Stable carbon isotopes(δ^(13)C)are extensively utilized to study intrinsic water use efficiency(iWUE)at the leaf-scale in terrestrial ecosystems,serving as a crucial metric for assessing plant adaptation to climate c...Stable carbon isotopes(δ^(13)C)are extensively utilized to study intrinsic water use efficiency(iWUE)at the leaf-scale in terrestrial ecosystems,serving as a crucial metric for assessing plant adaptation to climate change.However,there is currently a lack of consensus regarding the leaf-scale iWUE variation characteristics among different functional types.In this study,we measured theδ^(13)Cleaf and iWUE values of different functional plants(i.e.,life forms,leaf types,and mycorrhizal types)from 120 species across distinct habitat types(i.e.,hillside,nearpeak,and peak)in a subtropical forest on the western slope of Wuyi Mountains,southern China.The results showed that theδ^(13)Cleaf values of plants on the western slope of Wuyi Mountains ranged from-34.63‰to-30.04‰,and iWUE ranged from 5.93μmol mol^(-1)to 57.34μmol mol^(-1).Theδ^(13)Cleaf and iWUE values differed significantly among plant life forms,following the order of herbs>vine plants>shrubs>trees.Theδ^(13)Cleaf and iWUE values of ectomycorrhizal(ECM)species were greater than those of arbuscular mycorrhizal(AM)species despite there being no significant difference between plants with different leaf types(Simple leaves(SL)vs.Compound leaves(CL)).From the hillside to the peak,both at the community level and at the species level,theδ^(13)C values of leaves and iWUE values of plants exhibited an upward trend.The regression analysis revealed that leaf-scale iWUE was significantly negatively correlated with soil water content and significantly positively correlated with leaf phosphorus content.The findings indicated that leaf carbon isotope fractionation and corresponding iWUE can be influenced by life form,mycorrhizal type,and soil water availability.These insights provide a deeper understanding of the coupling mechanisms of carbon,water,and nutrients among different functional plant types in subtropical forests,and offer insights into predicting plant adaptability under climate change.展开更多
Due to their particular physiology and life history traits, bryophytes are critical in regulating biogeochemical cycles and functions in alpine ecosystem. Hence, it is crucial to investigate their nutrient utilization...Due to their particular physiology and life history traits, bryophytes are critical in regulating biogeochemical cycles and functions in alpine ecosystem. Hence, it is crucial to investigate their nutrient utilization strategies in comparison with vascular plants and understand their responses to the variation of growing season caused by climate change. Firstly, this study testified whether or not bryophytes can absorb nitrogen(N) directly from soil through spiking three chemical forms of 15N stable isotope tracer. Secondly, with stronger ability of carbohydrates assimilation and photosynthesis, it is supposed that N utilization efficiency of vascular plants is significantly higher than that of bryophytes. However, the recovery of soil N by bryophytes can still compete with vascular plants due to their greater phytomass. Thirdly, resource acquisition may be varied from the change of growing season, during which N pulse can be manipulated with 15N tracer addition at different time. Both of bryophytes and vascular plants contain more N in a longer growing season, and prefer inorganic over organic N. Bryophytes assimilate more NH4+ than NO3– and amino acid, which can be indicated from the greater shoot excess 15N of bryophytes. However, vascular plants prefer to absorb NO3– for their developed root systems and vascular tissue. Concerning the uptake of three forms N by bryophytes, there is significant difference between two manipulated lengths of growing season. Furthermore, the capacity of bryophytes to tolerate N-pollution may be lower than currently appreciated, which indicates the effect of climate change on asynchronous variation of soil N pools with plant requirements.展开更多
Grazing can dramatically affect arid grassland communities that are very vulnerable to environmental changes due to its relatively short and sparse ground coverage, low biomass, sandy soil and inter-annual precipitati...Grazing can dramatically affect arid grassland communities that are very vulnerable to environmental changes due to its relatively short and sparse ground coverage, low biomass, sandy soil and inter-annual precipitation found in the desert steppe. The study investigates the effects of different grazing durations on vegetation and soil properties of a desert steppe community. The experiment was conducted in Xisu Banner in Inner Mongolia with ifve treatments：CG （continuous grazing）, 40UG （40 d ungrazed）, 50UG （50 d ungrazed）, 60UG （60 d ungrazed） and UG （ungrazed）. The biomass of both shrub and annual-biennial plant communities were signiifcantly decreased by CG. Continuous grazing and 40UG signiifcantly reduced the ANPP （aboveground net primary productivity） by the end of the three year study. 60UG treatment increased soil organic carbon （OC）, total nitrogen concentration （TN） and total phosphorus concentration （TP） concentrations and 50UG increased the TN and total phosphorus concentration （TK） concentrations, whereas CG, 40UG and 50UG decreased soil OC, TP and available phosphorus concentration （AP） concentrations. The perennial plant species of the desert steppe were generally tolerant for grazing. The annual-biennial plant species had large variability in ANPP because of the inter-annual precipitation. Our results highlight that inter-annual precipitation variations could strongly modify the community responses to grazing in arid ecosystems.展开更多
This paper employed the scenic beauty evaluation(SBE)method to study the relationship between the aesthetic preference of the public and the effect of ornamental plant groups.The results showed that color contrast,pla...This paper employed the scenic beauty evaluation(SBE)method to study the relationship between the aesthetic preference of the public and the effect of ornamental plant groups.The results showed that color contrast,plant density,morphological diversity,and species diversity significantly affected the planting effect of ornamental plants.According to the aesthetic preference of the public reflected by scenic beauty model,strong contrasts in plant color,varied plant forms,suitable planting density,and appropriate arrangement of plants effectively improved the ornamental effect of plant groups.展开更多
The species-area relationship （SAR） is one of the most fundamental concepts in community ecology and is helpful for biodiversity conservation. However, few studies have systematically addressed this topic for differ...The species-area relationship （SAR） is one of the most fundamental concepts in community ecology and is helpful for biodiversity conservation. However, few studies have systematically addressed this topic for different alpine grassland types on the Tibetan Plateau, China. We explored whether the plant composition of different functional groups affects the manner in which species richness inereases with increasing area at scales ≤ 1.0 m^2. We also compared species richness （S） within and across forbs, legumes, sedges and grasses, with sampling subplot area （A） increasing from 0.0625 m^2 to 1.0 m^2 between alpine meadow and steppe communities. We applied a logarithmic function （S = b0 ＋ b1 ln A） to determine the slope and intercept of SAR curves within and across functional groups. The results showed that the logarithmic relationship holds true between species richness and sampling area at these small scales. Both the intercept and slope of the logarithmic forbs-area curves are significantly higher than those for the three other functional groups （P 〈 0.05）. Forb accounts for about 91.9 % of the variation in the intercept and 75.0% of the variation in the slope of the SAR curve when all functional groups＇ data were pooled together. Our results indicated that the different SAR patterns should be linked with species dispersal capabilities, environmental filtering, and life form composition within alpine grassland communities. Further studies on the relationship between species diversity and ecosystem functions should specify the differential responses of different functional groups to variations in climate and anthropogenic disturbances.展开更多
