Plant colonization of ex-arable fields from adjacent species-rich grasslands: The importance of dispersal vs. recruitment ability

Species-rich semi-natural grasslands have declined drastically in Europe over the last century and occur in modern landscapes as small and isolated fragments. Recreation of these species-rich plant communities and increasing connectivity of remaining grasslands are important goals for nature conservation. Ex-arable fields located adjacent to species-rich grasslands have been suggested as targets for such recreation, but we still lack knowledge about the processes determining colonization from grasslands to ex-arable fields. We examined transects from species-rich semi-natural grasslands to ex-arable fields in a nature reserve located in southeast Sweden, and analysed relationships between observed colonization of ex-arable fields and two characteristics of species: dispersal ability and recruitment ability. Colonization of ex-arable fields was not related to dispersal ability, assessed as adhesive potential to animal coat, wind dispersal potential and seed mass (related to seed production), but was positively related to recruitment ability, assessed by sowing experiment. The same relationships appeared when using a performance index from sowing experiments conducted in the UK. We conclude that recruitment ability is a key factor for colonization of ex-arable fields. In our study, around 50% of semi-natural grassland species were able to colonize adjacent ex-arable field margins spontaneously within a time window of less than 50 years. Seed sowing is however needed to increase the speed of the colonization process, because increasing seed density promotes colonization of species with poor recruitment in ex-arable fields. Actions to increase area and connectivity of species-rich grasslands should consider incorporating ex-arable fields.     

Plant species in arable field margins and road verges of central Norway

Plant species composition and species number were studied in two types of field margins: 31 arable field margins and 33 road verges. Both field margin types were adjacent to intensively managed grass or cereal fields. Effects of eight variables on field margin vegetation were studied. Despite having many plant species in common, composition and species number differed between the two field margin types, due to different ecological conditions and margin management. Arable field margins were composed of tall and/or nutrient demanding ubiquitous species and were characterised by species of later successional stages than those of road verges. The vegetation of road verges was lower and species numbers were higher than in arable field margins. The road verges contained several semi-natural meadow species that are declining in abundance. A CCA ordination of the field margins and the recorded variables showed that plant species composition was significantly affected by thickness of litter, slope, width, moisture level and type of crop in the adjacent field. Number of plant species was significantly higher in mown than unmown margins and generally higher in margins adjacent to fields with mainly grass production than in margins adjacent to fields with mainly cereal crops. In order to preserve botanical diversity in this agricultural landscape, the maintenance of regularly mown road verges should be prioritized.     

红壤丘陵区不同森林恢复类型土壤种子库特征研究

研究采用野外取样和室内萌发相结合的方法对湖南红壤丘陵区4种森林恢复类型下土壤种子库进行了比较研究。主要结论为:①草本植物是4种森林类型土壤种子库物种组成和个体数量的主要组成部分,其比例分别达61.9％-86.67％和49.82％-87.27％。4种植被类型种子库密度大小为:杉木林>湿地松林>油茶林>天然次生林;②天然次生林的灌木和乔木植物种子种类与数量多于人工林;③湿地松人工林和杉木人工林的人工抚育导致部分种子埋藏在土壤较深层,土壤8-20cm中种子数分别占种子库的33.09％和26.64％;④对于土壤种子库的物种多样性,天然次生林显著大于人工林,干扰少的油茶林大于干扰较多的湿地松林和杉木林,天然次生林最有利于该区域植物物种多样性的维持与保护;⑤不同森林恢复类型下种子库中种子来源不一致,湿地松林和杉木林土壤种子库中的物种与地表植物物种较一致,共有物种比例达69.2％和43.8％,而油茶林和天然次生林种子库中的物种与地上植被的种类组成差异较大,共有物种比例仅为26.7％和33.3％。研究结果表明,从物种丰富度与群落结构复杂性来看,我国南方红壤丘陵区森林恢复类型以自然恢复最优。对人工林的抚育方式,该区域采用的“全抚”将增加种子库的损失,不利于植被的恢复。     

Communities of different plant diversity respond similarly to drought stress: experimental evidence from field non-weeded and greenhouse conditions

