High Temperatures Result in Smaller Nurseries which Lower Reproduction of Pollinators and Parasites in a Brood Site Pollination Mutualism

In a nursery pollination mutualism, we asked whether environmental factors affected reproduction of mutualistic pollinators, non-mutualistic parasites and seed production via seasonal changes in plant traits such as inflorescence size and within-tree reproductive phenology. We examined seasonal variation in reproduction in Ficus racemosa community members that utilise enclosed inflorescences called syconia as nurseries. Temperature, relative humidity and rainfall defined four seasons: winter; hot days, cold nights; summer and wet seasons. Syconium volumes were highest in winter and lowest in summer, and affected syconium contents positively across all seasons. Greater transpiration from the nurseries was possibly responsible for smaller syconia in summer. The 3-5 degrees C increase in mean temperatures between the cooler seasons and summer reduced fig wasp reproduction and increased seed production nearly two-fold. Yet, seed and pollinator progeny production were never negatively related in any season confirming the mutualistic fig-pollinator association across seasons. Non-pollinator parasites affected seed production negatively in some seasons, but had a surprisingly positive relationship with pollinators in most seasons. While within-tree reproductive phenology did not vary across seasons, its effect on syconium inhabitants varied with season. In all seasons, within-tree reproductive asynchrony affected parasite reproduction negatively, whereas it had a positive effect on pollinator reproduction in winter and a negative effect in summer. Seasonally variable syconium volumes probably caused the differential effect of within-tree reproductive phenology on pollinator reproduction. Within-tree reproductive asynchrony itself was positively affected by intra-tree variation in syconium contents and volume, creating a unique feedback loop which varied across seasons. Therefore, nursery size affected fig wasp reproduction, seed production and within-tree reproductive phenology via the feedback cycle in this system. Climatic factors affecting plant reproductive traits cause biotic relationships between plants, mutualists and parasites to vary seasonally and must be accorded greater attention, especially in the context of climate change.

Plant reproductive traits mediate tritrophic feedback effects within an obligate brood-site pollination mutualism

Plants, herbivores and parasitoids affect each other directly and indirectly; however, feedback effects mediated by host plant traits have rarely been demonstrated in these tritrophic interactions. Brood-site pollination mutualisms (e.g. those involving figs and fig wasps) represent specialised tritrophic communities where the progeny of mutualistic pollinators and of non-mutualistic gallers (both herbivores) together with that of their parasitoids develop within enclosed inflorescences called syconia (hence termed brood-sites or microcosms). Plant reproductive phenology (which affects temporal brood-site availability) and inflorescence size (representing brood-site size) are plant traits that could affect reproductive resources, and hence relationships between trees, pollinators and non-pollinating wasps. Analysing wasp and seed contents of syconia, we examined direct, indirect, trophic and non-trophic relationships within the interaction web of the fig-fig wasp community of Ficus racemosa in the context of brood site size and availability. We demonstrate that in addition to direct resource competition and predator-prey (host-parasitoid) interactions, these communities display exploitative or apparent competition and trait-mediated indirect interactions. Inflorescence size and plant reproductive phenology impacted plant-herbivore and plant-parasitoid associations. These plant traits also influenced herbivore-herbivore and herbivore-parasitoid relationships via indirect effects. Most importantly, we found a reciprocal effect between within-tree reproductive asynchrony and fig wasp progeny abundances per syconium that drives a positive feedback cycle within the system. The impact of a multitrophic feedback cycle within a community built around a mutualistic core highlights the need for a holistic view of plant-herbivore-parasitoid interactions in the community ecology of mutualisms.