Wild cherry trees produce high-quality timber and provide multiple ecosystem services. However, planting and tending cherry stands in conventional rows are too costly. Therefore, low density group planting was trialle...Wild cherry trees produce high-quality timber and provide multiple ecosystem services. However, planting and tending cherry stands in conventional rows are too costly. Therefore, low density group planting was trialled as an alternative to row planting. The mortality, growth, and quality of planted cherry trees were compared between the group and row planting. The influence of neighbourhood competition and light availability on growth and quality was studied. The group and row planting of cherry trees were established at a wind-thrown site in southwestern Germany in the year 2000. In group planting, five cherry seedlings and seven lime seedlings （Tilia cordata Mill.） were planted with a 1 x 1 m spacing. In total, 60 groups were planted per hectare with a 13 × 13 m spacing. In contrast, 3300 seedlings （2475 cherries and 825 limes） were planted per hectare in row planting with a 3 × 1 m spacing. Ten groups and plots （10 × 10 m） were randomly established in group and row planting stand, respectively. The survival rate, stability （height to diameter ratio）, diameter, and height growth were significantly higher in group planting. In the group plantings,40.5% of cherry trees had straight stems and 13.5% had a monopodial crown compared with 15% with straight stems and 2% with a monopodial crown in row planting. The proportion of dominant cherry trees in canopy was 49% in groups compared with 22% in rows. The length of branch free bole was significantly higher in cherries planted in groups than those grown in rows. Intra- and interspecific competition reduced the growth and stability of cherry trees in row planting, but not in group planting. Light availability did not cause any significant effects on growth and quality between group and row planting. This first study on cherry group planting indicates that the survival rate, growth, and tree quality were higher in groups than in rows at this early development stage. The competition by naturally born seedlings was an important reason for the difference in performance between group and row planting. This study will encourage forest practitioners to establish more cherry group planting trials on multiple sites to test the effectiveness of this alternative technique as a tool of regeneration and restoration silviculture.展开更多
Innovation and entrepreneurship education is a critical direction for deepening the teaching reform of colleges and universities in the contemporary era.As pivotal centers for talent development,colleges and universit...Innovation and entrepreneurship education is a critical direction for deepening the teaching reform of colleges and universities in the contemporary era.As pivotal centers for talent development,colleges and universities should proactively investigate the construction and implementation of a comprehensive curriculum system dedicated to mass innovation and entrepreneurship education.This paper discusses the significance of establishing a curriculum group focused on landscape plants within the framework of mass innovation and entrepreneurship.The construction and implementation outcomes of this curriculum group are examined from five key aspects:the curriculum system and content,the faculty,the practical teaching platform,the teaching model,and the teaching evaluation system.The aim is to enhance the development of botany curricula within the landscape architecture discipline and to foster the cultivation of mass innovative and entrepreneurial talents equipped with a spirit of innovation and the capacity for entrepreneurship.展开更多
Plant community composition typically undergoes progressive changes along environmental gradients.However,most experimental studies have focused on individual communities,so it remains unclear how exogenous nutrient i...Plant community composition typically undergoes progressive changes along environmental gradients.However,most experimental studies have focused on individual communities,so it remains unclear how exogenous nutrient inputs affect the stability of plant communities along environmental gradients.Along a rainfall gradient on the northern Tibetan Plateau,we conducted an 8-year nitrogen(N)addition experiment in four alpine grasslands:alpine desert steppe(ADS),alpine steppe(AS),alpine meadow steppe(AMS),alpine meadow(AM),and we used twoway ANOVA to examine the effects of N addition on the temporal stability of these different alpine grasslands.We found that community aboveground biomass showed saturation trends in AM and AMS with increasing N gradients,while there was no change in AS and a gradual increase in ADS.The temporal stability showed different patterns of gradual decreases in ADS and AM,and a unimodal trend in AMS with increasing N gradients.However,N addition had no effect on the temporal stability of AS.Dominant species stability was the controlling factor for alpine grasslands along the transect,while the effect of asynchrony gradually increased with decreasing precipitation.These findings highlight that community composition,especially the dominant species,along the environmental gradient can mediate the effects of N inputs on community temporal stability.Thus,the conservation and restoration of the dominant species are particularly important under future scenarios of increased atmospheric N deposition.展开更多
A considerable proportion of Iran＇s territory is covered with arid and semi-arid rangelands and mismanagement and overexploitation of those rangelands have resulted in serious ecological degradation. Thus, the need i...A considerable proportion of Iran＇s territory is covered with arid and semi-arid rangelands and mismanagement and overexploitation of those rangelands have resulted in serious ecological degradation. Thus, the need is pressing to examine the present species composition and the relationships with environmental factors for providing the needed scientific references to species conservation and ecological rehabilitation efforts. The aims of this study were to examine the species composition and to delineate the most important factors influencing the distributions of plant species and groups in the northern rangelands of Isfahan Province （Iran） using two-way indicator species analysis （TWINSPAN）, detrended correspondence analysis （DCA）, principal component analysis （PCA）, and canonical correspondence analysis （CCA）. Field investigations were conducted in the growing season of 2014 using stratified random method in 22 homogeneous sampling units. In total, 75 plant species belonging to 52 genera and 19 families were identified. The most important families were Asteraceae and Papilionaceae, the most important genera were Astragalus, Cousinia, and Acanthophyllum, and the most important species were Artemisia aucheri and Artemisia sieberi. Plant species were classified into 10 groups using TWINSPAN. DCA was used to estimate the magnitude of changes in species composition along the first two ordination axes to provide gradient length estimations for PCA and CCA ordinations. The first three PCA axes and the first three CCA axes demonstrated similar cumulative percentage of variance, indicating that the environmental factors （selected by PCA） used in CCA ordination were acceptable for explaining the species composition and the distributions. CCA ordination showed that the first axis was closely related to elevation, slope, surface bare soil cover, surface litter cover, gravel proportion, organic matter, total nitrogen, CaCO3 content, and grazing intensity and that the second axis was closely related to sand proportion, silt proportion, clay proportion, and saturation percentage. Among these factors, elevation was the most effective factor to separate the plant groups and grazing was the major cause of rangeland degradation.展开更多
Understanding the vertical distribution patterns of soil microbial community and its driving factors in alpine grasslands in the humid regions of the Tibet Plateau might be of great significance for predicting the soi...Understanding the vertical distribution patterns of soil microbial community and its driving factors in alpine grasslands in the humid regions of the Tibet Plateau might be of great significance for predicting the soil microbial community of this type of vegetation in response to environmental change. Using phospholipid fatty acids （PLFA）, we investigated soil microbial community composition along an elevational gradient （3094-4131 m above sea level） on Mount Yajiageng, and we explored the impact of plant functional groups and soil chemistry on the soil microbial community. Except for Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi （AM fungi） biomarker 18：2ω6,9 increasing significantly, other biomarkers did not show a consistent trend with the elevational gradient. Microbial biomass quantified by total PLFAs did not show the elevational trend and had mean values ranging from 1.64 to 4.09 ktmol per g organic carbon （OC）, which had the maximum value at the highest site. Bacterial PLFAs exhibited a similar trend with total PLFAs, and its mean values ranged from 0.82 to 1.81 μmol （g OC）-1. The bacterial to fungal biomass ratios had the minimum value at the highest site, which might be related to temperature and soil total nitrogen （TN）. The ratios of Gram-negative to Gram-positive bacteria had a significantly negative correlation with soil TN and had the maximum value at the highest site. Leguminous plant coverage and soil TN explained 58% of the total variation in the soil microbial community and could achieve the same interpretation as the whole model. Other factors may influence the soil microbial community through interaction with leguminous plant coverage and soil TN. Soil chemistry and plant functional group composition in substantial amounts explained different parts of the variation within the soil microbial community, and the interaction between them had no impact on the soil microbial community maybe beeause long-term grazing greatly reduces litter. In sum, although there were obvious differences in soil microbial communities along the elevation gradient, there were no clear elevational trends found in general. Plant functional groups and soil chemistry respectively affect the different aspects of soil microbial community. Leguminous plant coverage and soil TN had important effects in shaping soil microbial community.展开更多
