The importance of calcareous grasslands for butterflies in Europe

Although the biological diverstity of calcareous grasslands is renowned, an overview of the distribution of characteristics butterfly species is lacking. This review shows that calcareous grasslands rank as the most species-rich habitat in Europe with 274 species reported. At the same time a similar proportion of threatened and unthreatened species is present but the proportion of endemics (16%) is comparatively low. More detailed information is necessary to identify hotspots as targets for conservation.     

Soil N dynamics in a natural calcareous grassland under a changing climate

 This paper reports the results from a medium-term field scale investigation into the effects of simulated climate change on soil N mineralisation in a semi-natural calcareous grassland in southern England. The experiment utilised soil warming cables, automatic rainshelters and a watering system to examine two climate change scenarios: warmer winters with summer drought and warmer winters with enhanced summer rainfall. Gross N mineralisation rates in treated plots were determined, using ¹⁵N pool dilution techniques, at 6-weekly intervals over a 3-year period. Results from control plots showed a strong seasonality of mineralisation with highest rates in autumn and winter and lowest rates in summer. They suggest that water availability is the main constraint on microbial processes and plant growth. Unexpectedly, additional summer rainfall had no direct effect on N mineralisation at the time of application (summer). The treatment did, however, significantly (<0.05%) reduce rates in subsequent autumn and winter months. In contrast, summer drought significantly increased N mineralisation rates in autumn and winter. Winter warming similarly had no direct effect on N mineralisation in winter but decreased rates in spring. We hypothesise that the observed treatment effects result from changes in organic C and N input, in plant litter, resulting from the direct impact of climatic manipulation on perennial plant growth, death and senescence. This paper compares and contrasts the response to climate manipulation in the grassland system with results from other ecosystem types such as northern forests. Received: 1 December 1997     

Short-term effects of different management regimes on the response of calcareous grassland vegetation to increased nitrogen

The short-term (4-year period) effects of different management regimes on the response of calcareous grassland vegetation to increased nitrogen were investigated. Four levels of nitrogen and two levels of management were applied in a factorial design. Besides, the effects of management practices alone on species diversity were also studied. Species diversity was investigated at different levels of sub-sampling using a nested plot design. In this way, both species saturation and accumulation curves could be established. The effect of community structure, as reflected by the light regimes at various heights in the vegetation, on species diversity was also investigated. Species diversity at all levels of sub-sampling decreased significantly with management regimes and nitrogen supply rates. Percent light penetration differed significantly among management regimes and nitrogen supply rates. Grazing proved to be most efficient in countering the negative effects of nitrogen supply, but could not prevent competitors from becoming dominant. In the absence of any form of disturbance, species diversity decreased relatively rapidly. Decreased light availability, the loss of gap formation, a decrease in small-scale environmental heterogeneity and proliferation of strong competitors, all may have contributed to the observed decrease in species richness. The results of this study highlight the importance of management in maintaining high species diversity in the studied calcareous grassland.     

Does seed dispersal by sheep affect the population genetic structure of the calcareous grassland species Bromus erectus?

This study investigates the contribution of the traditional land-use system “sheep herding” (transhumance) to the gene flow among populations. Three sheep trails with altogether 12 calcareous grassland sites were chosen for the analysis of the tussock grass Bromus erectus, which is known to be the species with the highest rate of dispersal via sheep fleece. Each trail links two to four isolated populations. Allozymes were chosen as genetic markers. Six loci were used, five of which were polymorphic. While genetic variability within populations was found to be quite high (averaged h=0.352), only little between-population differentiation was measured (G_ST=5.5%). Despite this, the UPGMA-dendrogram of Nei's genetic distance shows genetic similarity relations largely congruent with the sheep herding trails. However, a (more) detailed comparison reveals several differences between genetic patterns and trail system. Hence, additional factors other than dispersal by sheep are regarded as being responsible for exchange of genes, and sheep herding is considered to have only minor importance for the genetic patterns of the investigated species. The comparison of Bromus erectus to species with the same life history traits (i.e. pollination by wind, a perennial life cycle, and autopolyploid constitution) shows similar values, thus providing further evidence for the relatively small contribution of dispersal via sheep fleece.     

