Response of vegetation in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to global warming

IEECAS SKLLQG

Cellular automata: Simulating alpine tundra vegetation dynamics in response to global warming

This study attempts to model alpine tundra vegetation dynamics in a tundra region in the Qinghai Province of China in response to global warming. We used Raster-based cellular automata and a Geographic Information System to study the spatial and temporal vegetation dynamics. The cellular automata model is implemented with IDRISI's Multi-Criteria Evaluation functionality to simulate the spatial patterns of vegetation change assuming certain scenarios of global mean temperature increase over time. The Vegetation Dynamic Simulation Model calculates a probability surface for each vegetation type, and then combines all vegetation types into a composite map, determined by the maximum likelihood that each vegetation type should distribute to each raster unit. With scenarios of global temperature increase of I to 3 degrees C, the vegetation types such as Dry Kobresia Meadow and Dry Potentilla Shrub that are adapted to warm and dry conditions tend to become more dominant in the study area.

Effect of imitated global warming on Delta C-13 values in seven plant species growing in Tibet alpine meadows

Open-top chambers were used to estimate the possible effects of global warming on delta C-13 of seven plant species grown in alpine meadow ecosystem. The delta C-13 values of plant species were lower after long-term growth in open-top chambers. In the course of experiment, temperature significantly increased inside the chambers by 4 degrees C. Plant species grown at a lower elevation above sea level had higher delta C-13 values as compared to those grown at a higher elevation. This was in accordance with the effect of open-top chamber on delta C-13 values in plants. Greater availability of CO2 and lower water vapor as indicated by an increase in discrimination against (CO2)-C-13, probably result in more negative delta C-13 values of plants because higher stomatal conductance increases availability of CO2 and causes greater discrimination against (CO2)-C-13. The plant species studied could be the indicator species for testing global warming by the change in carbon isotope ratios at the two growth temperatures.

Global negative vegetation feedback to climate warming responses of leaf litter decomposition rates in cold biomes

Whether climate change will turn cold biomes from large long-term carbon sinks into sources is hotly debated because of the great potential for ecosystem-mediated feedbacks to global climate. Critical are the direction, magnitude and generality of climate responses of plant litter decomposition. Here, we present the first quantitative analysis of the major climate-change-related drivers of litter decomposition rates in cold northern biomes worldwide. Leaf litters collected from the predominant species in 33 global change manipulation experiments in circum-arctic-alpine ecosystems were incubated simultaneously in two contrasting arctic life zones. We demonstrate that longer-term, large-scale changes to leaf litter decomposition will be driven primarily by both direct warming effects and concomitant shifts in plant growth form composition, with a much smaller role for changes in litter quality within species. Specifically, the ongoing warming-induced expansion of shrubs with recalcitrant leaf litter across cold biomes would constitute a negative feedback to global warming. Depending on the strength of other (previously reported) positive feedbacks of shrub expansion on soil carbon turnover, this may partly counteract direct warming enhancement of litter decomposition.

A Global Crisis for Seagrass Ecosystems

Seagrasses, marine flowering plants, have a long evolutionary history but are now challenged with rapid environmental changes as a result of coastal human population pressures. Seagrasses provide key ecological services, including organic carbon production and export, nutrient cycling, sediment stabilization, enhanced biodiversity, and trophic transfers to adjacent habitats in tropical and temperate regions. They also serve as “coastal canaries,” global biological sentinels of increasing anthropogenic influences in coastal ecosystems, with large-scale losses reported worldwide. Multiple stressors, including sediment and nutrient runoff, physical disturbance, invasive species, disease, commercial fishing practices, aquaculture, overgrazing, algal blooms, and global warming, cause seagrass declines at scales of square meters to hundreds of square kilometers. Reported seagrass losses have led to increased awareness of the need for seagrass protection, monitoring, management, and restoration. However, seagrass science, which has rapidly grown, is disconnected from public awareness of seagrasses, which has lagged behind awareness of other coastal ecosystems. There is a critical need for a targeted global conservation effort that includes a reduction of watershed nutrient and sediment inputs to seagrass habitats and a targeted educational program informing regulators and the public of the value of seagrass meadows.