Stomata control carbon and water vapor exchange between the leaves and the atmosphere,thus infl uencing photosynthesis and transpiration.Combinations of forest patches with different stand ages are common in nature,ho...Stomata control carbon and water vapor exchange between the leaves and the atmosphere,thus infl uencing photosynthesis and transpiration.Combinations of forest patches with different stand ages are common in nature,however,information of which stomatal traits vary among these stands and how,remains limited.Here,seven different aged forest stands(6,14,25,36,45,55,and 100 years)were selected in typical temperate,mixed broadleaf-conifer forests of northeast China.Stomatal density,size and relative area of 624 species,including the same species in stands of different ages were selected.Stomatal density,size and relative area were distributed log-normally,differing across all species and plant functional groups.Stomatal density ranged from 4.2 to 1276.7 stomata mm^(–2),stomatal size ranged from 66.6 to 8315.7μm^(2),and stomatal relative area 0.1–93.3%.There was a significant negative relationship between density and size at the species and functional group levels,while the relative stomatal area was positively correlated with density and size.Stomatal traits of dominant species were relatively stable across different stand ages but were significantly different for herbs.The results suggest that stomatal traits remain relatively stable for dominant species in natural forests and therefore,spatial variation in stomatal traits across forest patches does not need to be incorporated in future ecological models.展开更多
Abstract: The biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted by the vegetation of a terrestrial ecosystem play a key role in both regional air quality and tropospheric chemistry. To describe the general emission pr...Abstract: The biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted by the vegetation of a terrestrial ecosystem play a key role in both regional air quality and tropospheric chemistry. To describe the general emission properties of VOC of different plant functional groups (PFG) in a typical temperate grassland in Inner Mongolia, China, we randomly selected 175 plant species and measured the quantities of isoprene and monoterpene in situ. Results showed that most plants had low VOC emission potential at the species level, especially for some dominant plants, such as Leymus chinensis Tzvel., Stipa grandis Smirn., and Agropyron cristatum Gaertn. At the PFG level, the lowest VOC emission potential was found for perennial rhizome grasses, a major PFG in a typical temperate grassland ecosystem. The effects of overgrazing and subsequent vegetation succession on the emission of VOC by different plant life form functional groups (PLFG) were also discussed.展开更多
Leaf nitrogen(N)and phosphorus(P)levels provide critical strategies for plant adaptions to changing environments.However,it is unclear whether leaf N and P levels of different plant functional groups(e.g.,monocots and...Leaf nitrogen(N)and phosphorus(P)levels provide critical strategies for plant adaptions to changing environments.However,it is unclear whether leaf N and P levels of different plant functional groups(e.g.,monocots and dicots)respond to environmental gradients in a generalizable pattern.Here,we used a global database of leaf N and P to determine whether monocots and dicots might have evolved contrasting strategies to balance N and P in response to changes in climate and soil nutrient availability.Specifically,we characterized global patterns of leaf N,P and N/P ratio in monocots and dicots,and explored the sensitivity of stoichiometry to environment factors in these plants.Our results indicate that leaf N and P levels responded to environmental factors differently in monocots than in dicots.In dicots,variations of leaf N,P and N/P ratio were significantly correlated to temperature and precipitation.In monocots,leaf N/P ratio was not significantly affected by temperature or precipitation.This indicates that leaf N,P and N/P ratio are less sensitive to environmental dynamics in monocots.We also found that in both monocots and dicots N/P ratios are associated with the availability of soil total P rather than soil total N,indicating that P limitation on plant growth is pervasive globally.In addition,there were significant phylogenetic signals for leaf N(λ=0.65),P(λ=0.57)and N/P ratio(λ=0.46)in dicots,however,only significant phylogenetic signals for leaf P in monocots.Taken together,our findings indicate that monocots exhibit a“conservative”strategy(high stoichiometric homeostasis and weak phylogenetic signals in stoichiometry)to maintain their growth in stressful conditions with lower water and soil nutrients.In contrast,dicots exhibit lower stoichiometric homeostasis in changing environments because of their wide climate-soil niches and significant phylogenetic signals in stoichiometry.展开更多
Aims Functional group composition of a plant community is mainly driven by environmental factors and is one of the main determinants of grassland biodiversity and productivity.Therefore,it is important to understand t...Aims Functional group composition of a plant community is mainly driven by environmental factors and is one of the main determinants of grassland biodiversity and productivity.Therefore,it is important to understand the role of plant functional groups(PFGs)in mediating the impact of environmental conditions on ecosystem functions and biodiversity.Methods We measured plant biomass and species richness(SR)of grasslands in 65 sites on the Mongolian Plateau and classified 157 perennial herbaceous plants into two main PFGs(namely grasses and forbs).Using the random forest model and ordinary least squares regression,we identified that environmental factors(i.e.aridity index,soil total nitrogen[STN]and pH)were significantly related to the SR and aboveground biomass(AGB)of PFGs.We then used structural equation modeling to explore the relationship between the identified environmental factors and community SR and biomass,and the role of PFGs in driving this relationship.Important Findings We found that aridity index had unimodal relationships with both AGB and SR of the PFGs and the whole community.All SR and biomass metrics were significantly related to STN and pH.The relationship between aridity index and community biomass was mediated by an increase in the AGB of grasses.The influence of STN and pH on community SR was mainly due to their regulation in the SR of forbs.Our results indicate that community composition and the identity of the PFGs play a key role in linking environmental factors to ecosystem functioning.展开更多
Aims Long-term heavy grazing reduces plant diversity and ecosystem function by intensifying nitrogen(N)and water limitation.In contrast,the absence of biomass removal can cause species loss by elevating light competit...Aims Long-term heavy grazing reduces plant diversity and ecosystem function by intensifying nitrogen(N)and water limitation.In contrast,the absence of biomass removal can cause species loss by elevating light competition and weakening community stability,which is exacerbated by N and water enrichment.Hence,how to maintain species diversity and community stability is still a huge challenge for sustainable management of worldwide grasslands.Methods We conducted a 4-year manipulated experiment in six long-term grazing blocks to explore combination of resource additions and biomass removal(increased water,N and light availability)on species richness and community stability in semiarid grasslands of Inner Mongolia,China.Important Findings In all blocks treated with the combination of resource additions and biomass removal,primary productivity increased and species richness and community stability were maintained over 4 years of experiment.At both species and plant functional group(PFG)levels,the aboveground biomass of treated plants remained temporally stable in treatments with the combination of N and/or water addition and biomass removal.The maintenance of species richness was primarily caused by the biomass removal,which could increase the amount of light exposure for grasses under resource enrichment.Both species asynchrony and stability of PFGs contributed to the high temporal stability observed in these communities.Our results indicate that management practices of combined resource enrichment with biomass removal,such as grazing or mowing,could not only enhance primary productivity but also maintain plant species diversity,species asynchrony and community stability.Furthermore,as overgrazing-induced degradation and resource enrichment-induced biodiversity loss continue to be major problems worldwide,our findings have important implications for adaptive management in semiarid grasslands and beyond.展开更多
