The influence of elevation, shrub species, and biological soil crust on fertile islands in the Mojave Desert, USA

We quantified soil nutrients and biological crust cover (bryophytes and lichens) under the canopies of three species of Mojave Desert shrubs and in interspaces between shrubs at three elevations to determine the effects of shrub species, soil crust, and elevation on islands of soil fertility. Means of pH, organic matter, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, nitrogen mineralization, and gravimetric soil moisture are significantly greater in soils under Ambrosia dumosa (Gray) Payne, Larrea tridentata Cov., and Coleogyne ramosissima Torr. than soils from adjacent interspace microhabitats. Although soil moisture and soil organic matter increase by a factor of 1.5 from the low elevation to the high elevation site, the ratio of shrub to interspace concentrations, or the difference in mean soil variables between shrubs and interspaces, is effectively constant and independent of elevation. Total bryophyte and lichen cover is relatively low (24.5%), however, there are 11 species of bryophytes and two species of lichens distributed across three elevations with the highest species richness and cover at the low-elevation site. Bryophyte and lichen cover is correlated with silt but is not related, consistently, to soil nutrients. Overall, the balance of processes controlling spatial aggregation of soil nutrients under shrubs is remarkably insensitive to potential differences in organic inputs among elevations, shrub species, and soil crust surfaces.     

The effects of the identity of shrub species on the distribution and diversity of ground arthropods in a sandy desert ecosystem of northwestern China

Shrub is an important factor on structuring ground arthropod communities in desert ecosystems. In this study, in order to determine how shrubs and their species influence ground arthropod distribution patterns in a sandy desert scrubland dominated by two different shrub species, Calligonum mongolicum and Nitraria sphaerocarpa, the ground arthropods were sampled with pitfall traps during spring, summer and autumn. At the community level, total arthropod abundance was shown to be significantly higher under shrubs than in intershrub bare areas in spring; similar patterns occurred in terms of the richness of arthropod groups in the spring and over three seasons, suggesting season-specific shrub presence effects on arthropod activity. In addition, more arthropods were found under N. sphaerocarpa shrubs than under C. rnongolicum shrubs in autumn, suggesting season-specific effects of shrub species of arthropod activity, whereas more arthropods taxa were captured under C. mongoIicum than N. sphaerocarpa. At the trophic group level, the abundances of predator and herbivore arthropods were significantly greater under shrubs than in intershrub bare habitats, whereas herbivore arthropods were more abundant under N. sphaerocarpa than C. rnongolicum, and an opposite rule was detected for predator arthropods At the family level, the mean abundances of Carabidae, Curculionidae, Gnaphosidae and Lycosidae were significantly higher in the shrub microhabitats than in the intershrub bare habitat, there was no significant difference between habitats on the mean abundances of Formicidae and Tenebrionidae. The study results suggested that shrub presence and shrub species variation are important determinants of ground arthropod assemblages in this desert ecosystem, but the responses of ar- thropods differed among trophic and taxonomic groups.     

Desert grassland canopy arthropod species richness: temporal patterns and effects of intense, short-duration livestock grazing

Arthropods living in the canopies of two woody shrub species (a sub-shrub (Gutierrezia sarothrae) and a large shrub (Prosopis glandulosa)) and perennial grasses plus associated herbaceous species, were sampled on 18, 0.5 hectare plots in a Chihuahuan Desert grassland for five consecutive years. Mesquite shrubs were removed from nine plots, six plots were grazed by yearling cattle in August and six plots were grazed in February for the last 3 years of the 5 year study. Arthropod species richness ranged between 154 and 353 on grasses, from 120 to 266 on G. sarothrae, and from 69 to 116 on P. glandulosa. There was a significant relationship between the number of families of insects on grass and G. sarothrae and growing season rainfall but species richness was not a function of growing season rainfall on any of the plants. Several of the arthropod families that were the most species rich in this grassland were found on all of the plants sampled, i.e. Salticid spiders, Bruchid and Curculionid beetles, Cicadellid and Psyllid homopterans, and ants (Formicidae). There were more species rich families that were shared by grasses and the sub-shrub G. sarothrae than with mesquite. The absence of a relationship between growing season rainfall and species richness was attributed to variation in life history characteristics of arthropods and to the non-linear responses of annual and perennial desert grassland plants to rainfall.There were no significant differences in insect family or species richness on any of the plant types as a result of removal of mesquite (P. glandulosa) from selected plots. Intense, short duration (24 h) grazing by livestock during in late summer resulted in reduced species richness in the grass-herb vegetation layer but had no effect on insect species richness on snakeweed or mesquite shrubs. Livestock grazing in winter had no effect on insect species richness on any of the vegetation sampled.     