Fruit Trait Preference in Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta) and its Implications for Seed Dispersal

Primates constitute 25-40 % of the frugivore biomass of tropical forests. Primate fruit preference, as a determinant of seed dispersal, can therefore have a significant impact on these ecosystems. Although the traits of fruits included in primate diets have been described, fruit trait preference has been less studied with respect to fruit availability. We examined fruit trait preference and its implications for seed dispersal in the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), a dietarily flexible species and important seed disperser, at the Buxa Tiger Reserve, India. Over a year, we monitored the phenology of selected trees in the study area, observed the feeding behavior of rhesus macaques using scans and focal animal sampling, and documented morphological traits of the fruits/seeds consumed. Using generalized linear modeling, we found that the kind of edible tissue was the chief determinant of fruit consumption, with M. mulatta feeding primarily on fruits with juicy-soft pulp and acting as seed predators for those with no discernible pulp. Overall, the preferred traits were external covers that could be easily pierced by a fingernail, medium to large seeds, true stone-like seeds, and juicy-soft edible tissue, thereby implying that fruit taxa with these traits had a higher probability of being dispersed. Macaques were more selective during the high fruit availability period than the low fruit availability period, preferentially feeding on soft-skinned fruits with juicy-soft pulp. We suggest that further studies be conducted across habitats and time to understand the consistency of interactions between primates and fruits with specific traits to determine the degree of selective pressure (if any) that is exerted by primates on fruit traits.

Seasonal Growth of Waterhyacinth in the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta, California

Waterhyacinth ( Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms), is a serious problem in the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta, California. There is little published information on its phenology or seasonal growth in this system. Waterhyacinths were sampled at 2 to 3 week intervals from November, 1995 to July, 1997 and the following measurements were made on individual plants: dry weight, height, number of living leaves, number of dead leaves, and the width of the largest lamina. (PDF has 4 pages.)

PICES Press, Vol. 17, No. 2, July 2009

Major Outcomes from the 2009 PICES Annual Meeting: A Note from the Chairman (pdf, 0.1 Mb) The FUTURE is Here (pdf, 0.1 Mb) PICES Harmful Algal Bloom International Seafood Safety Project (pdf, 0.3 Mb) PICES at the 2009 GLOBEC Open Science Meeting (pdf, 0.4 Mb) Modeling Ecosystems and Ocean Processes Workshop (pdf, 0.1 Mb) Krill Biology and Ecology Workshop (pdf, 0.1 Mb) Polar and Sub-Polar Marine Ecosystems Workshop (pdf, 0.4 Mb) Biogeochemistry of the Oceans in a Changing Climate Workshop (pdf, 0.1 Mb) Continuous Plankton Recorder Surveys of the Global Oceans (pdf, 0.4 Mb) Plankton Phenology Workshop (pdf, 0.2 Mb) Workshop on “Climate Impact on Ecosystem Dynamics of Marginal Seas” (pdf, 0.1 Mb) Erratum (pdf, 0.4 Mb) The State of the Western North Pacific in the Second Half of 2008 (pdf, 0.2 Mb) State of the Northeast Pacific into early 2009 (pdf, 0.1 Mb) Current Status of the Bering Sea Ecosystem (pdf, 0.1 Mb) 2009 Salmon Forecasting Forum (pdf, 0.3 Mb) The Third Argo Science Workshop: “The Future of Argo” (pdf, 0.1 Mb) 2009 ESSAS Annual Science Meeting (pdf, 0.1 Mb) A Visit Fit for an Emperor and Empress of Japan (pdf, 0.9 Mb)

Predicting the effects of climate change on sea turtle nesting habitat in Florida