Background:Climate change is expected to affect plant–soil feedbacks(PSFs,i.e.,the effects of a plant on the growth of another plant or community grown in the same soil via changes in soil abiotic and biotic properti...Background:Climate change is expected to affect plant–soil feedbacks(PSFs,i.e.,the effects of a plant on the growth of another plant or community grown in the same soil via changes in soil abiotic and biotic properties),influencing plant community dynamics and,through this,ecosystem functioning.However,our knowledge of the effects of climate changes on the magnitude and direction of PSFs remains limited,with considerable variability between studies.We quantified PSFs associated with common climate change factors,specifically drought and warming,and their corresponding ambient(control)conditions using a meta-analytical approach.We investigated whether drought and warming effects on PSFs were consistent across functional groups,life histories(annual versus perennial)and species origin(native versus non-native),planting(monoculture,mixed culture)and experimental(field,greenhouse/laboratory)conditions.Results:PSFs were negative(a mechanism that encourage species co-existence)under drought and neutral under corresponding ambient conditions,whereas PSFs were negative under both ambient and elevated temperatures,with no apparent difference in effect size.The response to drought was largely driven by stronger negative PSFs in grasses,indicating that grasses are more likely to show stronger negative PSFs than other functional groups under drought.Moreover,non-native species showed negative drought-induced PSFs while native species showed neutral PSFs under drought.By contrast,we found the opposite in pattern in response to warming for native and non-native species.Perennial herbs displayed stronger drought-induced negative PSFs than annual herbs.Mixed species communities displayed more negative PSFs than monocultures,independent of climate treatment.Finally,warming and drought treatment PSF effect sizes were more negative in experiments performed in the field than under controlled conditions.Conclusions:We provide evidence that drought and warming can induce context-specific shifts in PSFs,which are dependent on plant functional groups,life history traits and experimental conditions.These shifts would be expected to have implications for plant community dynamics under projected climate change scenarios.展开更多
Although biotic and abiotic factors have been confirmed to be critical factors that affect community dynamics,their interactive effects have yet to be fully considered in grassland degradation.Herein,we tested how soi...Although biotic and abiotic factors have been confirmed to be critical factors that affect community dynamics,their interactive effects have yet to be fully considered in grassland degradation.Herein,we tested how soil nutrients and microbes regulated plant-soil feedback(PSF)in a degraded alpine grassland.Our results indicated that soil total carbon(STC;from 17.66 to 12.55 g/kg)and total nitrogen(STN;from 3.16 to 2.74 g/kg)exhibited significant(P<0.05)decrease from non-degraded(ND)to severely degraded(SD).Despite higher nutrients in ND soil generating significantly(P<0.05)positive PSF(0.52)on monocots growth when the soil was sterilized,a high proportion of pathogens(36%)in ND non-sterilized soil resulted in a strong negative PSF on monocots.In contrast,the higher phenotypic plasticity of dicots coupled with a higher abundance of mutualists and saprophytes(70%)strongly promoted their survival and growth in SD with infertile soil.Our findings identified a novel mechanism that there was a functional group shift from monocots with higher vulnerability to soil pathogens in the ND fertile soil to dicots with higher dependence on nutritional mutualists in the degraded infertile soil.The emerging irreversible eco-evolutionary in PSF after degradation might cause a predicament for the restoration of degraded grassland.展开更多
Backgrounds:Grazing prohibition and reduced grazing intensity,as two important“vegetation close-to-nature recovery”methods,have been suggested as economical and effective technologies for enhancing forage production...Backgrounds:Grazing prohibition and reduced grazing intensity,as two important“vegetation close-to-nature recovery”methods,have been suggested as economical and effective technologies for enhancing forage production.However,numerous studies have found that the yield of forage could be increased by removing or reducing grazing in a short time in some steady stage of alpine Kobresia meadows,but not in others.To reveal the mechanism behind this phenomenon,we proposed a series of experiments.Methods:We monitored the plant and soil characteristics in the key steady stages of Kobresia meadows under reduced and prohibited grazing conditions in the same geographic and climatic environments in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau for 6 years.We estimated the relationships between the plant community and soil nutrients and obtained the following results.Results:All measured variables were positively correlated with each other.The plant community structure had higher path coefficients to aboveground biomass,soil organic matter,total nitrogen,and nitrate nitrogen than to other factors.The plant community structure played an important role in response to grazing intensity.Different plant functional groups(PFGs)had different responses to grazing intensity,which led to plant community re-establishment or re-organization under different grazing intensities.Poaceae and Kobresia were more sensitive to grazing intensity than other PFGs,and the ratio of Kobresia biomass(including Kobresia humilis and Kobresia pygmaea)to the total biomass of Poaceae and Kobresia could be used as an indicator of regime shifts within plant communities.With Kobresia pygmaea as the dominant species,the prohibition of grazing was not an efficient approach to increase the yield in the steady stages because this treatment needed more time to recover aboveground biomass.If Poaceae is the dominant PFG,grazing should only be prohibited for 3 years in the steady stages because the aboveground biomass will decrease if grazing is prohibited for more than 3 years.Conclusions:Therefore,the different steady stages of alpine meadows require different recovery methods to increase recovery efficiency and speed.展开更多
Despite much recent progress,our understanding of plant phenology response to climate change remains incomplete.In particular,how and to what extent climate warming affects the vegetative and reproductive phenology of...Despite much recent progress,our understanding of plant phenology response to climate change remains incomplete.In particular,how and to what extent climate warming affects the vegetative and reproductive phenology of different plant functional groups in northern grassland ecosystems remains largely unexplored.Here,we compiled data of 1758 observations from 25 individual studies and carried out a meta-analysis of plant phenology in relation to temperature changes across a range of plant species and functional groups in northern China.We show that climate warming tended to extend the duration of reproductive phenology while having no effect on the duration of vegetative phenology.We also identified specific temperature sensitivities for different phenological stages:1.73 days°C^(−1) for budding,−3.38 days°C^(−1) for leaf spreading and 0.56 days°C^(−1) for yellow withered stage,respectively.Notably,warming resulted in earlier leaf spreading in shrubs and semi-shrubs,but caused a delay in the budding time of sedges.In terms of reproductive phenology,temperature sensitivity was−1.73 days°C^(−1) for flowering time,−2.53 days°C^(−1) for fruit ripening and−0.11 days°C^(−1) for fruit shedding,respectively.Warming advanced the flowering and fruit repining time of all functional groups except for legumes.Our results indicate that elevated temperatures advanced reproductive phenology and extended its duration in northern grasslands,while showing no impact on vegetative phenology.Our findings demonstrate the differential responses of different functional groups to warming,highlighting the diverse growth strategies and adaptation of grassland plants in a warming world.展开更多
Leaf construction cost(LCC),a proxy for the energetic investment plants make to construct leaf biomass,indicates carbon investment strategies of plants across diverse habitats.However,large-scale variations in LCC and...Leaf construction cost(LCC),a proxy for the energetic investment plants make to construct leaf biomass,indicates carbon investment strategies of plants across diverse habitats.However,large-scale variations in LCC and their correlations with climate and soil factors have yet been fully explored.To address this knowledge gap,here,we compiled a dataset comprising 442 species-site combinations,spanning nearly all vegetation types in China.We found that LCC exhibited substantial variation,ranging from 0.72 g glucose g^(−1) to 1.93 g glucose g^(−1),with an average of 1.25 g glucose g^(−1).LCC was significantly higher in woody species compared to nonwoody species;however,there was no significant difference in LCC between evergreen and deciduous plants.LCC decreased with increasing latitude and longitude but increased with increasing altitude.Among bivariate LCC-environment relationships,LCC was positively correlated with mean annual precipitation and temperature but negatively correlated with temperature seasonality,precipitation seasonality,soil potassium content,and soil silt content.Collectively,climate and soil factors account for over 54%of the variance in LCC,with soil exerting a more significant influence than climate on LCC.This study offers an exhaustive analysis of the evident pattern of LCC over a large spatial scale,fostering a fresh perspective on functional biogeography and establishing the foundation for exploring the interplay between LCC,ecological functions,and macroevolutionary implications.展开更多
基金supported by the Open Research Fund of Jiangxi Provincial Academy of Water Resources Sciences(2022SKTR05&2022SKTR03)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42067049&42367049),the Jiangxi Provincial Natural Science Foundation(20242BAB25350)+5 种基金the Research Project of the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Forestry(CXZX(2025)14 and JXTG(2023)15)the Ganpo Juncai Plan(QN2023018)the Ganpo Yingcai Plan(gpyc20240038)the Double Thousand Plan of Jiangxi Province(jxsq2023102213 and jxsq2023102214)the Jiangxi Province“Science and Technology+Water Resources”Joint Plan Project(2023KSG01001)the Major Discipline Academic and Technical Leaders Training Program of Jiangxi Province(20243BCE51025).