古尔班通古特沙漠生物结皮的分布特征

新疆古尔班通古特沙漠是我国最大的固定和半固定沙漠，其间广泛发育着以地衣植物为主的生物结皮，是除种子植物以外的固定沙面的重要生物因子。研究表明，选择适当的时段，应用遥感技术并结合地面调查来研究沙漠生物结皮的空间分布格局是可行的，遥感制图与地面调查的结果基本一致。该沙漠南部是生物结皮最为丰富的区域，各种类型的生物结皮均有充分发育，呈连续分布，但其分布模式向北、向西和向东变得破碎。通过统计生物结皮像元的面积，得到生物结皮覆盖率超过33％的像元面积占研究区总面积的28．7％。生物结皮的分布对地貌部位有较强的选择性，生物结皮的不同发育阶段种类组成亦有较大的差别。     

Living where others dare not: Microhabitat distribution in Chorizanthe rigida,a serotinous desert annual

We studied the small scale distribution pattern of Chorizanthe rigida, a serotinous desert annual, in a shrub-mound-to-desert-pavement gradient. Two sites were established in the Mojave Desert and two sites where established in the Sonoran Desert. We placed transects along a soil surface gradient from shrub mounds to desert pavements, and measured land surface properties, soil characteristics, and C. rigida's small scale distribution. A Principal Components Analysis was done on the resulting site × soil variables matrix. C. rigida established preferentially in desert pavements outside shrub canopies. Pavements showed finer soil textures and higher electrical conductivities, while shrub mounds had sandy textures, low surface rockiness, higher nitrogen, and higher cover of annuals. We discuss a probable relationship between seed retention and the establishment on desert pavements: timing seed release allows this species to avoid wind- or animal-induced seed dispersal into shrub mounds and establish outside the nurse mounds, where most annual plants concentrate. The seeds encased in the serotinous involucres, released after rains, are dispersed by run-off into the desert pavements and transition zones where, once developed, the dead seed-retaining structures of adult C. rigida plants persist for years releasing seeds to subsequent rain events.     

Vegetation in an altitudinal gradient along the R?́o Loa in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile

Six sites between 0 m and 4000 m were sampled for plant and soil chemical characteristics along the Río Loa, Atacama Desert, Chile. Sites located between 0 m and 1500 m showed lower species richness, higher plant cover and higher herbaceous productivity than the upper part of the altitudinal gradient. The number of species varied non-linerly with precipitation along the altitudinal gradient. Plant cover and herbaceous productivity in the lowlands is characterized by thePluchea absinthioides Distichlis spicataassociation of anthropic origin. We propose that vegetation structure along the altitudinal gradient has been affected by past and present human activities, and climatic and edaphic factors.     

巴丹吉林沙漠周边植被特征和物种多样性

通过对巴丹吉林沙漠周边地区的野外调查,以重要值为测度指标,计算物种多样性指数、均匀度指数和优势度指数,对巴丹吉林沙漠周边地区荒漠植物群落物种多样性进行分析。结果表明:(1)该区域共计植物37种,各区域重要值大于0.1的物种中,灌木和半灌木占优势;(2)8个区域的Shannon-Wiener指数、Simpson指数、丰富度指数和优势度指数差异显著,区域5(北部)和7(西部)因含有单物种群落,Shannon-Wiener指数和Simpson指数显著低于其他区域;(3)荒漠植物群落结构层次中,8个区域的灌木层片每个多样性指数均没有显著性差异,草本层片在8个区域中多样性水平差异显著,由于荒漠区植被物种稀少、数量少,灌木层和草本层并未表现出显著差异;(4)巴丹吉林沙漠物种多样性水平较低,生态系统脆弱,对巴丹吉林沙漠周边地区生态系统重建时应该关注各种生态型植被的恢复重建。     

