Species richness in a riparian plant community along the banks of the Xiangxi River, the Three Gorges region

The distribution of vascular plant species richness along an altitudinal gradient and their relationships with environmental variables, including slope, aspect, bank (flooding) height, and river width of the Xiangxi River, Hubei Province, were examined. Total vascular plant species richness changed with elevation: it increased at lower elevations, reached a maximum in the midreaches and decreased thereafter. In particular, tree and herbaceous species richness were related to altitude. Correlation analysis (Kendall's tau) between species richness and environmental variables indicated that the change in species richness in the riparian zone was determined by riparian environmental factors and characteristics of regional vegetation distribution along the altitudinal gradient. The low species richness at lower elevations resulted from seasonal flooding and human activities - agriculture and fuel collection - and the higher. Species richness ill (he midreaches reflected transitional zones ill natural vegetation types that had had little disturbance. These results oil species distribution in the riparian community could he utilized as a reference for restoration efforts to improve water quality of the emerging reservoir resulting from the Three Gorges Hydroelectric Dam project.

三峡库区岸边植物水分利用研究

随着三峡大坝建设，在2003年6月三峡库区蓄水到135 m水位，之后人为调节使其在137-139 m范围内波动变化。从2003年7月开始，我们对库区植物的水分关系及其对三峡水位上升的可能反应进行了系统研究。 在库区中残存的次生松栎混交林，我们从江边沿海拔梯度设置了3块样地：Riparian，Mid-hill和Top-hill样地，垂直高度相差约20 m。从2003年7月到2004年7月，我们比较了岸边样地内与高处两样地内植物的木质部水分稳定同位素D和18O值，植物清晨和中午水势，叶片碳稳定同位素值13C，以及2004年7月测定的气体交换。岸边 植物木质部水分同位素值显著高于江水的同位素值，而与高处两样地内植物木质部水分同位素相近。岸边植物与高 处植物具有相近的清晨水势和中午水势，也表明对岸边植物来说，江水并不是它们重要的水分来源。同样，岸边植 物叶片 13C值与高处同种植物的值也不存在显著差异。我们研究的3种植物清晨水势都与土壤含水量正相关，尤 其浅层土壤更为显著。研究结果表明岸边植物几乎没有利用江水，而同高处两样地内植物一样，都是以利用渗入到土壤中的降雨为主。 松栎混交林中，马尾松与槲栎相比，净光合速率和气孔导度，叶片含N量，以及清晨水势低于槲栎，而中午水势，叶片13C值高于槲栎。两种树木叶片13C值与含N量都成正相关关系。槲栎叶片13C值与清晨水势成负相关，而马尾松针叶13C值与清晨水势相关性并不显著。 在岸边的松栎混交幼林与成年林相比，幼树的清晨水势略高于对应的成年树，叶片13C值低于成年树;幼树的光合速率和气孔导度略高于成年树，而瞬时水分利用效率低于成年树，但差异均不显著。马尾松幼苗为实生苗，与成年树相比，更偏向于利用浅层土壤水;而槲栎幼树多为从原来被砍伐的树上萌生的，木质部水分同位素与成年树相近。 从2004年5月到10月，我们又对大坝下游江段岸边植物（马尾松，枫杨和柑桔）的水分关系进行了研究。木质部水分同位素比率表明，岸边植物木质部水分同位素比率与高处植物具相近的值，且显著高于江水同位素值。研究表明岸岸边和高处植物以降雨或靠降雨补充的浅层地下水为主要水分来源，即便岸边植物也几乎不利用江水。岸边植物与高处植物具有相近的清晨水势和中午水势，光合速率和气孔导度，以及叶片C值等，也进一步说明岸边植物与高处植物具有相近的水分生理特征。 叶片13C可以指示植物的一些生理过程，我们对松栎混交林中不同生活型植物的13C值进行了分析，乔木层叶片 13C值比较高，其中常绿针叶的值又高于落叶阔叶树木的值;林下灌木，非禾本科草本，及藤本植物的13C值都明显低于乔木层。 三峡大坝改变河水对植物生理生态过程的影响是一个长期的过程，库区水位上涨是否影响到岸边植物的生理过程及生长等，需要进一步作长期、定位和连续的观测研究。