Accelerating rate of species loss has prompted researchers to study the role of species diversity in processes that control ecosystem functioning. Although negative impact of species loss has been documented, the evidence concerning its impact on ecosystem stability is still limited. Here, we studied the effects of declining species and functional diversity on plant community responses to drought in the field (open to weed colonization) and greenhouse conditions. Both species and functional diversity positively affected the average yields of field communities. However, this pattern was similar in both drought-stressed and control plots. No effect of diversity on community resistance, biomass recovery after drought and resilience was found because drought reduced biomass production similarly at each level of diversity by approximately 30?%. The use of dissimilarity (characterized by Euclidean distance) revealed higher variation under changing environments (drought-stressed vs. control) in more diverse communities compared to less species-rich assemblages. In the greenhouse experiment, the effect of species diversity affected community resistance, indicating that more diverse communities suffered more from drought than species-poor ones. We conclude that our study did not support the insurance hypothesis (stability properties of a community should increase with species richness) because species diversity had an equivocal effect on ecosystem resistance and resilience in an environment held under non-weeded practice, regardless of the positive relationship between sown species diversity and community biomass production. More species-rich communities were less resistant against drought-stressed conditions than species-poor ones grown in greenhouse conditions.     

Linear features and butterflies: the importance of green lanes

Green lanes are unmetalled tracks between fields of variable width, which may be sunk below or raised above field level, and bounded on both sides by ‘grass’ banks, hedgerows or dry-stone walls. In the UK they have no unique planning status and have been overlooked as discrete landscape elements. Green lanes were surveyed for butterflies in 1997 on lowland arable farmland on the Trafford/north Cheshire border (Warburton) and on upland grassland in the Yorkshire Dales (Ribble Valley). At the lowland site the green lanes were bounded by vegetation and were compared with grass banks and single hedgerow field boundaries; at the upland farm, the green lanes were bounded by dry-stone walls and were compared with grass banks and single dry-stone walls. Data from earlier work on a largely arable farm (Manydown) in Hampshire in 1987 and 1988 were re-analysed to make comparisons between a green lane, the rides and glades of two coppiced woodlands, and the grass banks and single hedgerows surrounding arable fields. Green lanes, whether bounded by vegetation or stone were superior to other common farmland biotopes with the exception of woodland, in terms of both butterfly abundance and species richness.Multiple regression of the Warburton data indicated the importance of green lanes, adjacent habitat type, and nectar sources for species richness and butterfly abundance. The interior of green lanes had lower windspeeds, and more bramble nectar sources than hedgerows or grass banks. By their nature they occupy a larger area of uncropped land, and are subject to a reduced disturbance regime and reduced inputs of agrochemicals and fertilisers. Their value as biodiversity reservoirs in intensively managed land is likely to be high.     

Pasture management under goat grazing on Canary Islands

Tenerife pastures in the Teno plateau are under a goat grazing management system, and the number of goats has increased by 70% in the past 10 years. This plant community was sampled during 4 years (1992, 1993, 1994 and 1999) over a 10-year period, using ten 0.25 m² plots to reveal changes in species composition, soil nutrient content, and biomass nutrient content over time and relate these variables to changes in management and understand aspects of the dynamics of these pastures.The results revealed no changes in biomass nutrient composition over the sampling period; however, biomass protein content was related to changes in species composition. Soil phosphorus content increased in the last sampling year and was related to an average species richness decrease in the plots. Results suggest that the increase in soil phosphorus and the decrease in species richness are related to the increase in goat grazing intensity. At the end of the studied period, species with a higher protein content increased in importance in the species composition. The restoration of pastures degraded by agriculture or overgrazing is required to provide a larger area for grazing and to ensure sustainable management of these protected areas.     