Warming trend in northern East China Sea in recent four decades

Global warming has become a notable trend especially since an abrupt climate change in 1976. Response of the East China Sea (ECS) to the global warming trend, however, is not well understood because of sparse long-term observation. In this paper, hydrographic observation data of 1957-1996 are collected and reviewed to study climatological variability in northern ECS. Significant warming trends are found in both summer and winter. In summer, the average SST is about 0.46A degrees C higher during the period of 1977-1996 than that of 1957-1976, and the Taiwan Warm Current Water (TWCW) was strengthened. In winter, despite of the cooling effect in the coastal areas adjacent to the Changjiang (Yangtze) River Estuary (CRE), the average SST increase was about 0.53A degrees C during the same period. The causes of this SST warming up in summer are different from in winter. The warming trend and intensification of the TWCW in summer were primarily influenced by the strengthening of the Kuroshio transport, while the warming in winter was mainly induced by the variability of the climate system.

Infrared heater arrays for warming ecosystem field plots

There is a need for methodology to warm open-field plots in order to study the likely effects of global warming on ecosystems in the future. Herein, we describe the development of arrays of more powerful and efficient infrared heaters with ceramic heating elements. By tilting the heaters at 45 degrees from horizontal and combining six of them in a hexagonal array, good uniformity of warming was achieved across 3-m-diameter plots. Moreover, there do not appear to be obstacles (other than financial) to scaling to larger plots. The efficiency [eta(h) (%); thermal radiation out per electrical energy in] of these heaters was higher than that of the heaters used in most previous infrared heater experiments and can be described by: eta(h) = 10 + 25exp(-0.17 u), where u is wind speed at 2 m height (m s(-1)). Graphs are presented to estimate operating costs from degrees of warming, two types of plant canopy, and site windiness. Four such arrays were deployed over plots of grass at Haibei, Qinghai, China and another at Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA, along with corresponding reference plots with dummy heaters. Proportional integral derivative systems with infrared thermometers to sense canopy temperatures of the heated and reference plots were used to control the heater outputs. Over month-long periods at both sites, about 75% of canopy temperature observations were within 0.5 degrees C of the set-point temperature differences between heated and reference plots. Electrical power consumption per 3-m-diameter plot averaged 58 and 80 kW h day(-1) for Haibei and Cheyenne, respectively. However, the desired temperature differences were set lower at Haibei (1.2 degrees C daytime, 1.7 degrees C night) than Cheyenne (1.5 degrees C daytime, 3.0 degrees C night), and Cheyenne is a windier site. Thus, we conclude that these hexagonal arrays of ceramic infrared heaters can be a successful temperature free-air-controlled enhancement (T-FACE) system for warming ecosystem field plots.

长白山自然保护区北坡森林结构、植物多样性与碳储量40余年的变化

长白山自然保护区始建于1960年，位于北坡的红松针阔叶混交林森林生态系统是我国东北地区典型温带地带性森林植被之一，面临着全球气候变化和人类干扰的双重影响。 本研究以间隔43年的野外调查数据为基础，对1963年和2006年的长白山自然保护区北坡海拔800~1700m的森林植物群落进行对比分析，得到该区域的森林结构、植物多样性与碳储量的变化特点，讨论森林动态变化与人类活动、气候变化的关系，评价长白山自然保护区的保护效果： 对长白山北坡森林沿海拔梯度的森林结构和植物多样性的分析表明：群落的整体空间格局保存完好，植物种类变化不大，乔木层的建群种的种类基本不变，植物多样性与海拔高度呈负相关关系;林下层植物多样性受小环境影响，与海拔高度无明显相关。 以红松（Pinus koraiensis）针阔混交林、红松针叶混交林和云冷杉暗针叶林三种类型为单元分别研究各森林类型的多样性变化：α多样测度选择物种丰富度、Shannon-Wiener和Pielou均匀度指数，较好体现了样地内发生的多样性变化，灌木层和草本层多样性明显下降，一些稀有种和药用物种消失，红松等原优势物种有衰退趋势，阔叶树比例增大;β多样性测度选取Cody指数，体现出海拔梯度上的植被空间格局细节变化，演替层特别是阔叶树的物种更替变化有向高海拔移动的趋势。 对森林生态系统各层次碳储量进行估算：乔木层和灌木层采用维量法，对灌木层自建生长回归方程;草本层、枯枝落叶层采取收获法;植物细根采取根钻法;土壤采取土壤深度加权法。碳密度估算结果都与前人研究结果相似。各类型植被碳库总碳密度都达到170 t/hm2，远远高于国内平均森林植被碳库密度值44.9 t/hm2。 乔木层43年来的碳储量变化都无显著性差异，但仍表现出：阔叶树种碳储量上升，特别在高海拔类型这种变化更加明显;针叶树种碳储量在暗针叶林内大幅下降;树干的碳库分配比例都有所减少，表明植被碳库正存在向不稳定性方向发展的趋势。针阔混交林和暗针叶林的土壤碳储量，与植被碳库出现相反的变化趋势，整体碳库保持在一个相对平衡的状态。 推测造成这种变化的原因是：禁止砍伐等保护措施的实施，基本保存了乔木层垂直分布格局，而气候变暖使阔叶树种比例大幅增加，采集松籽等人类生产及旅游活动对林下层植被影响破坏较大。提议加强保护区内管理力度和规划，以减缓长白山北坡森林群落的不稳定变化趋势。

