Responses of gross primary productivity to different sizes of precipitation events in a temperate grassland ecosystem in Inner Mongolia,China

Changes in the sizes of precipitation events in the context of global climate change may have profound impacts on ecosystem productivity in arid and semiarid grasslands. However, we still have little knowledge about to what extent grassland productivity will respond to an individual precipitation event. In this study, we quantified the duration, the maximum, and the time-integrated amount of the response of daily gross primary productivity(GPP) to an individual precipitation event and their variations with different sizes of precipitation events in a typical temperate steppe in Inner Mongolia, China. Results showed that the duration of GPP-response(τR) and the maximum absolute GPP-response(GPPmax) increased linearly with the sizes of precipitation events(Pes), driving a corresponding increase in time-integrated amount of the GPP-response(GPPtotal) because variations of GPPtotal were largely explained by τR and GPPmax. The relative contributions of these two parameters to GPPtotal were strongly Pes-dependent. The GPPmax contributed more to the variations of GPPtotal when Pes was relatively small(20 mm), whereas τR was the main driver to the variations of GPPtotal when Pes was relatively large. In addition, a threshold size of at least 5 mm of precipitation was required to induce a GPP-response for the temperate steppe in this study. Our work has important implications for the modeling community to obtain an advanced understanding of productivity-response of grassland ecosystems to altered precipitation regimes.     

Effects of grazing intensity on seed production of Caragana stenophylla along a climatic aridity gradient in the Inner Mongolia Steppe,China

As the increases of climatic aridity and grazing intensity,shrubs play an increasingly important role in grassland ecosystem in arid and semi-arid regions,and its abundance also generally increases.However,the effects of climatic aridity and grazing intensity on sexual reproduction of shrubs in grassland remain largely unclear.In order to understand the effects of grazing intensity and climatic drought stress,and their interaction on seed production of shrub species,we examined the seed number,seed weight and seed yield of Caragana stenophylla under three grazing intensities(fenced,mild grazing and severe grazing) across a climatic aridity gradient(semi-arid,arid,very arid and intensively arid zones) in the Inner Mongolia Steppe,northern China during 2012–2013.The seed number,seed weight and seed yield gradually increased from the semi-arid to the very arid zones,but decreased from the very arid to the intensively arid zones in fenced plots.The seed number and seed yield decreased from the semi-arid to the intensively arid zones in mild and severe grazing treatment plots,therefore,grazing enhanced the suppression effect of climatic aridity on seed production of C.stenophylla.The seed number and seed yield gradually decreased as grazing intensity increased.The seed weight was highest in severe grazing plots,followed by the mild grazing plots and then the fenced plots.Precipitation varied interannually during the study period.We observed that the seed number,seed weight and seed yield were lower in the low precipitation year(2013) than in the high precipitation year(2012).As climatic drought stress increased,the negative effects of grazing on seed production of C.stenophylla also gradually increased.Our results indicated that climatic drought stress may contribute to the encroachment of C.stenophylla shrub in arid zones by promoting its seed production.However,grazing had negative effects on sexual reproduction of C.stenophylla,and the combined effects of drought stress and grazing seriously suppressed sexual reproduction of C.stenophylla in the intensively arid zone.     

Atmospheric deposition of inorganic nitrogen in a semi-arid grassland of Inner Mongolia,China