Rising global temperatures threaten the survival of many plant and animal species. Having already risen at an unprecedented rate in the past century, temperatures are predicted to rise between 0.3 and 7.5C in North America over the next 100 years (Hawkes et al. 2007). Studies have documented the effects of climate warming on phenology (timing of seasonal activities), with observations of early arrival at breeding grounds, earlier ends to the reproductive season, and delayed autumnal migrations (Pike et al. 2006). In addition, for species not suited to the physiological demands of cold winter temperatures, increasing temperatures could shift tolerable habitats to higher latitudes (Hawkes et al. 2007). More directly, climate warming will impact thermally sensitive species like sea turtles, who exhibit temperature-dependent sexual determination. Temperatures in the middle third of the incubation period determine the sex of sea turtle offspring, with higher temperatures resulting in a greater abundance of female offspring. Consequently, increasing temperatures from climate warming would drastically change the offspring sex ratio (Hawkes et al. 2007). Of the seven extant species of sea turtles, three (leatherback, Kemp’s ridley, and hawksbill) are critically endangered, two (olive ridley and green) are endangered, and one (loggerhead) is threatened. Considering the predicted scenarios of climate warming and the already tenuous status of sea turtle populations, it is essential that efforts are made to understand how increasing temperatures may affect sea turtle populations and how these species might adapt in the face of such changes. In this analysis, I seek to identify the impact of changing climate conditions over the next 50 years on the availability of sea turtle nesting habitat in Florida given predicted changes in temperature and precipitation. I predict that future conditions in Florida will be less suitable for sea turtle nesting during the historic nesting season. This may imply that sea turtles will nest at a different time of year, in more northern latitudes, to a lesser extent, or possibly not at all. It seems likely that changes in temperature and precipitation patterns will alter the distribution of sea turtle nesting locations worldwide, provided that beaches where the conditions are suitable for nesting still exist. Hijmans and Graham (2006) evaluate a range of climate envelope models in terms of their ability to predict species distributions under climate change scenarios. Their results suggested that the choice of species distribution model is dependent on the specifics of each individual study. Fuller et al. (2008) used a maximum entropy approach to model the potential distribution of 11 species in the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska under a series of projected climate scenarios. Recently, Pike (in press) developed Maxent models to investigate the impacts of climate change on green sea turtle nest distribution and timing. In each of these studies, a set of environmental predictor variables (including climate variables), for which ‘current’ conditions are available and ‘future’ conditions have been projected, is used in conjunction with species occurrence data to map potential species distribution under the projected conditions. In this study, I will take a similar approach in mapping the potential sea turtle nesting habitat in Florida by developing a Maxent model based on environmental and climate data and projecting the model for future climate data. (PDF contains 5 pages)

Dinâmica de crescimento de Cedrela odorata L. (Meliaceae) na Floresta Atlântica do Estado do Rio de Janeiro: fenologia, atividade cambial e dendrocronologia

Ao longo do século XX, poucos estudos de dendrocronologia foram desenvolvidos com espécies de ambientes tropicais, em função da crença de que as condições climáticas nessas regiões não apresentavam variações suficientemente marcantes e regulares para induzir um ritmo anual de crescimento radial. A realização de trabalhos sobre esse tema nas últimas décadas revelou que a formação de anéis de crescimento anuais nos trópicos pode estar associada a fatores diversos, como: existência de estação seca bem definida, ocorrência de inundações sazonais, respostas ao comportamento fenológico, respostas ao fotoperíodo e a ritmos endógenos. O presente estudo tem por objetivo compreender a dinâmica de crescimento radial de uma espécie da Mata Atlântica se desenvolvendo em ambiente natural. Para tanto, propôs-se: i) investigar a periodicidade da atividade cambial e dos fatores que a influenciam; ii) estimar a idade e taxa de crescimento diamétrico e iii) correlacionar os fatores ambientais com os anéis de crescimento, em indivíduos de Cedrela odorata L. Para o estudo da atividade cambial, foram obtidas amostras de caule a 1,30 m do solo, contendo periderme, faixa cambial e xilema e floema secundários, por métodos não destrutivos. A fenologia vegetativa e a frutificação dos indivíduos amostrados foram acompanhadas durante todo o período do experimento. O material coletado foi processado segundo técnicas usuais em Anatomia Vegetal e analisado sob microscopia óptica e de fluorescência. Os dados de fotoperíodo, precipitação, temperatura e fenologia vegetativa foram correlacionados à atividade cambial. Para o estudo dos anéis de crescimento, as coletas também foram realizadas a 1,30 m do solo, por meio de sonda de Pressler. As amostras obtidas foram polidas e analisadas sob microscópio estereoscópio, para demarcação e aferição do número de anéis de crescimento, e a largura dos anéis foi mensurada para a determinação das taxas de crescimento radial. A série histórica de temperatura e precipitação foi correlacionada à cronologia dos anéis de crescimento. Os resultados indicaram que a atividade cambial segue um ritmo anual de crescimento, correlacionado à sazonalidade do fotoperíodo, da precipitação e da fenologia vegetativa. A análise dos anéis de crescimento permitiu estimar a idade dos indivíduos e determinar a taxa média de incremento e as taxas de incremento diamétrico acumulado e incremento médio anual para a espécie no sítio de estudo. Os dados de incremento radial evidenciaram a ausência de relação entre a idade e o diâmetro das árvores. A análise da variação na largura dos anéis não apresentou correlações significativas com os fatores climáticos analisados.

Dinâmica de crescimento de Centrolobium robustum (Vell.) Mart. ex Benth. (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae) na Floresta Atlântica, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

O conhecimento sobre o ritmo de crescimento radial e a idade das árvores é um aspecto básico para compreender a dinâmica das populações, bem como o desenvolvimento e a sobrevivência das espécies. Nos trópicos, entretanto, estudos populacionais com este enfoque ainda são escassos, a despeito da urgente necessidade de preservação e manejo de suas florestas. Este trabalho tem por objetivo: i) Descrever a atividade cambial e o comportamento fenológico de Centrolobium robustum (Vell.) Mart. ex Benth., correlacionando estes parâmetros entre si; ii) Avaliar a influência da sazonalidade climática e do fotoperíodo sobre a atividade cambial e o comportamento fenológico e iii) Caracterizar o padrão estrutural dos anéis de crescimento e determinar, a partir destes, a idade e as taxas de crescimento radial da espécie na Reserva Biológica do Tinguá, RJ. Para a análise da atividade cambial, amostras de câmbio foram coletadas trimestralmente, processadas segundo técnicas usuais de anatomia vegetal e observadas sob microscopia ótica de campo claro, de fluorescência, de polarização e microscopia eletrônica de transmissão. O acompanhamento fenológico foi realizado mensalmente e os índices de atividade e de intensidade foram utilizados para analisar as fenofases reprodutivas e vegetativas, respectivamente. Para a investigação dendrocronológica, foram coletadas amostras com auxílio de sonda de Pressler, as quais foram polidas e observadas sob microscópio estereoscópico. Os resultados evidenciaram um ciclo anual de atividade e dormência cambial, caracterizados, respectivamente, pela presença de células em processo de divisão e diferenciação junto ao câmbio e de células completamente diferenciadas e deposição de calose em elementos de tubo crivado adjacentes à zona cambial. A dormência cambial coincidiu com a senescência e queda foliar, enquanto a atividade foi mais evidente na presença de folhas adultas na copa. A sazonalidade da atividade cambial apresentou correlação significativa com os dados de temperatura, precipitação e fotoperíodo do mês de realização das coletas. Foi constatado o regime sazonal da atividade cambial em associação ao clima e ao comportamento fenológico da espécie, conferindo caráter anual aos anéis de crescimento. Os resultados permitiram estabelecer o padrão dendroecológico de C. robustum e as idades e taxas de crescimento da população estudada.

Effects of Spring Temperatures on the Strength of Selection on Timing of Reproduction in a Long-Distance Migratory Bird

