Post Hoc Assessment of Stand Structure Across European Wood-Pastures: Implications for Land Use Policy

Europe’s woodland and savanna rangelands, often part of silvopastoral systems known as wood-pastures, are deteriorating because of abandonment that leads to return to a forested state or lack of tree regeneration from overgrazing or tree and shrub removal. Despite numerous local studies, there has been no broader survey of the stand structure of European wood-pastures showing which systems are at risk of losing their semiopen character. This overview aims to 1) show some of the differences and similarities in wood-pastures from landscapes across Europe and 2) identify which of these wood-pastures are at risk of losing their semiopen character. We collated a dataset of 13 693 trees from 390 plots in wood-pastures from eight different European regions (western Estonia, eastern Greece, northern Germany, Hungary, northern Italy, southern Portugal, central Romania, and southern Sweden), including tree diameters at breast height, tree density, management type, and tree species composition. On the basis of their structural characteristics, we classified wood-pastures using principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis. The PCA showed a gradient from dense wood-pastures with high levels of regeneration (e.g., in Estonia) to sparse wood-pastures with large trees but a lack of regeneration (e.g., in Romania). Along this gradient, we identified three main groups of wood-pastures: 1) sparse wood-pastures with mostly big trees; 2) dense wood-pastures composed of small trees, and 3) wood-pastures containing a wide range of tree ages. Our results show a large structural gradient in European wood-pastures, as well as regeneration problems varying in their severity, highlighting the importance of social-ecological context for wood-pasture conditions. To maintain the ecological and cultural integrity of European wood-pastures, we suggest 1) more comprehensively considering them in European policies such as the Common Agricultural Policy and EU Habitats Directive, while 2) taking into account their structural characteristics and social-ecological backgrounds.     

Foraging behavior of heifers with or without social models in an unfamiliar site containing high plant diversity

Grazing behavior, diet selection and weight gain of heifers (with or without social models) were assessed in an unfamiliar site containing high plant diversity. The study was performed within a tropical forest ecosystem containing a mixture of grass forb/herb, shrub and tree species. Ten inexperienced crossbred Bos taurus × Bos indicus heifers (7 ± 1 months old) were randomly assigned to one of two groups: naive or naive + social model (sm) and two experienced heifers (16 months old) were assigned to the second group. Naive heifers were bottle-nursed from days 2 to 90 after birth and began grazing at 1 month of age in tropical grass monocultures, while experienced animals had been foraging in sites containing a high diversity of plant species for 3 months prior to the study. Each group grazed in separate paddocks for a 12-week period during the rainy season, and animals were observed using focal sampling from 7:00 to 19:30 h to assess diet composition based on bite counts. Weight gain was assessed every 14 days. Paddocks contained from 1481 to 1789 kg/ha of herbaceous dry matter, enough to support the heifers throughout the study without affecting diet selection. Shrub and tree cover ranged from 55.2 to 58.4% across treatments. Bites per minute were adjusted to a log-scaled quadratic-plateau model and the curves showed no differences between treatments (P = 0.756). However, diet composition differed between groups (P < 0.001), with naive + sm heifers ingesting a greater proportion of trees (P < 0.001) and shrubs (P = 0.02), while naive heifers ingested more forb/herbs (P = 0.02); no difference in grass consumption was observed (P = 0.92). Heifers in both treatments consumed the same plant species (50 from 26 families). Over time, utilization of several plant species increased or decreased (P < 0.05), eventually leveling off for the remainder of the study. Although differences in diet composition were observed, they did not affect overall weight gain (117 and 113 g/day in the naive and naive + sm groups, respectively; P = 0.913). However, initial post-weaning weight loss was avoided in the naive + sm group. Social learning facilitates a higher use of shrubs and trees in tropical pastures containing a high diversity of plant species with different growth habits. As many plant species have high potential as forage, more effort should be placed on developing mechanisms to increase their dietary inclusion by cattle.     