人工林与其紧邻农田中野生植物与土壤线虫群落特征对比

我国北方农耕区休耕地种植杨树现象较为普遍,但是人工林对农业生态系统中生物多样性的保护作用却鲜有关注.在山东省宁津县选取3块样地,均为休耕地种植杨树林且紧邻小麦玉米轮作田,对比人工林下、田埂及农田内的草本植物群落特征、土壤线虫群落特征及土壤化学性质,以探究人工林对农业生态系统中生物多样性的作用.结果表明:①植物样方总物种数和样方平均物种数均呈现农田 < 距田埂30 m人工林下 < 距田埂10 m人工林下 < 田埂 < 距田埂20 m人工林下 < 距田埂5 m人工林下的变化规律,其中,距田埂5 m人工林下植物样方总物种数为21种,农田内11种.人工林下草本植物群落多样性指数、丰富度指数均显著高于农田内杂草植物群落相应指数（P < 0.05）.②农田、田埂及距田埂5 m的人工林下的土壤线虫组成存在差异,农田和人工林下土壤线虫优势属为头叶属（Cephalobus）,而田埂中为真头叶属（Eucephalobus）.土壤线虫群落多样性指数、成熟指数、植物寄生线虫成熟指数及线虫通路比在人工林下、田埂和农田之间差异均不显著（P≥0.05）,土壤线虫均为耐环境压力类群.③人工林下与农田土壤中总氮（TN）、总碳（TC）含量差异不显著（P≥0.05）,而田埂和人工林下土壤碳氮比（C/N）显著高于农田内（P < 0.01）,表明林下和田埂土壤中有机物分解矿化速度低于农田内.土壤TN含量、TC含量、C/N和pH均与植物群落具有显著关联,而对土壤线虫群落均无显著影响.研究显示,在我国北方休耕地种植杨树林,对于农业生态系统中草本植物多样性保护具有积极作用,但是难以在几年内有效地改善土壤质量.      

Climate change is predicted to negatively influence Moroccan endemic reptile richness. Implications for conservation in protected areas

The identification of species-rich areas and their prognosticated turnover under climate change are crucial for the conservation of endemic taxa. This study aims to identify areas of reptile endemicity richness in a global biodiversity hot spot (Morocco) under current and future climatic conditions and to investigate the role of protected areas in biodiversity conservation under climate change. Species distribution models (SDM) were performed over the distribution of 21 endemic reptiles, combined to estimate current species richness at 1?×?1 km resolution and projected to years 2050 and 2080 according to distinct story lines and ensemble global circulation models, assuming unlimited and null dispersion ability. Generalized additive models were performed between species richness and geographic characteristics of 43 protected areas. SDM found precipitation as the most important factor related to current species distributions. Important reductions in future suitable areas were predicted for 50 % of species, and four species were identified as highly vulnerable to extinction. Drastic reductions in species-rich areas were predicted for the future, with considerable variability between years and dispersal scenarios. High turnover rates of species composition were predicted for eastern Morocco, whereas low values were forecasted for the Northern Atlantic coast and mountains. Species richness for current and future conditions was significantly related to the altitude and latitude of protected areas. Protected areas located in mountains and/or in the Northern Atlantic coast were identified as refugia, where population monitoring and conservation management is needed.

     

Long-term dynamics of biomass production, soil chemical properties and plant species composition of alluvial grassland after the cessation of fertilizer application in the Czech Republic

The resilience, the ability of an ecosystem to recover after termination of perturbation, of highly productive Alopecurus grassland was investigated after the cessation of the following long-term fertilizer treatments applied under a two- or three-cut management regime: unfertilized control, PK, N₁₀₀PK, N₂₀₀PK, N₃₀₀PK and N₄₀₀PK. Annual application rates of pure nutrients per hectare were 0–400 kg for N, 40 kg for P and 100 kg for K. The dynamics of biomass production were measured for 16 years and the effect of former fertilizer treatments on soil chemical properties, biomass chemical properties, plant species composition and species richness were investigated 16 years after the last application of fertilizers. It was concluded that 16 years was not long enough to achieve resilience in plant-available soil P and K concentrations, N/P ratios in the plant biomass or plant species composition, but that it was long enough to achieve resilience in species richness. In the case of biomass production the effect of former fertilizer treatments was apparent in 10 of the 16 seasons investigated, indicating that resilience in biomass production must be evaluated using data from more than 1 vegetation season. The results of the study stress the necessity for long-term research because of high year-to-year variability in biomass production as well as long-term after-effects of fertilizer treatments in alluvial grassland.     

