, herbs and all plants along an altitudinal gradient and to characterize the dominating ecological processes that determine the variations. Two transects were sampled far away from any anthropogenic disturbances along the shady slopes of the Dongling mountains in Beijing, China. Both transects were continuous and 2 m wide, and every individual tree and shrub was recorded in each of them. Discrete quadrats of 1 m × 1 m were located along the transects A and B for estimation of the herb species richness along the altitudinal gradients. The level interval between the quadrats was 10 m and 25 m respectively. In this study, transects A and B were combined into one transect AB, and 40 m was selected as the optimal quadrat length along the altitudinal gradients for measuring the plant species richness patterns. Species richness in each quadrat was calculated using a program written in Matlab 6.0. Direct gradient analysis was used to describe the overall trends in the species richness of trees, shrubs, herbs and other plants with change in altitude, while the non-brown fractal model was used to detect more accurately their variations at various scales along the gradient. The model assumed that each class of ecological processes affecting the distribution of a variable could be represented by an independent spatial random function. Generally, ecological phenomena are determined not by a single ecological process but by multiple ones. These processes act on ecological patterns within their own spatial scales. In the non-brown fractal model, the spatial random functions are nested within a larger range of spatial scales. The relative contribution of the spatial random functions to the spatial variation of a variable is indicated by a weighting parameter that has to be greater than or equal to zero. In this paper, we reached the following results and conclusions. Firstly, the direct gradient method describes the general trends of trees, shrubs, herbs and all plants along the altitudinal gradient but is unable to provide further details on the altitudinal variations in the species richness. The non-brown fractal model brought out the altitudinal variations in the species richness of trees, shrubs and herbs at various scales and related them to the ecological processes. The sharp changes in the double-log variograms suggest that the non-brown fractal model is suitable for characterizing the altitudinal patterns in the species richness of trees, shrubs and herbs at various scales but is not appropriate for explaining the variations in the plant species richness, since no significant changes were found in the double-log variograms in this case. Secondly, for the trees, the double-log variogram was divided into two scale ranges (0–245 m and 245–570 m), with a fractal dimension of 1.83 and 1.10, respectively, implying that changes in the tree species richness were random at small scales (0–245 m) and almost linear at large scales (245–570 m) along the altitudinal gradients. This suggests that altitudinal variations in the tree species richness are dominated by short-range processes at small scales and by long-range processes at large scales. Thirdly, for shrubs and herbs, the double-log variograms exhibited three ranges (0–101 m, 125–298 m and 325–570 m), and the fractal dimensions were 1.78 and 1.97, 1.56 and 1.43, and 1.08 and 1.25, respectively. The results indicate that, as in the case of trees, species richness of shrubs and herbs are distributed randomly at small scales and change in a linear manner at large scales although variations in the herb species richness is less heterogeneous than shrub species richness at large scales. These results also indicate that species richness of shrubs and herbs change approximately like brown movement at middle scales. The results also suggest that altitudinal variations in the specie richness of shrubs and herbs are dominated by three ecological processes, short-range ecological processes at small scales, long-range ecological processes at large scales, and brown fractal processes at middle scales. Interestingly, comparisons of the variations in the species richness of shrubs and herbs reveal that shrubs and herbs present the same scale range in spatial variation in species richness but display different trends in species richness along the altitudinal gradient, i.e. the shrub species richness decreased with increasing elevation whereas the herb species richness peaked at the mid-high elevation. These patterns suggest that although the scales at which the main processes affect patterns in species richness are the same, the processes are completely different, or the processes are similar but the responses of the shrubs and herbs to the ecological processes are different. Finally, the plant species richness did not show any obvious pattern along the altitude gradient and maintained a constant fractal dimension across all scales, this is perhaps because the processes defining the patterns of plant species richness had similar weights and acted over closely related scales. __________ Translated from Acta Phytoecologica Sinica, 2005, 29(6): 901–909 [译自: 植物生态学报]     

Spatial heterogeneity of fine root biomass of Pinus massoniana forests in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China