文摘Stable carbon isotopes(δ^(13)C)are extensively utilized to study intrinsic water use efficiency(iWUE)at the leaf-scale in terrestrial ecosystems,serving as a crucial metric for assessing plant adaptation to climate change.However,there is currently a lack of consensus regarding the leaf-scale iWUE variation characteristics among different functional types.In this study,we measured theδ^(13)Cleaf and iWUE values of different functional plants(i.e.,life forms,leaf types,and mycorrhizal types)from 120 species across distinct habitat types(i.e.,hillside,nearpeak,and peak)in a subtropical forest on the western slope of Wuyi Mountains,southern China.The results showed that theδ^(13)Cleaf values of plants on the western slope of Wuyi Mountains ranged from-34.63‰to-30.04‰,and iWUE ranged from 5.93μmol mol^(-1)to 57.34μmol mol^(-1).Theδ^(13)Cleaf and iWUE values differed significantly among plant life forms,following the order of herbs>vine plants>shrubs>trees.Theδ^(13)Cleaf and iWUE values of ectomycorrhizal(ECM)species were greater than those of arbuscular mycorrhizal(AM)species despite there being no significant difference between plants with different leaf types(Simple leaves(SL)vs.Compound leaves(CL)).From the hillside to the peak,both at the community level and at the species level,theδ^(13)C values of leaves and iWUE values of plants exhibited an upward trend.The regression analysis revealed that leaf-scale iWUE was significantly negatively correlated with soil water content and significantly positively correlated with leaf phosphorus content.The findings indicated that leaf carbon isotope fractionation and corresponding iWUE can be influenced by life form,mycorrhizal type,and soil water availability.These insights provide a deeper understanding of the coupling mechanisms of carbon,water,and nutrients among different functional plant types in subtropical forests,and offer insights into predicting plant adaptability under climate change.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation Youth Project of China (Grant No.31100358)the "Strategic Priority Research Program-Climate Change:Carbon Budget and Related Issues" of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDA05050307)+1 种基金Key Projects in the National Science & Technology Pillar Program during the Twelfth Five-year Plan Period"Vegetation Stabilization Techniques of Alpine Forest-Grassland Ecotone" (Grant No. 2011BAC09 B04-02-03)International Science & Technology Cooperation Program of China (Grant No. 2013DFR90670) for fund support
文摘Due to their particular physiology and life history traits, bryophytes are critical in regulating biogeochemical cycles and functions in alpine ecosystem. Hence, it is crucial to investigate their nutrient utilization strategies in comparison with vascular plants and understand their responses to the variation of growing season caused by climate change. Firstly, this study testified whether or not bryophytes can absorb nitrogen(N) directly from soil through spiking three chemical forms of 15N stable isotope tracer. Secondly, with stronger ability of carbohydrates assimilation and photosynthesis, it is supposed that N utilization efficiency of vascular plants is significantly higher than that of bryophytes. However, the recovery of soil N by bryophytes can still compete with vascular plants due to their greater phytomass. Thirdly, resource acquisition may be varied from the change of growing season, during which N pulse can be manipulated with 15N tracer addition at different time. Both of bryophytes and vascular plants contain more N in a longer growing season, and prefer inorganic over organic N. Bryophytes assimilate more NH4+ than NO3– and amino acid, which can be indicated from the greater shoot excess 15N of bryophytes. However, vascular plants prefer to absorb NO3– for their developed root systems and vascular tissue. Concerning the uptake of three forms N by bryophytes, there is significant difference between two manipulated lengths of growing season. Furthermore, the capacity of bryophytes to tolerate N-pollution may be lower than currently appreciated, which indicates the effect of climate change on asynchronous variation of soil N pools with plant requirements.
基金financially supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2014CB138801)the International Science & Technology Cooperation Program of China (2013DFR30760)+2 种基金the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2013M541096)the National Important Research Program of Inner Mongolia,China (2010ZD08)the Central Nonprofit Research Institutes Fundamental Research Funds,China (1610332013015)
文摘Grazing can dramatically affect arid grassland communities that are very vulnerable to environmental changes due to its relatively short and sparse ground coverage, low biomass, sandy soil and inter-annual precipitation found in the desert steppe. The study investigates the effects of different grazing durations on vegetation and soil properties of a desert steppe community. The experiment was conducted in Xisu Banner in Inner Mongolia with ifve treatments：CG （continuous grazing）, 40UG （40 d ungrazed）, 50UG （50 d ungrazed）, 60UG （60 d ungrazed） and UG （ungrazed）. The biomass of both shrub and annual-biennial plant communities were signiifcantly decreased by CG. Continuous grazing and 40UG signiifcantly reduced the ANPP （aboveground net primary productivity） by the end of the three year study. 60UG treatment increased soil organic carbon （OC）, total nitrogen concentration （TN） and total phosphorus concentration （TP） concentrations and 50UG increased the TN and total phosphorus concentration （TK） concentrations, whereas CG, 40UG and 50UG decreased soil OC, TP and available phosphorus concentration （AP） concentrations. The perennial plant species of the desert steppe were generally tolerant for grazing. The annual-biennial plant species had large variability in ANPP because of the inter-annual precipitation. Our results highlight that inter-annual precipitation variations could strongly modify the community responses to grazing in arid ecosystems.
基金Sponsored by Special Fund for Application-oriented Scientific Research Project of Guangdong Province(2015B020235008)
文摘This paper employed the scenic beauty evaluation(SBE)method to study the relationship between the aesthetic preference of the public and the effect of ornamental plant groups.The results showed that color contrast,plant density,morphological diversity,and species diversity significantly affected the planting effect of ornamental plants.According to the aesthetic preference of the public reflected by scenic beauty model,strong contrasts in plant color,varied plant forms,suitable planting density,and appropriate arrangement of plants effectively improved the ornamental effect of plant groups.
基金supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant Nos.XDB03030401,KZCXZ-XB3-08)the State Scholarship Fund of the China Scholarship Council (Grant No.201400260118)the International Postdoctoral Exchange Fellowship Program 2014 by the Office of China Postdoctoral Council (Grant No.20140041)
文摘The species-area relationship （SAR） is one of the most fundamental concepts in community ecology and is helpful for biodiversity conservation. However, few studies have systematically addressed this topic for different alpine grassland types on the Tibetan Plateau, China. We explored whether the plant composition of different functional groups affects the manner in which species richness inereases with increasing area at scales ≤ 1.0 m^2. We also compared species richness （S） within and across forbs, legumes, sedges and grasses, with sampling subplot area （A） increasing from 0.0625 m^2 to 1.0 m^2 between alpine meadow and steppe communities. We applied a logarithmic function （S = b0 ＋ b1 ln A） to determine the slope and intercept of SAR curves within and across functional groups. The results showed that the logarithmic relationship holds true between species richness and sampling area at these small scales. Both the intercept and slope of the logarithmic forbs-area curves are significantly higher than those for the three other functional groups （P 〈 0.05）. Forb accounts for about 91.9 % of the variation in the intercept and 75.0% of the variation in the slope of the SAR curve when all functional groups＇ data were pooled together. Our results indicated that the different SAR patterns should be linked with species dispersal capabilities, environmental filtering, and life form composition within alpine grassland communities. Further studies on the relationship between species diversity and ecosystem functions should specify the differential responses of different functional groups to variations in climate and anthropogenic disturbances.
