Distribution and Characteristics of Nitraria sphaerocarpa nebkhas in a Gobi habitat outside an oasis in Hexi Corridor region, China

Nitraria sphaerocarpa Maxim., a typical desert plant which often appears in nebkha form, is widely distributed along the periphery of oasis in arid regions of Northwest China, and plays an important role in desertification control around oases. In this paper, the characteristics and distribution patterns of N. sphaerocarpa nebkhas were investigated in a Gobi environment outside an oasis. Results shows that about 200 N. sphaerocarpa nebkhas per hectare was recorded and total sand sediments was 25 m³/ha. Nebkhas vary in size, and the mean height (H) and horizontal composition (L) were 15 cm and 80 cm, respectively. There exists a significant linear relationship between H and L, suggesting that the investigated nebkhas are mostly in the growth stage. The numbers, height and sand deposit of nebkhas decreased with increasing distance away from the oasis. Grain-size analysis indicates that the mean grain size of sediments at the crests of nebkhas increased with increasing nebkha height. Organic C and total N concentrations were related to the mean grain size. It was concluded that N. sphaerocarpa shrubs are efficient horizontal sand traps for wind-driven sediments. A better understanding of the development of nebkha can provide information for the design of biological sand control measures around oases in arid regions.     

Microfungal community associated with rhizosphere soil of Zygophyllum qatarense in arid habitats of Bahrain

Population density and species diversity of microfungal communities were investigated in the rhizosphere soil of the halophytic plant Zygophyllum qatarense inhabiting saline and nonsaline habitats of the arid desert environment of Bahrain. Unlike the nonsaline habitat which is situated in the physiographic zone of multiple escarpment and backslopes, the saline site is located in the coastal lowlands and is featured by high chloride content, electrical conductivity, total soluble salts and low organic matter. Soils of both habitats are sandy, slightly alkaline, poor in nutrient sources, low in water-holding capacity and mainly dominated by a salt-tolerant flora. Quantification of data for the recovery of fungi were based on colony identification and counts by a series of ten-fold dilutions plate method, using various natural, synthetic and selective media. A total of 2780 isolates, fluctuating between 25 and 1109 per sample, were recovered during the present study among all habitats, seasons and plant sizes. Grouping of these isolates has resulted in a maximum of 28 fungal taxa varied between 5 and 15 species, of which 24 were hyphomycetes, 3 ascomycetes and one was an unknown species. All the recorded species in this study, excluding the genus Fusarium, are newly reported from the arid terrestrial habitats of Bahrain. Of the encountered fungi,Cladosporium sphaerospermum was the most dominant and frequent genus, among all plant sizes, followed by Penicillium citrinam and Aspergillus fumigatus, a finding with consistent documented data from similar arid Sahara ecosystems. Examination of data, supported by analysis of relative density values, percentage recovery rates, polar ordination and diversity indices revealed that the nonsaline habitat during the dry period yielded the highest isolate frequency, species abundance, and diversity when compared with the saline habitat. Moreover, a progressive increase in colony occurrence and species diversity was equivalently associated with increment in plant size in the nonsaline habitat. Apparently, the vast majority (moderate to low occurrence class) of the reported species are rhizosphere indigenous saprophytic cellulose-decomposers, whilst the sparse taxa (high occurrence class), e.g. C. sphaerospermum, are regarded as thermo-osmotolerant. Comparison of species richness among samples suggests that small plants inhabiting nonsaline habitats during the wet and dry season were richest in species composition. It is proposed that inter- and intra-specific variation in fungal community between the above habitats reflect not only the influence of plant age and season but also extends to critical multi-soil edaphic and biotic factors involving essentially soil moisture, salinity and root growth dynamic and exudates.     

Below-ground relationships of soil texture, roots and hydraulic conductivity in two-phase mosaic vegetation in South-east Spain

Results led to the development of a conceptual model, which describes that the presence of deep larger diameter roots in shrub areas form large open channels at deeper soil depths, facilitating deep-water percolation, while presence of thin shallow roots in grass areas form small open channels at shallow depths, causing water to remain within shallow depths. Over time these roots systems will alter their environment and facilitate storage and uptake of water and nutrient availability. The difference in rooting depth will decrease the competition for water between the shrub areas and grass areas and cause differences in water distribution and availability.     

模拟增温和改变降雨频率对干旱半干旱区土壤呼吸的影响

温度和降水是干旱半干旱区土壤呼吸的重要扰动因子,全球气候变化导致的未来干旱半干旱区增温和降水变率增大对土壤呼吸有着重要影响.研究通过人工设置P16×2.5mm、P8×5mm、P4×10mm、P2×20mm、P1×40mm的降雨频率梯度和增温2℃左右的控制试验,探讨不同降雨频率和增温处理对干旱半干旱区土壤呼吸的影响,以及...     