暖温带地区典型森林群落叶面积指数、生产力和树木年轮特征的分析

以辽东栎(Quercus liaotungensis)为主的落叶阔叶林、华北落叶松林(Larix principisrupprechtii)和油松(Pinus tabulaeformis)林是我国暖温带地区具有代表性的森林群落类型。本研究：1）应用国内外流行的半球图方法，通过对这三种森林群落叶面积指数和林冠开阔度的测定和综合比较，分析了叶面积指数和林冠开阔度的季节动态，揭示了暖温带地区不同类型森林群落叶面积指数和林冠开阔度的特征;2）基于野外调查的样地资料，利用维量分析法估算了中国科学院北京森林生态系统定位研究站三种森林群落乔木层的生物量和生产力，并揭示生产力和叶面积指数之间的相关关系;3）利用油松森林群落和落叶松森林群落采集树芯作为研究对象，用树木年轮学方法，建立相应的年表，联系气候资料进行相关分析，揭示树木生长的限制因子。 研究结果表明：1）落叶阔叶林(优势种为：辽东栎、棘皮桦(Betula dahurica)、五角枫(Acer mono))和华北落叶松林两种落叶森林群落的叶面积指数值均随生长季的到来而呈现增长的趋势，最大值出现在8月;林冠开阔度值随着生长季的到来而下降，最大值出现在11月。落叶阔叶林的叶面积指数和林冠开阔度的季节动态较之华北落叶松林明显。油松是常绿树种，其群落叶面积指数和林冠开阔度的变化程度均不明显，但林冠开阔度的变化趋势也是与叶面积指数的变化趋势相反。通过计算得出叶面积指数和林冠开阔度相关显著，并且呈现指数回归的关系。2） 油松、落叶松、落叶阔叶林三种森林群落乔木层的生物量和生产力分别为93.59 t•hm-2、119.36 t•hm-2 、169.94 t•hm-2和4.02 t•hm-2•a-1、5.58 t•hm-2•a-1、7.04 t•hm-2•a-1;三种森林群落乔木层生产力和叶面积指数回归曲线分析显示，生产力和叶面积指数呈现线性正相关关系。3）油松和落叶松生长与气候因子相关分析结果显示，两种群落树木的生长受当地降水和气温的影响，油松与5月份的温度显著负相关，落叶松与2月份和5月份的降水显著正相关。 以上研究结果为以遥感途径获取暖温带地区叶面积指数提供了地面校正依据，为研究该地区利用LAI估算生产力以及利用遥感途径得到的NDVI测定生产力、研究气候因子对树木年轮宽度形成的影响，以及进一步对该地区林分、景观和区域尺度上碳、水、通量等方面的模拟提供了基础数据。

