放牧与围栏羊草草原土壤呼吸作用研究

基于静态箱式法，在内蒙古典型羊草草原围栏与自由放牧样地对土壤呼吸作用及其影响因子进行连续两年野外对比观测。结果表明，围栏内外土壤呼吸作用的日、季动态差异不大，日动态呈单峰型曲线，高峰值一般出现在午间11：0014：00，最低值出现在凌晨1：003：00。从整个生长季节来看，土壤呼吸作用的最大值出现在6月中旬到7月底，随后逐渐降低。整个观测期间围栏与放牧样地土壤呼吸作用平均值分别是219.18 mg CO2•m-2•h-1和111.27 mg CO2•m-2•h-1，围栏样地土壤呼吸作用明显高于放牧样地，可能与土壤含水量改善和生物量增加有关。对影响土壤呼吸作用的因子分析表明，放牧使土壤含水量和相对湿度明显降低，而对气温、大气CO2浓度和光合有效辐射的影响并不大，且放牧使羊草净光合速率的影响明显增加，而对气孔导度和胞间CO2浓度影响不大。围栏样地土壤呼吸作用与各影响因子的相关性从大到小依次为土壤含水量、净光合速率、气温、相对湿度、大气CO2浓度、胞间CO2浓度、气孔导度和光合有效辐射，其中土壤含水量和气温是影响土壤呼吸作用的主要环境因子，净光合速率是主要的生物因子。尽管放牧改变了土壤呼吸速率，但土壤呼吸作用各影响因子的排列顺序基本上没有改变,只是发生了量的变化。选择目前常用的土壤呼吸作用水热因子模型，在放牧与围栏羊草草原分别进行了验证和评估。在低温低湿条件下，土壤呼吸作用主要受温度调控，然而，随着温度升高和水分增加，温度单因子模型不能模拟水分对土壤呼吸作用的激发作用。在干旱半干旱的典型草原区，土壤呼吸作用主要受土壤含水量影响，而如果把温度的调控作用考虑进去能进一步提高模型的预测能力。在围栏样地，水热双因子线性模型的相关系数高于其它模型，可以解释土壤呼吸作用82%以上的变化情况，而对于放牧样地来说，指数模型、指数-乘幂模型和指数-Arrhenius方程的相关系数(R2=0.87-0.88)高于线性模型(R2=0.73-0.79)。 在温室实验中，通过模拟典型草原优势植物种羊草不同密度对土壤呼吸作用的影响，采用根系生物量梯度外推法对羊草种群根呼吸作用与微生物呼吸作用进行了区分。结果表明，羊草根系呼吸速率在生长初期最大, 达到33.5 mg CO2•gDW-1•h-1, 随着植物生长逐渐降低而趋于稳定, 在1.1~2.0 mg CO2•gDW-1•h-1之间变动。整个生长季节根呼吸作用占土壤呼吸总量比例从9.7%逐渐上升到52.9%，平均值为36.8%。尽管随着生长根呼吸速率逐渐降低, 但根系生物量的增加却使根呼吸作用所占比例不断升高。

人工柠条灌丛林下草地植物群落特征研究

以宁夏固原上黄东山封育的人工柠条(Caragana korshinskii Kom.)灌丛林下草地为研究对象,并以设置在其周围的放牧地天然草地作为对照,采用样线法进行群落调查,分析二者群落数量特征和地上生物量变化,以期为退化草地植被恢复提供理论依据。结果表明:上黄东山封育后的人工柠条灌丛林下草地群落物种数较放牧地显著增加,封育区本氏针茅(Stipa bungeana Trin.)的优势地位明显加强,重要值远大于放牧地;人工灌丛林下草地与放牧地的相似性系数为0.585,表明二者的相似程度不高,人工种植的柠条对群落的结构影响较大,能够改善草地群落的小生境,为新物种出现提供良好的环境;物种丰富度指数和多样性指数(Shannon-winner指数)均表现为人工灌丛林下草地显著高于放牧地(P<0.05),而均匀度指数则相反(P<0.01);人工柠条灌丛林下草地地上生物量鲜重极显著高于放牧地(P<0.01)。

Species of Drosophila (Diptera: Drosophilidae) attracted to dung and carrion baited pitfall traps in the Uruguayan Eastern Serranías