Due to increasing global demand for crop production and energy use, more and more reactive nitrogen(Nr) has been generated and emitted to the environment. As a result, global atmospheric nitrogen(N) deposition has tripled since the industrial revolution and the ecological environment and human health have been harmed. In this study, we measured dry and wet/bulk N deposition from July 2013 to December 2015 in a semi-arid grassland of Duolun County, Inner Mongolia, China. The samples of dry and wet/bulk N deposition were collected monthly with a DELTA(DEnuder for Long Term Atmospheric sampling) system and with Gradko passive samplers and a precipitation gauge. The measured results show that the annual mean concentrations of NH_3, NO_2, HNO_3, particulate NH_4~+(pNH_4~+) and particulate NO_3~-(pNO_3~-) in atmosphere were 2.33, 1.90, 0.18, 1.42 and 0.42 μg N/m3, respectively, and that the annual mean volume-weighted concentrations of NH_4~+-N and NO_3~--N in precipitation were 2.71 and 1.99 mg N/L, respectively. The concentrations of Nr components(including NH_3, NO_2, HNO_3, p NH_4~+, pNO_3~-, NH_4~+-N and NO_3~--N) exhibited different seasonal variations. Specifically, NO_2 and HNO_3 exhibited higher concentrations in autumn than in summer, while the other Nr components(NH_3, pNH_4~+, pNO_3~-, NH_4~+-N and NO_3~--N) showed the highest values in summer. Based on measured concentrations of Nr components and their deposition velocities estimated using the GEOS-Chem global atmospheric chemical transport model, the calculated annual mean dry deposition fluxes were 3.17, 1.13, 0.63, 0.91 and 0.36 kg N/(hm~2·a) for NH_3, NO_2, HNO_3, p NH_4~+ and pNO_3~-, respectively, and the calculated annual mean wet/bulk deposition fluxes were 5.37 and 3.15 kg N/(hm~2·a) for NH_4~+-N and NO_3~--N, respectively. The estimated annual N deposition(including dry N deposition and wet/bulk N deposition) reached 14.7 kg N/(hm~2·a) in grassland of Duolun County, approaching to the upper limit of the N critical load(10–15 kg N/(hm~2·a)). Dry and wet/bulk deposition fluxes of all Nr components(with an exception of HNO_3) showed similar seasonal variations with the maximum deposition flux in summer and the minimum in winter. Reduced Nr components(e.g., gaseous NH_3 and p NH_4~+ in atmosphere and NH_4~+-N in precipitation) dominated the total N deposition at the sampling site(accounted for 64% of the total N deposition), suggesting that the deposited atmospheric Nr mainly originated from agricultural activities. Considering the projected future increases in crop and livestock production in Inner Mongolia, the ecological and human risks to the negative effects of increased N deposition could be increased if no mitigation measures are taken.     

Litter decomposition and C and N dynamics as affected by N additions in a semi-arid temperate steppe,Inner Mongolia of China

Litter decomposition is the fundamental process in nutrient cycling and soil carbon（C） sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems. The global-wide increase in nitrogen（N） inputs is expected to alter litter decomposition and,ultimately, affect ecosystem C storage and nutrient status. Temperate grassland ecosystems in China are usually N-deficient and particularly sensitive to the changes in exogenous N additions. In this paper, we conducted a 1,200-day in situ experiment in a typical semi-arid temperate steppe in Inner Mongolia to investigate the litter decomposition as well as the dynamics of litter C and N concentrations under three N addition levels（low N with 50 kg N/（hm2？a）（LN）, medium N with 100 kg N/（hm2？a）（MN）, and high N with 200 kg N/（hm2？a）（HN）） and three N addition forms（ammonium-N-based with 100 kg N/（hm2？a） as ammonium sulfate（AS）, nitrate-N-based with 100 kg N/（hm2？a） as sodium nitrate（SN）, and mixed-N-based with 100 kg N/（hm2？a） as calcium ammonium nitrate（CAN）） compared to control with no N addition（CK）. The results indicated that the litter mass remaining in all N treatments exhibited a similar decomposition pattern： fast decomposition within the initial 120 days, followed by a relatively slow decomposition in the remaining observation period（120–1,200 days）. The decomposition pattern in each treatment was fitted well in two split-phase models, namely, a single exponential decay model in phase I（〈398 days） and a linear decay function in phase II（≥398 days）. The three N addition levels exerted insignificant effects on litter decomposition in the early stages（〈398 days, phase I; P〉0.05）. However, MN and HN treatments inhibited litter mass loss after 398 and 746 days, respectively（P〈0.05）. AS and SN treatments exerted similar effects on litter mass remaining during the entire decomposition period（P〉0.05）. The effects of these two N addition forms differed greatly from those of CAN aft     

Effects of climate change on phenology and primary productivity in the desert steppe of Inner Mongolia

 Variations in temperature and precipitation affect local ecosystems. Considerable spatial and temporal heterogeneity exists in arid ecosystems such as desert steppes. We analyzed the spatiotemporal dynamics of climate and vegetation phenology in the desert steppe of Inner Mongolia, China, using meteorological data from 11 stations (1961–2010) and phenology data from 6 ecological stations (2004–2012). We also estimated the gross primary production for the period of 1982–2009 and found that the annual mean temperature increased at a rate of 0.47ºC/decade during 1961–2010, with the last 10 years being consistently warmer than the 50-year mean. The most significant warming occurred in winters. Annual precipitation slightly decreased during the 50-year period, with summer precipitation experiencing the highest drop in the last 10 years, and spring precipitation, a rise. Spatially, annual precipitation increased significantly in the northeast and eastern central area of the region next to the typical steppe. From 2004 to 2012, vegetation green-up and senescence date advanced in the area, shortening the growing season. Consequently, the primary productivity of the desert steppe decreased along precipitation gradient from southeast to northwest. Temporally, productivity increased during the period of 1982–1999 and significantly decreased after 2000. Overall, the last decade witnessed the most dramatic climatic changes that were likely to negatively affect the desert steppe ecosystem. The decreased primary productivity, in particular, decreases ecosystem resilience and impairs the livelihood of local farmers and herdsmen.     

