Allometric Estimates of Aboveground Biomass Using Cover and Height Are Improved by Increasing Specificity of Plant Functional Groups in Eastern Australian Rangelands

Plant aboveground biomass (AGB) is a useful metric to assess ecosystem functioning, and its sensitivity to changing environmental conditions provides insight into potential global change impacts. Allometric estimates of AGB using vegetation characteristics such as plant cover or height provide nondestructive biomass proxies for repeated measurements but can introduce uncertainty to estimates. We estimated the relationship between both plant cover and a cover·height index and AGB for 15 plant species from six sites to identify the most reliable approach to estimate biomass nondestructively in semiarid eastern Australian rangelands. Estimates were made by grouping species at four different levels of specificity, to test whether generic estimates were more robust than grouping species based on life history and morphological characteristics. Estimates were then tested on a 1.5-m² plot at each site for validation. In all cases, models were highly significant (P < 0.001) with adjusted R² values ranging from 0.42 to 0.96 for cover models and 0.38 to 0.98 for cover·height index models. We found the addition of height improved model fits in four groups while reducing model fits in two groups. The error around AGB estimates for cover·height index−based models ranged from −66.8 to 4% (absolute mean 35%). Cover-based models had errors between −13.4% and 53% (absolute mean 14.2%). For cover-based estimates of AGB in validation plots, grouping plants by plant functional types (PFTs) increased accuracy (absolute mean error 17.3%) compared with estimates using data from all 15 species (absolute mean of 65.2%). Overall cover was a useful surrogate to estimate AGB (with the exception of one site, accuracy ranged from −2.3% to 11.5%), while height (thought to be a surrogate for canopy characteristics) provided benefit in a few circumstances. We suggest that future research should test additional nondestructive proxies and group species based on PFTs to improve AGB estimates using allometry.     

The role of lignin and cellulose in the carbon-cycling of degraded soils under semiarid climate and their relation to microbial biomass

A high level of biological degradation is usually observed in soils under semiarid climate where the low inputs of vegetal debris constraint the development of microbiota. Among vegetal inputs, cellulose and lignin are dominant substrates but their assimilation by the microbial community of semiarid soils is yet not understood. In the present study, ¹³C-labeled cellulose and ¹³C-labeled lignin (75 μg ¹³C g⁻¹ soil) were added to two semiarid soils with different properties and degradation level. Abanilla soil is a bare, highly degraded soil without plant cover growing on it and a total organic C content of 5.0 g kg⁻¹; Santomera soil is covered by plants (20% coverage) based on xerophytic shrubs and has a total organic C content of 12.0 g kg⁻¹. The fate of added carbon was evaluated by analysis of the carbon isotope signature of bulk soil-derived carbon and extractable carbon fractions (water and sodium-pyrophosphate extracts). At long-term (120 days), we observed that the stability of cellulose- and lignin-derived carbon was dependent on their chemical nature. The contribution of lignin-derived carbon to the pool of humic substances was higher than that of cellulose. However, at short-term (30 days), the mineralization of the added substrates was more related to the degradation level of soils (i.e. microbial biomass). Stable isotope probing (SIP) of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA-SIP) analysis revealed that just a minor part of the microbial community assimilated the carbon derived from cellulose and lignin. Moreover, the relative contribution of each microbial group to the assimilation of lignin-derived carbon was different in each soil.     

德国黑麦草在四川的生长适应性比较

连续2年种植29个德国引进黑麦草Lolium spp.品种,以Tetragold和野生黑麦草为对照,综合评比各黑麦草品种的分蘖力、株高、植株鲜质量、抽穗期和成熟期等生长性状,筛选性状优良、在四川具有较强适应性的黑麦草品种。结果表明：Taurus、Barfort、Gemini、Fastyl 4个黑麦草品种表现出优良的综合生长性状,在四川地区适应性强,可用于引进品种推广应用研究;Licarno、Bartissimo、Alamo拔节速度快,抽穗前植株较高,Tosca、Zarastro、Remy分蘖力强,Lolita植株鲜质量产量高,Defo、Prestyl、Pomerol花期迟,生育期、供草期长,可作为选育当家品种的远缘优良亲本材料。     

