大气CO2浓度升高和施氮对棉田土壤理化性质及微生物区系的影响

针对耕地非农转化过程中产生的一系列社会问题,采用参与性农户调查方法,对西部欠发达地区西宁市郊区5个样本村190户农户进行了随机入户调查。根据城市开发进程、到市区距离和种植类型等条件,将调查样本村分为近郊城区化农村、近郊农村和远郊农村,就农户对耕地非农转换的基本认知及耕地非农转换的经济、社会和环境价值感知进行分析。结果表明:耕地征用后农户能理性感知和判别耕地非农转换价值,并普遍认为失去耕地后生活费用增加、生活保障降低、收入来源和就业机会少;感知主要受耕地数量、区位条件、耕地开发阶段等因素的影响;处于不同区位条件的农户对耕地非农转换的价值感知存在差异性,城区化农户已逐渐适应城市生活,近郊农户的非农转换经济和社会感知压力最大,远郊农民也感知经济和生活保障压力,但更希望能通过打工增加收入。     

Photosynthetic responses of Larrea tridentata to a step-increase in atmospheric CO2at the Nevada Desert FACE Facility

Of all terrestrial ecosystems, the productivity of deserts has been suggested to be the most responsive to increasing atmospheric CO₂. The extent to which this prediction holds will depend in part on plant responses to elevated CO₂under the highly variable conditions characteristic of arid regions. The photosynthetic responses ofLarrea tridentata , an evergreen shrub, to a step-increase in atmospheric CO₂(to 550 μmolmol⁻¹) were examined in the field using Free-Air CO₂Enrichment (FACE) under seasonally varying moisture conditions. Elevated CO₂substantially increased net assimilation rate (A_net) in Larrea during both moist and dry periods of the potential growing season, while stomatal conductance (g_s) did not differ between elevated and ambient CO₂treatments. Seasonal and diurnal gas exchange dynamics in elevated CO₂mirrored patterns in ambient CO₂, indicating that elevated CO₂did not extend photosynthetic activity longer into the dry season or during more stressful times of the day. Net assimilation vs. internal CO₂(A/C_i) responses showed no evidence of photosynthetic down-regulation during the dry season. In contrast, after significant autumn rains, A_max(the CO₂saturated rate of photosynthesis) and CE (carboxylation efficiency) were lower in Larrea under elevated CO₂. In situ chlorophyll fluorescence estimation ofLarrea Photosystem II efficiency (F_v/F_m) responded more to water limitation than to elevated CO₂. These findings suggest that predictions regarding desert plant responses to elevated CO₂should account for seasonal patterns of photosynthetic regulatory responses, which may vary across species and plant functional types.     

Laboratory analysis of the effects of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide on respiration in biological soil crusts

Metabolic activity of Biological Soil Crusts (BSCs) is principally dependent on moisture availability, but also on temperature and light conditions. Less understood is how BSCs respond to elevated atmospheric CO₂. This paper reports laboratory experimental results of elevated atmospheric CO₂ on carbon fluxes for cyanobacterial BSCs. The study uses newly designed dynamic gas exchange chambers in which the internal atmosphere was controlled. CO₂ flux was monitored during controlled experiments in two phases under simulated rainfall events (2 & 5 mm plus control with no wetting) each lasting 3 days with a dry period in between. Phase 1 subjected crusts to 392 ppm CO₂ (representing ambient level) in dry air; in phase 2, the CO₂ concentration was 801 ppm. Both phases exhibited significant efflux (respiration) of CO₂ immediately after wetting, followed by substantial influx (sequestration) of CO₂. Samples subject to 2 mm wetting sequestered an order of magnitude more C under elevated CO₂ than at ambient CO₂; for samples subject to 5 mm wetting, this increase was threefold. The findings highlight the role of BSCs in future carbon budgets by enabling greater sequestration into dryland soils even under enhanced atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, following both light and heavy rainfall events.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal abundance in the Mojave Desert: Seasonal dynamics and impacts of elevated CO2

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play important roles in ecosystem processes. However, little is known about AMF abundance in arid, nutrient-poor environments like the Mojave Desert of North America. We conducted two AMF studies: one examined AMF responses to elevated atmospheric CO₂ at the Nevada Desert FACE (Free-Air-Carbon dioxide-Enrichment) Facility (NDFF), and the second examined seasonal dynamics at nearby sites. In both studies, AMF measurements (root colonization, extra-radical hyphal [ERH] length, and two measures of glomalin-related soil protein [GRSP]) and environmental factors (root length, soil water content, and precipitation) were measured across microsites (beneath shrubs, shrub interspaces) for two species (Larrea tridentata, Ambrosia dumosa). Elevated CO₂ did not significantly affect AMF measurements. Other NDFF studies show no change in fine root production under elevated CO₂ but show increased available nitrogen. We infer that additional fixed carbon under elevated CO₂ is not allocated to soil resource foraging. However, AMF varied seasonally. ERH seasonally declined across species and microsites, but GRSP declined only beneath L. tridentata. Our results combined with previous results indicate that drought negatively affects AMF root colonization. Robust inter-relationship among AMF measurements only occurred between the two measures of GRSP, indicating that resources are independently allocated to different AMF structures.     

Effects of intercropping on rhizosphere soil microorganisms and root exudates of Lanzhou lily(Lilium davidii var. unicolor)

Both yield and quality of Lanzhou lily(Lilium davidii var. unicolor) are seriously affected by continuous cropping. We attempted to understand the effects of intercropping on the obstacles associated with continuous cropping of Lanzhou lily(Lilium davidii var. unicolor). The changes of rhizosphere microbial biomass and diversity in interplanting and monoculturing systems were studied by using the Illumina Hi Seq sequencing technique. The contents and composition of lily root exudates were measured by gas chromatography–mass spectrometer(GC–MS). The intercropping results of Lanzhou lily showed:(1) There was no difference in the composition of the rhizosphere soil microbes at the phylum level, but the relative abundance of the microbes decreased; and the relative abundance of harmful fungi such as Fusarium sp. increased. The relative abundance of Pleosporales sp. and other beneficial bacteria were reduced. After OTU(operational taxonomic unit)clustering, there were some beneficial bacteria, such as Chaetomium sp., in the lily rhizosphere soil in the interplanting system that had not existed in the single-cropping system. We did not find harmful bacteria that had existed in the single-cropping systm in the rhizosphere soil of interplanting system. The above results indicated that the changes of relative abundance of soil fungi and bacteria in lily rhizosphere soil was not conducive to improving the ecological structure of rhizosphere soil microbes. At the same time, the microbial composition change is very complex—beneficial and yet inadequate at the same time.(2) Root exudates provide a matrix for the growth of microorganisms. Combined with the detection of root exudates, the decrease in the composition of the root exudates of the lily was probably the reason for the decrease of the relative abundance of microbes after intercropping. At the same time, the decrease of the relative content of phenolic compounds, which inhibit the growth of microorganisms, did not increase the relative content of rhizosphere soil microorganisms. Changes in amino acids and total sugars may be responsible for the growth of Fusarium sp.. The results showed that the intercropping pattern did not noticeably alleviate the obstacle to continuous cropping of Lanzhou lily, and the change of microbial biomass and diversity was even unfavorable. However, the emergence of some beneficial bacteria, the disappearance of harmful fungi, and other changes with intercropping are in favor of alleviation of obstacles to continuous cropping of Lanzhou lily.     

Quantitative evaluation of the counterbalance between photosynthetic stimulation and depression caused by low partial pressure of O2 and CO2 in alpine atmospheres

To evaluate the effects of low atmospheric pressure on leaf photosynthesis, we compared the photosynthesis of identical leaves of Fagus crenata at lowland (0 m a.s.l.) and at highland (2360 m a.s.l.). At the high altitude, the atmospheric pressure and partial pressure of CO₂ at intercellular air spaces in the leaf (C_i360) decreased to 77% and 78% of those at the low altitude, respectively. On the other hand, the efficiency of photosynthetic CO₂-utilization was apparently higher at the high altitude because of a mitigation of the O₂-inhibition of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) under low ambient partial pressure of O₂. This stimulation of photosynthesis partly compensated a photosynthetic depression due to the low C_i360, and the net assimilation rate (A_n360) at the high altitude retained 94% of the value at the low altitude. A theoretical model indicated that the stimulation of photosynthesis at high altitudes depend on internal conductance (g_i) and/or on Rubisco content. The model demonstrated that low atmospheric pressure at high altitudes caused severe restrictions of photosynthesis when leaves had a small g_i and/or a large amount of Rubisco, whichever are repeatedly reported in alpine plants.     

Ecological effects of experimental drought and prescribed fire in a southern California coastal grassland

How drought and fire disturbance influence different levels of biological organization is poorly understood but essential for robust predictions of the effects of environmental change. During a year of severe drought, we conducted a prescribed fire in a Mediterranean-type coastal grassland near Irvine, California. In the weeks following the fire we experimentally manipulated rainfall in burned and unburned portions of the grassland to determine how fire and drought interact to influence leaf physiological performance, community composition, aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and component fluxes of ecosystem CO₂ exchange and evapotranspiration (ET). Fire increased leaf photosynthesis (A_net) and transpiration (T) of the native perennial bunchgrass, Nassella pulchra and the non-native annual grass, Bromus diandrus but did not influence ANPP or net ecosystem CO₂ exchange (NEE). Surprisingly, drought only weakly influenced A_net and T of both species but strongly influenced ANPP and NEE. We conclude that despite increasing experimental drought severity, prescribed fire influenced leaf CO₂ and H₂O exchange but had little effect on the component fluxes of ecosystem CO₂ exchange. The differential effects of prescribed fire on leaf and ecosystem processes with increasingly severe drought highlight the challenge of predicting the responses of biological systems to disturbance and resource limitation.     

Abundance and diversity of fungi in relation to chemical changes in arctic moss profiles

Mosses are a dominant component of high-arctic terrestrial ecosystems, yet little is known regarding the abundance and diversity of fungi associated with these abundant plants. We investigated vertical patterns of abundance and diversity of fungi and their relationship with chemical properties within profiles of Hylocomium splendens and Racomitrium lanuginosum collected in the Oobloyah Bay area on Ellesmere Island, Canada. The moss profiles were divided into 6 (H. splendens) and 5 (R. lanuginosum) layers according to the color and texture, and hyphal length, fungal assemblages, and contents of organic chemical components (acid-unhydrolyzable residues, total carbohydrates, extractives) and nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) were measured. Total hyphal length was greatest at the middle layers of H. splendens and at the deepest layers of R. lanuginosum and was significantly affected by moss species and nutrient contents. A total of 18 and 19 fungal taxa was isolated from the profiles of H. splendens and R. lanuginosum, respectively, with 11 taxa being common to both moss species. Moss species significantly affected the species distribution of fungi. Individual fungal taxa showed patterns of vertical distribution within the moss profiles. The contents of acid-unhydrolyzable residues and nutrients increased and the content of total carbohydrates decreased down the profile, which was attributable to the ability of fungi to decompose carbohydrates selectively and to immobilize nutrients in decomposed moss residues.     

Facility allocation strategies and the sustainability of service delivery: Modelling library patronage patterns and their related CO2-emissions

Service accessibility and urban transportation choices are crucial in cities' endeavours for securing social equality and environmental sustainability. They are particularly relevant when the public service network is to be rationalized. In this paper we provide a practical example of comparing the impacts of current varying service allocation strategies on travel behaviour and the resulting carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. We take libraries as a local public service to examine the CO₂ emissions resulting from residents' library trips in the capital region of Finland. Our analyses are based on data on library use (library loan database, N = 420,000), accessibility (comparable models of travel-time by car, public transportation and non-motorized transport) and customer transport choices (survey, n = 584). Our results show that (1) 52% of library customers use a library that is accessible from their home with minimum CO₂ emissions (the “climate-optimal” facility provider), (2) the remaining 48% that choose a non-optimal facility provider produce nearly 90% of the total CO₂-emissions related to library customer flows and (3) the service allocation strategies of the different municipalities lead to markedly different CO₂-emission patterns resulting from service usage. To conclude, sustainability measures (in our case the CO₂ burden) provide useful information on the impact of a service network structure which may be used alongside economic rationales.     

Relevance of Pentane- and Hexane-Utilizing Bacterial Indicators for Finding Hydrocarbon Microseepage: A Study from Jamnagar Sub-basin, Saurashtra, Gujarat, India