Climate change has differentially affected the timing of seasonal events for interacting trophic levels, and this has often led to increased selection on seasonal timing. Yet, the environmental variables driving this selection have rarely been identified, limiting our ability to predict future ecological impacts of climate change. Using a dataset spanning 31 years from a natural population of pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca), we show that directional selection on timing of reproduction intensified in the first two decades (1980-2000) but weakened during the last decade (2001-2010). Against expectation, this pattern could not be explained by the temporal variation in the phenological mismatch with food abundance. We therefore explored an alternative hypothesis that selection on timing was affected by conditions individuals experience when arriving in spring at the breeding grounds: arriving early in cold conditions may reduce survival. First, we show that in female recruits, spring arrival date in the first breeding year correlates positively with hatch date; hence, early-hatched individuals experience colder conditions at arrival than late-hatched individuals. Second, we show that when temperatures at arrival in the recruitment year were high, early-hatched young had a higher recruitment probability than when temperatures were low. We interpret this as a potential cost of arriving early in colder years, and climate warming may have reduced this cost. We thus show that higher temperatures in the arrival year of recruits were associated with stronger selection for early reproduction in the years these birds were born. As arrival temperatures in the beginning of the study increased, but recently declined again, directional selection on timing of reproduction showed a nonlinear change. We demonstrate that environmental conditions with a lag of up to two years can alter selection on phenological traits in natural populations, something that has important implications for our understanding of how climate can alter patterns of selection in natural populations.

Dinâmica de crescimento em Tabebuia rosea (Bertol.) Bertero ex A.DC. (Bignoniaceae): fenologia apical e cambial caulinar

O estudo da dinâmica de crescimento em espécies arbóreas permite melhor compreender a adaptação de uma espécie ao ambiente em que se desenvolve. Dados dessa natureza ainda são escassos no Brasil considerando-se a diversidade de espécies e fitofisionomias existentes. Esse tipo de estudo tem sido apontado como de grande relevância principalmente diante das situações atuais de desmatamento e mudanças climáticas, que exigem recuperação de áreas degradadas e prospectar como as espécies nativas sobreviveram diante deste ambiente de aceleradas mudanças. Nesta perspectiva, o objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar a dinâmica de crescimento de Tabebuia rosea, por meio do monitoramento mensal da fenologia apical e cambial caulinar e dos teores dos pigmentos fotossintetizantes: clorofilas a, b, totais e carotenoides. Os resultados obtidos foram correlacionados entre si e também com a sazonalidade das variáveis ambientais: temperatura, precipitação e fotoperíodo. No que se refere aos teores dos pigmentos fotossintetizantes, foi também avaliada as oscilações observadas nas folhas obtidas nas orientações geográficas: norte, sul, leste e oeste. O trabalho foi desenvolvido no Campus da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. A fenologia dos ápices caulinares foi acompanhada mensalmente a partir de observações qualitativas e quantitativas em 15 indivíduos. As amostras contendo a zona cambial foram obtidas por método não destrutivo e processadas segundo as técnicas usuais em histologia vegetal. A extração dos pigmentos fotossintéticos foi realizada em acetona 80%, com posterior centrifugação e análise ao espectrofotômetro em diferentes comprimentos de onda. Tabebuia rosea apresentou aumento na largura da zona cambial em número de camadas celulares e em micrômetros, diminuição do diâmetro radial da célula inicial fusiforme e aumento em micrômetros da camada de células em processo de alongamento e diferenciação do xilema secundário no mesmo período em que a copa das árvores estava ocupada por folhas adultas e com os teores mais elevados de clorofilas nas folhas, coincidindo com o período em que as variáveis ambientais apresentaram-se elevadas, corroborando os resultados já obtidos para outras espécies nativas da Mata Atlântica se desenvolvendo no estado do Rio de Janeiro. A maior concentração de carotenoides foi observada no período em que as variáveis ambientais apresentavam índices elevados e as plantas estavam mais expostas à radiação luminosa, possivelmente em função de um maior investimento em fotoproteção. Cabe destacar que o lado oeste da copa das árvores mostrou uma tendência em apresentar maiores concentrações dos pigmentos fotossintéticos estudados, resultado ainda não observado na literatura até o momento, o que pode ser uma estratégia da espécie em compensar níveis baixos de radiação solar com acúmulo de clorofilas.