Salinity-induced growth and some metabolic changes in three Salsola species

Three Salsola species, Salsola dendroides Pall., S. richteri (Moq.) Karel ex Litw. and S. orientalis S.C. Gmel., were compared for their salt tolerance, inorganic ionic accumulation and their biomass production in saline conditions. Seeds were grown on sterilized quartz under five salinity levels in a factorial experimental design, with four replications, in greenhouse conditions.With salinity, Na⁺ accumulation increased while K⁺ accumulation decreased. All three species showed positive shoot growth for low levels of salinity. Root growth showed almost the same trend as shoot growth, with minor exceptions. At low levels of salinity, proline accumulated more in S. dendroides plant tissues than in the tissues of the other two species. These results suggest that the proline accumulation is a good index for salinity tolerance. Soluble sugars also increased as a result of salinity.     

砾石长期覆盖对土壤呼吸的影响

砾石覆盖是西北黄土高原地区的传统保护性耕作技术,具有明显的蓄水、保墒、增温、压碱和保持地力作用。研究砾石覆盖农田系统中的土壤呼吸,有助于了解地面覆盖条件对CO₂通量的影响和土壤健康状况。利用LI6400土壤呼吸系统对甘肃皋兰长期砾石覆盖农田(12年)不同覆盖厚度下的土壤呼吸进行了原位监测,并对环境因子与土壤呼吸的日变化相关性进行了分析。结果表明:(1)土壤呼吸的日变化与温度的变化一致,呈单峰型,砾石覆盖后土壤呼吸峰值出现在16:00—17:00,明显滞后于裸地出现的峰值时间(14:00—15:00),且峰值随着覆盖厚度的增加而减小;(2)土壤表层(0~10 cm)温度与土壤呼吸呈极显著幂函数关系(P<0.01),砾石覆盖降低了土壤呼吸的温度敏感性指数(Q₁₀),覆盖后两次监测中Q₁₀为1.78~2.87(2017年)和1.70~1.96(2018年);(3)砾石覆盖后提高了夜间土壤呼吸,导致土壤呼吸的日累积碳排放量显著提高,随着覆盖厚度的增加而降低,覆盖处理中厚度为11 cm最小的碳排放量两次测量分别为2.00 g·m^-2和0.90 g·m^-2,比裸地分别增加了15%和18%;(4)土壤特征因子中,土壤水分、pH与土壤呼吸累积碳排放量呈正相关,有机质、碱解氮、速效磷、电导率与土壤呼吸累积碳排放量呈负相关。     

Competition as a barrier to establishment of a native perennial grass (Elymus elymoides) in alien annual grass (Bromus tectorum) communities

The alien grass Bromus tectorum dominates stable annual-plant communities that have replaced native shrub-perennial grass communities over much of the semi-arid western United States. We conducted field competition experiments between B. tectorum and a native grass, Elymus elymoides, on two sites to determine the effects of B. tectorum competition on perennial grasses, and the role of B. tectorum competition in the stability of B. tectorum-dominated communities. B. tectorum competition acting on seedling-stage E. elymoides plants greatly reduced first-year relative growth rates and biomass which, in turn, reduced second-year survival, biomass, and flowering. However, B. tectorum competition acting on older E. elymoides plants had much less effect, which may help to explain why intact perennial-plant communities are resistant to B. tectorum invasion. At the drier site, direct effects of B. tectorum competition were less, but competition and drier habitat combined to produce greater E. elymoides mortality.     

Adaptive evolution of rbcL in Reaumuria soongarica (Tamaricaceae)

In the field of phylogenetic analyses, the rbcL gene encoded large subunit Ribulose-1,5-biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco, EC4.1.1.39), which plays a crucial role in the process of photosynthesis for most terrestrial plants, has been considered to be conserved; however, recent controversy regarding rbcL conservation has appeared since it was proposed to be under natural selection within all principal lineages of land plants. In this study, by examining the variation of DNA and protein sequences among 17 species in the family Tamaricaceae, three nonsynonymous mutations were identified to be under positive selection. The favored sites were located in the alph-helix domains of Rubisco, with decreased hydrophobicity and increased entropy, which could facilitate CO₂ penetration into the active site of Rubisco. We also found that the expression level of rbcL in different genotypes of Reaumuria soongarica shifted in response to various stresses such as drought, temperature, salt, and light. This study not only sheds light on the functional/structural features of Rubisco in the evolution scenarios from C₃-like into C₄ in Tamaricaceae but also provides useful information on directing genetic performance to enhance photosynthesis efficiency of desert plants for sustaining fragile desert ecosystems; furthermore, it promotes the ability to cope with desert aridification and global warming.     