基金financially supported by a research grant from the German Agency for Renewable Resources(Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V or FNR,Grant Number:22008813)
文摘Wild cherry trees produce high-quality timber and provide multiple ecosystem services. However, planting and tending cherry stands in conventional rows are too costly. Therefore, low density group planting was trialled as an alternative to row planting. The mortality, growth, and quality of planted cherry trees were compared between the group and row planting. The influence of neighbourhood competition and light availability on growth and quality was studied. The group and row planting of cherry trees were established at a wind-thrown site in southwestern Germany in the year 2000. In group planting, five cherry seedlings and seven lime seedlings （Tilia cordata Mill.） were planted with a 1 x 1 m spacing. In total, 60 groups were planted per hectare with a 13 × 13 m spacing. In contrast, 3300 seedlings （2475 cherries and 825 limes） were planted per hectare in row planting with a 3 × 1 m spacing. Ten groups and plots （10 × 10 m） were randomly established in group and row planting stand, respectively. The survival rate, stability （height to diameter ratio）, diameter, and height growth were significantly higher in group planting. In the group plantings,40.5% of cherry trees had straight stems and 13.5% had a monopodial crown compared with 15% with straight stems and 2% with a monopodial crown in row planting. The proportion of dominant cherry trees in canopy was 49% in groups compared with 22% in rows. The length of branch free bole was significantly higher in cherries planted in groups than those grown in rows. Intra- and interspecific competition reduced the growth and stability of cherry trees in row planting, but not in group planting. Light availability did not cause any significant effects on growth and quality between group and row planting. This first study on cherry group planting indicates that the survival rate, growth, and tree quality were higher in groups than in rows at this early development stage. The competition by naturally born seedlings was an important reason for the difference in performance between group and row planting. This study will encourage forest practitioners to establish more cherry group planting trials on multiple sites to test the effectiveness of this alternative technique as a tool of regeneration and restoration silviculture.
基金Sponsored by Anhui General Teaching Research Project(2022jyxm665)Natural Science Key Research Program for Colleges and Universities in Anhui Province(2023AH051816).
文摘Innovation and entrepreneurship education is a critical direction for deepening the teaching reform of colleges and universities in the contemporary era.As pivotal centers for talent development,colleges and universities should proactively investigate the construction and implementation of a comprehensive curriculum system dedicated to mass innovation and entrepreneurship education.This paper discusses the significance of establishing a curriculum group focused on landscape plants within the framework of mass innovation and entrepreneurship.The construction and implementation outcomes of this curriculum group are examined from five key aspects:the curriculum system and content,the faculty,the practical teaching platform,the teaching model,and the teaching evaluation system.The aim is to enhance the development of botany curricula within the landscape architecture discipline and to foster the cultivation of mass innovative and entrepreneurial talents equipped with a spirit of innovation and the capacity for entrepreneurship.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42071066)the West Light Foundation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(2021)+1 种基金the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2023YFF1304304)the Natural Science Foundation of XizangAutonomous Region,China(XZ202201ZR0026G)。
文摘Plant community composition typically undergoes progressive changes along environmental gradients.However,most experimental studies have focused on individual communities,so it remains unclear how exogenous nutrient inputs affect the stability of plant communities along environmental gradients.Along a rainfall gradient on the northern Tibetan Plateau,we conducted an 8-year nitrogen(N)addition experiment in four alpine grasslands:alpine desert steppe(ADS),alpine steppe(AS),alpine meadow steppe(AMS),alpine meadow(AM),and we used twoway ANOVA to examine the effects of N addition on the temporal stability of these different alpine grasslands.We found that community aboveground biomass showed saturation trends in AM and AMS with increasing N gradients,while there was no change in AS and a gradual increase in ADS.The temporal stability showed different patterns of gradual decreases in ADS and AM,and a unimodal trend in AMS with increasing N gradients.However,N addition had no effect on the temporal stability of AS.Dominant species stability was the controlling factor for alpine grasslands along the transect,while the effect of asynchrony gradually increased with decreasing precipitation.These findings highlight that community composition,especially the dominant species,along the environmental gradient can mediate the effects of N inputs on community temporal stability.Thus,the conservation and restoration of the dominant species are particularly important under future scenarios of increased atmospheric N deposition.
文摘A considerable proportion of Iran＇s territory is covered with arid and semi-arid rangelands and mismanagement and overexploitation of those rangelands have resulted in serious ecological degradation. Thus, the need is pressing to examine the present species composition and the relationships with environmental factors for providing the needed scientific references to species conservation and ecological rehabilitation efforts. The aims of this study were to examine the species composition and to delineate the most important factors influencing the distributions of plant species and groups in the northern rangelands of Isfahan Province （Iran） using two-way indicator species analysis （TWINSPAN）, detrended correspondence analysis （DCA）, principal component analysis （PCA）, and canonical correspondence analysis （CCA）. Field investigations were conducted in the growing season of 2014 using stratified random method in 22 homogeneous sampling units. In total, 75 plant species belonging to 52 genera and 19 families were identified. The most important families were Asteraceae and Papilionaceae, the most important genera were Astragalus, Cousinia, and Acanthophyllum, and the most important species were Artemisia aucheri and Artemisia sieberi. Plant species were classified into 10 groups using TWINSPAN. DCA was used to estimate the magnitude of changes in species composition along the first two ordination axes to provide gradient length estimations for PCA and CCA ordinations. The first three PCA axes and the first three CCA axes demonstrated similar cumulative percentage of variance, indicating that the environmental factors （selected by PCA） used in CCA ordination were acceptable for explaining the species composition and the distributions. CCA ordination showed that the first axis was closely related to elevation, slope, surface bare soil cover, surface litter cover, gravel proportion, organic matter, total nitrogen, CaCO3 content, and grazing intensity and that the second axis was closely related to sand proportion, silt proportion, clay proportion, and saturation percentage. Among these factors, elevation was the most effective factor to separate the plant groups and grazing was the major cause of rangeland degradation.