Mesozoic sediments are source rocks for nearly half the world’s hydrocarbon reserves. Hence, there is great interest in the oil industry to know the trap and sub-trappean sediment thickness and their extent in the trap covered regions of Jamnagar study area. The microbial prospecting method is applied in the Jamnagar sub-basin, Gujarat for evaluating the prospects for hydrocarbon exploration by investigating the anomalous abundance of n-pentane- and n-hexane-oxidizing bacteria of this area. A total of 150 near-surface soil samples were collected in Jamnagar sub-basin, Gujarat for the evaluation of hydrocarbon resource potential of the basin. In this study, bacterial counts for n-pentane-utilizing bacteria range between 1.09 × 10² and 9.89 × 10⁵ cfu/g and n-hexane-utilizing bacteria range between 1.09 × 10² and 9.29 × 10⁵ cfu/g. The adsorbed hydrocarbon gases consisting of ethane plus hydrocarbons (ΣC₂₊) of 1–977 ppb and n-pentane (nC₅) of 1–23 ppb. The integrated geomicrobial and adsorbed soil gas studies showed the anomalous hydrocarbon zones nearby Khandera, Haripur, and Laloi areas which could probably aid to assess the true potential of the basin. Integrated geophysical studies have shown that Jamnagar sub-basin of Saurashtra has significant sediment thickness below the Deccan Traps and can be considered for future hydrocarbon exploration.     

Ecophysiology of the saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) in the Saguaro National Monument: relationship to symptoms of decline

The purpose of this study was to examine physiological correlates to the phenomenon of epidermal browning and saguaro decline in Saguaro National Monument. Gas exchange characteristics, surface temperatures, and the extent of epidermal browning in tissues of both healthy and declining saguaro cacti (Carnegiea gigantea) at different solar orientations were examined in eight long-term monitoring plots in the Rincon Mountain District of the Saguaro National Monument near Tucson, Arizona during both wet and dry seasons and years.Daily maximum surface temperatures were greatest on west-oriented tissues, as predicted by a simple model. However, south- and south-west-oriented tissues showed the highest browning indices, suggesting that browning may be more related to cumulative thermal loading than to extreme late afternoon temperature events. During the wet season, maximum nocturnal CO₂uptake rates and total nocturnal CO₂uptake were negatively correlated with browning index. Uptake rates during dry seasons and dry years was minimal, and not related to browning indices. However, healthy tissues of saguaros that also had tissues with high browning indices had wet-season maximum CO₂uptake rates as high as saguaros without damaged tissues, suggesting that the browning is not systemic but rather is tissue- and angle-specific. Instantaneous measures of water-use efficiency did not vary significantly or predictably by angle, but rather were greatest during night-time and in tissues when CO₂uptake was greatest. We suggest that browning symptoms on cacti are most likely due to natural abiotic stress, and are unrelated to systemic pollution stress or increased UV-B radiation.     

Inorganic phosphorus fractions in the rhizosphere of xerophytic shrubs in the Alxa Desert

In spite of the extremely low phosphorus (P) availability in soils of the Alxa Desert region (Inner-Mongolia, China), many shrubs grow well there. The objective of this study was to investigate the status of inorganic phosphorus (Pi) fractions in the rhizosphere of xerophytic shrubs. For all five selected shrubs, soil pH in the rhizosphere decreased by 0.4–0.8 units and the total P concentrations were greater than those in the corresponding bulk soils. In the rhizosphere of Reaumuria soongorica, Olsen P concentration was lower than that in the bulk soil. In general, the order of Pi fractions was Ca₁₀–P > Ca₈–P > Al–P > Fe–P > Ca₂–P > O–P. The concentrations of all Pi fractions varied significantly with rhizosphere and corresponding bulk soils. The results of stepwise regression showed that Olsen P concentration in rhizosphere and bulk soils was contributed by different Pi fractions. The correlation analysis showed that the relationships between Pi fractions differed between rhizosphere and bulk soils. These results indicated that the soil Pi fractions are significantly affected by root activities, differing between the rhizosphere and bulk soils, and different xerophytic shrubs exhibited significantly different effect on soil Pi fractions.     

Spore-forming halophilic bacteria isolated from Arctic terrains: Implications for long-range transportation of microorganisms

Organisms living in the Arctic terrains such as Greenland have to deal with low temperature conditions. The mechanisms by which bacteria resist to low temperature are largely unknown; however, a well-known survival strategy of the microorganisms inhabiting the Arctic is spore forming. Moreover, halophilic bacteria are often resistant to various stresses. We have attempted isolation of spore-forming halophilic bacteria from Arctic terrains. We isolated 10 strains of spore-forming halophilic bacteria from the samples collected from a glacial moraine in Qaanaaq, Greenland in July 2007. Identification based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities showed that the isolates were closely related to the Oceanobacillus, Ornithinibacillus, Virgibacillus, Gracilibacillus, and Bacillus genera. In addition, the 16S rRNA sequences of some isolates were extremely similar to those of strains from the desert sand in China (100% identity, near full length), the source of the so-called “yellow dust.” Previous research indicated that yellow dust had been transported to Greenland by the wind. Our research implies the long-range transportation of these microorganisms to locations such as the Arctic.     

气候变化对海河流域主要作物物候和产量影响简

基于海河流域30 个气象站点1960-2009年的实测资料,分析该流域1960年以来农业气象指标的变化趋势,并利用VIP模型模拟分析大气CO₂浓度增加、温度、降雨和日照时数变化对作物产量的影响。结果显示：冬季温度的显著上升使冬小麦种植北界在50年间向北移动大约70 km;在品种和灌溉条件不变的前提下,小麦产量平均每10年上升0.2%~3.4%,其中CO₂浓度增加、温度、降雨及日照时数变化对其产量的影响分别为11.0%、0.7%、-0.2%和-6.5%;大气CO₂浓度增加的产量正效应大于日照时数减少的负效应。气候变化使夏玉米产量呈下降趋势（0.6%~3.8%/10年）,其中大气CO₂浓度增加、温度、降雨及日照时数变化对其产量的影响分别为0.7%、-3.6%、-1.0%和-6.8%,温度上升和辐射下降是玉米产量下降的主要原因。研究结果可为气候变化影响的评估和适应性对策制定提供科学依据。     

Carbon emissions trends with optimal balanced economic growth of China and the USA and some abatement options for China

It is believed that the global CO2 emissions have to begin dropping in the near fu- ture to limit the temperature increase within 2 degrees by 2100. So it is of great concern to environmentalists and national decision-makers to know how the global or national CO2 emissions would trend. This paper presented an approach to project the future CO2 emissions from the perspective of optimal economic growth, and applied this model to the cases of China and the United States, whose CO2 emissions together contributed to more than 40% of the global emissions. The projection results under the balanced and optimal economic growth path reveal that the CO2 emissions will peak in 2029 for China and 2024 for the USA owing to their empirically implied pace of energy efficiency improvement. Moreover, some abatement options are analyzed for China, which indicate that 1） putting up the energy price will de- crease the emissions at a high cost; 2） enhancing the decline rate of energy intensity can significantly mitigate the emissions with a modest cost; and 3） the energy substitution policy of replacing carbon intensive energies with clean ones has considerable potential to alleviate emissions without compromising the economic development.     

Subsurface Sequestration of CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> in the U.S: Is it Money Best Spent?

The continuously decreasing average coal rank (heating value), inadequate investment, and ever stricter air-emission controls have caused the average efficiency of electricity generation from coal in the U.S. to plummet to a mere 32% by the year 2008. The U.S. gas-fired powerplants are 30% more efficient than the coal-fired ones, with average efficiency of 43% in 2008. Replacing each 1,000 MW _e generated by an average coal-fired powerplant with an average gas-fired powerplant would avoid today 7 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions, 1.2 million tonnes of toxic ash, and significant issues with water contamination. The parallel upgrades to the more efficient supercritical steam turbines would decrease current emissions by up to 50% (from the current average plant efficiency of 32% to over 45%). The CO₂ captured in the new combined-cycle powerplants might be used to enhance oil recovery in local fields, where feasible. The CO₂ enhanced oil recovery (EOR) can never become the main sink for the gigantic CO₂ volume generated each year by electric powerplants. Currently, EOR could absorb only 1% of that volume.     

干旱沙区典型人工植被群落下土壤剖面CO_2浓度变化特征及其驱动因子

对人工固沙植被区柠条(Caragana korshinskii)群落和油蒿(Caragana korshinskii)群落下不同深度的土壤气体采样,主要研究和讨论了不同类型人工植被区下土壤CO2浓度的变化特征及土壤温度和土壤水分对其的影响。结果表明:柠条和油蒿群落0~80cm处的土壤空气CO2浓度随着土壤深度的增加而增加,并且在0~40cm,油蒿群落下的土壤CO2浓度值大于柠条,而在40cm以下则相反。其平均值分别为1 229.3μmol·mol-1和1 242.7μmol·mol-1,大于同一深度流沙下土壤CO2浓度值978.9μmol·mol-1。土壤水分与二者的土壤CO2浓度变化趋势在年际尺度上具有一致性,浅层40cm内油蒿群落下的土壤CO2浓度和土壤水分含量的相关性明显大于柠条和流沙。而在40cm以下,则表现为柠条油蒿流沙。土壤温度对土壤CO2浓度的影响程度一般为流沙油蒿柠条,特别是流沙,在表层达到了极显著的水平,之后随着土壤深度的增加而降低。而土壤温度对油蒿和柠条样地土壤CO2浓度的影响较为复杂,呈现出先增加后减小的趋势。在年际尺度上,土壤水分含量是不同植被群落下土壤剖面CO2浓度的关键限制因子,而在日尺度上,土壤温度则为主要限制因子。据粗略估计,在0~80cm内,柠条和油蒿根系呼吸所占的比例约为30.7%和33.3%。     