三峡水库蓄水对消落带土壤理化性状的影响

三峡水利枢纽工程的调度运行导致水库水位的涨落，从而在三峡水库周边水陆交错带形成周期性淹没与出露于水面的一段特殊区域，被称为三峡水库消落带。三峡水库消落带生态系统的健康是库岸稳定和水库安全运行的重要保障。土壤养分是三峡库区消落带土壤生态系统的重要组成部分。三峡水库蓄水以来，土壤理化性状发生改变，水土流失日益加剧。土壤是植物的基础，因此，对三峡水库消落带土壤性状的研究对消落带植被恢复有一定的指导意义，也为研究水库消落带水土流失提供依据，为研究水库消落带土壤污染与水体污染提供基础。 本文首先通过对重庆忠县石宝寨水库消落带不同水位、不同时期的表层土壤分析，研究了消落带不同水位土壤容重、酸碱度、有机质、全氮、全磷、全钾、硝态氮、氨态氮、速效磷、速效钾的含量变化。实验结果表明：（1）消落带土壤淹水前各测定指标在不同海拔高程之间的差异均不显著（P>0.05）；（2）三峡水库淹水后消落带土壤由微碱性变为碱性，养分平均含量普遍下降，土壤养分缺乏，淹水易造成养分流失；（3）不同淹水强度下，土壤pH 值、有机质、全氮、全磷、氨态氮、速效钾平均含量差异显著（P＜0.001），经过淹水土壤有机质、全氮、速效钾含量进一步降低；（4）不同淹水时期，土壤全钾、硝态氮、氨态氮平均含量差异显著（P＜0.001），速效氮含量随季节变化较大，与土壤水分有密切关系；（5）干湿交替更容易造成氮、磷解吸释放入水体，从而增加富营养化的风险。 其次，通过对石宝寨消落带5 个时间段6个水位的表层土壤分析，研究了消落带不同时期、不同淹水强度土壤酸碱度及Cu、Zn、Pb、Cr 的含量变化。结果表明（1）淹水土壤pH 显著高于未淹水土壤，长期淹水土壤重金属含量显著高于短期淹水土壤与未淹水土壤，146m 土壤重金属含量最高；（2）经过淹水土壤，pH 先升高后下降，铜含量、锌含量都下降，铬含量先上升后下降，铅含量随着土壤暴露先稍微上升，后又下降，但在08 年9 月达到最大值；（3）各土壤重金属之间均存在显著相关关系，表明三峡消落带土壤存在重金属复合污染隐患；（ 4 ） 以三峡水库土壤背景值为评价标准， 消落带土壤污染程度具有Cu>Pb>Zn>Cr 的特征，其中，铜污染相对最为严重，消落带土壤随着淹水强度的加大与淹水时间的延长，污染程度加重，消落带综合污染指数达到1.24，属于轻度污染级。

遮荫与外源脱落酸喷施对青杨(Populus cathayana Rehd.)不同种群抗旱性的影响

杨树具有分布广、适应性强的特征，在生态环境治理和解决木材短缺方面均占有重要位置。青杨(Populus cathayana Rehd.)是青杨派树种的重要成员之一，也是生长较迅速、易繁殖的重要杨树资源。本研究选取了来自不同气候地区的青杨两种群为材料，采用植物生态学、生理学和生物化学的研究方法，系统地研究了青杨对干旱与遮荫、干旱与外源脱落酸(ABA)喷施的生长、形态、生理和生化响应及种群间差异，研究成果可为我国干旱半干旱地区的造林以及生态恢复提供理论依据和科学指导。主要研究结论如下：1.青杨在干旱胁迫下的适应机制为：生长性状及生物量的分配变化：干旱胁迫下虽然植株生长受抑，株高、基茎及各部分生物量都显著减小，但有相对较多的生物量向根部分配，根/冠比以及细/粗根比增加。青杨对干旱胁迫的光合作用表现为：干旱胁迫降低了青杨的净光合速率、蒸腾速率、气孔导度以及光合氮利用效率，提高了瞬时用水效率。干旱还引起了活性氧的产生，使得膜脂过氧化产物丙二醛(MDA)增加，同时也增强了植物抗氧化酶系统(如超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)和抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)活性的增加)及非酶系统的能力(如抗坏血酸(AsA)含量的增加)。干旱降低了植物叶片的相对含水量，而促进了渗透调节物质(游离脯氨酸及可溶性糖)的积累，增加了植物的渗调能力。干旱下青杨两种群的内源ABA含量显著增加，碳同位素组分(δ13C)也显著提高。这些结果证明植物遭受干旱胁迫后发生一系列的形态、生理和生化响应，这些变化能提高植物在干旱下的存活和生长能力。2.青杨两种群对干旱胁迫反应的种群差异：与来自湿润地区的汉源种群相比，来自干旱地区的乐都种群在干旱条件下生物量向根系分配的可塑性更强，同时具有更强的抗氧化系统能力，所受到活性氧的伤害也更少，并且累积更多的脯胺酸和ABA，具有更高的δ13C。这些都说明了乐都种群对干旱的适应性比汉源种群更强。两种群对干旱的响应差异应归于它们的用水策略的不同：汉源种群来自湿润地区，采用了耗水型的用水策略，抗旱能力较弱；而乐都种群，来自干旱地区，通常采用节水型的用水策略，有更强的抗旱能力。3.遮荫对青杨两种群抗旱性的影响：遮荫对青杨抗旱性的影响决定于遮荫程度的不同，我们的结果表明中度的遮荫可以有效的提高干旱下植物的生长，对干旱胁迫有明显的缓解作用，具体体现在中度遮荫下受旱植物的叶片相对含水量得到提高，使得植物体内水分状况得到了改善；光合速率并未降低，植物光合氮利用效率增加，说明中度的遮荫并未明显限制植物的碳获得；抗氧化酶活性与膜脂过氧化产物MDA含量的同时降低，说明中度遮荫下所受到的活性氧伤害减少；中度遮荫下的ABA及δ13C的变化也不如在全光下变化明显，这也说明中度遮荫缓解了干旱胁迫。但是重度的遮荫却对干旱胁迫有明显的加剧作用，主要表现在重度遮荫降低了植物的光合速率，严重抑制了植物的生长；同时重度遮荫下脯胺酸含量和抗氧化酶活性的急剧下降，导致了植物渗调能力的下降及膜脂过氧化产物MDA的显著升高；重度遮荫还显著降低了内源ABA的累积和δ13C，降低了植物的抗旱能力。此外，青杨两种群在对干旱和遮荫的响应中，也表现出种群差异。汉源种群，来自湿润且年日照辐射较少的地区，表现出相对更强的耐荫性和需水性。而乐都种群，来自干旱且年日照辐射丰富的地区，表现出相对更强的耐旱性和需光性。这说明了植物对环境胁迫的耐受性是其长期适应原生境的结果，并且来自不同气候地区的两种群在面临环境胁迫时会采取不同的生存策略。4. 外源ABA喷施对青杨两种群抗旱性的影响：外源ABA的喷施可以提高两种群的抗旱性，具体表现为外源ABA喷施促进了青杨根系的生长，显著提高了干旱下植物的根/冠比和细/粗根比，减少了比叶面积；在生理生化方面，外源ABA降低了干旱下植物叶片的气孔导度，降低了蒸腾速率和净光合速率，但提高了瞬时用水效率，提高了叶片的相对含水量，增加了干旱下植物的保水能力。外源ABA进一步增加了干旱下植物内源ABA的积累，促进了植物渗调物质如脯胺酸和可溶性糖的积累，增加了抗氧化酶系统(如SOD、APX、CAT)的活性和非酶系统AsA的含量，降低了活性氧(如超氧阴离子(O2和过氧化氢(H2O2))对植株的伤害。此外，外源ABA还进一步提高了干旱下植物的δ13C，提高了植物的长期用水效率，由此提高了植物的抗旱能力。另一方面，两种群对外源ABA和干旱的响应也有所差别。来自湿润地区的汉源种群，对干旱较为敏感，所受干旱的影响也较大，而外源ABA的喷施对汉源种群抗旱性的提高作用也更为突出。乐都种群，由于其长期适应干旱地区的生长，本身已具有较强的抗旱能力，因此外源ABA喷施对其抗旱性的提高不如对汉源种群的效果明显。由此我们可以得出对于一些抗性弱或干旱敏感的物种或者种群，可以采用外施ABA的方法来提高其抗性。Poplars play an important role in lumber supply, and are important component ofecosystems due to their wide distribution and well adaptation. Populus cathayana Rehd.,which belongs to Populus Sect. Tacamahaca Spach, is one of the most important resources ofpoplars for its fast growth and reproductive. In this study, different populations of P.cathayana were used as experiment material to investigate the adaptability to drought stressand population differences in adaptability, and the effects of shade and exogenous abscisicacid (ABA) application on the drought tolerance. Our results could provide a strongtheoretical evidence and scientific direction for the afforestation, and rehabilitation ofecosystem in the arid and semi-arid area, and provide a strong evidence for adaptivedifferentiation of different populations, and so may be used as criteria for species selectionand tree improvement. The results are as follows:1. A large set of parallel response to drought stress: Drought stress caused pronouncedinhibition of the growth and increased relatively dry matter allocation into the root. For thetwo populations, the shoot height, basal diameter and total biomass were decreased but theroot/shoot ratio and fine root/coarse root ratio were increased under drought conditions；Drought stress caused pronounced inhibition of photosynthesis, decreased the stomatalconductance, transpiration rate, and photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency (PNUE) butincreased the instantaneous water use efficiency. Drought significantly improved the levels ofreactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde (MDA) and to induce the entire set ofantioxidative systems including the increase of activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD),ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate (AsA) content. Drought decreased the leaf relative water content (RWC) but improved the capability of osmotic adjustmentindicated by the higher proline accumulation. Drought also increased the ABA content andcarbon isotope composition (δ13C), which indicating the long period water use efficiency wasimproved under drought. These results demonstrate that there are a large set of parallelchanges in the morphological, physiological and biochemical responses when plants areexposed to drought stress; these changes may enhance the capability of plants to survive andgrow during drought periods.2. Difference in adaptation to drought stress between contrasting populations of P.cathayana: Compared with the Hanyuan population (wet climate), the Ledu population (dryclimate) showed higher root/shoot ratio and water use efficiency, exhibited higherantioxidative systems capability thus resulting in less oxidative damage, accumulated moreABA and free proline content under drought conditions. The results suggested that there weredifferent water-use strategies between the two populations. The Ledu population, whichcomes from dry climate region, with higher drought tolerance, may employ a conservativewater-use strategy, whereas the Hanyuan population, which comes from wet climate, withlower drought tolerance, may employ a prodigal water-use strategy. These variations indrought responses may be used as criteria for species selection and tree improvement.3. The effects of shade on the drought tolerance: The reduction in the availability of lightand water affected the morphological and physiological responses of the two P. cathayanapopulations. In addition, the light environment modified the growth responses of P.cathayana seedlings to varying water environments in different ways depending upon theintensity of the light levels considered. There is an apparent alleviation to drought effects bymoderate shade in P. cathayana seedlings, as indicated by the higher leaf RWC, and unchanged net photosynthesis and PNUE, as well as by the lower antioxditative enzymeactivity, MDA, ABA and δ13C levels, which implied moderate shade did not significantlylimited the carbon acquisition or inhibited the plant growth, but ameliorated the detrimentaleffects of drought. On the other hand, an apparent aggravation to drought effects by severeshade was also observed, as indicated by the pronounced decrease of plant growth and net photosynthesis, the lower total biomass, ABA level, δ13C, free proline content andantioxditative enzyme activity and higher MDA accumulation. By contrast, the twopopulations showed different responses to shade and drought. The Hanyuan population,which comes from a riparian basin having a relatively wet climate and less annual solarradiation, is more sensitive to drought but more tolerant to shade. The Ledu population, whichcomes from a mountainous plateau with less rainfall and with more annual solar radiation, ismore tolerant to drought but more sensitive to shade. The results demonstrated that theendurance of plants to stress is a result of long-term evolution and adaptation to theenvironment, as suggested by the different strategies employed by the P. cathayanapopulations originating from contrasting habitats when they were exposed to drought andshade.4. The effects of exogenous ABA application on the drought tolerance: For bothpopulations under drought conditions tested, exogenous ABA application significantlyimproved the root/shoot ratio, fine root/coarse root ratio, and decreased the specifical leaf area.On the physiological and biochemical traits, exogenous ABA application significantlydecreased stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and net photosythesis but increased theinstance water use efficiency and leaf RWC. On the other hand, exogenous ABA applicationsignificantly increased endogenous ABA, proline, solube sugar and AsA content, as well asSOD, APX and CAT activities, thus reduced the damage of reactive oxygen species. Moreover,the long period water use efficiency as indicated by δ13C was also improved by exogenousABA application. In additionally, there was different responsive between the two populationsto drought and exogenous ABA application. The Hanyuan population, which comes from wetclimate region, is more sensitive to drought, and the effect of exogenous ABA is moreobviously than that in the Ledu population, which comes from dry climate region and is moredrought-responsive. Therefore, we can use exogenous ABA application to improve theresistance of plants, especially for the drought- sensitive species or populations.