基金supported by the CAS/SAFEA International Partnership Program for Creative Research Teams (KZZD-EW-TZ-06)
文摘Understanding the vertical distribution patterns of soil microbial community and its driving factors in alpine grasslands in the humid regions of the Tibet Plateau might be of great significance for predicting the soil microbial community of this type of vegetation in response to environmental change. Using phospholipid fatty acids （PLFA）, we investigated soil microbial community composition along an elevational gradient （3094-4131 m above sea level） on Mount Yajiageng, and we explored the impact of plant functional groups and soil chemistry on the soil microbial community. Except for Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi （AM fungi） biomarker 18：2ω6,9 increasing significantly, other biomarkers did not show a consistent trend with the elevational gradient. Microbial biomass quantified by total PLFAs did not show the elevational trend and had mean values ranging from 1.64 to 4.09 ktmol per g organic carbon （OC）, which had the maximum value at the highest site. Bacterial PLFAs exhibited a similar trend with total PLFAs, and its mean values ranged from 0.82 to 1.81 μmol （g OC）-1. The bacterial to fungal biomass ratios had the minimum value at the highest site, which might be related to temperature and soil total nitrogen （TN）. The ratios of Gram-negative to Gram-positive bacteria had a significantly negative correlation with soil TN and had the maximum value at the highest site. Leguminous plant coverage and soil TN explained 58% of the total variation in the soil microbial community and could achieve the same interpretation as the whole model. Other factors may influence the soil microbial community through interaction with leguminous plant coverage and soil TN. Soil chemistry and plant functional group composition in substantial amounts explained different parts of the variation within the soil microbial community, and the interaction between them had no impact on the soil microbial community maybe beeause long-term grazing greatly reduces litter. In sum, although there were obvious differences in soil microbial communities along the elevation gradient, there were no clear elevational trends found in general. Plant functional groups and soil chemistry respectively affect the different aspects of soil microbial community. Leguminous plant coverage and soil TN had important effects in shaping soil microbial community.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31,872,683,31,800,368,31,872,690)the National Key Research Project of China(2017YFC0504004,2016YFC0500202)the program of Youth Innovation Research Team Project(LENOM2016Q0005)。
文摘Stomata control carbon and water vapor exchange between the leaves and the atmosphere,thus infl uencing photosynthesis and transpiration.Combinations of forest patches with different stand ages are common in nature,however,information of which stomatal traits vary among these stands and how,remains limited.Here,seven different aged forest stands(6,14,25,36,45,55,and 100 years)were selected in typical temperate,mixed broadleaf-conifer forests of northeast China.Stomatal density,size and relative area of 624 species,including the same species in stands of different ages were selected.Stomatal density,size and relative area were distributed log-normally,differing across all species and plant functional groups.Stomatal density ranged from 4.2 to 1276.7 stomata mm^(–2),stomatal size ranged from 66.6 to 8315.7μm^(2),and stomatal relative area 0.1–93.3%.There was a significant negative relationship between density and size at the species and functional group levels,while the relative stomatal area was positively correlated with density and size.Stomatal traits of dominant species were relatively stable across different stand ages but were significantly different for herbs.The results suggest that stomatal traits remain relatively stable for dominant species in natural forests and therefore,spatial variation in stomatal traits across forest patches does not need to be incorporated in future ecological models.
文摘Abstract: The biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted by the vegetation of a terrestrial ecosystem play a key role in both regional air quality and tropospheric chemistry. To describe the general emission properties of VOC of different plant functional groups (PFG) in a typical temperate grassland in Inner Mongolia, China, we randomly selected 175 plant species and measured the quantities of isoprene and monoterpene in situ. Results showed that most plants had low VOC emission potential at the species level, especially for some dominant plants, such as Leymus chinensis Tzvel., Stipa grandis Smirn., and Agropyron cristatum Gaertn. At the PFG level, the lowest VOC emission potential was found for perennial rhizome grasses, a major PFG in a typical temperate grassland ecosystem. The effects of overgrazing and subsequent vegetation succession on the emission of VOC by different plant life form functional groups (PLFG) were also discussed.
基金supported by the National Science Foundation of China(Grant No.32271774,42301071)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2023M743633).
文摘Leaf nitrogen(N)and phosphorus(P)levels provide critical strategies for plant adaptions to changing environments.However,it is unclear whether leaf N and P levels of different plant functional groups(e.g.,monocots and dicots)respond to environmental gradients in a generalizable pattern.Here,we used a global database of leaf N and P to determine whether monocots and dicots might have evolved contrasting strategies to balance N and P in response to changes in climate and soil nutrient availability.Specifically,we characterized global patterns of leaf N,P and N/P ratio in monocots and dicots,and explored the sensitivity of stoichiometry to environment factors in these plants.Our results indicate that leaf N and P levels responded to environmental factors differently in monocots than in dicots.In dicots,variations of leaf N,P and N/P ratio were significantly correlated to temperature and precipitation.In monocots,leaf N/P ratio was not significantly affected by temperature or precipitation.This indicates that leaf N,P and N/P ratio are less sensitive to environmental dynamics in monocots.We also found that in both monocots and dicots N/P ratios are associated with the availability of soil total P rather than soil total N,indicating that P limitation on plant growth is pervasive globally.In addition,there were significant phylogenetic signals for leaf N(λ=0.65),P(λ=0.57)and N/P ratio(λ=0.46)in dicots,however,only significant phylogenetic signals for leaf P in monocots.Taken together,our findings indicate that monocots exhibit a“conservative”strategy(high stoichiometric homeostasis and weak phylogenetic signals in stoichiometry)to maintain their growth in stressful conditions with lower water and soil nutrients.In contrast,dicots exhibit lower stoichiometric homeostasis in changing environments because of their wide climate-soil niches and significant phylogenetic signals in stoichiometry.
基金This study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2016YFC0500503 and 2016YFC0500501)by the Department of Science and Technology of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region for studying steppe ecosystems on the Mongolian Plateau(20140409 and 201503001).
文摘Aims Functional group composition of a plant community is mainly driven by environmental factors and is one of the main determinants of grassland biodiversity and productivity.Therefore,it is important to understand the role of plant functional groups(PFGs)in mediating the impact of environmental conditions on ecosystem functions and biodiversity.Methods We measured plant biomass and species richness(SR)of grasslands in 65 sites on the Mongolian Plateau and classified 157 perennial herbaceous plants into two main PFGs(namely grasses and forbs).Using the random forest model and ordinary least squares regression,we identified that environmental factors(i.e.aridity index,soil total nitrogen[STN]and pH)were significantly related to the SR and aboveground biomass(AGB)of PFGs.We then used structural equation modeling to explore the relationship between the identified environmental factors and community SR and biomass,and the role of PFGs in driving this relationship.Important Findings We found that aridity index had unimodal relationships with both AGB and SR of the PFGs and the whole community.All SR and biomass metrics were significantly related to STN and pH.The relationship between aridity index and community biomass was mediated by an increase in the AGB of grasses.The influence of STN and pH on community SR was mainly due to their regulation in the SR of forbs.Our results indicate that community composition and the identity of the PFGs play a key role in linking environmental factors to ecosystem functioning.
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31630010 and 31320103916).
文摘Aims Long-term heavy grazing reduces plant diversity and ecosystem function by intensifying nitrogen(N)and water limitation.In contrast,the absence of biomass removal can cause species loss by elevating light competition and weakening community stability,which is exacerbated by N and water enrichment.Hence,how to maintain species diversity and community stability is still a huge challenge for sustainable management of worldwide grasslands.Methods We conducted a 4-year manipulated experiment in six long-term grazing blocks to explore combination of resource additions and biomass removal(increased water,N and light availability)on species richness and community stability in semiarid grasslands of Inner Mongolia,China.Important Findings In all blocks treated with the combination of resource additions and biomass removal,primary productivity increased and species richness and community stability were maintained over 4 years of experiment.At both species and plant functional group(PFG)levels,the aboveground biomass of treated plants remained temporally stable in treatments with the combination of N and/or water addition and biomass removal.The maintenance of species richness was primarily caused by the biomass removal,which could increase the amount of light exposure for grasses under resource enrichment.Both species asynchrony and stability of PFGs contributed to the high temporal stability observed in these communities.Our results indicate that management practices of combined resource enrichment with biomass removal,such as grazing or mowing,could not only enhance primary productivity but also maintain plant species diversity,species asynchrony and community stability.Furthermore,as overgrazing-induced degradation and resource enrichment-induced biodiversity loss continue to be major problems worldwide,our findings have important implications for adaptive management in semiarid grasslands and beyond.