The effect of pig slurry on exchangeable potassium in calcareous soils

Pig slurry in quantities of 200, 400, 500, 600, 800, and 1000 m³ ha^-1 year^-1 was added to two calcareous soils, which differed in concentration and type of clay minerals. The soils were cultivated with two successive crops of pepper and tomatoes grown in containers. A control was given no slurry. The soils were analysed after harvesting for exchangeable K⁺. Differences in exchangeable K⁺ were studied in relation to the concentration and type of clay minerals. The soil with the higher clay content and of the illite type retained K in the exchangeable form to a much greater extent than the soil with the low clay content. In the soil with the lower clay content, of the interstratified illitic — montmorillonite type, very little K was incorporated into the exchange complex. The exchange capacity being low, the amount of K added had little effect on the level of exchangeable K⁺.     

改性磷矿粉在石灰性土壤上的生物有效性及其机理研究

为缓解磷资源危机,充分利用不适于化学加工的磷矿资源,对磷矿采用活化技术开发利用,由此生产的改性磷肥已被证明在酸性土壤上有很高的生物有效性,但在石灰性土壤上的研究还比较少。本文选择4种不同产地(云南昆明、四川德阳、四川绵竹和贵州开阳)的磷矿粉,分别用有机活化剂和无机活化剂进行活化处理,制备改性磷矿粉,并就其在石灰性土壤对苗期春小麦的生物有效性进行了盆栽试验。结果表明,4种磷矿粉经活化处理后有效磷和水溶性磷含量均明显增加,无机活化剂提高了有效磷的含量,而有机活化剂对水溶性磷的提高幅度较大。改性磷矿粉处理均不同程度提高了石灰性土壤上春小麦的生物量干重、植株吸磷量和磷利用效率,有机活化剂处理制备的改性磷矿粉对春小麦生长的促进作用更为明显。运用红外光谱谱学技术对4种磷矿粉及相应的8种改性磷矿粉结构分析结果表明,磷矿粉经改性后其结构发生了明显变化,H2PO4和HPO42的特征谱带明显增加,增加的程度因磷矿粉的产地和活化剂种类不同而有差异。对磷矿粉化学成分分析结果表明,不同产地的磷矿粉其磷以及钙、铁、铝、镁等化学成分的含量差异较大,活化剂对磷矿粉的活化效果与磷矿粉本身的氧化物含量有关。在本试验条件下,磷矿粉Ⅲ(四川绵竹)的活化效果相对最好,与其氧化镁含量最高、总氧化物含量最低有关。不同类型活化剂对磷矿粉的活化效果不同,红外光谱分析结果表明,无机活化剂活化效果较好,而土培试验结果表明有机活化剂的活化效果较好,这一结果有待进一步的研究。     

Effect of PGPR,Phosphate sources and vermicompost on growth and nutrients uptake by lettuce in a calcareous soil

In order to study the effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), vermicompost and phosphate sources on the growth and nutrients uptake by lettuce, a greenhouse experiments was conducted. Treatments consisted of PGPR (Pseudomonas fluorescens) (with and without inoculation), vermicompost (0 and 1% w/w) and phosphate sources (control, rock phosphate (RP), tricalcium phosphate and triple super phosphate (TSP) at 25 mg P kg^?1 level). Biological fertilizers, RP and TSP significantly increased shoot dry matter (SDM) and some measured nutrients uptake. Co-application of PGPR and RP, in non-vermicompost treatments significantly increased SDM, shoot nitrogen, phosphorus (P), potassium, zinc and manganese uptake rates. Shoot P uptake had no significant difference between TSP and RP treatments. Co-application of PGPR, vermicompost and TSP significantly decreased SDM, which may be due to the P toxic levels in the plant aerial parts and/or the inhibition of the bacterial activities in the rhizosphere soil.     

The electro-ultrafiltration method for controlling the effect of Bacillus cereus on phosphorus mobilization in a calcareous soil

Summary The effects of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria on the phosphorus mobilization and P utake by Lolium multiflorum from a calcareous soil were investigated using a greenhouse pot experiment. The soil was inoculated with Bacillus cereus and the pots were either planted with Lolium multiflorum or left fallow. Treatments were designed to study the effect of inoculation of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria on phosphorus dynamics throughout the experiment. The dynamics were studied by the electro-ultrafiltration method, the results of which were used to interpret phosphorus mobilization in the soil. Phosphate uptake by L. multiflorum from the inoculated soil showed a 40% increase over the control soil, and an increase in total dry matter of 50%.     

The efect of Zinc (Zn) application on the available Iron (Fe) contents of calcareous soils in thrace region

This research was carried out in order to determine the effect of zinc (Zn) application on the available iron (Fe) contents of calcareous soils in Thrace Region. For this purpose, an experiment was carried out in greenhouse conditions by maize growing. The effect of increasing rates of Zn application on the biological indices of maize plant was determined. Fe concentration of maize plant decreased with Zn application and dry matter yield and Fe uptake of maize plant increased with Zn application. These decreases and increases were determined to be statistically significant (P&lt;0.01).     