Pollinator insects benefit from rotational fallows

The importance of rotational fallows for pollinating insects in intensively cultivated farmland was studied in a three-year field experiment. The focus was on the establishment method (undersowing or seed mixture sown post-tillage), seed mixture (competitive Festuca pratensis-Phleum pratense-Trifolium pratense or less competitive Agrostis capillaris-Festuca ovina mixture) and duration (1 or 2 years) of the fallow. The seed mixture and duration affected the pollinators more than the method of establishment. Pollinator species richness was higher in fallows sown with less competitive than with competitive grasses and it increased in the second year. Stubble fields reached as high pollinator species richness already during the first year as fallows with less competitive grasses did in the second year. Pollinator abundance was highest in those treatments in which species richness of flowering plants was highest. The results suggest that the benefits of rotational fallows for pollinators increase when they are established as stubble or using seeds of less competitive grasses and when the field is fallowed for (at least) two summers.     

贵州植物物种高丰富度区域人类干扰变化分析

结合地面调查和卫星遥感监测手段,基于贵州省维管植物、濒危植物物种、特有物种野外调查数据的整理和空间化,叠加形成物种高丰富度区,结合1990～2018年贵州土地利用和人类干扰遥感监测数据,对其动态变化进行分析,结果表明:1)贵州植物物种高丰富度区域主要分布在册亨县、安定县、兴义市、兴仁县、凯里市、雷山县、印江土家族苗族自...     

三峡水库澎溪河消落带植物群落物种丰富度格局

通过样地调查和Spearman相关分析,研究了澎溪河消落带植物群落物种丰富度格局. 结果表明:沿河流纵向梯度,总物种丰富度、灌木层和草本层物种丰富度均表现出抛物线型,乔木层物种丰富度表现出直线型;沿河流侧向梯度,总物种丰富度和草本层物种丰富度随高程的增加先升高后降低;乔木层和灌木层物种丰富度随高程的升高而增加. 在纵向梯度上,底质类型与物种丰富度显著相关,距河口的空间距离对物种丰富度有重要的控制作用;在侧向梯度上,淹水时间、土壤含水量、底质异质性对群落空间格局有重要影响. 总体来说,消落带植物物种丰富度格局仍受原河流地貌及洪水格局的影响,但由于水位季节性变动,已形成与水位变动相适应的分布格局.      

植被演替下植物组成多样性和群落稳定性与土壤团聚体的关系

为揭示植被自然恢复过程中植物组成多样性和群落稳定性与土壤团聚体的关系,防治水土流失,提高土壤质量.通过野外调查采样,确定并分析黄土高原近150年植被演替不同阶段的植被特征与土壤团聚体数据.结果表明:该过程共有种子植物39科99属128种,优势科是菊科、蔷薇科、禾本科和豆科,优势属是蒿属,单种属是该过程植物属的主体,出现频率较高的植物有大披针薹草、胡枝子、白刺花、水栒子、青蒿、虎榛子、辽东栎、茶条枫、油松、绣线菊、狗娃花等.植物地理成分在属级水平上有11个分布区类型8个变型,温带性质明显,热带性质（R值）与温带性质（T值）的比值（R/T）随恢复年限的增加而降低,R值与R/T值显著正相关,热带成分扩散分布受到限制.植物丰富度呈单峰曲线,在恢复年限为40～70年时最高.依照不同恢复年限对群落稳定性进行排序:70>120>135>150>40>10>20>0年.R值与植物种系分化度（SD值）极显著正相关,T值与稳定性极显著正相关.>5mm粒径团聚体与受热带性质物种驱动的植物丰富度有关.>0.25mm粒径团聚体总体上与群落稳定性保持一致,均受...     

Agrobiodiversity with emphasis on plant genetic resources

The science of agrobiodiversity has emerged during the last 10 years. We review here the most important aspects of biodiversity for conservation. One of the aims of agrobiodiversity research is to introduce or to re-introduce into present-day agriculture and horticulture more diversity from gene banks, botanical or zoological gardens, and other secondary sources of diversity. To enlarge the basis of agricultural and horticultural resources for human and animal nutrition, a sustainable use of these native and cultivated resources is necessary, including animal and plant genetic resources. The total number of botanical plant species cultivated as agricultural or horticultural crops is estimated at almost 7,000. However, only 30 major crop species "feed the world". Comparable numbers of animal species have been lost. The reduction in crop species and variety diversity, in particular, has led to the establishment of germplasm collections, so called gene banks, or ex situ collections. Six million plant accessions are conserved in gene banks worldwide. All these accessions belong to a very limited number of species. About half of them are advanced cultivars or breeders' lines, and only a third are landraces or old cultivars. Approximately 15% are wild relatives of crop species and weeds. Among other obvious gaps, minor crops and underutilized species are underrepresented in these collections, particularly primitive cultivars and wild relatives from the centers of origin, diversity, and cultivation. To date, only a third of all gene bank accessions have been fully characterized.     