Psammophily in Namib Desert spiders

A community of psammophilous spiders was studied in the central Namib Desert. Of 20 species, 85% were cursorial. Complex setae, claws or keels facilitate digging, sweeping, carrying, and swimming in or walking on sand, while long spigots enable spiders to bind sand with silk when burrowing down to depths with amenable microclimate (10–120 cm). Sand is excavated either by sweeping it up an incline or carrying it vertically up. Other characteristics of dune spiders were large size, polyphagy, low metabolism, longevity, brood care and seasonal foraging and breeding patterns. The large, dominant heteropodid,Leucorchestris, may determine many characteristics of the Namib arthropod community.     

沙地柠条(Caragana)灌丛微生境节肢动物群落特征

以宁夏荒漠草原柠条（Caragana）灌丛林地为研究对象,于2011年春、夏、秋季,利用陷阱诱捕法,调查了灌丛微生境节肢动物群落分布特征。结果表明：（1）调查共获得节肢动物9目31科32个类群,分属于4种功能群（植食性、捕食性、腐食性和杂食性）。其中,优势类群为蚁科（Formicidae）和拟步甲科（Tenebrionidae）,个体数占总个体数的71.97%;常见类群有7科8个类群,个体数占总个体数的19.72%;其余22个类群为稀有类群,个体数仅占总个体数的8.30%。（2）随着季节变化,灌丛内外节肢动物类群组成和个体数分布均发生改变。春季灌丛内外均包括优势类群、常见类群和稀有类群;夏季灌丛内外均包括优势类群,而灌丛下仅有常见类群,无稀有类群,灌丛外既没有常见类群也没有稀有类群;秋季灌丛内外均有优势类群和常见类群,但灌丛内外均无稀有类群。（3）夏季灌丛内外共有类群数最少,相似性指数最低,秋季次之,而春季灌丛内外共有类群数最多,相似性指数也最高。（4）春季和秋季,灌丛内外微生境中节肢动物个体数、丰富度和Shannon指数均无显著差异（P>0.05）。夏季,节肢动物个体数灌丛内外无显著差异性（P>0.05）,但丰富度和Shannon指数均表现为灌丛内显著高于灌丛外（P<0.05）。（5）春季灌丛内外捕食性、植食性和杂食性节肢动物的个体数和丰富度均无显著差异性（P>0.05）;但是,腐食性动物个体数和丰富度均表现为灌丛内显著高于灌丛外（P<0.05）。夏季,仅有捕食性动物丰富度呈现出灌丛内显著高于灌丛外（P<0.05）,而其他指标灌丛内外均无显著差异性（P>0.05）。秋季,每种功能群动物的个体数和丰富度灌丛内外均无显著差异性（P>0.05）。沙地灌丛内外生境中节肢动物的空间分布,既与灌丛本身生理生态学特性相关,也与季节性降雨和温度等气象条件的改变密切相关。     

Ant communities and livestock grazing in the Great Basin, U.S.A.