森林生态系统内灌草植被生物量估测方法的研究

以相同立地条件下北京林业大学妙峰山实验林场的油松林、栓皮栎林和针阔混交林林下灌草为对象,分别采用模型法和样方全收获法对灌木层和草本层生物量进行研究,其中灌木层调查灌木种高度、基径、冠幅范围和干湿比,通过回归分析构建物种以地径平方与株高乘积(D²H、DH)、植冠面积(A)和植冠体积(V)为自变量的各器官及全株生物量模型,选出R²较大、SEE较小的模型作为最优模型,并用最优模型对不同类型林下灌木层各物种生物量进行了研究;草本层通过样方全收获法将选取的样方草本全部收获烘干称重计算干湿比,从而推算林分草本生物量。结果表明,灌木层单一物种各器官生物量采用的最优模型由多到少依次为三次方程、幂函数方程、二次方程和一次方程;各器官最优模型采用自变量多为V、D²H、DH和A。不同森林的灌草生物量组成存在较大差异,其中灌木层生物量为:油松林>栓皮栎林>针阔混交林;草本层生物量为:针阔混交林>栓皮栎林>油松林;林下灌草层总生物量为:针阔混交林>栓皮栎林>油松林;灌木层单一物种器官茎和根的生物量大于枝和叶的生物量,不同林型草本层的地上生物量大于地下生物量,灌木层生物量大于草本层。     

Effect of Pinyon–Juniper Tree Cover on the Soil Seed Bank

As pinyon–juniper (specifically, Pinus monophylla and Juniperus osteosperma) woodlands in the western United States increase in distribution and density, understory growth declines and the occurrence of crown fires increases, leaving mountainsides open to both soil erosion and invasion by exotic species. We examined if the loss in understory cover that occurred with increasing tree cover was reflected in the density and diversity of the seed bank. Seed banks in stands with low, medium, and high tree cover were measured in late October for 2 yr. Multivariate analyses indicated that cover and diversity of standing vegetation changed as tree cover increased. However, the seed bank did not differ in overall seed density or species diversity because seeds of the 13 species that comprised 86% of the seed bank occurred in similar density across the tree-cover groups. Sixty-three percent of the species that were in the seed bank were absent from the vegetation (mostly annual forbs). In addition, 49% of the species that occurred in the standing vegetation were not in the seed bank (mostly perennial forbs and shrubs). Only Artemisia tridentata, Bromus tectorum, and Collinsia parviflora displayed positive Spearman rank correlations between percent cover in the vegetation and density in the seed bank. Thus, much of the standing vegetation was not represented in the seed bank, and the few species that dominated the seed bank occurred across varying covers of pinyon–juniper.     

Long-Term Vegetation Productivity and Trend Under Two Stocking Levels on Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland

Vegetation changes were evaluated over an 11-year period (1995–2005) on 2 light- and 2 conservative-stocked Chihuahuan Desert pastures in south central New Mexico. Grazing treatments were applied to the pastures over a 5-year period from 1997 through 2001. Pastures were not grazed in the 1995–1996 and 2002–2005 periods due to drought. During the 1997–2001 grazing period, grazing use of primary forage species averaged 29% and 40% on light- and conservative-stocked rangelands, respectively. Grazing intensity was consistently higher on conservative-stocked than light-stocked pastures. During our study heavy grazing occurred only in 1 year on pastures with conservative stocking. There were no differences in species or species categories (grasses, forbs, shrubs) of autumn standing crop and basal cover between light-and conservative-stocked pastures. Standing crop of total vegetation and perennial grasses showed large fluctuations among the years due to variable rainfall. Under both treatments, total herbaceous standing crop was unchanged, but perennial grass standing crop declined by over 50% when the last 3 years of study were compared with the first 3 years of study. Broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae Pursh), a poisonous half shrub, increased in standing crop and cover during the study. Basal cover of total perennial grasses declined less under light than conservative stocking during the study period. However, climatic conditions exerted the overriding influence on vegetation standing crop and basal cover. Our study indicates that light stocking in the Chihuahuan Desert does not increase perennial grass production compared to conservative grazing but it could have a small benefit in maintaining perennial grass cover during drought. We believe our findings have broad application in the Chihauhuan Desert, but caution they might not apply well to other arid rangeland types.     

北京山区侧柏林下草本植物多样性的影响因素分析

为分析和比较林分结构和环境因子对侧柏林下草本物种多样性的影响，以北京山区侧柏林为研究对象，采用多元逐步回归分析和结构方程模型解析了林分结构和环境因子与林下草本物种多样性的耦合关系。结果表明：多元线性回归显示海拔、林分密度和土壤有机质是影响林下草本Simpson多样性的主导因子，郁闭度是影响林下草本Pielou均匀度指数的主导因子，海拔是影响林下草本Margalef丰富度指数的主导因子；结构方程显示海拔和林分结构(林分密度、郁闭度)对林下草本物种多样性整体水平起主导作用，通过影响土壤养分对林下草本物种多样性产生间接影响，但直接影响起主要作用；土壤对林下草本物种多样性整体水平起重要作用，仅存在直接影响。因此，维持合理的林分密度和郁闭度是提升林下草本植物多样性整体水平的有效途径。     

Livestock Grazing Impacts on Desert Vegetation,Khirthar National Park,Pakistan

The impact of livestock grazing on desert vegetation in Khirthar National Park, Pakistan, was investigated by comparing dry and wet season plant species composition, richness, cover, and a grazing index for quadrats outside (“open”) and inside (“exclosed”) native mammal breeding enclosures that had excluded livestock for 6 years. A total of 93 plant species were recorded in the dry season, 88 species in exclosed quadrats and 50 in open quadrats. While only 5 species were unique to open quadrats, 43 species were found only in the exclosed quadrats. Species richness was higher in the exclosures because of the presence of more grass and herb species, while grazing was higher in the open. After rain, species richness and cover were significantly higher than in the dry season because of the growth of summer ephemeral herbs and grasses, but richness was no longer different between the exclosure and open treatments. Although some herbaceous species may have been adversely affected by livestock grazing, overall species richness suggests strong ecosystem resilience to grazing, with levels no different after seasonal rains regardless of grazing level. Many grass and herb species absent from open sites during the dry season reappeared after rain, which suggests that livestock grazing may eliminate them as the dry season proceeds, but that a soil seed or bud bank persists.     

甘肃亚高山云杉人工林下植物种群生态位特征

根据野外110个样方的调查数据,应用Levins、Shannon-Wiener生态位宽度指数和Levins生态位重叠指数对甘肃亚高山云杉(Picea asperata)人工林下30个种(包括15种灌木和15种草本植物)的生态位特征进行定量分析。结果表明,灌木针刺悬钩子(Rubus pungens)、箭竹(Sinarundinaria nitida)、秀丽莓(Rubus amabilis)、草本东方草莓(Fragaria orientalis)、鸭茅(Dactylis glomerata)和紫花碎米荠(Cardamine tangutorum)的生态位宽度较大,表明这些物种适应能力强,分布范围广,倾向于泛化种。生态位宽的种群可能产生较小的生态位重叠,生态位较窄的种群间也会产生较大的生态位重叠,生态位宽度与生态位重叠程度无相关性。总体上看,亚高山云杉人工林下物种间生态位重叠程度均较小,种间竞争并不激烈。从生态响应来看,灌木层的红桦(Betula albo-sinensis)幼苗和草本层的老鹳草(Geranium wilfordii)发展性最强,今后可能会发展为云杉人工林下的优势种群。     

Chemical Control of Sand Sagebrush: Implications for Lesser Prairie-Chicken Habitat

Traditional management of sand sagebrush (Artemisia filifolia) rangelands has emphasized sagebrush control to increase forage for livestock. Since the 1950s shrub removal has been primarily achieved with herbicides. Concerns over declining lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus; LPC) populations have led to increased scrutiny over the use of herbicides to control shrubs. The objective of our research was to describe changes to LPC habitat qualities following chemical control of sand sagebrush in northwest Oklahoma. Study pastures ranged in size from 10 to 21 ha. Five pastures were sprayed with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in 2003 (RECENT), five were sprayed with 2,4-D in 1984 (OLD), and four received no treatment (SAGE). We measured habitat structure (sagebrush cover, sagebrush density, visual obstruction &lsqb;VO], and basal grass cover), and dietary resources (forb density, forb richness, and grasshopper density) in all pastures from 2003 to 2006. OLD and RECENT pastures had less sagebrush (cover and density) and VO than SAGE pastures. OLD pastures produced more annual forbs than either SAGE or RECENT pastures. SAGE pastures had more perennial forbs than RECENT pastures. Herbicide application reduced protective cover while providing no increase in forb abundance in RECENT pastures. Our results indicated that it may take several years to realize increases in annual forbs following application of 2,4-D. However, loss of protective cover may persist for multiple years (20+ yr), and removal of sagebrush did not increase forb richness or grasshopper abundance. Thus, 2,4-D may have limited use as a habitat management tool because it takes numerous years to reap the benefit of increased forb abundance while reducing habitat structure in the long term.     

干热河谷冲沟沟头活跃度对植物群落结构的影响

为研究干热河谷冲沟沟头活跃程度对植被物种组成及其群落结构的影响,从而服务于冲沟植被恢复过程中最佳植被配置,采用典型样地法对元谋县内22条冲沟进行实地调查。研究结果表明:1)冲沟内植物种类随着沟头的稳定程度增加而增加,其中活跃型冲沟内植物12科28属共28种,半稳定型冲沟内植物16科29属共29种,稳定型冲沟内植物15科35属共37种;2)不同活跃程度的冲沟植被群落按生活型可分为3个层次,一是以扭黄茅为优势种,孔颖草、三芒草为次优种的草本层;二是以车桑子为优势种,银合欢为次优种的灌木层;三是以印楝为优势种,桉树为次优种的乔木层,但活跃型冲沟无乔木层;3)冲沟乔木层、灌木层和草本层的植被盖度均随着冲沟沟头稳定性的增加而增加,表现为稳定型冲沟>半稳定型冲沟>活跃型冲沟;4)不同活跃程度的冲沟沟头群落结构均以多年生草本和灌木为主,乔木种类较少,优势物种相同且占有显著地位,但随着冲沟沟头的逐渐稳定,乔木数量和多样性均逐渐增加;5)活跃型冲沟、半稳定型冲沟、稳定型冲沟之间草本层、灌木层、乔木层的植物群落相似性分别表现为中等相似、极为相似、极度不相似,且冲沟不同恢复阶段灌木层中植物有趋同演化的趋势,共有程度很高,冲沟沟头活跃程度对灌木层植物群落功能造成的影响小于对草本层和乔木层植物群落。总体而言,不同活跃程度的冲沟沟头植被群落结构之间具有显著差异,研究结果将为冲沟生态恢复提供科学依据。     

围封对固沙樟子松林土壤种子库的影响

选取章古台樟子松(Pinus sylvestris var.mongolica)半围封5年(E5)和全围封10年(E10)固沙林地,以对应未围封5年(CK1)和未围封10年(CK2)固沙林为对照,采用野外调查取样和室内萌发试验相结合的方法,分析了围封对樟子松林下植被土壤种子库的物种组成、密度、垂直分布的特征和物种多样性的影响。结果表明,E5和CK1的土壤种子库分别包括20种和15种植物,分属9科18属和7科13属;E10和CK2的土壤种子库则分别包括17种和15种植物,分属6科15属和6科13属。在围封林地中,一年生植物、多年生植物与灌木半灌木分别占47.83%、39.13%和13.04%,在对照林地中则分别占50%、38.89%和11.11%。E5、CK1、E10和CK24个林地的土壤种子库密度分别为8529.7、6741.5、7836.9和11559.7粒·m–2;各林地的土壤种子库密度均在0–2 cm土层最大,表现为表层聚集性,其垂直分布规律在围封下与未围封具有一致性。围封林地的丰富度指数要高于对照林地,E5的Shannon-Wiener指数、Simpson优势度指数、Pielou均匀度指数均低于CK1,E10的则均高于CK2。围封与对照林地林下植被土壤种子库种类组成上的相似性指数为0.88,豆科植物在围封与对照林地表现出较大的差异。因此,围封能够增加科尔沁沙地固沙樟子松林下植被土壤种子库物种数,提高多年生植物和灌木半灌木的比例,适度围封可增加其密度,提高群落发展潜力并增强其生态系统稳定性,进而保障固沙樟子松林的稳定与发展。     