降雨变化对荒漠草原植物群落多样性与土壤C:N:P生态化学计量特征的影响

研究降雨格局变化对植物群落多样性、土壤C：N：P生态化学计量特征的影响,以及关键土壤因子与植物群落多样性间的关系,对于荒漠草原植物群落多样性的保护具有重要意义.本文以黄土高原西部荒漠草原为研究对象,通过3 a野外降雨控制试验（减少40%降雨、减少20%降雨、自然降雨、增加20%降雨和增加40%降雨）,探讨干湿年份下降雨变化对植物群落多样性及其土壤C：N：P生态化学计量特征的影响,以及降雨变化下土壤C：N：P生态化学计量特征及关键土壤因子与植物群落多样性的关系.结果表明,在正常年份与偏干年份（2013年与2015年）,Patrick丰富度和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数分别以减雨20%处理显著低于对照和增雨40%处理,在偏湿年份（2014年）,Patrick丰富度和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数对降雨处理无显著差异.在正常年份与偏干年份,随降雨量的增加土壤有机碳（SOC）、全氮（TN）、全磷（TP）、碳氮比（C：N）、碳磷比（C：P）和氮磷比（N：P）呈降低趋势,其中,C：N显著降低;在偏湿年份,随降雨量增加土壤SOC、TN、C：P和N：P呈上升趋势.在正常年份,降雨处理对土壤含水量影响不显著,导致土壤含水量对植物群落影响有限,SOC、TN、N：P、C：N和微生物量氮（MBN）对植物群落多样性的影响更为突出;在偏湿年份,年降雨量丰富,降雨量增加导致土壤养分上升,水分不是限制植物生长的最重要因素,土壤含水量、土壤养分与生态化学计量特征共同调节和控制着植物群落多样性;在偏干年份,降雨处理对土壤含水影响显著,且降雨量增加导致土壤养分流失较多,因此,土壤含水量成为影响植物群落多样性的最主要因素.由此可知,在不同干湿年份,植物群落多样性与土壤C：N：P生态化学计量特征对降雨变化的响应不同;土壤C：N：P对植物群落多样性的影响也不同,本文的研究结果旨在为未来降雨变化下荒漠草原的保护与管理提供一定的理论依据.     

Margins of agricultural fields as habitats for pollinating insects

The occurrence of pollinating insects in field margins with different vegetation was studied in field experiments. Some margins were widened and vegetation was established by sowing of leguminous plants or was allowed to invade spontaneously. The communities of pollinating insects in reclaimed field margins were compared with those of a margin with a naturally diverse flora and an adjacent pasture. A beehive was placed in the area and the collection of pollen by the honey-bees was followed over the season in order to compare the bees' preferences with the supply of flowering plants available in the different experimental field margins. The sown leguminous plants were very attractive to most insect groups, especially bees and bumble-bees, and their pollen constituted an important part of the bees' total catch. The vegetation established by spontaneous succession especially attracted Syrphidae and other groups of Diptera. Butterflies were found in all vegetation types. It is concluded that small areas with flowering plants can give highly positive effects. The key question is how to avoid weed problems and keep the most attractive plant species with a minimum of cost and effort.     

Effect of vegetation of transgenic Bt rice lines and their straw amendment on soil enzymes, respiration, functional diversity and community structure of soil microorganisms under field conditions

With the development of transgenic crops, there is an increasing concern about the possible adverse effects of their vegetation and residues on soil environmental quality. This study was carried out to evaluate the possible effects of the vegetation of transgenic Bt rice lines Huachi B6 (HC) and TT51 (TT) followed by the return of their straw to the soil on soil enzymes (catalase, urease, neutral phosphatase and invertase), anaerobic respiration activity, microbial utilization of carbon substrates and community structure, under field conditions. The results indicated that the vegetation of the two transgenic rice lines (HC and TT) and return of their straw had few adverse effects on soil enzymes and anaerobic respiration activity compared to their parent and distant parent, although some transient differences were observed. The vegetation and subsequent straw amendment of Bt rice HC and TT did not appear to have a harmful effect on the richness, evenness and community structure of soil microorganisms. No different pattern of impact due to plant species was found between HC and TT. It could be concluded that the vegetation of transgenic Bt rice lines and the return of their straw as organic fertilizer may not alter soil microbe-mediated functions.     

