Factors driving natural regeneration beneath a planted urban forest

Cities around the world are investing in urban forest plantings as a form of green infrastructure. The aim is that these plantations will develop into naturally-regenerating native forest stands. However, woody plant recruitment is often cited as the most limiting factor to creating self-sustaining urban forests. As such, there is interest in site treatments that promote recruitment of native woody species and simultaneously suppress woody non-native recruitment. We tested how three, common site treatments—compost, nurse shrubs, and tree species composition (six-species vs. two-species)—affected woody plant recruitment in 54 experimental plots beneath a large-scale tree planting within a high-traffic urban park. We identified naturally regenerating seedling and sapling species and measured their abundance six-years after the site was planted. This enabled us to examine initial recruitment dynamics (i.e. seedlings) and gain a better understanding of seedling success as they transition to the midstory (i.e. saplings). Seedling and sapling recruitment (native and total) was greater in areas with higher canopy cover. The combination of the nurse shrub treatment with compost and species composition (six-species) treatments increased seedling recruitment by 47% and 156%, respectively; however, the nurse shrub treatment by itself decreased seedling recruitment by 5% and native seedling recruitment by 35%. The compost treatment alone had no effect on the total number of recruits but resulted in 76% more non-native seedlings. The sizes of these treatment effects were strongly dependent on whether the forest plantings were in open areas, versus areas with existing tree canopy, the latter condition facilitating recruitment. Our findings therefore suggest that combinations of site treatments, paired with broad canopy tree species, may be most effective for promoting regeneration of native species resulting in more self-sustaining urban forests.     

The Phytotoxicity of Various Graminicides in Durum Wheat in Greece

The effect of three herbicides, diclofop-methyl (DM), imazamethabenz-methyl (IM) and fenoxaprop-ethyl (FE), was investigated at the recommended rate (×) and double the recommended rate (2×) in a durum wheat crop. FE had the smallest effect on root system characteristics, while IM had the greatest effect. For all herbicides, the double rate treatment gave a greater statistical reduction than the single rate for root system characteristics. FE had the smallest effect on the activity of aerobic microorganisms, while DM gave the greatest reduction, 10 days after application, and all three herbicides reduced earthworm abundance. DM gave the smallest reduction in the number of tillers and in plant height, while the double rate of IM gave the greatest reduction. For all three herbicides, double the recommended rate resulted in a significant reduction in the weight of 1000 seeds, while no statistically significant deviations were noted at the recommended rate. Finally, the use of all three herbicides resulted in significantly lower statistical yields compared to the sample (control plot), although there were no significant statistical differences among them, for either recommended or double recommended rates.     

外来入侵种的危害与防治对策

外来入侵种对当地的自然生态系统结构和功能以及生物多样性都有着深远的影响,而且可能对地方的生态环境和经济造成严重危害。四川已经成为遭受外来入侵种威胁的省份之一,全省现有20多个外来入侵种。为了防止外来入侵种的泛滥,应当建立外来物种的引入评价机制,慎重进行有意引种;加强口岸管理,防止外来入侵种通过贸易途径无意引入,同时采取措施控制已经产生危害的外来入侵种。     

外来豚草属植物在不同环境约束下的入侵能力

通过温室控制试验,探讨生境变化对豚草生长的影响,以及与豚草入侵能力的关系;使用智能光照培养箱模拟不同海拔梯度的温度条件,探讨低温对豚草幼苗生长的影响;通过人工去叶的方式模拟天敌昆虫采食对豚草的生物控制效果。研究结果表明:豚草与丛枝菌根真菌共生增强了其适应不同土壤环境的能力。丛枝菌根真菌通过增加豚草的比叶面积,提高了豚草的资源获取能力,此作用在土壤有效氮含量低时更加明显,丛枝菌根真菌对豚草适应低氮生境有着重要意义。由于海拔升高导致环境温度降低,豚草幼苗的株高显著减少(P0.01),生物量在22.5~15.1℃差异显著(P0.01),15.1~9.4℃差异不显著,低温导致豚草幼苗生长缓慢,可能是限制豚草向北京周边高海拔地区扩散的重要环境因子之一。去叶处理对豚草的分枝数没有显著影响。去叶显著降低了豚草的生物量(P0.05),而在对照和碳素添加(1650 g·m-2)处理中对生物量没有显著影响。去叶后,剩余叶片的叶绿素测定值升高,豚草通过补偿生长增加了剩余叶片中的叶绿素含量以维持必需的光合作用。据此推测,由于豚草具有较强的再生能力,8月份之前如果天敌采食没有达到一定强度,则不会形成有效控制。     