小兴安岭原始红松林的植被多样性

以小兴安岭凉水自然保护区为研究对象,采用生态群落学调查方法研究了红皮云杉（Picea koraiensis）红松林及落叶松（Larix gmelini）林地表植被群落结构特征及群落物种多样性。结果表明,红松林共有维管束植物36种,隶属22科32属,落叶松林共有维管束植物31种,隶属22科27属,二者均属稳定型植被群落。两种林型的物种丰富度指数（S）与物种多样性指数（SP）均表现为乔木层＜灌木层＜草本层,且红松林各层之间差异显著;物种多样性指数（SW）在落叶松林各层中差异不明显,但在红松林各层中存在显著差异,以草本层最高;物种均匀度指数（Jsw）在红松林中表现为乔木层＞灌木层＞草本层,在落叶松林中以灌木层Jsw指数最高,且明显高于红松林中各层指数。     

Soil Depth and Climatic Effects on Desert Vegetation Dynamics

Soil depth effects on honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa Torr) cover and density and perennial grass standing crop were evaluated over an 11-yr period (1995–2005) on two lightly stocked and two conservatively stocked pastures on the Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center in south-central New Mexico. These four adjoining pastures have similar size, vegetation, and soils. Soils in these study pastures are primarily light sandy loams varying from a few centimeters to 1 m or more in depth underlain by a calcium carbonate layer. Deep soils had lower perennial grass standing crop and higher honey mesquite cover and density than did shallow soils at both the beginning (1995–1997) and ending (2003–2005) periods of study. Average perennial grass standing crop across the four study pastures dropped 82% between 1995–1997 and 2003–2005 because of drought during the last 5 yr of study. Honey mesquite canopy cover and perennial grass standing crop did not differ between light and conservative grazing treatments at the beginning or end of our study. Honey mesquite canopy cover did not change from 1995–1997 to 2003–2005 but honey mesquite density was higher in 2003–2005 than in 1995–1997. Our study shows that both soil depth and climatic fluctuations have a major influence on vegetation dynamics in desert and semiarid areas.     

Cool-Season Floodplain Meadow Responses to Shrub Encroachment in Alberta

This study evaluated the impact of shrub encroachment within cool-season floodplain meadows in a portion of the Rocky Mountain Forest Reserve in southwestern Alberta, where nearly half of open grasslands have been lost since 1958. Sample transects situated in meadows, known formerly to be in open grassland, were assessed in 2001 (n = 21) and 2002 (n = 33) in areas ranging from 0% to 92% shrub cover. Shrub cover, density, and height were correlated to understory parameters, including herbaceous production, bunchgrass cover and density, and species richness and diversity. Additional data on soil horizon depths were obtained. Analysis was conducted using regression to assess empirical relationships between understory or soil characteristics and the overstory. Stronger empirical relationships (i.e., greater R²) were found in 2002, coincident with larger sample sizes and greater rainfall. Among independent overstory variables, aggregate shrub cover for all species accounted for the greatest variation in understory characteristics. Significant (P < 0.01) negative nonlinear relationships were observed between shrub cover and herbage production, with the latter declining from 6 629 kg · ha^–1 in meadows containing less than 12% shrub cover, to 2 797 kg · ha^–1 in areas where shrub cover exceeded 35%. Negative linear trends were found (P < 0.01) for bunchgrass density and cover in relation to increasing shrub abundance in 2002. Understory diversity increased with shrub abundance, peaking at 64% shrub cover in 2002. Meadows with low and high shrub cover also coincided with thicker Ah and litter, fibric, and humic soil layer (LFH) horizons, respectively. Collectively, these results indicate shrub encroachment is threatening the sustainability of native bunchgrass communities and reducing forage availability. Meadow conservation in this area will require proactive management to protect or restore open grasslands.     