Cadmium and lead affect the status of mineral nutrients in alfalfa grown on a calcareous soil

ABSTRACT

Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) are toxic trace elements which are not essential for plants but can be easily taken up by roots and accumulated in various organs, and cause irreversible damages to plants. A pot experiment was carried out to investigate the individual and combined effects of Cd (0, 10, 20 mg kg^?1) and Pb (0, 500, 1000 mg kg^?1) level in a calcareous soil on the status of mineral nutrients, including K, P, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn, in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plants. Soil Pb level considerably (P ≤ 0.05) affected the concentrations of more elements in plants than soil Cd level did, and there were combined effects of soil Cd level and Pb level on the concentrations of some nutrients (Ca, Mg, and Cu) in plants. The effects of soil Cd level and Pb level on plant nutrient concentrations varied among plant parts. Cd and Pb contamination did not considerably affect the exudation of carboxylates in the rhizosphere. An increase in rhizosphere pH and exudation of significant amounts of carboxylates (especially oxalate) in the rhizosphere might contribute to the exclusion and detoxification of Cd and Pb. Neither shoot dry mass nor root dry mass was significantly influenced by soil Cd level, but both of them were considerably reduced (by up to 25% and 45% on average for shoot dry mass and root dry mass, respectively) by increasing soil Pb level. The interaction between soil Cd level and Pb level was significant for root dry mass, but not significant for shoot dry mass. The results indicate that alfalfa is tolerant to Cd and Pb stress, and it is promising to grow alfalfa for phytostabilization of Cd and Pb on calcareous soils contaminated with Cd and Pb.     

耕作方式对新垦沙地农田杂草群落结构的影响

通过田间调查的方式,研究了黑河中游边缘绿洲新垦沙地农田杂草分布状况,并对不同耕作方式下农田杂草群落结构特征进行了分析。调查中共记录杂草16种,隶属10科。新垦沙地农田杂草群落基本组成为藜(Chenopodium album)+牛筋草(Eleusineindica)+狗尾草(Setaria viridis)+反枝苋(Amaranthus retroflexus)。与当地传统的地膜覆盖、秋耕和玉米连作耕作方式相比,秸秆覆盖、减少秋耕和玉米-大豆轮作均可增加农田杂草物种丰富度、多样性指数和群落优势度(P0.05)。与当地传统耕作方式相比,秸秆覆盖可增加杂草群落中牛筋草优势度比,降低藜和反枝苋优势度比;减少秋耕可增加狗尾草、反枝苋、灰绿藜(C.glaucum)和米瓦罐(Silene conoidea)优势度比,降低牛筋草优势度比;玉米-大豆轮作可增加米瓦罐优势度比。不同耕作方式对偶见种杂草在田间的分布和组成影响不明显。可以看出,新垦沙地农田杂草物种较少,群落组成单一;不同耕作方式对新垦沙地农田杂草物种多样性和群落结构组成有明显影响,进一步深入研究对沙地农田杂草合理防除具有重要的指导意义。     

The effect of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae in decreasing Ca acquisition by alfalfa plants in calcareous soils

Summary The legume Medicago sativa L. was grown in three calcareous soils supplied with increasing amounts of soluble phosphate, or a vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) inoculum. The three test soils had high concentrations of extractable Ca. Analyses of dry-matter production and of the concentrations and content of the nutrients N, P, K, Ca, and Mg in plant tissues showed that, for each soil, a particular level of P application was able to match the VAM effects on N, P, and K levels. The Ca concentration and content in the VAM inoculated plants were, however, significantly lower than those in the P-supplied non-mycorrhizal treatments that matched the VAM effects. The N:P and the K:P ratios were about the same for mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal P-supplied control plants in all the three soils, but VAM inoculation lowered the Ca:P ratio in all soils. The mycorrhizae decreased Mg uptake in one of the soils, where non-mycorrhizal plants had high Mg concentrations in tissues. It is concluded that VAM depress the excessive acquisition of Ca by plants in calcareous soils.     