湟源山坡地梯田退耕还林还草效果研究初报

通过对湟源山坡地梯田退耕还林工程连续9年的定点观测调查,结果表明:在顶坡梯田,所栽植的榆树Ulmus pumila有94%死亡,沙棘Hippophae rhamnoides有19.4%死亡;在中坡梯田,榆树、沙棘的死亡率分别为93%、18.2%;在底坡梯田,榆树、沙棘的死亡率分别为92.7%、18.6%;而柠条Caragana korshinskii在3个坡位梯田中都100%的成活,但长势不旺,而以赖草Leymus secalinus为主的草本植物,通过9年的自然侵入生长,其生物量(干物质)达到850 g/m2以上。同时,对各坡位草本产量增长规律进行了分析论述,建立了3个坡位草本产量与生长年限回归方程,中坡：y=78.033+102.473 3x;底坡:y=67.333+102.253 3x;顶坡:y=54.244 4+101.92x;如实评估了坡地梯田退耕还草后的经济效益。     

北京地区3种冷季型禾本科草坪草生物量及养分吸收动态的研究

以北京地区常见的3种草坪草多年生黑麦草Lolium perenne、草地早熟禾Poa pratensis和高羊茅Festuca arundinacea为研究对象,采用田间试验和实验室内分析相结合,对3种冷季型草坪草年季间生长变化规律,营养元素N、P、K养分吸收特性进行初步研究。结果表明:3种草坪草中高羊茅的年生长量最大,草地早熟禾和多年生黑麦草,二者差异不显著,但显著低于高羊茅。3种草坪草组织中N、P、K营养元素含量存在一定差异,整个生长季变化趋势相近,且变幅相对较小。N和K养分含量较高,变幅较小,P养分含量较低,变幅较大,养分含量的变化与草坪草生长变化不完全同步。而N、P、K养分每年带出量变化趋势与生长量的变化相近,即多年生黑麦草和高羊茅为"高-低-高"型,以夏季带出量较低;P养分带出量变化不大。3种草坪草地下生物量的变化趋势与地上部分生长变化趋势具有一定的相似性。高羊茅地下生物量最高,草地早熟禾次之,多年生黑麦草最少;3草种分布都是以0~10 cm层占主导地位。草地早熟禾在0~10 cm层的根系分布较多,而在10~20 cm层和20~30 cm层多年生黑麦草和高羊茅分布较多。     

科尔沁沙地灌溉与施肥对退化草地生产力的影响

在科尔沁沙地典型退化草地上开展了裂区组合设计的灌溉与施肥二因素试验。结果表明,科尔沁沙地退化草地土壤储水量受降水量的影响强烈。由于受到干旱气候和灌溉量的影响,灌水仅对地表0~30 cm的土壤含水量变化有作用,对深层土壤的含水量没有作用。灌溉和施肥对沙地退化草地的植物生物量有着明显的促进作用。灌溉处理中,灌溉90 mm试验区的植被生物量为最高(128.3 g/m2),施肥处理中,每hm2施600 kg氮肥试验区的植被生物量为最高(147.3 g/m2)。灌溉90,60,30 mm和对照试验区的植被耗水量分别为379.00,349.90,313.20和293.50 mm。与其相应的水分利用率分别为0.28,0.38,0.34和0.35 kg/(mm.hm2)。综合分析认为科尔沁沙地退化草地的基本耗水量为294 mm。     

退化亚高山草甸恢复过程中地上生物量和适宜载畜量分析

2012—2018年,以香格里拉退化亚高山草甸为研究对象对其实施连续封育,测定和分析恢复演替过程中植被地上生物量和植物学组成及其变化趋势,并运用中度干扰假说判断试验区退化草地的适宜封育年限和适宜载畜量。结果表明:与退化区相比较,封育第1年、第2年和第5年均显著提高了草地地上生物量,封育期间草地地上生物量呈现幂函数型增长趋势;草地的抵抗力和恢复力分别为518.8g/m^2和56.3个月;封育第5年草地中不可饲用植物(包含有毒有害植物)仍然占到29.2%,适宜载畜量2.81~3.37个羊单位/hm^2。该试验表明封育结合其他措施,将有利于更加有效地改善草地质量和提高草地生产力。     

不同人工草地对青藏高原温性草原群落生物量组成及物种多样性的影响

青藏高原天然草地生产力较低,草畜矛盾长期尖锐。人工草地逐渐在该区域发展,但不同种植模式人工草地的影响和应用适宜性尚未得到准确的量化评估。以青海省天然草地(NP)为对照,选取相互毗邻的3种不同人工草地:单播垂穗披碱草人工草地(A₁)、单播燕麦人工草地(A₂)和混播燕麦、青稞和油菜的人工草地(A₃)设置实验样地,通过群落调查、刈割称重、根钻采样等方法,测定分析4种群落物种组成、生物量及物种多样性,探讨燕麦和垂穗披碱草两种牧草及单播和混播两种种植方式的差异性影响。结果表明:3种不同人工草地均显著减少有毒植物生物量(P<0.05),显著提高优质牧草占比(P<0.05),改善牧草质量。A₂地上生物量最高(1263.21 g·m^-2),为NP的9.77倍,显著高于其他3种草地(P<0.05)。本研究草地地下生物量占比高(73.22%~95.79%),3种人工种草对地下生物量改变不显著,对总生物量的影响也不显著。A₂、A₃的物种组成与NP迥异,A₂的Pielou均匀度指数显著低于NP和A₃(P<0.05),A₃的Shannon-Wiener指数显著低于NP(P<0.05);而A₁的Gleason指数、Shannon-Wiener指数和Pielou均匀度指数均较高,与NP差异不显著。基于结果,认为相比于天然草地,单播燕麦人工草地可以获得更高的地上生物量,但强烈改变群落物种组成,降低群落物种多样性;而种植垂穗披碱草地上生物量增幅不显著,但其群落物种多样性、均匀度均较高,有利于群落在不利条件下维持相对稳定的生产力。     

青海省森林林下草本层化学计量特征及其碳储量

为阐明青海省森林生态系统林下草本层化学计量特征和碳密度分布格局,基于2011年青海森林资源野外样方调查和室内分析,评估了青海省7个优势种(白桦、白杨、红桦、青杄、山杨、圆柏、云杉)林下草本层的化学计量特征(C、N、P;C∶N、C∶P、N∶P)以及碳密度的差异。同时,估算了青海省7个优势种林下草本层碳储量大小。结果表明,草本层地上碳含量圆柏林[(419.9±1.44) g·kg^-1]显著高于其他林型,但是地下碳含量[(364.6±8.33) g·kg^-1]显著低于其他林型;氮含量均表现出圆柏和云杉林显著高于其他林型;磷含量在不同林型间差异不显著。圆柏林和云杉林林下草本层C∶N、C∶P显著低于其他林型,而N∶P显著高于其他林型。此外,林下草本层地上和地下生物量、碳密度均表现出圆柏林显著高于其他林型。根据青海省7种优势树种化学计量特征与碳密度的相关性分析,发现草本层碳密度与其化学计量特征有相关性,可以根据碳含量推算碳密度。将海拔作为环境因子考虑,发现圆柏和云杉林下草本层碳密度分布于较高海拔,其他树种则分布于较低海拔。因此,理解养分元素在草本层“地上-地下部分”之间的生态化学计量特征,以及估算草本层的碳储量,对于揭示青海省森林生态系统的养分状况和生物化学循环过程极为重要。     

Comparative effects of deficit irrigation (DI) and partial rootzone drying (PRD) on soil water distribution,water use,growth and yield in greenhouse grown hot pepper

This study was conducted to compare two water-saving practices, deficit irrigation (DI) and partial rootzone drying (PRD), and examine how they affected soil water distribution, water use, growth and yield of greenhouse grown hot pepper compared to commercial irrigation (CI). Control (CI) in which irrigation water was applied to both sides of the system when soil water content was lower by 80% of field capacity; deficit irrigation (DI50, DI75) in which 50% and 75% irrigation water of CI supplied to both sides of the root system; 1PRD with half of the root system exposed to soil drying and other half kept well-watered with 50% irrigation water of CI, and 2PRD with 50% irrigation water of CI supplied, half to fixed side of the root system. The results showed mean soil volumetric water content of DI75, DI50, 1PRD and 2PRD were lower by 21.06%, 28.32%, 24.48% and 34.76%, respectively than that of CI after starting the experiment. Water consumption showed some significant effect of irrigation treatments during the growing period of drought stress application, and therefore decreased in DI75, DI50, 1PRD and 2PRD to a level around 75% and 50% of CI. All the DI and PRD treatments resulted in a reduction of total dry mass of 7.29–44.10%, shoot biomass of 24.97–47.72% compared to CI, but an increase in the root–shoot ratio of 12.50–35.42% compared to the control and with significant differences between 2PRD, 1PRD, DI50 and CI. The yield of 1PRD was significantly reduced by 23.98% compared to CI (19,566 kg hm⁻²) over a period of 109 days after transplanting. However, the 1PRD treatment had 17.21% and 24.54% additional yield over the DI50 and 2PRD treatments and had 52.05% higher irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) than CI treatment. At harvest, although there was a significant difference recorded as single fruit weight and single fruit volume were reduced under the DI and PRD treatments, total soluble solids concentration of fruit harvested under the water-deficit treatments were higher compared to CI. Stomatal conductance measured in fresh leaf was the lowest under 1PRD treatment relative to CI and other treatments. The low stomatal conductance of fresh-leaf issue observed in the work supported the root signaling mechanism reported earlier in plants having undergone partial root drying cycles.