Environmental heterogeneity is a constant presence in the natural world that significantly affects plant behavior at a variety of levels of complexity. In order to estimate the spatial pattern of fine root biomass in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, the spatial heterogeneity of fine root biomass in the upper layer of soils (0-10 cm) in three Masson pine (Pinus massoniana) stands in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China, was studied in 30 m × 30 m plots with geostatistical analysis. The results indicate that 1) both the live and dead fine root biomass of stand 2 were less than those of other stands, 2) the spatial variation of fine roots in the three stands was caused together by structural and random factors with moderate spatial dependence and 3) the magnitude of spatial heterogeneity of live fine roots ranked as: stand 3 > stand 1 > stand 2, while that of dead fine roots was similar in the three stands. These findings suggested that the range of spatial autocorrelation for fine root biomass varied considerably in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, while soil properties, such as soil bulk density, organic matter and total nitrogen, may exhibit great effect on the spatial distribution of fine roots. Finally, we express our hope to be able to carry out further research on the quantitative relationship between the spatial heterogeneous patterns of plant and soil properties.     

Spatial distribution characteristics of fine roots of Populus euphratica in a desert riparian forest

The soil-plant system is a very important subsystem of the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC). The water uptake by plant roots is an important subject in the research on water transport in this SPAC and is also the most active study direction in the fields of ecology, hydrology and environment. The study of the spatial distribution pattern of fine roots of plants is the basis of constructing a water absorption model of plant roots. Our study on the spatial distribution pattern of fine roots of Populus euphratica in a desert riparian forest shows that the density distribution of its root lengths can be expressed horizontally as a parabola. The fine roots are concentrated within the range of 0–350 cm from the tree trunk and their amount accounts for 91.9% of the total root mass within the space of 0–500 cm. In the vertical direction, the density distribution of the fine root lengths shows a negative exponential relation with soil depth. The fine roots are concentrated in the 0–80 cm soil layer, accounting for 96.8% of the total root mass in the 0–140 cm soil layer. __________ Translated from Chinese Journal of Ecology, 2007, 26(1): 1–4 [译自: 生态学杂志]     

Fine root biomass,distribution, and production in young pine-hardwood stands

Patterns of fine root biomass, production, and distribution were estimated for pure stands and mixtures of three-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) with red maple (Acer rubrum L.) or black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) on the Virginia Piedmont to determine the role of fine roots in interference between pine and hardwood tree species. Estimates were based on amounts of live and dead fine roots separated from monthly core samples during the third growing season after planting. Live and dead fine root biomass and production varied by species, but mixtures of loblolly pine and black locust generally had greater fine root biomass and fine root production than pure stands or loblolly pine-red maple mixtures. Hardwood species had greater live fine root biomass per tree in mixtures with pine compared to pure stands. Greater live fine root biomass in pine-locust stands may be attributed to differential utilization of the soil volume by fine roots of these species. For all stands, approximately 50% of live five root biomass was located in the upper 10 cm of soil.     

南川百合与泸定百合种群格局分形特征的分析

本文应用计盒维数和信息维数比较分析了南川百合与泸定百合种群的空间分布格局及其分形特征。研究显示，南川百合与泸定百合种群的计盒维数和信息维数均较小（〈1．5，远离2），说明其占据生态空间的能力和格局强度都不大，体现其在群落中的劣势伴生地位。在2006年，南川百合各种群的平均计盒维数（0．7232）比泸定百合（0．7734）小0．0502，而其平均信息维数（0．4179）却比泸定百合（0．2381）大0．1798，这些数据表明，南川百合种群占据生态空间的能力比泸定百合弱，但其种群格局强度要比泸定百合种群大得多。在高温干旱的2006年，这两种百合的计盒维数与2005年相比都有所减少，信息维数都有所增加，但南川百合种群计盒维数的减少比例（13．87％）大于泸定百合（8．97％），约为泸定百合的1．54倍，其信息维数的增加比例（6．830%）却小于泸定百合（33．02%），泸定百合种群信息维数的增加量是南川百合种群的4．98倍，这些数据表明，高温干旱天气对这两种百合的生长均有影响；泸定百合的抗热抗旱能力要高于南川百合，南川百合更易受高温干旱天气的伤害。由于人为干扰和气候等环境因子的变化，南川百合和泸定百合均出现濒危迹象，此外，因南川百合抗热抗旱性能不强、占据生态空间能力弱等，导致其更加处于濒危状态，应尽快加以保护。     