The objectives of this study were to determine if metrics for ant species assemblages can be used as indicators of rangeland condition, and to determine the influence of vegetation and ground cover variables, factors often influenced by livestock grazing, on ant communities. The study was conducted in two areas in the Great Basin: a sagebrush-steppe in southeastern Idaho (n=30 sites), and a salt-desert shrub in western Utah (n=27 sites). Sites were selected based on known rangeland condition (i.e. good, fair, poor) associated with livestock grazing. Ant communities differed considerably between the two study areas. Collectively, more ant species occurred at the Idaho sites (30) than at the Utah sites (21), relatively few species (eight) occurred in both areas, species richness was significantly greater at the Idaho sites (mean=12·0 species) than the Utah sites (mean=6·9 species), and Formica spp. were diverse (total of 15 species) at the Idaho sites but rare (one species) at the Utah sites. In Idaho, all species collectively, generalists, and Formica spp. were significantly less abundant on sites in poor condition than that on sites in good or fair condition, whereas in Utah, seed harvesters and Pheidole spp. were significantly more abundant on sites in poor condition than that on sites in good or fair condition. In Idaho, species richness was significantly lower on sites in poor condition. In Idaho, species richness and relative abundances of several ant groups were significantly related to bare patch size and parameters for cover or species richness of several vegetation groups. In contrast to the comparisons involving sites in poor condition, no differences in ant communities in either Idaho or Utah were evident between sites in good and fair condition. Thus, the ant communities responded only to large changes in rangeland condition and to large differences in climatic/edaphic conditions between the two areas. Hence, ant community metrics appear to have limited utility as indicators of rangeland condition in the Great Basin.     

对南北极地衣优势共生藻的初步探究

对采集自南极乔治王岛和北极新奥尔松地区的32份地衣标本中共生藻rDNA ITS序列进行测定,发现均为Trebouxia jamesii;结合Genbank中来自不同地区地衣中该藻的序列信息,发现T. jamesii的基因型与地衣物种及采集地都没有明确的对应关系。广布于全球范围的T. jamesii作为地衣优势共生藻,存在多种基因型,并且可以被多种地衣共生菌选择;其中优势基因型A在采集自南极洲、欧洲、北美洲和北极地区的地衣中均有发现,而其它基因型则在一定程度上出现地区特有性。本研究为地衣中的藻交换提供了证据,并提出地衣体碎片是实现地衣共生藻长距离传播的载体。     

Cattle grazing effects on annual plants assemblages in the Central Monte Desert,Argentina

Plant assemblages' dynamics have been studied to evaluate the influence of different environmental factors. The aim of our work was to assess the effect of a disturbance in the form of livestock grazing on annual plants, in a South American desert. We tested the exclusion of cattle grazing by comparing the composition of annual plants in three major vegetation types within a MaB Reserve in the Monte Desert of Argentina, with those of an adjacent grazed field. Sampling was conducted in two consecutive years that differed in precipitation. We established three sampling sites within each vegetation type at the reserve and the grazed field. Transects were set to assess plant cover, abundance, and richness. Theoretically, changes in diversity are explained by changes in one of its components: species richness. Species richness of annual plants was not different between the grazed and ungrazed sites. However, plant cover and diversity were lower in grazed sites, whereas abundance increased. Owing to a strong species-specific effect, we propose that it is evenness the main parameter involved in diversity dynamics in the heterogeneous vegetation mosaic of the Monte desert. Finally, vegetation types (spatial heterogeneity) and rainfall regime (temporal heterogeneity) greatly interacted with grazing effects. We endorse the idea that rapid responses of annual plant assemblages to changes in rainfall conditions coupled with herbivore control, might result in a restoration pathway for degraded arid landscapes.     

Distribution patterns of soil lichens across the principal biomes of southern Africa

The present study was undertaken to assess baseline distribution patterns for soil lichens occurring in the principal biomes of southern Africa, and to analyse their relationship to selected environmental parameters. Among the lichen species found across our survey sites, four distinct groups could be delineated, each as distinct consortium of lichen species sharing particular morphological characters (e.g. growth-form, pigmentation and type of photobiont kind). These groups are largely correlated with specific environmental parameters. These findings suggest that lichens may serve as valuable bioindicators for evaluating climate and soil change in this region of Africa.     

Display-sites selection by houbara bustard (Chlamydotis [undulata] macqueenii) in Mori, Xinjiang, People''s Republic of China

Display-site selection by houbara bustards was studied in Mori, Xinjiang, China during the breeding seasons from April to June 2000. Most of the habitats chosen for displaying were short sub-shrubby and open areas close to high shrub patches. The displaying males clearly prefer low covered areas and avoid densely covered and high vegetation sites. The vegetation density and number of plant species at display sites were significantly lower from that at randomly selected sites. The average distance to the closest shrub patch was significantly shorter at display sites than at random sites. Plant species richness, vegetative density, vegetative cover and distance to the shrub patches are possibly the most important factors that determined the display-sites selection of houbara bustard.     