典型草原物候特征及其对生态系统功能的影响研究

植物物候反映的是植物(包括农作物)和环境(气候、水文、土壤条件)的周期性变化之间的相互关系。在气候变化背景下，植物物候已经发生了显著变化，并且对生态系统产生了重要影响。然而，目前的物候研究大多是针对木本植物，对于草本植物的研究则相对缺乏，而且草本植物的物候节律表现出较木本植物更为复杂的特征，不但受温度影响，亦受到水分因素的影响。 本研究利用内蒙古典型草原区克氏针茅草原建群种羊草和克氏针茅自1985～2003年19年的物候资料和气象数据，分析了物候特征及气候因子的变化趋势，探究了两种植物返青期和枯黄期的主导因子。结果表明，克氏针茅草原近20年来的气候发生了显著的变化，总体表现为温度升高、降水量降少、土壤水分含量减少。与以往物候研究结果不同的是，羊草和克氏针茅返青期在气候变暖的背景下却显著滞后。相关分析显示返青前期土壤水分是导致返青滞后的主要原因。对于枯黄期的相关分析同样显示水分因子是制约两种植物生长季结束的关键因子。在检验现有返青期和枯黄期物候模型对于典型草原适用性的基础上，本研究选择应用广泛、计算简便的CTM(Cumulative Temperature Model)模型作为改进返青期物候模型的基础，在其中加入了水分的影响，使得改进返青期物候模型可以很好的模拟典型草原植物返青期，模拟误差小于7天。同时，构建了考虑水分和温度共同影响的枯黄期模型。改进后的物候模型提高了DCTEM(Dynamic Chinese Terrestrial Ecosystems Model)模型的模拟精度。 基于耦合改进物候模块的DCTEM模型对影响生态系统NPP(Net Primary Productivity)、NEP(Net Ecosystem Productivity)和AET(Annual Evapotranspiration)的因子加以分析。结果显示，降水量是影响克氏针茅草原生态系统功能的主要因子，其对于NPP、NEP、AET以及土壤异养呼吸等均有不同程度的影响。其次，生长季长度变化对于克氏针茅生态系统功能呈现出显著的影响作用，其影响程度仅次于降水量。 为了量化在实际的气象条件下单位生长季长度变化所引起生态系统NPP、NEP和AET的变化幅度，设置了三个引起生长季长度变化的物候模拟情景(动态枯黄情景、动态返青情景、动态起止情景)以及对照情景。研究结果显示，不同情景下植物生长季长度变化对于生态系统功能有着不同程度的影响。动态枯黄情景下由于草原枯黄期使整个生长季每延长一天NEP增加3.11％，NPP为0.34％，对于AET的影响最小为0.06％;动态返青情景下，由于草原返青期波动使得整个生长季延长一天则NEP增加1.54%，NPP为0.15％，对于AET的影响最小为0.01％;在动态起止情景下，生长季延长一天则NEP增加3.37%，NPP为0.39％，对于AET的影响最小为0.06％。总体而言，由于枯黄期引起的生长季变化对生态系统功能影响程度比由于返青期引起的程度高。此外，不同的生态系统功能要素对于物候变化的影响程度也有所不同。在几种模拟情景下，NEP受到生长季变化的影响最大，其次为NPP，AET受物候变化影响最小。