Spatio-temporal patterns of satellite-derived grassland vegetation phenology from 1998 to 2012 in Inner Mongolia,China

Spatio-temporal variations of vegetation phenology, e.g. start of green-up season(SOS) and end of vegetation season(EOS), serve as important indicators of ecosystems. Routinely processed products from remotely sensed imagery, such as the normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI), can be used to map such variations. A remote sensing approach to tracing vegetation phenology was demonstrated here in application to the Inner Mongolia grassland, China. SOS and EOS mapping at regional and vegetation type(meadow steppe, typical steppe, desert steppe and steppe desert) levels using SPOT-VGT NDVI series allows new insights into the grassland ecosystem. The spatial and temporal variability of SOS and EOS during 1998–2012 was highlighted and presented, as were SOS and EOS responses to the monthly climatic fluctuations. Results indicated that SOS and EOS did not exhibit consistent shifts at either regional or vegetation type level; the one exception was the steppe desert, the least productive vegetation cover, which exhibited a progressive earlier SOS and later EOS. Monthly average temperature and precipitation in preseason(February, March and April) imposed most remarkable and negative effects on SOS(except for the non-significant impact of precipitation on that of the meadow steppe), while the climate impact on EOS was found to vary considerably between the vegetation types. Results showed that the spatio-temporal variability of the vegetation phenology of the meadow steppe, typical steppe and desert steppe could be reflected by the monthly thermal and hydrological factors but the progressive earlier SOS and later EOS of the highly degraded steppe desert might be accounted for by non-climate factors only, suggesting that the vegetation growing period in the highly degraded areas of the grassland could be extended possibly by human interventions.     

Influence of climate warming and nitrogen deposition on soil phosphorus composition and phosphorus availability in a temperate grassland,China

Climate warming and nitrogen(N)deposition change ecosystem processes,structure,and functioning whereas the phosphorus(P)composition and availability directly influence the ecosystem structure under conditions of N deposition.In our study,four treatments were designed,including a control,diurnal warming(DW),N deposition(ND),and combined warming and N deposition(WN).The effects of DW,ND,and WN on P composition were studied by31P nuclear magnetic resonance(31P NMR)spectroscopy in a temperate grassland region of China.The results showed that the N deposition decreased the soil pH and total N(TN)concentration but increased the soil Olsen-P concentration.The solution-state31P NMR analysis showed that the DW,ND and WN treatments slightly decreased the proportion of orthophosphate and increased that of the monoesters.An absence of myo-inositol phosphate in the DW,ND and WN treatments was observed compared with the control.Furthermore,the DW,ND and WN treatments significantly decreased the recovery of soil P in the NaOH–EDTA solution by17%–20%.The principal component analysis found that the soil pH was positively correlated with the P recovery in the NaOH–EDTA solution.Therefore,the decreased soil P recovery in the DW and ND treatments might be caused by an indirect influence on the soil pH.Additionally,the soil moisture content was the key factor limiting the available P.The positive correlation of total carbon(TC)and TN with the soil P composition indicated the influence of climate warming and N deposition on the biological processes in the soil P cycling.     

Response of soil N_2O emissions to precipitation pulses under different nitrogen availabilities in a semiarid temperate steppe of Inner Mongolia,China