准噶尔盆地西北缘梭梭、假木贼、盐穗木群落土壤呼吸特征比较

干旱区是对气候变化较敏感的特殊而重要的地理单元,研究干旱区的土壤呼吸及其影响因素对于深入理解全球碳循环具有极其重要的意义.根据2006年5～10月对准噶尔盆地西北缘梭梭、假木贼、盐穗木等三种主要荒漠植物群落的土壤呼吸速率及主要环境因子的逐月监测资料,分析了梭梭、假木贼、盐穗木等群落土壤呼吸速率的差异及对温度、土壤含水量变化的响应.结果表明:这三种荒漠植物群落土壤呼吸速率日变化随温度升高而上升,日动态均呈单峰型特征,最高值皆出现在14:00,最低值出现在早晨8:00,土壤呼吸速率最大值出现时间提前于气温最高值出现的时间.三种植物群落土壤呼吸速率的月变化特征具有一致性,呈现单峰曲线,与近地面气温的变化趋势基本一致.在植物生长季,按平均土壤CO2释放速率、季节变幅大小排序为:梭梭群落假木贼群落盐穗木群落,群落间土壤呼吸速率差异显著,群落内不同季节土壤呼吸速率差异不显著.假木贼和盐穗木群落土壤呼吸速率日变化与近地面气温、地表温度和5 cm土壤温度具有极显著相关性,与10 cm土壤温度具有显著相关性,拟和关系均符合三项式函数关系(P<0.01).梭梭和盐穗木群落与20～30 cm、30～40 cm层土壤含水量呈显著相关水平.     

Effects of soil nitrogen:phosphorus ratio on growth rate of Artemisia ordosica seedlings

To address how the ratios of nitrogen and phosphorus (N:P ratios) in soil affect plant growth, we performed a two-factor (soil available N:P ratios and plant density) randomized block pot experiment to examine the relationships between soil N:P ratios, and the N:P ratios and growth rate of Artemisia ordosica seedlings. Under moderate water stress and adequate nutrient status, both soil N:P and plant density influenced the N:P ratios and growth rates of A. ordosica. With the increase of soil N:P ratios, the growth rates of A. ordosica seedlings decreased significantly. With the increase of soil N:P ratios, N:P ratios in A. ordosica seedlings increased significantly. While the nitrogen concentrations in the plant increased slightly, the phosphorus concentrations significantly decreased. With the increase of plant density, the shoot N:P ratios and growth rates significantly decreased, which resulted from soil N:P ratios. Thus, soil N:P ratios influenced the N:P ratios in A. ordosica seedlings, and hence, influenced its growth. Our results suggest that, under adequate nutrient environment, soil N:P ratios can be a limiting factor for plant growth.     

Food habits of the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) in a steppe area of Tunisia

The diet of the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) is well known in different habitats but a lack of data persists for arid and subarid environments. We provide preliminary information on food selection of barn owls in Tunisia by the analysis of the composition of pellets. The diet consists largely of rodents and the three-toed Jerboa (Jaculus jaculus) that accounted for more than 50% of total prey biomass. Results suggest that barn owls show a nonrandom tendency toward rodent species especially small and young individuals.     

Growth response of the saltbush Atriplex nummularia L. to inoculation with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices

Plantlets of Atriplex nummularia were inoculated with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi Glomus intraradices in a pot experiment. Plants were grown in a low P soil. Highly significant growth response of a Chenopodiaceae was recorded for the first time. Mycorrhizal colonization of roots was well developed, internal hyphae and vesicles were observed, but not arbuscules. These observations suggest that arbuscules are not necessary to obtain significant growth stimulation from mycorrhizal inoculation. Atriplex nummularia is already used as forage crops, its high mycorrhizal dependency offers possibilities to develop this production and revegetation strategies.     

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.     

Influence of environmental, root, and stand parameters on soil surface CO2 efflux in a Populus euphratica of desert forest in extreme arid region

Spatial variation in soil surface CO2 efflux was measured in a stand of Populus euphratica in the Ejina Oasis of desert riparian forest in the extreme arid region in northwestern China from April 2007 through October 2007.Measurements were taken with a gas-exchange analyzer linked to a soil-respiration chamber.The mean soil CO2 efflux in the stand was 2.71 μmol/(m2·s) during the growing season and 1.38 μmol/(m2·s) in the nongrowing season.The seasonal maximum (end of May through early June) andminimum (October) CO2 efflux were 3.38 and 0.69 μmol/(m2·s),respectively.The diurnal fluctuation of CO2 efflux was relatively small (< 20 percent),with theminimum appearing around 05:00 and the maximum around 15:00.Linear regression analysis showed soil-surface CO2 efflux to be most highly correlated with soil temperature (R2=0.435) and soil moisture (R2=0.213).When all variables were considered simultaneously,only soil temperature (R2=0.378),soil moisture (R2=0.147),and root volume density (R2=0.021) explained a significant amount of variance in soil surface CO2 efflux.Stand volumes were not correlated with soil CO2 efflux on our sites.     