冬小麦对二氧化碳、臭氧和温度升高的生理生态响应

CO2浓度升高和气候变暖已成为不可逆转的现实，而具有强氧化性的臭氧浓度升高也被认为是全球变化的重要组成部分，已经或将对植被生长产生严重威胁。冬小麦（Triticum aestivum L.）生长发育期内受到环境变化的影响相对较大。小麦是对臭氧最为敏感的作物之一，华北地区冬小麦灌浆期容易发生臭氧污染。本研究以冬小麦为试材，研究了CO2浓度加倍和2oC增温对中国北方不同年代推出的冬小麦品种幼苗生长的效应；研究了不同小麦品种对花后短期臭氧胁迫的反应；分别研究了干旱、增温与臭氧污染对冬小麦旗叶光合和产量的交互影响。研究结果如下： 1) CO2浓度加倍和温度升高加快冬小麦幼苗的生长速率。CO2浓度加倍主要是促进了幼苗的分蘖(+1.54分蘖)，而增温加快了发育进程(主茎叶片数比对照多1叶)。不同品种对CO2浓度加倍和增温的响应存在着差异，但与育种年代没有显著相关关系。从20个品种的总体情况来看，CO2浓度加倍和2.0℃增温对冬小麦幼苗的生长具有叠加效应。生长较慢的冬小麦品种对CO2浓度加倍的反应越大。 2) CO2浓度加倍显著提高了小麦新展开叶的净光合速率（Psat），显著降低了气孔导度（gs）和蒸腾速率（E），从而显著提高了瞬时水分利用效率（ITE），但不同小麦品种对CO2浓度加倍的反应与其育种年代没有明显的相关性；增温对冬小麦叶片Psat的效应不显著，但显著降低了gs，而E显著增大，从而导致ITE显著降低，其中，Psat对增温的反应与品种育种年代呈显著正相关（R=0.525, p<0.05），并与叶片比叶面积（SLA）显著正相关（R=0.45, p<0.001）。CO2浓度加倍和增温同时处理时对Psat、gs和ITE的效应显著大于CO2浓度加倍处理。 3) 冬小麦灌浆初期，短时间的臭氧胁迫对旗叶的同化能力带来了显著的负效应，而且光合性能最大的叶片中部受到的抑制最为严重。同化能力的下降导致最终产量的降低。然而，不同品种对臭氧的敏感性存在着很大差异。臭氧对具有较高收获指数和产量的当代品种-烟农19的效应（-19%，p<0.01）明显大于产量较低的老品种-农大311（-8%，p<0.05），主要表现在叶片可见伤害程度较大，旗叶净光合速率受到的负效应较大，籽粒重量以及穗粒数均显著降低。 4) 短期高浓度臭氧胁迫对处于中度干旱胁迫下的小麦植株产生了可见伤害（<20%），但伤害程度明显低于处于土壤含水量较高的植株(>30%)。短期臭氧处理显著降低了处于较高土壤含水量下的小麦旗叶Psat（-36%），干旱胁迫也显著降低了旗叶Psat（-34%），但臭氧仅使处于中度干旱胁迫下的植株旗叶Psat进一步降低了7.8%。gs的变化趋势与Psat的变化基本一致。臭氧处理结束并复水后，干旱处理植株的Psat与对照基本相同，而臭氧处理过的植株均明显低于对照，其中臭氧处理期间处于良好土壤含水量条件下的植株旗叶Psat显著低于对照，并且随着植株的衰老，其下降的速度明显快于其它处理，表明衰老速度加快。而中度干旱胁迫可减轻臭氧对小麦产量的危害程度。 5) 正常供水条件下，短期臭氧处理结束2天后，小麦旗叶Psat与对照植株的值接近，然而随着时间的延长，Psat下降的速度明显快于对照。臭氧处理结束后，植株若遭受干旱胁迫，旗叶Psat显著低于对照。虽然gs的变化趋势与Psat基本一致，但臭氧处理后光合的降低主要是由非气孔限制因素引起的。旗叶光合能力下降、叶片提前衰老，是臭氧处理导致产量显著降低的主要原因。穗粒数没有显著变化，而千粒重却显著降低。而臭氧处理后若遇干旱胁迫，旗叶的光合能力以及光合有效期进一步减少，导致不育小花数增多，因此籽粒产量进一步减少。 6) 灌浆期臭氧浓度升高显著降低了小麦叶片的光合能力，导致产量显著降低；2oC升温加快了植株的衰老，然而并没有对产量性状产生显著效应；温度和臭氧两因子对旗叶的气体交换参数具有交互效应，但对各产量性状均没有交互效应发生。 综合以上研究结果，不同品种对环境变化的响应存在着显著差异，意味着可以通过育种途径来减轻未来环境变化对农业生产的负面影响；灌浆期臭氧胁迫显著降低冬小麦的产量，环境因子可影响臭氧胁迫效应，但之间的交互作用比较复杂，有待进一步深入研究，以保证未来全球变化环境下的粮食安全。

Exogenous carbon acquisition of photosynthesis in Porphyra haitanensis (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) under emersed state

The photosynthetic performances of Porphyra haitanensis thalli were investigated in order to understand its mechanisms for exogenous carbon acquisition during emersion at low tide. The emersed photosynthesis was studied by altering the pH value in the water film on the thalli surface, treating them with carbonic anhydarase inhibitors (acetazolamide and 6-ethoxyzolamide), adjusting the CO2 concentrations in the air, and comparing the theoretical maximum CO2 supply rates within the adherent water film with the observed photosynthetic CO2 uptake rates. It was found that the principal exogenous inorganic carbon source for the photosynthesis of P. haitanensis during emersion was atmospheric CO2. The driving force of CO2 flux across the water film was the CO2 concentration gradient within it. Carbonic anhydrase accelerated both extracellular and intracellular CO2 transport. The emersed photosynthesis of P. haitanensis was limited by the present atmospheric CO2 level, and would be enhanced by atmospheric CO2 rise that would trigger global warming.