Short-term nitrous oxide（N2O） pulse emissions caused by precipitation account for a considerable portion of the annual N2O emissions and are greatly influenced by soil nitrogen（N） dynamics. However, in Chinese semiarid temperate steppes, the response of N2O emissions to the coupling changes of precipitation and soil N availability is not yet fully understood. In this study, we conducted two 7-day field experiments in a semiarid temperate typical steppe of Inner Mongolia, China, to investigate the N2O emission pulses resulting from artificial precipitation events（approximately equivalent to 10.0 mm rainfall） under four N addition levels（0, 5, 10 and 20 g N/（m2·a）） using the static opaque chamber technique. The results show that the simulated rainfall during the dry period in 2010 caused greater short-term emission bursts than that during the relatively rainy observation period in 2011（P〈0.05）. No significant increase was observed for either the N2O peak effluxes or the weekly cumulative emissions（P〉0.05） with single water addition. The peak values of N2O efflux increased with the increasing N input. Only the treatments with water and medium（WN10） or high N addition（WN20） significantly increased the cumulative N2O emissions（P〈0.01） in both experimental periods. Under drought condition, the variations in soil N2O effluxes were positively correlated with the soil NH4-N concentrations in the three N input treatments（WN5, WN10, and WN20）. Besides, the soil moisture and temperature also greatly influenced the N2O pulse emissions, particularly the N2O pulse under the relatively rainy soil condition or in the treatments without N addition（ZN and ZWN）. The responses of the plant metabolism to the varying precipitation distribution and the length of drought period prior to rainfall could greatly affect the soil N dynamics and N2O emission pulses in semiarid grasslands.     

CO_2,CH_4 and N_2O flux changes in degraded grassland soil of Inner Mongolia,China

The main purpose of this study was to explore the dynamic changes of greenhouse gas(GHG)from grasslands under different degradation levels during the growing seasons of Inner Mongolia, China.Grassland degradation is associated with the dynamics of GHG fluxes, e.g., CO_2, CH_4 and N_2O fluxes. As one of the global ecological environmental problems, grassland degradation has changed the vegetation productivity as well as the accumulation and decomposition rates of soil organic matter and thus will influence the carbon and nitrogen cycles of ecosystems, which will affect the GHG fluxes between grassland ecosystems and the atmosphere. Therefore, it is necessary to explore how the exchanges of CO_2,CH_4 and N_2O fluxes between soil and atmosphere are influenced by the grassland degradation. We measured the fluxes of CO_2, CH_4 and N_2O in lightly degraded, moderately degraded and severely degraded grasslands in Inner Mongolia of China during the growing seasons from July to September in 2013 and 2014. The typical semi-arid grassland of Inner Mongolia plays a role as the source of atmospheric CO_2 and N_2O and the sink for CH_4. Compared with CO_2 fluxes, N_2O and CH_4 fluxes were relatively low. The exchange of CO_2, N_2O and CH_4 fluxes between the grassland soil and the atmosphere may exclusively depend on the net exchange rate of CO_2 in semi-arid grasslands. The greenhouse gases showed a clear seasonal pattern, with the CO_2 fluxes of –33.63–386.36 mg/(m·h), CH_4 uptake fluxes of 0.113–0.023 mg/(m·h) and N_2O fluxes of –1.68–19.90 μg/(m·h). Grassland degradation significantly influenced CH_4 uptake but had no significant influence on CO_2 and N_2O emissions. Soil moisture and temperature were positively correlated with CO_2 emissions but had no significant effect on N_2O fluxes.Soil moisture may be the primary driving factor for CH_4 uptake. The research results can be in help to better understand the impact of grassland degradation on the ecological environment.     

Interactive effects of soil temperature and moisture on soil N mineralization in a Stipa krylovii grassland in Inner Mongolia,China

Determining soil N mineralization response to soil temperature and moisture changes is challenging in the field due to complicated effects from other factors. In the laboratory, N mineralization is highly dependent on temperature, moisture and sample size. In this study, a laboratory incubation experiment was carefully designed and conducted under controlled conditions to examine the effects of soil temperature and moisture on soil N mineralization using soil samples obtained from the Stipa krylovii grassland in Inner Mongolia, China. Five temperature(i.e. 9°C, 14°C, 22°C, 30°C and 40°C) and five moisture levels(i.e. 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% WHC, where WHC is the soil water holding capacity) were included in a full-factorial design. During the 71-day incubation period, microbial biomass carbon(MBC), ammonium nitrogen(NH4 +-N) and nitrate nitrogen(NO3--N) were measured approximately every 18 days; soil basal respiration for qCO2 index was measured once every 2 days(once a week near the end of the incubation period). The results showed that the mineral N production and net N mineralization rates were positively correlated with temperature; the strongest correlation was observed for temperatures between 30°C and 40°C. The relationships between moisture levels and both the mineral N production and net N mineralization rates were quadratic. The interaction between soil temperature and moisture was significant on N mineralization, i.e. increasing temperatures(moisture) enhanced the sensitivity of N mineralization to moisture(temperature). Our results also showed a positive correlation between the net nitrification rate and temperature, while the correlation between the NH4 +-N content and temperature was insignificant. The net nitrification rate was negatively correlated with high NH4 +-N contents at 80%–100% WHC, suggesting an active denitrification in moist conditions. Moreover, qCO2 index was positively correlated with temperature, especially at 80% WHC. With a low net nitrification rate and high soil basal respiration rate, it was likely that the denitrification concealed the microbial gross mineralization activity; therefore, active soil N mineralization occurred in 60%–80% WHC conditions.     