基金supported by funding from the Australian Research Council(DP150104199,DP190101968)。
文摘Background:Climate change is expected to affect plant–soil feedbacks(PSFs,i.e.,the effects of a plant on the growth of another plant or community grown in the same soil via changes in soil abiotic and biotic properties),influencing plant community dynamics and,through this,ecosystem functioning.However,our knowledge of the effects of climate changes on the magnitude and direction of PSFs remains limited,with considerable variability between studies.We quantified PSFs associated with common climate change factors,specifically drought and warming,and their corresponding ambient(control)conditions using a meta-analytical approach.We investigated whether drought and warming effects on PSFs were consistent across functional groups,life histories(annual versus perennial)and species origin(native versus non-native),planting(monoculture,mixed culture)and experimental(field,greenhouse/laboratory)conditions.Results:PSFs were negative(a mechanism that encourage species co-existence)under drought and neutral under corresponding ambient conditions,whereas PSFs were negative under both ambient and elevated temperatures,with no apparent difference in effect size.The response to drought was largely driven by stronger negative PSFs in grasses,indicating that grasses are more likely to show stronger negative PSFs than other functional groups under drought.Moreover,non-native species showed negative drought-induced PSFs while native species showed neutral PSFs under drought.By contrast,we found the opposite in pattern in response to warming for native and non-native species.Perennial herbs displayed stronger drought-induced negative PSFs than annual herbs.Mixed species communities displayed more negative PSFs than monocultures,independent of climate treatment.Finally,warming and drought treatment PSF effect sizes were more negative in experiments performed in the field than under controlled conditions.Conclusions:We provide evidence that drought and warming can induce context-specific shifts in PSFs,which are dependent on plant functional groups,life history traits and experimental conditions.These shifts would be expected to have implications for plant community dynamics under projected climate change scenarios.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2023YFF1304304)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31870406 and 42301071)+1 种基金the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2023M743633)the Science and Technology Major Project of Xizang Autonomous Region of China(XZ202201ZD0005G02).
文摘Although biotic and abiotic factors have been confirmed to be critical factors that affect community dynamics,their interactive effects have yet to be fully considered in grassland degradation.Herein,we tested how soil nutrients and microbes regulated plant-soil feedback(PSF)in a degraded alpine grassland.Our results indicated that soil total carbon(STC;from 17.66 to 12.55 g/kg)and total nitrogen(STN;from 3.16 to 2.74 g/kg)exhibited significant(P<0.05)decrease from non-degraded(ND)to severely degraded(SD).Despite higher nutrients in ND soil generating significantly(P<0.05)positive PSF(0.52)on monocots growth when the soil was sterilized,a high proportion of pathogens(36%)in ND non-sterilized soil resulted in a strong negative PSF on monocots.In contrast,the higher phenotypic plasticity of dicots coupled with a higher abundance of mutualists and saprophytes(70%)strongly promoted their survival and growth in SD with infertile soil.Our findings identified a novel mechanism that there was a functional group shift from monocots with higher vulnerability to soil pathogens in the ND fertile soil to dicots with higher dependence on nutritional mutualists in the degraded infertile soil.The emerging irreversible eco-evolutionary in PSF after degradation might cause a predicament for the restoration of degraded grassland.
基金The Natural Science Foundation of Qinghai Province for providing funding for“Research on health assessment and sustainable development in alpine Kobresia meadows in Qinghai Province”,Grant/Award Number:2020-ZJ-720。
文摘Backgrounds:Grazing prohibition and reduced grazing intensity,as two important“vegetation close-to-nature recovery”methods,have been suggested as economical and effective technologies for enhancing forage production.However,numerous studies have found that the yield of forage could be increased by removing or reducing grazing in a short time in some steady stage of alpine Kobresia meadows,but not in others.To reveal the mechanism behind this phenomenon,we proposed a series of experiments.Methods:We monitored the plant and soil characteristics in the key steady stages of Kobresia meadows under reduced and prohibited grazing conditions in the same geographic and climatic environments in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau for 6 years.We estimated the relationships between the plant community and soil nutrients and obtained the following results.Results:All measured variables were positively correlated with each other.The plant community structure had higher path coefficients to aboveground biomass,soil organic matter,total nitrogen,and nitrate nitrogen than to other factors.The plant community structure played an important role in response to grazing intensity.Different plant functional groups(PFGs)had different responses to grazing intensity,which led to plant community re-establishment or re-organization under different grazing intensities.Poaceae and Kobresia were more sensitive to grazing intensity than other PFGs,and the ratio of Kobresia biomass(including Kobresia humilis and Kobresia pygmaea)to the total biomass of Poaceae and Kobresia could be used as an indicator of regime shifts within plant communities.With Kobresia pygmaea as the dominant species,the prohibition of grazing was not an efficient approach to increase the yield in the steady stages because this treatment needed more time to recover aboveground biomass.If Poaceae is the dominant PFG,grazing should only be prohibited for 3 years in the steady stages because the aboveground biomass will decrease if grazing is prohibited for more than 3 years.Conclusions:Therefore,the different steady stages of alpine meadows require different recovery methods to increase recovery efficiency and speed.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFF1302300)National Center of Pratacultural Technology Innovation(CCPTZX2023B02)+3 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32260301)Distinguished Young Scholars Program of Inner Mongolia(2023JQ09,BR230301)Program for Innovative Research Team in Universities of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region(NMGIRT2403)First-Class Discipline Research Program(YLXKZX-NND-002).
文摘Despite much recent progress,our understanding of plant phenology response to climate change remains incomplete.In particular,how and to what extent climate warming affects the vegetative and reproductive phenology of different plant functional groups in northern grassland ecosystems remains largely unexplored.Here,we compiled data of 1758 observations from 25 individual studies and carried out a meta-analysis of plant phenology in relation to temperature changes across a range of plant species and functional groups in northern China.We show that climate warming tended to extend the duration of reproductive phenology while having no effect on the duration of vegetative phenology.We also identified specific temperature sensitivities for different phenological stages:1.73 days°C^(−1) for budding,−3.38 days°C^(−1) for leaf spreading and 0.56 days°C^(−1) for yellow withered stage,respectively.Notably,warming resulted in earlier leaf spreading in shrubs and semi-shrubs,but caused a delay in the budding time of sedges.In terms of reproductive phenology,temperature sensitivity was−1.73 days°C^(−1) for flowering time,−2.53 days°C^(−1) for fruit ripening and−0.11 days°C^(−1) for fruit shedding,respectively.Warming advanced the flowering and fruit repining time of all functional groups except for legumes.Our results indicate that elevated temperatures advanced reproductive phenology and extended its duration in northern grasslands,while showing no impact on vegetative phenology.Our findings demonstrate the differential responses of different functional groups to warming,highlighting the diverse growth strategies and adaptation of grassland plants in a warming world.
基金supported by the Third Xinjiang Scientific Expedition Program (Grant No. 2022xjkk1200)National Natural Science Foundation of China [32201311]Leading Plan Project of Academic Team of Minzu University of China (2024XSYL04)。
文摘Leaf construction cost(LCC),a proxy for the energetic investment plants make to construct leaf biomass,indicates carbon investment strategies of plants across diverse habitats.However,large-scale variations in LCC and their correlations with climate and soil factors have yet been fully explored.To address this knowledge gap,here,we compiled a dataset comprising 442 species-site combinations,spanning nearly all vegetation types in China.We found that LCC exhibited substantial variation,ranging from 0.72 g glucose g^(−1) to 1.93 g glucose g^(−1),with an average of 1.25 g glucose g^(−1).LCC was significantly higher in woody species compared to nonwoody species;however,there was no significant difference in LCC between evergreen and deciduous plants.LCC decreased with increasing latitude and longitude but increased with increasing altitude.Among bivariate LCC-environment relationships,LCC was positively correlated with mean annual precipitation and temperature but negatively correlated with temperature seasonality,precipitation seasonality,soil potassium content,and soil silt content.Collectively,climate and soil factors account for over 54%of the variance in LCC,with soil exerting a more significant influence than climate on LCC.This study offers an exhaustive analysis of the evident pattern of LCC over a large spatial scale,fostering a fresh perspective on functional biogeography and establishing the foundation for exploring the interplay between LCC,ecological functions,and macroevolutionary implications.