岩性对喀斯特灌丛土壤固氮菌与丛枝菌根真菌群落结构及丰度的影响

运用末端限制性片段长度多态性(terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism,T-RFLP)和荧光定量PCR(real-time PCR)法,检测喀斯特灌丛生态系统中不同岩性条件下土壤固氮菌与丛枝菌根(arbuscular mycorrhizal,AM)真菌群落结构与丰度的变化,揭示岩性对灌丛生态系统土壤中固氮菌与AM真菌群落结构与丰度的影响.结果表明不同岩性条件下,土壤固氮菌与AM真菌丰度存在显著差异,其中,固氮菌与AM真菌丰度在石灰岩土壤中最大,白云岩土壤中最小,石灰岩-白云岩夹层土壤介于两者之间;同样,不同岩性土壤中固氮菌与AM真菌群落结构存在显著性差异.土壤Olsen-P、有机碳、黏粒含量与固氮菌丰度存在显著正相关关系,而土壤全氮、黏粒含量与AM真菌丰度存在显著正相关.RDA分析表明,植物均匀度影响固氮菌群落组成结构,而植物均匀度、香农多样性指数及丰富度指数影响AM真菌群落组成结构.以上的研究结果表明:岩性主要是通过影响植物与土壤养分来影响土壤固氮菌与AM真菌群落组成结构及丰度.     

乙氧氟草醚在模拟稻田-鱼塘生态系统中残留动态的研究

在野外稻田-鱼塘模拟系统研究了乙氧氟草醚以规定剂量72g/hm2施用于田间后的残留分布及消解动态?结果表明,施药后4h该药在稻田表水和鱼沟中的浓度分别为29.4和19.6μg/L,在稻田土?鱼塘水和塘泥中的最大浓度分别为0.752,0.006和0.156mg/L?且在各介质中消解迅速,在田表水?塘水?田土中的半衰期分别为4.5,48.8h和7.2d?说明该药对水生生物虽有较高毒性,但在规定使用剂量下,其在稻田及邻近鱼塘中的残留浓度与毒性已降到对其中的水生生物不再有危害的水平?因此可认为该农药在稻田使用对水生生物无实际危害作用?      

高寒草甸植物群落谱系结构与多样性格局

为了解青藏高原高寒草甸植物群落谱系结构及物种多样性在海拔梯度上的变化,以甘南藏族自治州的高寒草甸植物群落为对象,选取五个不同海拔的研究样地,进行野外群落学调查及环境因子的测量,计算净亲缘指数（net relatedness index,NRI）和最近亲缘指数（nearest taxon index,NTI）等,探讨了群落谱系结构与谱系多样性的海拔格局变化.结果表明：随海拔升高,土壤温度、含水量、土壤全氮及有机碳均呈现降低趋势.植物群落物种丰富度、Shannon-Weiner多样性指数及谱系α多样性随海拔升高均呈现单峰变化规律,即在海拔3500m处植物群落α多样性达到最大;谱系β多样性指数betaMPD随海拔增加呈升高趋势,反映物种聚集受到生境过滤的显著影响.低海拔（3000m）群落谱系发散（NRI<0,NTI<0）,竞争排斥起到主要作用;中低海拔（3250m）和中海拔（3500m）处同时存在聚集（NRI>0,NTI>0）和发散（NRI<0,NTI<0）两种谱系结构,生境过滤和竞争排斥共同维持群落物种多样性;高海拔（3750m、4000m）群落谱系结构聚集（NRI>0,NTI>0）,其驱动因素与物种趋同进化和生境过滤有关.多元回归分析显示,在不同海拔,土温和土壤含水量成为物种共存的主要影响因素.本研究揭示青藏高原高寒草甸海拔梯度植物群落谱系结构及多样性格局的变化,说明生态位过程是维持其群落多样性的重要机制.