围栏禁牧对毛乌素沙地土壤理化特征的影响

过度放牧导致干旱半干旱区毛乌素沙地草地严重退化。通过禁牧措施排除放牧干扰,使草地自然恢复,作为一种低投入的措施在世界各国退化草地生态系统恢复中得到广泛采用。文中对毛乌素沙地三种不同管理类型(持续放牧、围栏5年和围栏16年)土壤理化性状进行了研究,研究结果显示:围栏禁牧5年对0～30cm土壤颗粒组成和容重没有显著影响;围栏禁牧16年0～10cm土壤容重显著小于持续放牧区,而极细沙、粉粒和粘粒含量显著高于持续放牧区;围栏5年显著增加了0～5cm土壤有机碳,而0～30cm的全氮均没有显著增加。围栏16年土壤有机碳较放牧区在0～5cm、5～10cm、10～30cm分别显著增加了231%、81%、55%;全氮含量的变化趋势与之相同。结果表明,围栏5年对土壤粘粉粒、全氮含量的恢复基本没有效果;围栏16年能显著增加表层土壤粘粉粒含量和有机碳、全氮,但土壤碳、氮水平还是在比较低的水平(有机碳:4.30g.kg-1;全氮:0.74g.kg-1),即长期禁牧可以逐渐改善土壤质地和提高土壤肥力。研究结果为半干旱退化沙质草地生态系统的恢复、重建及管理提供科学依据。     

Effects of grassland management on the community structure,aboveground biomass and stability of a temperate steppe in Inner Mongolia,China

Plant community structure responds strongly to anthropogenic disturbances, which greatly influence community stability. The changes in community structure, aboveground biomass(AGB), biodiversity and community stability associated with different management practices were studied with a three-year field investigation in a temperate steppe of Inner Mongolia, China. The species richness, Shannon-Wiener index, evenness, plant functional type abundance, AGB, temporal community stability, summed covariance, scaling coefficient and dominant species stability were compared among areas subjected to long-term reservation(R), long-term grazing(G), mowing since enclosure in 2008(M) and grazing enclosure since 2008(E). Site R had higher perennial grass abundance and lower species richness than sites G, M and E, although the AGB was not significantly different among the four sites. The species structure varied from a single dominant species at site R to multiple dominant species at sites G, M and E. The long-term reservation grassland had lower biodiversity but higher stability, whereas the enclosed grassland with/without mowing had higher biodiversity but lower stability. Different stability mechanisms, such as the compensatory dynamics, mean-variance scaling and dominant species stability were examined. Results showed that community stability was most closely related to the relative stability of the dominant species, which supports the biomass ratio hypothesis proposed by Grime.     

Interactive effects of wind speed,vegetation coverage and soil moisture in controlling wind erosion in a temperate desert steppe,Inner Mongolia of China

The rapid desertification of grasslands in Inner Mongolia of China poses a significant ecological threaten to northern China. The combined effects of anthropogenic disturbances(e.g., overgrazing) and biophysical processes(e.g., soil erosion) have led to vegetation degradation and the consequent acceleration of regional desertification. Thus, mitigating the accelerated wind erosion, a cause and effect of grassland desertification, is critical for the sustainable management of grasslands. Here, a combination of mobile wind tunnel experiments and wind erosion model was used to explore the effects of different levels of vegetation coverage, soil moisture and wind speed on wind erosion at different positions of a slope inside an enclosed desert steppe in the Xilamuren grassland of Inner Mongolia. The results indicated a significant spatial difference in wind erosion intensities depending on the vegetation coverage, with a strong decreasing trend from the top to the base of the slope. Increasing vegetation coverage resulted in a rapid decrease in wind erosion as explained by a power function correlation. Vegetation coverage was found to be a dominant control on wind erosion by increasing the surface roughness and by lowering the threshold wind velocity for erosion. The critical vegetation coverage required for effectively controlling wind erosion was found to be higher than 60%. Further, the wind erosion rates were negatively correlated with surface soil moisture and the mass flux in aeolian sand transport increased with increasing wind speed. We developed a mathematical model of wind erosion based on the results of an orthogonal array design. The results from the model simulation indicated that the standardized regression coefficients of the main effects of the three factors(vegetation coverage, soil moisture and wind speed) on the mass flux in aeolian sand transport were in the following order: wind speedvegetation coveragesoil moisture. These three factors had different levels of interactive effects on the mass flux in aeolian sand transport. Our results will improve the understanding of the interactive effects of wind speed, vegetation coverage and soil moisture in controlling wind erosion in desert steppes, and will be helpful for the design of desertification control programs in future.     