Abundance and guild structure of grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acridoidea) in communally grazed and protected savanna

This study was conducted to determine how savanna grass sward modifications caused by heavy grazing pressure influenced the abundance and guild structure of grasshoppers. Heavily grazed communal land was compared with a lightly grazed area and a mowed airstrip, in adjacent protected land, in the Mpumalanga lowveld, South Africa. Plant species composition, height, aerial cover and greenness of grass in the herbaceous stratum were measured in representative sites. Total grasshopper abundance and relative abundance of grasshopper species were also assessed in each site. Grasshoppers were assigned to feeding and habitat functional groups for comparison among the three areas. The heavily grazed area, characterised by short vegetation and low aerial cover, high greenness of grass, and high frequency of forbs, was inhabited by grasshopper species associated with bare ground or short and/or sparse grass, that were non-graminivorous or soft grass feeders. The lightly grazed area, characterised by tall vegetation and high aerial cover, low greenness of grass, and low frequency of forbs, was inhabited by grasshopper species associated with long and/or thick grass, that were mixed feeders or tough grass feeders. The mowed area, characterised by short vegetation and low aerial cover, low greenness of grass, and low frequency of forbs, exhibited lower grasshopper abundance, species richness, and diversity than either of the grazed areas.     

Bird community comparisons of four plantations and conservation concerns in South China

Plantations of non‐native, fast‐growing trees are increasing in the tropics and subtropics, perhaps with negative consequences for the native avifauna. We studied bird diversity in 4 types of plantations in South China to determine which plantation types are especially detrimental, and compared our findings with studies in nearby natural forests to assess the magnitude of the negative impact. A total of 57 species was recorded. The mean capture rate of understory birds was 1.7 individuals 100‐net‐h^–1. Bird richness and capture rate were lower in plantations than in nearby natural forests. Babblers (Timaliidae), primarily forest‐dependent species in South China, were particularly under‐represented in plantations. Species richness, composition and bird density, particularly of understory birds, differed between plantation types. Plantations of Schima, which is native to South China, had the highest species richness according to point count data. Plantations of Acacia (non‐native) supported the highest understory species richness and produced the highest capture rate of understory birds, probably because of their complex structure and high arthropod abundance. If bird diversity is to be considered, we strongly recommend that future re‐afforestation projects in South China should, as far as possible, use mixed native tree species, and especially Schima, ahead of the other species.     

The Effects of Forest Residual Debris Disposal on Perennial Grass Emergence,Growth, and Survival in a Ponderosa Pine Ecotone

Soil surface conditions can have profound effects on plant seedling emergence and subsequent seedling survival. To test the hypothesis that different soil-surface treatments with logging residue affect range grass seedling emergence and survival, 6 alternative forest-residual treatments were established in the summer of 1998 following thinning of mature trees from approximately 500 to 133 trees · ha^-1. The treatments included 1) whole logging debris, hand-piled; 2) whole logging-debris piles that were burned; 3) whole logging-debris piles that were chipped; 4) whole logging-debris piles that were chipped and burned; 5) scattered debris followed by a broadcast burn; and 6) zero debris, not burned. The influences of the debris treatments on grass seedling emergence and survival were tested by seeding with native and exotic perennial grass species. Three plots per treatment were seeded with a mix of 4 native grass species, and another 3 plots per treatment were seeded with a mix of 4 exotic grass species. Two plots per treatment were left unseeded. Subsequent grass emergence, growth, and establishment were measured as seedling emergence, cover, density, height, and biomass for 3 growing seasons. Grass cover, density height, and biomass increased on the burn treatments during the study. Less-significant results were obtained for the nonburned woody-debris treatments. In addition, important abiotic factors, such as soil moisture and soil surface temperature, were not adversely affected by the woody debris disposal practices tested in this study. Results indicate that scattered woody debris that is broadcast burned is the best mechanism for disposing of woody debris, increasing grass emergence and survival, and preventing ponderosa pine recruitment and exotic invasion.     