Patterns of lizard species richness within National Parks and Biosphere Reserves across North America's deserts

Warm deserts world-wide provide habitats for rich lizard species assemblages; North American deserts are no exception, however the desert regions of the US and Mexico are experiencing increasing habitat changes from multiple anthropogenic sources. Our objective here was to document current lizard species richness patterns across the North American deserts within the existing network of conservation areas. We identified 110 lizard species occurring across one or more of the 19 sites we analyzed. Three species richness hot spots were identified; a northern Baja California faunal extension into southern California in the US, and in Mexico, two sites within the state of Coahuila, as well as high endemism in the Cape Region of Baja California Sur. Species richness was associated with sites where desert ecoregions overlap and with insular isolation. Our uncertainty regarding how species will respond to the multifaceted aspects of global change is such that large protected natural areas with complex topography may be the most effective strategy for protecting desert lizards along with overall biodiversity. The 19 sites we analyzed represent the cores of a more robust conservation network that will be needed for the protection of biodiversity across North American Deserts.     

Weathering in the central Namib Desert,Namibia: Controls,processes and implications

The hyper-arid Namib Desert is an ancient desert of great lithological diversity. Weathering plays a key role in landscape evolution in the Namib which, in spite of its aridity, has a number of sources of moisture – rainfall, fogs, dews and groundwater seepage – which enhance weathering. Among the weathering processes that have been the subject of recent study in the central Namib are salt, thermal and lichen weathering which, in often complex associations of processes, contribute to the array of small scale weathering features found on marble and granite outcrops here. At the landscape scale weathering in the central Namib is also highly interrelated with erosion and the development of geochemical sediments (calcrete, gypcrete, tufas etc), whilst weathering ‘hotspots’ are thought to be important sources of fine sediment production. Over the long term weathering has played important roles in landscape evolution here which, despite localized weathering hotspots, has been very slow for much of the Cenozoic.     

Effects of the abandonment of the burrowing mounds of fat sand rat (Psammomys obesus cretzschamar 1828) on vegetation and soil surface attributes along the coastal dunes of North Sinai,Egypt

Fat sand rats (Psammomys obesus) are strictly herbivorous and live in densely complex burrows in the desert of North Africa and the Middle East. Little is known however about the effect of their foraging and burrowing activities on surface morphology and plant community attributes. This study evaluated such effects by comparing burrow and mound surface morphology, canopy of the main host chenopod shrub Anabasis articulata, vegetation cover, and plant abundance and species richness on and off both active and abandoned colonies in the semi-stabilized sand dunes of the Northern Sinai. In general, active burrow systems were characterized by reduced A. articulata canopy area, and more soil disturbance, with higher and larger burrow mounds dominated by bare ground, dung, and dead and fresh litter. The abandonment of mounds for five years has resulted in significant increases of plant cover, canopy height, abundance and species richness. Vegetation structure and plant species assemblages differed between mound and non-mound patches of both active and abandoned sites. The results suggest that fat sand rats can have significant direct and indirect, short-term and long-term effects on vegetation dynamics and structure through their mound building and foraging.     

Comparing biodiversity between protected savanna and adjacent non-protected farmland in the southern Kalahari

In this study we investigated the effect of different land use options (wildlife versus livestock) on species richness of plants and reptiles in the protected Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (KTP) versus adjacent non-protected farmland within the same savanna habitat type (Aoub dune veld) in the southern Kalahari, South Africa. Our results show that both plant and reptile species richness as well as plant cover and reptile abundance was significantly higher in the protected KTP than in the non-protected farmland. The higher proportion of shrub but lower proportions of perennial grass cover, herb cover, and herb species richness in the farmland can be explained by higher stocking rates and the differences in feeding behaviour between native wild ungulates (e.g. Antidorcas marsupialis, Oryx gazella) and livestock (mainly sheep). The reptile’s prey availability and microhabitats (perennial grass tussocks and rodent burrows) for thermoregulation and protection against predators were significantly lower in the farmland. To conclude, our results clearly show that long term effects of different land use options (wildlife in protected KTP versus extensive livestock production in the non-protected farmland) even within the same habitat type have led to significant changes in vegetation composition, availability of microhabitat structures and in the reptile community.     