Effects of grazing on net primary productivity,evapotranspiration and water use efficiency in the grasslands of Xinjiang,China

Grazing is a main human activity in the grasslands of Xinjiang, China. It is vital to identify the effects of grazing on the sustainable utilization of local grasslands. However, the effects of grazing on net primary productivity(NPP), evapotranspiration(ET) and water use efficiency(WUE) in this region remain unclear. Using the spatial Biome-BGC grazing model, we explored the effects of grazing on NPP, ET and WUE across the different regions and grassland types in Xinjiang during 1979–2012. NPP, ET and WUE under the grazed scenario were generally lower than those under the ungrazed scenario, and the differences showed increasing trends over time. The decreases in NPP, ET and WUE varied significantly among the regions and grassland types. NPP decreased as follows: among the regions, Northern Xinjiang(16.60 g C/(m~2·a)), Tianshan Mountains(15.94 g C/(m~2·a)) and Southern Xinjiang(-3.54 g C/(m~2·a)); and among the grassland types, typical grasslands(25.70 g C/(m~2·a)), swamp meadows(25.26 g C/(m~2·a)), mid-mountain meadows(23.39 g C/(m~2·a)), alpine meadows(6.33 g C/(m~2·a)), desert grasslands(5.82 g C/(m~2·a)) and saline meadows(2.90 g C/(m~2·a)). ET decreased as follows: among the regions, Tianshan Mountains(28.95 mm/a), Northern Xinjiang(8.11 mm/a) and Southern Xinjiang(7.57 mm/a); and among the grassland types, mid-mountain meadows(29.30 mm/a), swamp meadows(25.07 mm/a), typical grasslands(24.56 mm/a), alpine meadows(20.69 mm/a), desert grasslands(11.06 mm/a) and saline meadows(3.44 mm/a). WUE decreased as follows: among the regions, Northern Xinjiang(0.053 g C/kg H_2O), Tianshan Mountains(0.034 g C/kg H_2O) and Southern Xinjiang(0.012 g C/kg H_2O); and among the grassland types, typical grasslands(0.0609 g C/kg H_2O), swamp meadows(0.0548 g C/kg H_2O), mid-mountain meadows(0.0501 g C/kg H_2O), desert grasslands(0.0172 g C/kg H_2O), alpine meadows(0.0121 g C/kg H_2O) and saline meadows(0.0067 g C/kg H_2O). In general, the decreases in NPP and WUE were more significant in the regions with relatively high levels of vegetation growth because of the high grazing intensity in these regions. The decreases in ET were significant in mountainous areas due to the terrain and high grazing intensity.     

白菜型冬油菜在北方寒旱区的适应性分析

采用多点试验,对白菜型冬油菜在北方地区的越冬率、生育期及产量进行比较,以分析其适应性.结果表明,不同冬油菜品种越冬率存在较大差异,依次表现为陇油6号＞陇油7号＞陇油8号＞陇油9号＞天油2号(CK)＞天油5号＞天油8号＞天油7号,其中陇油6号和陇油7号越冬率最高,分别为86.40％和85.53％,明显高于CK,而天油7号与天油8号的越冬率仅分别为54.07％和55.50％,均低于CK;同一参试品种在不同试点生育期差异较大,如陇油6号在秦王川试点,生育期长达300 d,而在和田,其生育期仅为251 d,较秦王川试点提前49 d;不同冬油菜品种间生育期差异也较大,在秦王川,陇油6号和陇油7号的生育期最长,为300 d,陇油8号为295 d,而其它各参试品种的生育期均为290 d,较陇油6号缩短了10 d;在不同试点,冬油菜农艺性状和含油率均存在较大差异.综合分析,陇油8号、陇油7号、陇油6号的丰产性和稳定性最好,其次为陇油9号;不同生态区区域适宜种植的冬油菜品种也有差异,其中陇油6号、陇油7号可成为北京及周边地区、新疆乌鲁木齐以西地区、甘肃中北部与河西走廊以及陕西靖边周边地区的主栽品种,而新疆乌鲁木齐以南地区应以陇油8号与陇油9号为主栽品种,天油2号、天油5号及天油8号也适宜在该地区种植.     