黄顶菊入侵对土壤氨氧化古菌群落多样性的影响

为了明确入侵植物黄顶菊对土壤氮循环关键过程硝化作用的影响机制,本研究通过对其入侵地和未入侵地、根围土和根际土氨氧化古菌(ammonia-oxidizing archaea,AOA)的群落多样性分析,探讨了AOA对黄顶菊入侵的响应规律。结果表明:黄顶菊入侵增加了入侵地根围土AOA的多样性,AOA的Shannon指数表现为:入侵地根围土入侵地根际土未入侵地土壤,且差异显著。铵态氮含量与p H的变化都会影响土壤AOA的群落结构。系统发育树分析表明,土壤AOA主要隶属于氨氧化古菌的Nitrososphaera cluster。黄顶菊入侵导致的AOA的多样性水平的提升主要是由于入侵地氨氧化菌群种类增加所致。     

澳大利亚外来入侵物种管理策略及对中国的借鉴意义

澳大利亚是一个典型的岛屿国家,地域辽阔。18世纪欧洲移民时期至今,新移民为澳大利亚带来了大量外来物种,其中一部分在很大程度上丰富了澳大利亚的农产品种类,但也有很多物种已经成为危害自然生态环境和农牧业发展的有害入侵物种。澳大利亚政府高度重视外来入侵物种和本国生物资源的管理工作,建立了完善的政策法规、管理机构、技术支撑、资金保障、公共教育体系,在国际生物多样性保护与利用方面处于世界领先水平。本文简要介绍了澳大利亚外来入侵物种管理的有关策略和指南,并阐述了对中国的借鉴意义：（1）建立完善国内生物多样性保护特别是外来入侵物种防控的法律法规体系;（2）建立健全国内生物多样性管理长效机制;（3）建立高效生物多样可持续管理资金保障体系;（4）构建全方位全民参与的生态保护宣传培训体系;（5）强化科学技术对生物多样性管理的支撑作用。     

土施纳米氧化锌对蚯蚓生理和黄瓜幼苗生长的影响

纳米氧化锌(ZnO NPs)由于其独特的理化性质,被广泛应用于各行各业,在带来巨大利益的同时也存在着潜在风险,如细胞毒性、基因毒性等。在土壤环境中,ZnO NPs可能会对陆地生态系统中的生物构成严重威胁。本研究采用盆栽试验的方法,评估了ZnO NPs对蚯蚓生理以及黄瓜幼苗生长的影响。结果表明:各处理ZnO NPs对蚯蚓的生长发育影响不显著,但随着浓度的增加,蚯蚓的抗氧化酶活性发生变化,SOD呈现出增加的趋势,CAT和POD先降低再上升,二者表现为协同作用。当ZnO NPs处理为1 000 mg·kg-1时,蚯蚓受到的氧化胁迫最大,MDA含量较对照增加了19.2%。对于黄瓜幼苗而言,ZnO NPs处理能够普遍增强植株氧化应激,除了SOD在1 000 mg·kg-1时受到抑制外,SOD、CAT、POD及MDA均随浓度的增加而增加。蚯蚓的加入能显著促进幼苗生长,增加生物量、提高根系活力,同时也能在一定程度上缓解或抑制ZnO NPs对植株造成的损伤。ZnO NPs处理为500mg·kg-1和1 000 mg·kg-1时,SOD分别较不加蚯蚓处理降低了76.7%、63.5%,MDA分别降低了28.6%、23.7%。在28 d培养周期中,蚯蚓对ZnO NPs响应较低,组织锌含量没有显著变化;黄瓜幼苗地上部和地下部锌含量均随着处理浓度的增加而增加,而添加蚯蚓的处理降低了植株的锌含量,也反映了蚯蚓在系统中对胁迫条件下的黄瓜幼苗生长的调控和缓解作用。     