蒸散发条件下农田土壤水盐动态简化模型

利用需水系数、蒸腾系数和潜水蒸发经验公式,引入水分迁移系数和盐分迁移系数,建立了蒸散发条件下农田土壤水盐动态简化模型。提出作物根系吸水比例系数,用以区分计算土层下边界的根系吸水项和土壤毛管水上升项。引入盐分影响下的作物蒸散发修正系数,并与水盐生产函数相反馈进行土壤水盐动态的修正。该模型简单适用,可用于蒸散发期间田间水盐状况的调控管理。     

Effects of acid rain on leaf-litter decomposition in a beech forest on calcareous soil

Summary The effects of simulated acid rain on litter decomposition in a calcareous soil (pH_{H 2 O} 5.8) were studied. Litterbags (45 m and 1 mm mesh size) containing freshly fallen beech leaf litter were exposed to different concentrations of acid in a beech forest on limestone (Göttinger Wald. Germany) for 1 year. Loss of C, the ash content, and CO₂–C production were measured at the end of the experiment. Further tests measured the ability of the litter-colonizing microflora to metabolize ¹⁴C-labelled beech leaf litter and hyphae. The simulated acid rain strongly reduced CO₂–C and ¹⁴CO₂–C production in the litter. This depression in production was very strong when the input of protons was 1.5 times greater than the normal acid deposition, but comparatively low when the input was 32 times greater. acid deposition may thus cause a very strong accumulation of primary and secondary C compounds in the litter layer of base-rich soils, even with a moderate increase in proton input. The presence of mesofauna significantly reduced the ability of the acid rain to inhibit C mineralization. The ash content to the 1-mm litterbags indicated that this was largely due to transport of base-rich mineral soil into the litter.     

日本湿润的温带草地根际和微生物呼吸对土壤CO2排放的贡献及环境影响因素

Soil CO2 efflux, root mass, and root production were investigated in a humid temperate grassland of Japan over a growing season (Apr. to Sep.) of 2005 to reveal seasonal changes of soil CO2 efflux, to separate the respective contributions of root and microbial respiration to the total soil CO2 efflux, and to determine the environmental factors that control soil respiration. Minimal microbial respiration rate was estimated based on the linear regression equations between soil CO2 efflux and root mass at different experimental sites. Soil CO2 efflux, ranging from 4.99 to 16.29 μmol CO2 m-2 s-1, depended on the seasonal changes in soil temperature. The root mass at 0--10 cm soil depth was 0.82 and 1.27 kg m-2 in Apr. and Sep., respectively. The root mass at 0--10 cm soil depth comprised 60% of the total root mass at 0--50 cm soil depth. The root productivity at 0--30 cm depth varied from 8 to 180 g m-2 month-1. Microbial and root respiration rates ranged from 1.35 to 5.51 and 2.72 to 12.06 μmol CO2 m-2 s-1, respectively. The contribution of root respiration to the total soil CO2 efflux averaged 53%, ranging from 33% to 72%. The microbial respiration rate was exponentially related to soil temperature at 10 cm depth (R2 = 0.9400, P = 0.002, n = 6), and the root respiration rate was linearly related to the root production at 0--30 cm depth (R2 = 0.6561, P = 0.042, n = 6).     

The influence of land use and fallow period on the properties of two calcareous soils in the humid tropics of southern Mexico

Calcareous soils are common in the humid tropics of Mexico, but little is known about their productivity and resistance to changes in land use. The influence of land use and duration of fallow on physical and chemical properties were investigated in (a) a loamy Rendzina (at Site A) rich in organic matter and limited in depth by calcareous gravel, and (b) a deeper Calcaric Phaeozem (at Site B) with a more clayey texture throughout. Plots at different successional stages within farmers' shifting cultivation systems were selected on both soils: cropland/young fallow (zero years fallow length), shrub-fallow and tree-fallow at Site A, and cropland/young fallow and forest at Site B. Changes in soil properties suggested a process of recovery with fallow length, in which organic matter, total N and CEC increased with time. The increase in organic matter was remarkably large, on average 0.5–0.6% per year. The Rendzina contained more organic matter than the Calcaric Phaeozem, probably because of its greater carbonate content, which is presumed to protect organic matter against decomposition. The differences in soil properties were mostly greater over time than between treatments.     

Structural improvement in a grassland soil after changes to wheel-traffic systems to avoid soil compaction

Abstract. We report on a study aimed at assessing improvements in soil structure that developed when a reduced ground-pressure traffic system was introduced onto grassland previously compacted by conventional machinery traffic, and when a zero traffic system was introduced on land previously under a reduced ground-pressure system. Increases in the volume, average size, and number of macropores, measured by image analysis, together with decreases in vane shear strength indicated structural improvement in soil under the substitute traffic systems relative to the same soil in the original systems. A smaller content of organic matter in the soil of the substitute systems than in the original systems was attributed to improved aeration and greater earthworm activity in the former.     