Ecological stoichiometry and biomass response of Agropyron michnoi Roshev. under simulated N deposition in a sandy grassland,China

Sandy grassland in northern China is a fragile ecosystem with poor soil fertility. Exploring how plant species regulate growth and nutrient absorption under the background of nitrogen (N) deposition is crucial for the management of the sandy grassland ecosystem. We carried out a field experiment with six N levels in the Hulunbuir Sandy Land of China from 2014 to 2016 and explored the Agropyron michnoi Roshev. responses of both aboveground and belowground biomasses and carbon (C), N and phosphorus (P) concentrations in the plant tissues and soil. With increasing N addition, both aboveground and belowground biomasses and C, N and P concentrations in the plant tissues increased and exhibited a single-peak curve. C:N and C:P ratios of the plant tissues first decreased but then increased, while the trend for N:P ratio was opposite. The peak values of aboveground biomass, belowground biomass and C concentration in the plant tissues occurred at the level of 20 g N/(m²·a), while those of N and P concentrations in the plant tissues occurred at the level of 15 g N/(m²·a). The maximum growth percentages of aboveground and belowground biomasses were 324.2% and 75.9%, respectively, and the root to shoot ratio (RSR) decreased with the addition of N. N and P concentrations in the plant tissues were ranked in the order of leaves>roots>stems, while C concentration was ranked as roots>leaves>stems. The increase in N concentration in the plant tissues was the largest (from 34% to 162%), followed by the increase in P (from 10% to 33%) and C (from 8% to 24%) concentrations. The aboveground biomass was positively and linearly correlated with leaf C, N and P, and soil C and N concentrations, while the belowground biomass was positively and linearly correlated with leaf N and soil C concentrations. These results showed that the accumulation of N and P in the leaves caused the increase in the aboveground biomass, while the accumulation of leaf N resulted in the increase in the belowground biomass. N deposition can alter the allocation of C, N and P stoichiometry in the plant tissues and has a high potential for increasing plant biomass, which is conducive to the restoration of sandy grassland.     

Changes in soil carbon stocks and related soil properties along a 50-year grassland-to-cropland conversion chronosequence in an agro-pastoral ecotone of Inner Mongolia, China

Land use change significantly influences soil properties.There is little information available on the long-term effects of post-reclamation from grassland to cropland on soil properties.We compared soil carbon(C) and nitrogen(N) storage and related soil properties in a 50-year cultivation chronosequence of grassland in the agro-pastoral ecotone of Inner Mongolia.Field surveys on land use changes during the period of 1955-2002 were conducted to build a chronosequence of cropland of different ages since the conversion from grassland.The results showed that soil C and N storage,soil texture,and soil nutrient contents varied with land use types and cropland ages(P<0.01).In the 0-30 cm soil layer,the soil organic carbon(SOC) density was significantly lower in the croplands(3.28 kg C/m2 for C50 soil) than in the grasslands(6.32 kg C/m2).After 5,10,15,20,35,and 50 years of crop planting(years since the onset of cultivation),the SOC losses were 17%,12%,19%,47%,46%,and 48%,respectively,compared with the grasslands.The soil total nitrogen(TN) density of the grasslands was 65 g N/m2,and TN density of the cropland soil was 35 g N/m2 after 50 years of crop planting.Both the SOC and TN densities could be quantitatively determined by a negative exponential function of cropland age(P<0.0001,R2=0.8528;P<0.0001,R2=0.9637).The dissolved organic carbon(DOC) content,soil available potassium(AK) content,clay content,and pH value were decreased;and the soil bulk density and sand content were increased since the conversion of grassland into cropland during the 50-year period.Our results show soil nutrients were higher in grassland than in cropland.The conversion of grasslands to croplands induced a loss of soil C storage and changes of related soil properties.The reclamation time of cultivated soil(cropland age) had significant effects on soil properties in the study area.     

Temporal and spatial variations of net primary productivity and its response to groundwater of a typical oasis in the Tarim Basin,China

Net primary productivity (NPP) of the vegetation in an oasis can reflect the productivity capacity of a plant community under natural environmental conditions. Owing to the extreme arid climate conditions and scarce precipitation in the arid oasis regions, groundwater plays a key role in restricting the development of the vegetation. The Qira Oasis is located on the southern margin of the Taklimakan Desert (Tarim Basin, China) that is one of the most vulnerable regions regarding vegetation growth and water scarcity in the world. Based on remote sensing images of the Qira Oasis and daily meteorological data measured by the ground stations during the period 2006-2019, this study analyzed the temporal and spatial patterns of NPP in the oasis as well as its relation with the variation of groundwater depth using a modified Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach (CASA) model. At the spatial scale, NPP of the vegetation decreased from the interior of the Qira Oasis to the margin; at the temporal scale, NPP of the vegetation in the oasis fluctuated significantly (ranging from 29.80 to 50.07 g C/(m²•month)) but generally showed an increasing trend, with the average increase rate of 0.07 g C/(m²•month). The regions with decreasing NPP occupied 64% of the total area of the oasis. During the study period, NPP of both farmland and grassland showed an increasing trend, while that of forest showed a decreasing trend. The depth of groundwater was deep in the south of the oasis and shallow in the north, showing a gradual increasing trend from south to north. Groundwater, as one of the key factors in the surface change and evolution of the arid oasis, determines the succession direction of the vegetation in the Qira Oasis. With the increase of groundwater depth, grassland coverage and vegetation NPP decreased. During the period 2008-2015, with the recovery of groundwater level, NPP values of all types of vegetation with different coverages increased. This study will provide a scientific basis for the rational utilization and sustainable management of groundwater resources in the oasis.     

河北省和山东省黄瓜霜霉病菌对氟吡菌胺的抗性及常规药剂对黄瓜霜霉病的田间防效

为明确黄瓜霜霉病菌Pseudoperonospora cubensis对氟吡菌胺的抗性时空动态,2011—2016年从河北省和山东省黄瓜主产区采集1 821株霜霉病菌,采用叶盘漂浮法检测供试菌株对氟吡菌胺的敏感性,并以茎叶喷雾法评估5种常规药剂对黄瓜霜霉病的田间防效。结果表明,河北省和山东省黄瓜主产区的黄瓜霜霉病菌对氟吡菌胺已普遍产生了低度抗性,平均抗性倍数为5.86;所有供试菌株的抗性频率为51.89%,其中低抗菌株及中抗菌株分别占36.18%和15.71%;平均抗性指数为0.34,每年检测的抗性频率、抗性倍数及抗性指数呈增长趋势,且随着监测区域的变化而变化。在河北省定兴县和山东省寿光市进行的田间防效试验结果显示,按推荐剂量喷施,687.5 g/L氟吡菌胺·霜霉威盐酸盐SC对黄瓜霜霉病防效显著高于常规对照药剂68%精甲霜灵·代森锰锌WG、58%甲霜灵·代森锰锌WP、80%代森锰锌WP及250 g/L嘧菌酯SC的防效,但防效明显下降,由2011年的92.58%～93.31%降至2016年的80.07%～80.82%。表明需要制定和实施抗药性治理对策,如限制山东和河北2省黄瓜的每个生长季节中687.5 g/L氟菌·霜霉威SC的使用不超过2次,而且要与不同作用机理的卵菌杀菌剂交替使用防治黄瓜霜霉病。     

内蒙古亚洲小车蝗种群遗传多样性和遗传分化的ISSR分析

亚洲小车蝗Oedaleus asiaticus Bei-Bienko是我国北方草原和农牧交错区的主要害虫。为评价内蒙古地区亚洲小车蝗种群的遗传多样性和遗传分化,应用ISSR标记方法对内蒙古15个亚洲小车蝗种群遗传多样性及遗传分化进行了分析。结果表明,7条引物扩增出85条ISSR条带,均为多态性条带。多态性比例（P）、Nei''s遗传多样性指数（H）和香农多样性指数（I）分别为82.59%、0.2319和0.3421,表明亚洲小车蝗种群具有较高的遗传多样性。基因流（Nm）和基因分化系数（Gst）分别为1.2298和0.3352,表明亚洲小车蝗不同地理种群具有明显的遗传分化。遗传距离与地理距离呈极显著正相关关系。表明地理距离和地形差异可能是形成亚洲小车蝗种群遗传分化的主要原因。