3种圭亚那柱花草根系分泌物对杂草幼苗生长的影响

为明确3种圭亚那柱花草(Stylosanthes guianensis Sw.)(‘热研2号’、‘热研5号’和热研21号)的根系分泌物对杂草生长的化感效应,采用营养液培法分别收集其根系分泌物,研究其对5种外来入侵杂草幼苗形态特征及生物量分配的影响。结果表明,除对含羞草(Mimosa pudica L.)幼苗无显著影响外,3种圭亚那柱花草对其余4种杂草的总化感综合效应均为抑制作用。‘热研5号’柱花草对杂草幼苗生长的化感抑制效应强于其他二者,对蒺藜草(Cenchrus echinatus L.)幼苗的根长、株高、地下生物量、地上生物量、总生物量和根冠比均有显著抑制效应(P<0.05),对羽芒菊(Tridax procumbens L.)幼苗的侧根数、地下生物量和根冠比有显著抑制效应(P<0.05),也显著抑制假臭草(Eupatorium catarium V.)幼苗的生物量向地下分配(P<0.05),仅对鬼针草(Bidens pilosa L.)幼苗的抑制效应相对较弱。灰色关联分析表明,进行圭亚那柱花草的化感效应研究中应重点关注总生物量、地上生物量和株高。由此推测,3种圭...     

Soil conservation on road embankments using palm‐mat geotextiles: field studies in Lithuania

The application of geotextile mats constructed from the palm leaves of Borassus aethiopum (Borassus) and Mauritia flexuosa (Buriti) was investigated in field experiments. The use of geotextiles caused improved soil moisture storage during dry summer periods on a steep (21–25°) roadside slope in Lithuania. The enhanced soil moisture under the Borassus and Buriti mats encouraged better root development of perennial grasses, increased the number and weight of earthworms and increased the dry biomass of perennial grasses by 50.5 and 18.2%, respectively, compared with a grassland control. The mean rate of water erosion from bare soil during the study period from 17/04/2007 to 11/12/2008 was 33.21 Mg/ha. The cover of palm‐mat geotextiles decreased soil losses from bare fallow soil by 94.8–91.1%. An erosion rate of 0.85 Mg/ha over this 21‐month period was measured on the slope under perennial grasses without geotextile cover. Application of geotextile cover on perennial grasses completely prevented soil erosion by water. Therefore, use of geotextiles has clear soil and water conservation benefits on industrial slopes susceptible to erosion. The use of geotextiles has multiple benefits including soil conservation, the improvement of plant growth conditions and the encouragement of earthworm populations.     

Landscape ecology of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phragmites australis</Emphasis> invasion in networks of linear wetlands

The interaction between landscape structure and spatial patterns of plant invasion has been little addressed by ecologists despite the new insights it can provide. Because of their spatial configuration as highly connected networks, linear wetlands such as roadside or agricultural ditches, can serve as corridors facilitating invasion at the landscape scale, but species dynamics in these important habitats are not well known. We conducted a landscape scale analysis of Phragmites australis invasion patterns (1985–2002 and 1987–2002) in two periurban areas of southern Québec (Canada) focusing on the interaction between the network of linear wetlands and the adjacent land-uses. Results show that, at the beginning of the reference period, the two landscapes were relatively non-invaded and populations occurred mostly in roadside habitats which then served as invasion foci into other parts of the landscape. The intrinsic rates of increase of P. australis populations in linear anthropogenic habitats were generally higher than those reported for natural wetlands. Riparian habitats along streams and rivers were little invaded compared to anthropogenic linear wetlands, except when they intersected transportation rights-of-way. Bivariate spatial point pattern analysis of colonization events using both Euclidian and network distances generally showed spatial dependence (association) to source populations. An autologistic regression model that included landscape and edaphic variables selected transportation rights-of-way as the best predictor of P. australis occurrence patterns in one of the landscapes. Given the high invasion rates observed, managers of linear wetlands should carefully monitor expansion patterns especially when roads intersect landscapes of conservation or economic value.