青藏高原东部植物生态特征在季节性雪厚度梯度上的变化

本文以青藏高原东部的高山草甸为研究对象，设置早融、中间及晚融三个融雪部位，采用实验室测量、野外测量、野外样方调查相结合的 方法，从个体、种群和群落的水平上比较研究了高山雪场植物在同一雪场样地中不同融雪梯度上的特征变异及适应，结果表明： 从早融到晚融的梯度上，随着融雪时间的逐渐推迟，表土日温差降低，冻融交替的强度减弱，土壤水份逐渐增加，总N、总P、总K 以及 可溶性的N、P 和pH 变化不明显，土壤有机质及可溶性的K 和Ca 逐渐降低。冻融交替强度上的差异以及土壤水分差异被认为是融雪梯度上 影响植物生长的主要原因。 从早融到晚融的梯度上，伴随着生态因子的改变，几种常见植物的个体特征也发生相应的变化。首先，物候期推迟。植物开始生长的时间 一般要推迟将近二十天，但同一种植物在不同的融雪部位上的衰老期趋于一致，这预示着在晚融部位同一植物的生长期要缩短。其次，个体生 长特性发生改变。黑褐穗苔草（Carex atrofusca subsp. minor (Boott) T.Koyama）和西北黄芪（Astragalus fenzelianus Pet.-Stib.）的个体生长（株高、单株叶数、单叶面积和地上生物量）表现为逐渐增加的趋势；斑唇马先蒿（Pedicularis longiflora Rudolph var. tubiformis (Klotz.) Tsoong）和川西小黄菊（Pyrethrum tatsienense (Bur. et Franch.) Ling ex Shih.）则表现为逐渐降低的趋势；长叶火绒草（Leontopodium longifolium Ling）在融雪梯度上的变化趋势不明显。再次，从繁殖特性来看，大卫马先蒿（Pedicularis davidii var. pentodon Tsoong）的单株花数、单花种子数、种子千粒重及种子萌发率随融雪的推迟呈现为逐渐增加的趋势；圆穗蓼（Polygonum macrophyllum D.Don）的种子（小坚果）千粒重和萌发率也表现为逐渐增加，其余繁殖特征变化不明显。 在种群层次上，几个常见物种的分布格局随着融雪的推迟都发生一定的变化，基本上表现为从早融的集群分布到中间或晚融部位的随机分布。物种间的联结性也发生较大的变化，由早融部位的总体上的正关联逐步过度到晚融部位上的总体上的负关联。特定种对间的联结性也发生较大的变化。恶劣环境条件（如剧烈的冻融交替）的影响以及对恶劣条件适应被认为是分布格局及种间联结性发生变化的主要原因。 在群落层次上，物种多样性的变化表现为单峰曲线的格局，即在中间部位多样性最高。早融部位强烈的冻融交替和晚融部位缩短的生长季是早融及晚融部位物种多样性不高的重要原因。几乎所有的只出现在一个融雪部位（雪深级别）上的物种都发生在中间融雪部位。这说明，中等的雪深更有利于许多高山植物的存活，而过浅过深的积雪都不利于植物的生存。另外，相距较近的融雪梯度之间的物种相似性较大，而相距较远的梯度之间物种的替代率较高，物种的相似性较小。在群落的生物量方面，地上生物量随融雪的推迟而升高，地下生物量随融雪的推迟而下降，地上与地下生物量之总和随着融雪的推迟而下降，地下生物量与地上生物量之比随着融雪的推迟而下降。早融部位的地上生物量主要集中于地上0-10cm 的范围内，表明在早融部位植物地上部分有变矮的趋势；早融部位的地下生物量在土壤各深度分布相对较均一，而晚融部位地下生物量则主要集中于地下0-10cm 的范围内。生物量的变化趋势主要与雪场中各部位的土壤水分含量及地表日温度差异有关，是植物适应特定环境的结果。 To detect the plants’ responses to snow-cover gradients in an alpine meadow of eastern Tibetan plateau, laboratory method and field sample plot method were employed, and three gradeients （early-, medium and late-melting）were established in a natural snowbed. The measurements were carried out for two years and was done on three levels——individual, population and community. The results are shown as follows : From early- to late-melting gradients, daily ground temperature difference between day and night decreased, amplitude of freeze-thaw alternation weakened, soil organic matter contents and soluble K and Ca decreased, while soil water content increased. Total N, total P, total K，pH soluble N and soluble P kept constant from early- to late-melting portions. Among these factors, the changes of intense freeze-thaw alternation and soil water contents were considered as main factors affecting plants’ growth. From early- to late-melting portions, all phenological phases postponed, e.g. phase of plant emergence postponed almost twenty days. However, the same species’ individuals at different portions withered in step, which implied that the individuals at late-melting portion possessed shorter growing season length. Along the same gradient, both Carex atrofusca subsp. minor (Boott) T. Koyama and Astragalus fenzelianus Pet.-Stib. increased their individual growth, whereas Pedicularis longiflora Rudolph var. tubiformis (Klotz.) Tsoong and Pyrethrum tatsienense (Bur. et Franch.) Ling ex Shih. decreased their individual growth. Unlike the four plants mentioned above, Leontopodium longifolium L. did not show any evident change. As to reproductive charateristics, the flowers per individual, the number of seeds per flower, the thousand seed weight and the seed germination rate of Pedicularis davidii var. pentodon showed an increasing trend; and Polygonum macrophyllum D.Don also increased its thousand seed weight and seed germination rate along the same gradient. However, the other reproductive charateristics of Polygonum macrophyllum D.Don did not change significantly. At population level, the distribution pattern of several selected species changed from cluster pattern to random pattern as the snowmelt postponed. Overall association among the species changed from positive to negative along the same gradient. Further, interspecific association also changed evidently. Adverse circumstances such as intense freeze-thaw alternation were considered as primary factors resulting in changes of population distribution pattern and interspecific association. At the level of community, species diversity showed a pattern of a unimodal trend, i.e. the highest diversity occurred at medium snow depth，perhaps because of intense freeze-thaw alternation at early-melting portions and the shortest growing season at late-melting portions. Almost all species that only appeared at one snowmelt portion occurred at medium portion, indicating that medium snow depth was more suitable for many species’ survival. Species replacement from one snowmelt portion to its neighboring portion seldom took place. However, while distance between two portions became farther, species replacement between the two portions occurred more frequently. As for biomass, aboveground biomass increased from early- to late-melting portions, whereas belowground biomass, total biomass and the ratio of belowground to aboveground all decreased along the same snow gradient. A majority of aboveground biomass distributed in a height range of 0-10 cm, suggesting that height of plants inhabiting early-melting portion be shorter compared with other portions. In addition, belowground biomass at early-melting portion was evenly distributed at different soil depth in comparison with aboveground biomass, whereas belowground biomass at late-melting portion concentrated 0-10cm soil layer below ground. The changing trend of biomass was also related to two factors. One was soil water content, and the other topsoil temperature difference between day and night.