Riparian plant species richness along lateral and longitudinal gradients of water stress and flood disturbance, San Pedro River, Arizona, USA

Diversity theory predicts that species numbers should be highest at intermediate levels of both disturbance and environmental stress. We examined woody and herbaceous plant species richness and cover in the San Pedro River flood plain, along lateral gradients of water availability (ground-water depth), flood disturbance (inundation frequency), and distance from and elevation above the channel, and along longitudinal gradients of water availability (ground-water depth, surface flow permanence, and rainfall) and flood disturbance (total stream power). Herbaceous species were recorded during four sampling periods, and spatial patterns for this group were time-dependent, reflecting temporal variation in limiting factors. During the summer dry season of a dry year, when overall richness was low, richness and cover of herbaceous species declined laterally from the stream channel with increasing ground-water depth, consistent with the idea that low resource levels can limit species richness. Following the summer monsoon rains and floods, when water was less limiting and annuals were seasonally abundant, lateral patterns shifted such that herbaceous species richness and cover increased with increasing plot location above or from the channel. The relationship of herbaceous species richness with tree canopy cover also varied seasonally, shifting from positive (greater richness under canopy) in dry seasons to negative (lesser richness under canopy) in wet seasons. Longitudinally, herbaceous species richness and cover were limited primarily by stream flow and/or ground-water availability during the summer dry season of a dry year. Following the summer monsoon rains and floods, patterns were weighted by the seasonally abundant annuals, and richness increased among sites primarily with distance upstream (and related rainfall gradients). Richness and cover patterns also varied between years with different flood conditions. During the two sampling seasons in the year following a large flood, herbaceous species richness increased with flood disturbance intensity but declined at the few most intensely disturbed sites, consistent with intermediate disturbance theory.For woody species, richness within plant functional groups varied in opposing ways along the lateral gradients: hydromesic pioneer species decreased and hydromesic and xeric competitors increased with distance from or above the channel, with no overall change in species richness. Among sites, woody species richness patterns were related to water availability, but not to flood disturbance. However, richness of woody hydromesic pioneer species increased with both increasing site moisture and flood disturbance. Woody and herbaceous species richness both increased among sites as a function of increasing flood-plain width, likely due to species–area effects. Overall, results indicate that flood disturbance and water availability both influence species richness of riparian plants in the flood plain of this semi-arid region river, with the relative influence of each factor varying among plant groups and over time.     

Influence of aboveground vegetation on seed bank composition and distribution in a Great Basin Desert sagebrush community

The quantity, composition, and spatial dispersion of seed banks can greatly affect community dynamics. While seed banks of hot deserts have been studied extensively, little is known about seed banks in cold deserts, in particular the relationship between the seed bank and the aboveground vegetation. We investigated the relationship between the seed bank and aboveground vegetation and the effect of microhabitat (shrub interspace or beneath shrub) and aboveground community phase (high or low perennial bunchgrass cover) on the seed bank of a Great Basin Desert sagebrush community. The seed bank and aboveground vegetation differed in their most dominant species, resulting in moderately dissimilar species compositions as determined by Sørensen's similarity index and Bray–Curtis distance. In contrast, comparing the seed bank species composition to the aboveground vegetation structure (functional groups) using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) revealed a correspondence between the two communities. Shrub seed densities were higher beneath shrubs. Neither microhabitat nor community phase explained variation in total seed density or species richness. Therefore, our measures of the aboveground vegetation did not influence seed density across functional groups or species richness, and the similarity between the seed bank and aboveground vegetation varied depending on the aboveground organizational level used in comparisons.