The use of a nitrification inhibitor, dicyandiamide (DCD), to decrease nitrate leaching and nitrous oxide emissions in a simulated grazed and irrigated grassland

Abstract. In grazed dairy pasture systems, a major source of NO₃^– leached and N₂O emitted is the N returned in the urine from the grazing animal. The objective of this study was to use lysimeters to measure directly the effectiveness of a nitrification inhibitor, dicyandiamide (DCD), in decreasing NO₃^– leaching and N₂O emissions from urine patches in a grazed dairy pasture under irrigation. The soil was a free‐draining Lismore stony silt loam (Udic Haplustept loamy skeletal) and the pasture was a mixture of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and white clover (Trifolium repens). The use of DCD decreased NO₃^–‐N leaching by 76% for the urine N applied in the autumn, and by 42% for urine N applied in the spring, giving an annual average reduction of 59%. This would reduce the NO₃^–‐N leaching loss in a grazed paddock from 118 to 46 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1. The NO₃^–‐N concentration in the drainage water would be reduced accordingly from 19.7 to 7.7 mg N L^–1, with the latter being below the drinking water guideline of 11.3 mg N L^–1. Total N₂O emissions following two urine applications were reduced from 46 kg N₂O‐N ha^–1 without DCD to 8.5 kg N₂O‐N with DCD, representing an 82% reduction. In addition to the environmental benefits, the use of DCD also increased herbage production by more than 30%, from 11 to 15 t ha^–1 yr^–1. The use of DCD therefore has the potential to make dairy farming more environmentally sustainable by reducing NO₃^– leaching and N₂O emissions.     

Bryophytes in a changing landscape: The hierarchical effects of habitat fragmentation on ecological and evolutionary processes

Testing the myriad predictions associated with the community, demographic and genetic impacts of habitat fragmentation remains a high conservation priority. Many bryophyte taxa are ideal model systems for experimentally testing such metapopulation-based and population genetic predictions due to their relatively fast colonisation-extinction rates, high substrate specificity, dominant haploid condition, and diminutive size. Herein, we review the community, demographic and population genetic impacts of habitat fragmentation on bryophytes, highlight the present knowledge gaps, and offer ideas on how experimental studies utilizing bryophytes may be used to address the broader conservation implications associated with fragmented ecosystems. Previous research suggests that dispersal limitation best explains observed patterns of abundance and distribution of bryophytes in some fragmented habitats. However, edge effects influence bryophyte community structure of border habitats especially where abrupt differences in micro-climatic conditions between the matrix and the forest remnant exist, or where the species pool contains members with inherently restricted ecological amplitudes. Existing studies do not agree on the relationship between basic attributes of bryophyte community structure (i.e., species richness and local density), and habitat area and degree of spatial-isolation. Demographic studies are a critical step in structuring conservation strategies, however surprisingly little empirical information exists as to the impacts of habitat fragmentation on plant population dynamics. We propose that bryophytes offer great potential for testing predictions with respect to plant population persistence in spatially-structured landscapes.     

Identifying the position of the compacted layer by measuring soil penetration resistance in a dryland farming region in Northeast China

Topsoil is disturbed by ploughing, the effects of infiltration, the movement of fine particles from the topsoil to the subsoil, and direct pressure from agriculture machinery, all creating an abrupt delineation in the form of a compacted layer with very low permeability. Spatial variability of soil properties, such as soil structure and penetration resistance (PR), can help identify the compacted layer. However, there are no quantitative methods to describe this layer. In this study, PR was used to survey different soil types. A Mann–Kendall (M-K) test of PR data was used to identify the presence and position of the compacted layer in a dryland farming region of Northeast China. Our results demonstrated that PR was mainly affected by bulk density and soil water content. Compared with the topsoil, PR was more significantly affected by water content in deeper soil layers. An M-K test of the PR curve can provide a more reliable and objective assessment of the thickness of the plough layer and location of the compacted layer than field observation. Our data indicated that there was a compacted layer in the soil profile in the study areas and the spatial variability of the compacted layer was heterogeneous. The plough layer was shallow, and the compacted layer was thicker in areas with frequent use of agricultural machinery. Moreover, frequent use of agricultural machinery resulted in a PR of the plough and compacted layers that was greater than that in other areas. Information on identifying the position and thickness of the compacted layer and the factors influencing their spatial distribution can be used to create effective soil management options and improve conditions for the development of plant roots in dryland farming regions.