长白山系榛子灌木林根系对优先流的影响

[目的]通过调查分析榛子灌木林下不同土层深度内不同根系径级对土壤优先流现象发生程度的影响,了解该区域内土壤水分的运动规律,查看森林系统生态恢复情况。[方法]选取长白山系张广才岭余脉丘陵区内榛子灌木林为研究对象,采用野外示踪法示踪优先流路径分布特征,分析其与不同土层深度下不同径级的根长密度、根生物量的关系。[结果]表明:灌木林内优先流以大孔隙流,漏斗流和环绕流为主,发生迅速,伴有环绕特征。随土壤深度的增加,根长密度逐渐减小,根系径级d1 mm,1d3 mm,3d5 mm,5d10 mm的根长密度对优先流贡献率分别为67.9%,64.9%、55.2%、59.3%,以d1 mm根系的优先流贡献率最大,且均值在58.5%以上。根长密度在不同土层深度及不同径级下变幅为2.59%31.2%和1.16%11.07%。研究点内优先流区根生物量大于基质流区,整体仅高出约1.1%,根生物量对优先流路径的发生不起决定性作用。[结论]不同土层内的不同根系径级的根长密度对榛子灌木林下的土壤优先流影响极为明显,d1 mm影响效果最大,根系生物量对其优先流的产生不起决定性作用。     

浅析沙漠化与沙尘暴对中国生态环境的影响

深入分析了沙漠化、沙尘暴形成的原因和沙漠化、沙尘暴对国民经济发展所造成的危害，并系统地提出了相应对策。     

北京房山区林火与地理要素分形特征关系的研究

利用北京市房山区1988—2006年的林火数据,结合背景地理数据,使用数盒子法计算了相关地理要素的分维数,研究了林火发生次数和地理要素分维数之间的关联关系。结果表明,林火次数与居民点和水系分维数变化趋势相反,而与道路和林区的分维数变化趋势相同。     

Fractal analysis of canopy architectures of Acacia angustissima, Gliricidia sepium, and Leucaena collinsii for estimation of aboveground biomass in a short rotation forest in eastern Zambia

A study was conducted at Msekera Regional Agricultural Research Station in eastern Zambia to (1) describe canopy branching properties of Acacia angustissima, Gliricidia sepium and Leucaena collinsii in short rotation forests, (2) test the existence of self similarity from repeated iteration of a structural unit in tree canopies, (3) examined intra-specific relationships between functional branching characteristics, and (4) determine whether allometric equations for relating aboveground tree biomass to fractal properties could accurately predict aboveground biomass. Measurements of basal diameter (D10) at 10cm aboveground and total height (H), and aboveground biomass of 27 trees were taken, but only nine trees representative of variability of the stand and the three species were processed for functional branching analyses (FBA) of the shoot systems. For each species, fractal properties of three trees, including fractal dimension (Dfract), bifurcation ratios (p) and proportionality ratios (q) of branching points were assessed. The slope of the linear regression of p on proximal diameter was not significantly different (P < 0.01) from zero and hence the assumption that p is independent of scale, a pre-requisite for use of fractal branching rules to describe a fractal tree canopy, was fulfilled at branching orders with link diameters >1.5 cm. The proportionality ration q for branching patterns of all tree species was constant at all scales. The proportion of q values >0.9 (fq) was 0.8 for all species. Mean fractal dimension (Dfract) values (1.5?1.7) for all species showed that branching patterns had an increasing magnitude of intricacy. Since Dfract values were ≥1.5, branching patterns within species were self similar. Basal diameter (D10), proximal diameter and Dfract described most of variations in aboveground biomass, suggesting that allometric equations for relating aboveground tree biomass to fractal properties could accurately predict aboveground biomass. Thus, assessed Acacia, Gliricidia and Leucaena trees were fractals and their branching properties could be used to describe variability in size and aboveground biomass.