巴丹吉林最高沙山区CO2浓度与昼夜变化规律

为查明沙漠区CO₂浓度和对大气CO₂的影响以及在全球碳循环中的作用,利用红外CO₂监测仪,在2009年5月对全球最高大的巴丹吉林诺尔图东大沙山等进行了17个钻孔CO₂浓度的昼夜观测。结果表明,巴丹吉林大沙山不同观测点CO₂浓度差异较大,各观测点CO₂浓度变化在0.01%~0.075％之间;夜间沙层CO₂浓度低,白天CO₂浓度高;CO₂浓度昼夜变化明显,从早7时到次日7时1~5m各深度CO₂浓度均呈现由低到高再到低的变化规律;在24h内,沙层CO₂浓度变化存在4个转折点,分别出现在凌晨5时、11时、18时和21时左右。在沙层水分一定的条件下,昼夜温度变化是造成沙层CO₂浓度昼夜规律变化的主要原因,两者呈正相关关系;含水量较高的沙层CO₂浓度明显高于含水量较低的沙层;5m深度以上沙层CO₂浓度均高于地表空气CO₂浓度,表明极端干旱的高大沙山区是CO₂的来源区,也指示环境恶劣的裸露高大沙山区微生物活动产生的沙层CO₂浓度仍然超过了大气CO₂浓度。     

Effect of sheep grazing on rangeland plant communities: Case study of landscape depressions within Syrian arid steppes

The arid rangelands of Syria cover over half of the nation's landmass. Punctuating this landscape are broad, dry basins, or wadis, and gentle landscape depressions that exhibit localized elevated vegetation productivity and unique edaphic and hydrologic properties. Historically, continuous heavy grazing and aggressive agricultural activities resulted in excessive ecological degradation within these sensitive environments. Information is needed to determine the influence of livestock grazing on plant communities in landscape depressions and the impact that this has on ecosystem resilience. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effect of short-term sheep grazing on vegetation characteristics and plant community structure within depressions, and to provide recommendations for improved grazing management. Study plots were randomly located within paired topographic depressions located in northwestern Syria. Vegetation samples were collected along transects including plant biomass, plant density, herbaceous cover, and species diversity. In grazed plots, plant biomass was 49 g DM/m² compared to 234.4 g DM/m² in protected plots. Average plant density was 65 plants/m² in grazed plots compared to 1013 plants/m² in protected plots (P = 0.001). Herbaceous cover was 175% higher on protected sites compared to grazed plots. Average diversity (Shannon–Wiener index value) was 0.8 in grazed plots compared to 2.3 in protected plots. These results suggest that plant community structure will be impacted from short-term grazing and that a site's ability to positively respond to disturbance over time may be limited. We conclude that carefully planned grazing management should result in greater plant productivity and diversity.     

Leaf-level physiological responses of Tamarix ramosissima to increasing salinity

Over the past century, the invasive halophytic shrub Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb. has increased in abundance and distribution in riparian ecosystems of western North America. These increases coincide with anthropogenic modification of river systems, which decrease the rate of periodic overbank flooding, leading to an increase in soil salinity. Increased soil salinity negatively impacts the physiology of native riparian tree species, but the impact of increased soil salinity on T. ramosissima physiology is incompletely known. To measure the impacts of soil salinity on T. ramosissima, we measured leaf-level responses across a broad range of surface-soil salinity concentrations at two sites in western Kansas. Photosynthesis at 2000 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ (A₂₀₀₀), stomatal conductance to water (g_s), intercellular CO₂ concentration (C_i), and leaf δ¹³C showed little change over surface-soil salinities from 0.5 to 17.65 mmhos/cm. The small variation in leaf-level physiological responses suggests robust functioning of T. ramosissima across a broad range of surface-soil salinities. Leaf-level physiology and δ¹³C responses were assessed by canopy position, but responses were not significantly different. These results are among the first to show broad acclimation and robust physiological functioning for many leaf-level processes measured on mature trees grown across a wide surface-soil salinity gradient in the field.