This study investigates the species richness and abundance of Drosophila Fallén, 1823 attracted to dung and carrion baited pitfall traps in natural areas with heterogeneous habitats at the Sierra de Minas, Eastern Serranías, southeastern Uruguay. Collecting was carried out on a monthly basis (May 2002 through April 2003). Drosophilids accounted for 0.84% (n = 131) and 3.61% (n = 158) of the Diptera collected from dung (n = 15,630) and carrion (n = 4,382) pitfall traps, respectively. A total of 12 species were identified, 11 of which belong to the subgenus Drosophila (the richest) and one to the subgenus Sophophora Sturtevant, 1939. Over 90% of the Drosophila specimens collected belong to five species of the subgenus Drosophila, namely D. gaucha Jaeger & Salzano, 1953, D. immigrans Sturtevant, 1921, D. mediovittata Frota-Pessoa, 1954, D. aff. nappae Vilela, Valente & Basso-da-Silva, 2004, and D. ornatifrons Duda, 1927. Drosophila cardini Sturtevant, 1916 is recorded for the first time from Uruguay. Drosophila abundance and species richness in the four habitats sampled in the Uruguayan Eastern Serranías, namely woodlands sierra, riparian forest, pine plantation and grazing grassland, were considered to be a function of habitat conservation. Diversity indices were low in all habitats. Different habitats supported particular coprophilous and necrophilous Drosophila species. The woodland sierra represents the most preserved habitat, and contributed with the highest species richness observed. Drosophila ornatifrons was the dominant species, with a restricted habitat distribution. On the other hand, grazed grassland, an environment modified by livestock management, had the lowest species richness: only a few specimens of D. repleta Wollaston, 1858. Regarding species composition, significant differences were found in some pairwise comparisons of groups of Drosophila species that included D. ornatifrons. Fly attraction to dung can be exploited as an alternative and/or complementary collecting method in ecological studies of Drosophila assemblages in natural areas.

Impacts of level of utilisation by grazing on an Astrebla (Mitchell grass) grassland in north-western Queensland between 1984 and 2010. 1. Herbage mass and population dynamics of Astrebla spp

Managing large variations in herbage production, resulting from highly variable seasonal rainfall, provides a major challenge for the sustainable management of Astrebla (Mitchell grass) grasslands in Australia. A grazing study with sheep was conducted between 1984 and 2010 on an Astrebla grassland in northern Queensland to describe the effects of a range of levels of utilisation of the herbage at the end of the summer growing season (April–May in northern Australia) on the sustainability of these grasslands. In unreplicated paddocks, sheep numbers were adjusted annually to achieve 0, 10, 20, 30, 50 and 80% utilisation of the herbage mass at the end of the summer over the ensuing 12 months. Higher levels of utilisation reduced both total and Astrebla spp. herbage mass because of the effects of higher utilisation on Astrebla spp. and this effect was accentuated by drought. The tussock density of Astrebla spp. varied widely among years but with few treatment differences until 2005 when density was reduced at the 50% level of utilisation. A major change in density resulted from a large recruitment of Astrebla spp. in 1989 that influenced its density for the remainder of the study. Basal area of the tussocks fluctuated among years, with increases due to rainfall and decreases during droughts. Seasonal rainfall was more influential than level of utilisation in changes to the basal area of perennial grasses. Drought resulted in the death of Astrebla spp. tussocks and this effect was accentuated at higher levels of utilisation. A series of three grazing exclosures were used to examine the recovery of the density and basal area of Astrebla spp. after it had been reduced by 80% utilisation over the preceding 9 years. This recovery study indicated that, although grazing exclusion was useful in the recovery of Astrebla spp., above-average rainfall was the major factor driving increases in the basal area of perennial grasses. Spring values of the Southern Oscillation Index and associated rainfall probabilities were considered to have potential for understanding the dynamics of Astrebla spp. It was concluded that Astrebla grassland remained sustainable after 26 years when grazed at up to 30% utilisation, while, at 50% utilisation, they became unsustainable after 20 years. Results from this study emphasised the need to maintain the population of Astrebla spp. tussocks.

Impacts of level of utilisation by grazing on an Astrebla (Mitchell grass) grassland in north-western Queensland between 1984 and 2010. 2. Plant species richness and abundance