岷江上游山地牧道对林下草本群落分布特征的影响

以岷江上游干旱河谷/山地森林交错带的林下草本层植物群落为研究对象,以牧道为切入点,通过跟踪放牧和样方调查,应用关联和典范对应分析方法探讨山地牧道与草本层群落分布特征的关系。结果表明,牧道样地草本层中耐践踏的菊科占绝对优势,禾本科和豆科植物较少,说明长期放牧下草本层植被有退化趋势。通过9个优势种种间关联分析发现,野艾蒿和老芒麦代表了人工林样地群落特征,黄花蒿、紫苜蓿等其他7种优势种代表了灌丛样地特征,各优势种均表现出环境适应的趋同性和彼此的相似性。牧道分割增加了草本层植物群落分布的异质性,牧道格局指数与草地质量指数基本呈负相关变化规律,而牧道密度与草地质量指数之间的相关性不明显,牧道密度和牧道格局具有一定的指示草地退化的作用,但相互关系复杂。通过CCA排序可知,乔灌层盖度是影响草本层植物分布的最重要因素,其次为牧道密度,坡度和坡位对其分布也有一定的影响。     

长沙城市湿地植物多样性研究

以长沙市辖五区及周边郊区10 km范围内湿地为研究对象,对不同湿地类型植物物种多样性及其变化特征进行了分析,根据不同湿地类型中植物种组成,探讨了植物种在湿地中的分布及定居特点。研究表明,长沙市不同湿地类型中主要有芦苇（Phragmites australis）、菖蒲（Acorus calamus）、菱（Trapa bispinosa）、野艾蒿（Artemisia lavandulaefolia）、问荆（Equisetum arvense）、苍耳（Xanthium sibiricum）、一年蓬（Erigeron annuus）、空心莲子草（Alternanthera philoxeroides）等20个植物群落;植被类型以草本群落为主,并且主要为二年或多年生植物,共有24种,其次有14种一年生草本,而灌木与乔木等木本植物分布较少;不同湿地类型植物种丰富度差异不大,植物种丰富度最高为23个种,其中特有种只有5个。从河流湿地到沟渠,种多样性指数变化没有明显规律,Simpson指数和Shannon Wiener指数最大的是沟渠,分别为18.08和3.75,其次是山塘水库;Pielou均匀度指数表现出与多样性指数大体一致的状况,沟渠＞山塘＞河流＞湖泊＞景观水面。     

混播种类和群体结构对豆禾牧草混播系统氮素利用效率的影响

为从物种多样性和空间结构方面阐明豆禾牧草混播系统高效生产机制,将混播种类(单播、2种牧草混播、4种牧草混播和6种牧草混播)、混播群体空间结构(行距+同行/异行/异行阻隔)作为影响因素,从豆科牧草固氮能力、转氮效率、氮素营养竞争、种间相容性和生产性能分析和比较豆禾牧草在不同混播方式中氮素固定、转移和利用效率对混播系统生态功能的贡献程度。结果表明:1)混播处理的牧草产量、N产量均显著高于单播(P<0.05),生产性能显著提高;但生产性能未随混播种类的增加而提高,异行混播+30 cm行距的混播群体结构具有较高的生产性能。2)固氮量随混播种类的增加而呈下降趋势,转氮量和转氮率随混播种类的增加而呈先下降后上升的趋势,而固氮率和贡献率变化不明显;异行混播+30 cm行距的混播群体结构具有较高的转氮量、转氮率和贡献率。3)营养竞争比率随混播种类的增加变化不明显,豆科牧草相对产量和相对产量总和随混播种类的增加而呈增加趋势;异行混播+30 cm行距的混播群体结构具有较高的豆科牧草相对产量和相对产量总和,但营养竞争比率较低。4)牧草产量与转氮量呈极显著正相关(P<0.01),而相对产量总和与氮素营养竞争比率呈极显著负相关(P<0.01)。因此,混播种类对于豆禾牧草混播系统生产性能的提升作用有限,高养分利用效率的物种组合可能更为关键;通过混播群体空间结构的优化可以使豆禾混播牧草根系氮素固定、转移、利用途径和效率得到提高,为混播系统生产性能的提升提供了重要途径。