景观边界研究概况

Landscape boundaries are the heterogeneous regions between different homogeneous landscapes at certain temporal and spatial scale. In this paper, the progress of research on landscape boundary was briefly reviewed. Research contents are mainly focused on the following aspects: ①Biodiversity, ②Response of landscape boundary to climatic change, ③Effects of disturbance on landscape boundary, ④ Functions of landscape boundary, ⑤ The relationships between landscape boundaries and abiotic factors, ⑥Indicators of landscape boundary, ⑦ Causes and determination of landscape boundary. In addition, more and more attentions have been paid to the research on riparian. By analyzing the current research status, the development trend of landscape boundary research was proposed, namely, the formation and maintenance mechanism of landscape boundary, its prediction and research on the boundary between surface water and ground water.

景观农业研究的兴起及其实际意义

Landscape agriculture is the combination of landscape ecology and agriculture. Its basic idea is from the system theory and landscape ecology. Now landscape agriculture is getting more and more attention because of its multi-functional roles. For example, it can exploit the agricultural ecosystem more rationally, make full use of the self-adjustment function of the natural patches and corridors in the field, as well as the effects from landform types and topological components. It uses regenerative biological energy to a large extent, constitutes beautiful scenic view and protects the diversity of genetics, species, ecosystems and landscapes. Landscape agriculture emphasizes environment improvement, bio-diversity protection and tourism development, thus provides new possibility for the increase of economical benefits and gets the positive feedback loop started. An example from the former Soviet Union is presented as well in this paper

Effect of burrowing activity of root vole (Microtus oeconomus Pallas) on plant diversity in alpine meadow

Herbivory and burrowing activity of mammals may influence the species composition and diversity of plant communities. The effect of corridors and holes systems constructed by root vole (Microtus oeconomus Pallas) on the plant species diversity was studied in the habitat of high - mountain meadow (3250 in a.s.l in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China). By using grid method, these disturbances were studied on 16 plots (100 cm x 100 cm) distributed in 4 transects in studied area, in August 2000 and 2001. The disturbance intensity index, D, was calculated as the percent of the ground surface disturbed by voles in the study area. Plant species were identified and counted on the same plots. In total 46 plant species were identified - 39% of this number was considered as sensitive to the vole disturbances as their occurrence and/or abundance decreased along the disturbance intensity. Generally, a significantly negative correlation (r = - 0.911 P < 0.01) between vole aboveground disturbances and plant species diversity (H') was found. The results suggest that root vole ground disturbances, especially in the form of actively utilized holes and corridors have significantly negative influence on plant species diversity in high-mountain grassland habitat.