Earthworm Invasion as the Driving Force Behind Plant Invasion and Community Change in Northeastern North American Forests

Abstract:  Identification of factors that drive changes in plant community structure and contribute to decline and endangerment of native plant species is essential to the development of appropriate management strategies. Introduced species are assumed to be driving causes of shifts in native plant communities, but unequivocal evidence supporting this view is frequently lacking. We measured native vegetation, non-native earthworm biomass, and leaf-litter volume in 15 forests in the presence and absence of 3 non-native plant species ( Microstegium vimineum, Alliaria petiolata, Berberis thunbergii ) to assess the general impact of non-native plant and earthworm invasions on native plant communities in northeastern United States. Non-native plant cover was positively correlated with total native plant cover and non-native earthworm biomass. Earthworm biomass was negatively associated with cover of native woody and most herbaceous plants and with litter volume. Graminoid cover was positively associated with non-native earthworm biomass and non-native plant cover. These earthworm-associated responses were detected at all sites despite differences in earthworm species and abundance, composition of the native plant community, identity of invasive plant species, and geographic region. These patterns suggest earthworm invasion, rather than non-native plant invasion, is the driving force behind changes in forest plant communities in northeastern North America, including declines in native plant species, and earthworm invasions appear to facilitate plant invasions in these forests. Thus, a focus on management of invasive plant species may be insufficient to protect northeastern forest understory species.     

凋落物处理对森林地表CO2通量的影响及其调控机理

全球变化和森林演替可以导致森林地表凋落物数量和质量的变化,从而对森林地表 CO2通量产生影响。本实验对亚热带不同演替阶段的3种,即马尾松林（前期）、混交林（中期）和季风林（后期）进行地表凋落物去除、加倍与置换处理,利用静态箱气相色谱法测定地表CO2通量,并同步测定气温、土壤温度和湿度,分析凋落物质量和数量变化对森林地表CO2通量的影响及其调控机理。结果表明,（1）去除凋落物处理显著降低了不同演替阶段的3种森林地表CO2通量,而加倍凋落物处理可以增加森林地表CO2通量,但不同演替阶段增加的幅度不同,依次为：季风林＞马尾松林＞混交林。（2）置换凋落物对不同演替阶段的森林地表 CO2通量的影响不同,在演替后期的季风林中,置换混交林和马尾松林凋落物处理均增加地表CO2通量;在演替中期的混交林中,置换季风林和马尾松林凋落物均降低地表CO2通量。在演替前期的马尾松林中,置换季风林凋落物增加地表CO2通量,而置换混交林凋落物降低了地表CO2通量（3）结合测定的土壤温度和水分数据分析得出,凋落物处理引起森林地表 CO2通量的变化是通过处理凋落物质量和数量后改变森林地表水热条件来实现的。（4）3个林型的各种处理,地表 CO2通量与土壤温度均呈显著的指数相关关系,但不同处理不同地改变了森林地表土壤 CO2通量对温度的敏感性,即Q10值。     

The effect of temperature on leaching and subsequent decomposition of dissolved carbon from inundated floodplain litter: implications for the generation of hypoxic blackwater in lowland floodplain rivers

Dissolved organic carbon export from floodplain litter during flood events is an important energy subsidy for lowland rivers. Temperature affects both the release and decomposition of dissolved organic carbon from floodplain plant litter. Unseasonally warm flood conditions have resulted in the release and consumption of carbon at a rate so rapid that water column oxygen has been depleted, causing the death of aquatic organisms upon exposure to this ‘hypoxic blackwater’. To date, there has not been a systematic investigation of the role of temperature on hypoxic blackwater dynamics. In a series of laboratory experiments, we investigated the temperature dependence of both leaching and decomposition of carbon from a common floodplain litter component in south-eastern Australia – the leaves of the river red gum Eucalyptus camaldulensis. The leaching rate increased with temperature and approximated Arrhenius kinetics. Additionally, the solubility of the leaf carbon increased substantially at temperatures above ～25°C. The rate of organic carbon respiration also increased with temperature, and the relationship with temperature was approximately linear. These data can be used to improve models for the prediction of hypoxic blackwater risk.     

Effects of nutrient concentration and litter cover on quantitative shoot parameters and belowground biomass of Zizania latifolia (L)

This study investigated the effect of nutrient concentration and litter cover on the development of quantitative shoot parameters and belowground biomass (BGB) production of Zizania latifolia. Zizania latifolia is a common emergent aquatic species in East Asia. Four treatments were done at the study site, and were observed between May 2003 and December 2005. The treatments are namely, high nutrient (HN) with litter cover (HNWL), high nutrient without litter cover (HNNL), low nutrient (LN) with litter cover (LNWL), and low nutrient without litter cover (LNNL). The quantitative shoot parameters and BGB had higher values for treatments with high nutrient (HN) compared to the low nutrient treatments (LN), independent of the presence of litter cover. Furthermore, the life span of the secondary shoots was also higher in HN treatments compared to LN treatments. The BGB productivity was higher in the HNNL treatment compared to the other treatments. The LNWL treatment showed the least developed quantitative shoot parameters, e.g. plant height, and the lowest BGB for Z. latifolia. It was generally observed that the combined effects of low nutrients and litter cover negatively affected shoot development and BGB production.     

盐度和水淹对短叶茳芏枯落物分解和二氧化碳释放的影响

在全球气候变暖和盐水入侵的背景下,探究湿地枯落物分解和CO_2释放对盐度和水淹的响应具有重要意义.以闽江河口湿地的短叶茳芏为研究对象,模拟不同盐度和水淹条件下枯落物分解.研究结果表明:(1)盐度升高抑制枯落物的分解(p0.01),低盐(5)、中盐(10)、高盐(15)在非水淹条件下分别比对照(0)的失重率平均减少10.83%、17.93%和29.39%,水淹条件下平均减少24.18%、31.62%和47.46%.(2)对照组的枯落物分解速率为水淹条件(0.0070 d~(-1),t_(0.95)=0.76 a)大于非水淹条件(0.0051 d~(-1),t0.95=0.94 a),而处理组的枯落物分解速率和CO_2释放速率均呈现出非水淹条件大于水淹条件.非水淹的枯落物CO_2释放通量比水淹条件的增长7.05%~86.23%.(3)在枯落物分解95%的干物质的期间内,与水淹条件相比,非水淹对照组平均每g干物质释放的CO_2高于水淹对照组34.49%;然而,随盐度升高,非水淹条件下的平均每g干物质释放的CO_2受抑制.(4)盐度和水淹对枯落物残留量的贡献率分别为24.82%和14.29%,对枯落物CO_2释放通量的贡献率分别为75.62%和6.13%.     

辽东湾河口区海洋垃圾赋存特征及管理对策

海洋垃圾已引起国际社会的广泛关注,是当前环境领域热点问题之一.为揭示我国渤海近岸海域海洋垃圾的赋存特征及其分布规律,于2018年丰水期（8月）在辽东湾河口区海域布设6个长度为5~10 km的调查断面,利用拖网同时采集海面漂浮垃圾与海底垃圾,初步调查辽东湾近岸海域海洋垃圾分布和组成特征,并对海洋垃圾来源进行了分析.结果表明:①辽东湾海面漂浮垃圾数量密度为67个/km2,质量密度为741 g/km2;海底垃圾数量密度为19个/km2,质量密度为2 544 g/km2.②在所收集的各类海洋垃圾中,塑料类垃圾数量占比约为50.9%,其中海底塑料类垃圾数量占比（62.1%）明显高于海面漂浮塑料垃圾数量占比（37.5%）.③由塑料垃圾形态特征和表面带有的标识判断,辽东湾近岸海域塑料垃圾主要是来源于生活塑料垃圾（84.9%）和渔业垃圾（15.1%）.在此基础上,建议加强源头管理以减少塑料垃圾进入海洋,主要包括完善当前海洋垃圾分类方法、加强渔业塑料垃圾回收、提升公民保护海洋环境意识和制定国家海洋塑料垃圾行动计划等.      

Soil physi-chemical properties,biomass and nutrient contents of forest litter in mixed plantations of Eucalyptus grandis and three tree species北大核心CSCD

In the present study, we compared the soil physical and chemical properties, biomass of forest litter and nutrient contents in three-and-half-year plantations of E. grandis mixed with Toona ciliate, Alnus formosana, Sassafras tzumu. The results indicated that mixing T. ciliate and A. formosana with E. grandis mitigated soil acidification. In E. grandis × S. tzumu plantations, the soil bulk density decreased, but the moisture capacity and porosity increased. The mixed plantations of E. grandis × S. tzumu significantly increased the soil total C, N, P and K content, by 64.7%, 41.9%, 28.6% and 7.7%, respectively. The mixed plantations of E. grandis × A. formosana also significantly increased the soil total C, N and P content, by 15.2%, 27.9% and 47.6%, respectively. Compared with the pure plantations, the mixed plantations had significantly lower soil hydrolysis N and higher available P content. Only the E. grandis × A. formosana plantations had higher soil available K content. Compared with that in pure plantations, the biomass of branch litter and leaf litter was significantly higher in E. grandis × A. formosana plantations but significantly lower in E. grandis × A. formosana and E. grandis × A. formosana plantations; the biomass of leaf litter and total biomass of litter of E. grandis × S. tzumu were 9.8% and 9.3% respectively lower. The litter C content in three kinds of mixed forest was significantly lower and the litter N content was significantly higher than that in the pure plantations. Only the mixed plantations of E. grandis × A. formosana plantations would increase the content of litter P. The mixed plantations of E. grandis × S. tzumu would increase the content of litter K. In general, S. tzumu is the optimal tree species to mix with E. grandis, followed by A. formosana, but T. ciliate is unsuitble for mixed plantation with E. grandis.     

城市污泥及落叶蚯蚓处理最优条件因子实验研究

蚯蚓的环境生态作用具有促进微生物和其他土壤动物活动、消化分解土壤中重金属的功能,并且能够破碎与分解枯落物。通过城市污泥和城市落叶发酵后建立起蚯蚓养殖基床,以赤子爱胜蚓为主体,通过蚯蚓对污泥中重金属的富集作用实现城市污泥无害化,达到城市污泥与落叶资源化的目的。通过设计四因子四水平正交试验探索赤子爱胜蚓处理城市污泥及落叶的最优条件组合。实验结果表明:在落叶添加比例为35%,蚓床湿度为75%,培养温度为14℃,饲养密度为32mg/g时,赤子爱胜蚓对城市污泥和落叶的处理指标达到峰值,蚯蚓床对于污泥中重金属Cu和Zn的富集量分别为274.32μg/箱和420.98μg/箱,处理效果最佳。     

土壤水分含量和凋落物特性对陌上菅细根和叶片凋落物分解的影响

凋落物分解是湿地生态系统中碳和养分循环的关键过程.对比叶片凋落物和细根的分解速率,有助于阐明水分变化条件下不同凋落物类型对湿地碳循环的相对贡献,提高人们对不同有机碳源分解驱动机制的理解.以安徽省升金湖湿地典型湿生植物——陌上菅（Carex thunbergii）为研究对象,采用分解袋法进行凋落物分解试验,分析叶片凋落物和细根在不同土壤水分含量（30%、50%和70%）下的分解动态.结果表明:①经过5个月的分解,在30%、50%和70%的土壤水分含量下,陌上菅的细根质量残留率分别为46.7%、58.1%和60.1%,叶片凋落物的质量残留率分别为37.9%、31.6%、33.9%.②在30%、50%和70%的土壤水分含量下,陌上菅的细根分解速率常数分别为1.78、1.27、1.12,叶片凋落物的分解速率常数分别为2.56、2.94、2.54,且它们之间存在显著性差异（P < 0.05）.③细根的分解速率与土壤水分含量之间呈负相关（P < 0.001）,而叶片凋落物的分解速率与土壤水分含量呈正相关（P=0.01）.④根据重复测量方差分析结果可知,凋落物分解受凋落物类型、分解时间及二者交互作用的影响,且凋落物类型是主导因素.分别对细根和叶片凋落物的质量损失进行重复测量方差分析,发现在细根的分解过程中,土壤水分含量是主要影响因素,而在叶片凋落物分解过程中,分解时间是主导因素.研究显示,相同土壤水分含量下,叶片凋落物的分解速率比细根快;湿地水位变化条件下,土壤水分含量对细根和叶片凋落物分解具有不同的影响,土壤水分含量的增加促进了叶片凋落物的分解,但对细根的分解产生了抑制作用.