Developing Porphyra/salmon integrated aquaculture for bioremediation and diversification of the aquaculture industry

FUNCTIONAL-FORM GROUPS; RED ALGAE; ATLANTIC SALMON; NEW-HAMPSHIRE; NITROGEN; PHOSPHORUS; RHODOPHYTA; TEMPERATURE; NUTRIENTS; KJELLMAN

Seasonal and interannual variation in water vapor and energy exchange over a typical steppe in Inner Mongolia, China

In this study, we conducted eddy covariance (EC) measurements of water vapor exchange over a typical steppe in a semi-arid area of the Inner Mongolia Plateau, China. Measurement sites were located within a 25-year-old enclosure with a relatively low leaf area index (similar to 1. 5 m(2) m(-2)) and dominated by Leymus chinensis. Energy balance closure was (H + LE) = 17.09 + 0.69 x (Rn - G) (W/m(2); r(2) = 0.95, n = 6596). Precipitation during the two growing seasons of the study period was similar to the long-term average. The peak evapotranspiration in 2004 was 4 mm d(-1), and 3.5 mm d(-1) in 2003. The maximum latent heat flux was higher than the sensible heat flux, and the sensible heat flux dominated the energy budget at midday during the entire growing season in 2003; latent heat flux was the main consumption component for net radiation during the 2004 growing season. During periods of frozen soil in 2003 and 2004, the sensible heat flux was the primary consumption component for net radiation. The soil heat flux component was similar in 2003 and 2004. The decoupling coefficient (between 0.5 and 0.1) indicates that evapotranspiration was strongly controlled by saturation water vapor pressure deficit (VPD) in this grassland. The results of this research suggest that energy exchange and evapotranspiration were controlled by the phenology of the vegetation and soil water content. In addition, the amount and frequency of rainfall significantly affect energy exchange and evapotranspiration upon the Inner Mongolia plateau. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.