Micropropagation of Acacia seyal Del. in vitro

In vitro mass propagation of Acacia seyal Del. was achieved using seedling shoot tip explants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6-benzyladenine (BA) or Thidiazuron (TDZ) with ∝-Naphtalene acetic acid (NAA). The best result was obtained with BA in the presence of NAA. The greatest shoot multiplication with long shoots was observed on media containing (mg l^-1) 2·0 BA with 0·1 or 0·5 NAA and 4·0 BA with 0·1 NAA; with 6·4 and 6·7 mean number of shoots, respectively. TDZ also induced multiple shoots but most of the shoots were stunted. Microshoots were rooted better on half-MS salts supplemented with Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). The highest rooting percentage (80%) and root number (4·9 roots/microshoot) were promoted by 4·0 mg IBA. The plantlets (90%) successfully survived acclimatization ex vitro.     

Studies on the effect of salinity, drought stress and soil type on nodule activities of Lablab purpureus (L.) sweet (Kashrangeeg)

Lablab purpureus(50 cultivars throughout the world) is a drought-tolerant legume widely grown as a high-protein grain food and forage legume within a wide range of neotropical regions with extensive production in India and similar climatic areas of Asia, Africa, Central and South America. The objective of this work was to study the nitrogen-fixing potentialities of L. purpureus under the effects of the extreme environmental conditions prevailing in the southern part of Egypt aiming at the recommendation of its propagation in areas of the National giant projects.L. purpureusinoculated with Rhizobium sp. Strain I₄ (21 days after planting) grown on Nile valley and Wadi Allaqi soils was relatively tolerant to mild levels of salinity, but the nodule number was reduced to about 35% of the control plants when subjected to a high salt level (120mM NaCl). Lablab plants were similarly affected by different rates of water deficits. This legume was tolerant to moderate levels of drought. The nodule number and weight at 50% of field capacity was about 70% of the control. These values were reduced to 45–55% at a field capacity of 16·5%.Absolute nitrogenase activity, leghaemoglobin content of nodules and protein content of bacteroids and cytosol were moderately affected by mild levels of NaCl and drought but significantly reduced to about 25–35% of the control treatments.The results also indicate that plants grown on the soil of Nile Valley exhibited slightly higher values (nitrogenase, protein, etc.) than those grown on Wadi Allaqi soil. This would encourage the possibility of propagating L. purpureus in the newly reclaimed areas of southern Egypt.     

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.     

The diet of the Long-eared Owls, Asio otus, in the desert of northwest China

The contents of regurgitated Long-eared Owls (Asio otus) pellets collected in Minqin Desert Experimental Research Station of northwestern China were analysed. A total of 303 individuals representing five species of rodents and one of bird were identified in the pellets. By frequency, the most common species taken by Long-eared Owls was Meriones meridianus, followed by Cricetulus barabensis and Phodopus roborovskii. By biomass, Meriones meridianus was the most important species taken, followed by C. barabensis and Rhombomys opimus. Our results suggest that the Long-eared Owls were nocturnal hunters and fed on a wide range of animals with respect to their habitats.     

放牧对内蒙古羊草群落土壤呼吸的影响

采用静态暗箱法,比较测定了放牧对内蒙古锡林河流域羊草群落土壤呼吸的影响以及水热等相关环境因子与土壤呼吸的关系。结果表明:放牧没有改变羊草群落土壤呼吸的季节性变化特征,但降低了土壤呼吸速率的年幅度;生长季放牧样地土壤呼吸速率显著低于封育样地,非生长季两样地土壤呼吸强度均处于较低水平,而且出现负通量的现象,放牧使羊草群落土壤呼吸年总量下降了约33.95％;从全年来看,无论是围栏还是放牧样地,封育样地和放牧样地土壤呼吸与温度因子均显著正相关(p<0.01,n=15),其中与10cm处地温相关性最好,但放牧降低了土壤呼吸对温度变化的敏感性;生长季水分影响作用高于温度,围栏封育样地0~10cm土壤含水量的变化可以解释土壤呼吸变异的87.4％,放牧样地10~20cm和20~30cm土壤含水量的变化共同可以解释土壤呼吸变异的74.9％。