The occurrence of interstitial species in Astrebla grasslands in Australia are influenced by grazing and seasonal rainfall but the interactions of these two influences are complex. This paper describes three studies aimed at determining and explaining the changes in plant species richness and abundance of the interstitial species in a long-term sheep utilisation experiment in an Astrebla grassland in northern Queensland. In the first study, increasing utilisation increased the frequency of Dactyloctenium radulans (Button grass) and Brachyachne convergens (Downs couch) and reduced that of Streptoglossa adscendens (Mint bush). In the second study, seasonal rainfall variation between 1984 and 2009 resulted in large annual differences in the size of the seed banks of many species, but increasing utilisation consistently reduced the seed bank of species such as Astrebla spp. and S. adscendens and increased that of species such as B. convergens, D. radulans, Amaranthus mitchellii (Boggabri) and Boerhavia sp. (Tar vine). In the third study, the highest species richness occurred at the lightest utilisation because of the presence of a range of palatable forbs, especially legumes. Species richness was reduced as utilisation increased. Species richness in the grazing exclosure was low and similar to that at the heaviest utilisation where there was a reduction in the presence of palatable forb species. The pattern of highest species richness at the lightest grazing treatment was maintained across three sampling times, even with different amounts of seasonal rainfall, but there was a large yearly variation in both the density and frequency of many species. It was concluded that the maintenance of highest species richness at the lightest utilisation was not aligned with other data from this grazing experiment which indicated that the maximum sustainable wool production occurred at moderate utilisation.

Vegetation Responses to A Long-term Grazing Intensity Experiment in Alpine Shrub Grassland on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

在青藏高原中国科学院海北高寒草甸生态系统定位研究站对金露梅高寒灌丛草场植被开展了长期不同放 牧强度试验,分别在短期(4 年) 、中期(11 年) 和长期(18 年) 放牧阶段研究不同放牧干扰强度对草地植物物种多样 性、群落结构、地上生物量和草场质量的影响。研究表明,在不同放牧阶段,随着放牧强度增加植物群落的高度和 盖度都降低。在中期放牧干扰阶段,物种多样性指数和均匀度指数随着放牧强度增加呈现典型的单峰曲线模式; 在长期放牧干扰阶段,随着放牧强度增加,占优势地位的灌木和禾草被典型杂类草替代,其中的重度放牧干扰简化 了高寒灌丛植被群落结构,减少了地上现存生物量,特别是可食优良牧草生物量。植被对放牧的响应除了与放牧 强度和放牧时间阶段密切相关外,还与该地区水热条件的变化有一定的相关性。针对长期放牧干扰的反应特性可 将金露梅灌丛草场中植物划分为增加型、敏感型、忍耐型和无反应型4 种类型。除了丰富度指数、多样性指数和均 匀度指数外,其它一些特征参数并不支持著名的中度干扰假说。本研究发现,长期重度放牧促进了青藏高原高寒 草地退化,适度放牧有利于高寒灌丛草场的生物多样性保护和牧草利用;“取半留半”的放牧原则在青藏高原草场 放牧管理实践中值得推荐,它将有利于防止草场退化,提高牧草利用率和维持较高的生物多样性。

Seasonal changes in weight and body composition of yak grazing on alpine-meadow grassland in the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau of China

Forty-five male yaks (born April 2001) were studied to determine how seasonal changes on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau affected BW and body composition. Thirty yaks were weighed monthly from birth to 26 mo of age to determine seasonal changes in BW. The remaining 15 yaks were allocated randomly to five groups (three yaks per group), designated for slaughter at 13, 15, 18, 22, and 25 mo to measure seasonal effects on body chemical composition. All yaks were grazed on the alpine-meadow grassland of the plateau without any supplementation. All BW and body composition data were calculated on an individual basis. Body weight and body composition data were both compared across seven growth periods spanning 2 yr and defined by season. From April (birth) to December 2001 of the first growing season, yak BW increased (P < 0.01); however, during the subsequent cold season (December 2001 to May 2002), BW decreased (P < 0.01). The second growing season ran from May 2002 (13 mo of age) to October 2002 (18 mo of age), and the second live weight-loss season ran from October 2002 until May 2003. The weight loss experienced by yaks during the first weight loss season was 25.64% of the total weight gain in the first growing season. The weight loss experienced by yaks during the second weight-loss season was 29.73% of the total weight gain in the second growing season. Energy retention in the second growing season was 291.07 MJ, 50.8% of which was consumed during the subsequent cold season. Energy accumulation in the summer (from May to July) and fall (from July to October) of the second growing season did not differ (5.01 and 6.30 MJ/kg of EBW gain, respectively; P = 0.63). The energy mobilized during the second winter (from October 2002 to February 2003) was 16.49 MJ/kg of EBW, and in the second spring (from February to May 2003), it was 9.06 MJ/kg of EBW. These data suggest that the decrease in grazing yak BW during the first cold season is much less than during the second cold season, and that the energy content per unit of BW mobilized is greater (P = 0.02) in winter than in spring. Results from this study demonstrate highly efficient compensatory growth in grazing yaks following the first weight loss period during the first cold season. This benefit could be exploited by herders to improve yak production. Yaks may have developed a type of self-protection mechanism to overcome the long cold seasons in the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau.