绿洲与沙漠地带疏叶骆驼刺(Alhagi sparsifolia.)光合生理特征的适应差异

光系统Ⅱ的电子传递、生物量积累和形态变化三个方面对比研究了新疆石河子地区绿洲和沙漠生境下疏叶骆驼刺(Alhagi sparsifolia Shap.)光合生理特征的适应特点,发现两地Pn(净光合速率)特征值表现出清晨高,午后低的节律变化。沙漠生境下疏叶骆驼刺具有光饱合点高、蒸腾速率低和高水分利用率的特点,而绿洲生境下疏叶骆驼刺则通过较高的蒸腾速率来维持其高的光合速率,表现出高蒸腾、高光合的特点。二个样点Pn都与gs,WUE相关显著,而受Fv/Fm和水势变化的影响较小。认为疏叶骆驼刺对新疆沙漠和绿洲二种生境具有良好的环境适应性,并形成了不同的光合生理的适应特点;沙漠环境虽然不利于种群繁殖,但不影响疏叶骆驼刺的个体生长。     

Seasonal change mediates the shift between resource and pollen limitation in Hedysarum scoparium (Fabaceae)

Theory suggests that with sufficient environmental variation, pollen limitation might be observed at some places or times, and resource limitation at others, but there are no empirical data about the effect of seasonal change on the variation of pollen limitation and resource limitation within a flowering season. In this study, we examined pollen and resource limitation by comparing fruit set and seed production in natural- and hand-pollinated Hedysarum scoparium flowers in the middle reaches of the Hexi Corridor region, China, in 2010. We also described a role for the first substantial autumn rainfall in mediating a shift between pollen and resource limitation in H. scoparium, but did not analyze this experimentally. Our results indicated that H. scoparium was resource limited at peak flowering during the summer, and was pollen limited at peak flowering during the autumn. The seasonal change (summer to autumn) mediated the shift between pollen and resource limitations in H. scoparium. The shift timing depended on the date of the first autumn rainfall in 2010. Changes in the first substantial rainfall in autumn may affect fruiting of H. scoparium, thus affecting population persistence of this species and development/structure of the local ecosystem if such conditions persist.     

Morphological and reproductive response of Caragana microphylla to different stocking rates

Understanding the effect on host plants of defending against herbivores is important in grazing ecology and grassland management. In this study, the morphological and reproductive responses of Caragana microphylla Lam. to grazing sheep were investigated using a 15-year grazing experiment with six stocking rates in the Inner Mongolia steppe of China. Plant height, rachis length, leaflet size, and number of pods decreased significantly, whereas spine density and length increased significantly with increased stocking rate. Significant negative correlations were observed between production of vegetative and reproductive organs and defensive organs, indicating that it is costly for C. microphylla to defend against herbivores and that morphological miniaturization and a tradeoff between production and defense were main responses of C. microphylla to herbivores.     

灌溉量对2种灌木光合特性和水分利用效率的影响

采用野外试验,研究了灌溉量对新疆策勒绿洲木沙拐枣（Calligonum mongolicum）和花棒（Hedysarum scoparium）光合特性和水分利用效率的影响。结果表明：（1） 随着灌溉量的增加,沙拐枣和花棒的净光合速率均增加,但是蒸腾速率、气孔导度、胞间CO₂浓度没有明显增加;（2） 灌溉增加了沙拐枣的清晨水势和正午水势,并且只有灌溉和无灌溉处理的正午水势差异显著（p<0.05）;而灌溉只增加了花棒的清晨水势,并且只有充分灌溉和无灌溉的条件下差异显著（p<0.05）;（3） 在不同的灌溉条件下,沙拐枣和花棒的稳定碳同位素比率δ¹³C变化不大,沙拐枣在无灌溉、适度灌溉、充分灌溉下δ¹³C的平均值分别为-12.267、-12.147、-11.958,花棒的δ¹³C分别为-27.928、-28.068、-27.166;（4） 沙拐枣和花棒的水分利用效率均在无灌溉条件下明显高于灌溉条件下,而且一次性的灌溉不会改变其水分利用效率。     

干旱程度对C3植物红砂和C4植物珍珠光合生理参数的影响

 C3和C4植物混生在草地生态系统中较多,而在荒漠生态系统少见。在中国荒漠地区,C3小灌木红砂和C4半灌木珍珠在特定生境下混生在一起,以独特方式适应高温强光和干旱的极端环境。通过在不同干旱程度下测定它们生长期叶片的光合气体交换参数,探讨它们在混生条件下对极端环境的生理响应特征。结果表明,红砂的净光合速率(Pn)、蒸腾速率(E)、气孔导度(Gs)均要高于珍珠;而珍珠的水分利用效率(WUE)则要高于红砂。这表明珍珠和红砂在水分匮乏的荒漠生境下采取了不同的生存策略。红砂通过维持较高净光合速率和较高蒸腾速率来生存;而珍珠则通过高水分利用效率生存。     

高光谱指数法用于确定多枝柽柳(Tamarix ramosissima)蒸腾速率

蒸腾速率(Tr)是植物生理生态学研究中表征蒸腾耗水的常用指标,研究植物的蒸腾耗水有助于了解当地生态系统稳定性和水资源的可持续利用,但在遥感应用尤其在干旱区遥感应用中很少被使用。本文以古尔班通古特沙漠南缘的主要建群种多枝柽柳(Tamarix ramosissima)作为研究对象,应用高光谱指数法对其Tr日变化过程进行研究,寻找和确定最佳的Tr光谱指数。选择的6个光谱指数判定系数R2介于0.06~0.73,其中简单比值(SR)光谱指数有最高的判定系数(R2=0.73)、较低的均方根误差(RMSE=0.24)和较为简单的形式,光谱范围处于近红外波段(1 645~1 655nm)/(1 775~1 785nm)。SR作为Tr最佳光谱指数,对植被水分关系变化敏感,能够较好地记录和监测Tr日变化过程,有益于揭示光谱指数物理和生理机制。     

Growth and Physiological Response of Organs of Phragmites australis to Different Water Compensation in Degraded Wetlands

To study the effect of different water compensation on growth and physiology of reed in degraded wetlands,three water treatments in the field were conducted to test the height and photosynthesis of reed,the ions and soluble sugar contents of different organs.In the controls(without extra water compensation for 10 years),the height of reed was only 50 cm,the net photosynthetic rate,stomatal conductance,the intercellular CO2 concentration and transpiration rate were very low.The contents of Na + and Clin rhizome were higher than those in other organs.Discontinuous water compensation(continuous for 8 years,then stopped for 2 years)increased the height(2.1-fold),the net photosynthetic rate(41.8%),stomatal conductance(1.8-fold),transpiration rate(1.3-fold)of reed(Phragmites australis),and decreased the content of Na + (62.3%)and Cl- (71.1%)of rhizome significantly.Continuous water compensation(continuous for 10 years)increased the height(3.2-fold),the net photosynthetic rate(104%),stomatal conductance(2.4-fold),transpiration rate(1.5-fold)of reed,and decreased Na + (82.5%)and Cl - (64.7%)contents in rhizome, then accumulated the K+ ,H2PO4-,SO42- and soluble sugar contents significantly in rhizome.Interrupting water compensation led to the decrease of height(25.3%),the net photosynthetic rate(30.7%),stomatal conductance(17.3%) and increase of Na + (1.16-fold)in rhizome when comparing to the continuous water compensation.These results showed that recovering the degraded reed wetlands needed continuous water compensation yearly to promote reed growth.The organs of reed had corresponding physiological response characteristic to the different water compensation condition.Under long-time dry and waterlogging condition,the rhizomes both helped reed to adapt located environment,by enriching the ions such as Na+ ,Cl- ,and K+ ,H2PO4-,SO42- ,respectively.     

Effects of drought stress on antioxidant enzyme, photosynthetic pigment and flavonoid pathway in two desert shrubs

Antioxidant enzyme activity, photosynthetic pigment content, and free malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as flavonoid content and the key enzyme activity in the flavonoid pathway were determined in two desert shrubs, Caryopteris mongolica Bunge and Reaumuria soongorica (Pall.) Maxim. under drought stress. The free MDA content was enhanced during the experimental period, which may be an indicator of oxidative stress. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities in C. mongholica showed a significant increase during the experiment, but catalase (CAT) activity was slightly decreased. On the other hand, POD and APX activities showed a significant increase and SOD and CAT activity data had no significant changes in R. soongorica. APX, SOD, and CAT activities were higher in R. soongorica than in C. mongholica, but MDA content was lower, indicating that the lower values of MDA were attributed to higher activities of antioxidant enzyme in R. soongorica. Chlorophyll content decreased significantly in the two shrubs during the experiment, which indicated that there was a photoprotection mechanism through reducing light absorbance by decreasing pigments content. Caretonoids content increased in C. mongholica and decreased in R. soongorica. The ratio of Chla/Chlb decreased significantly but caretonoids/Chl revealed a significant increase in the two shrubs, which could be explained as no decrease of peripheral light-harvesting complexes and a higher tolerance to drought. Total flavonoid content and the activities of phenylalanine ammonialyase (PAL) and chalcone isomerase (CHI) showed different changes between C. mongholica and R. soongorica after treatment. These values decreased in R. soongorica and increased in C. mongholica except for PAL activity. However, anthocyanin content increased in the two shrubs, indicating that there was a different regulation response in the flavonoid pathway in the two shrubs under drought stress, and anthocyanin should be an important antioxidant both in the shrubs. Our results demonstrated the different responses of antioxidant defense and drought tolerance ability between the two shrubs.     

Water use measurement by non-irrigated Tamarix ramosissima in arid regions of Northwest China

Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb. is a typical hardy desert plant growing in arid regions of Northwest China. Sap flow in stems ofT. ramosissima plants were measured continuously to determine the diurnal and ...     

荒漠草原植物群落光合速率对水氮添加的响应

氮沉降和降水格局改变对草原生态系统的结构、功能及关键过程具有重要影响。依托内蒙古乌拉特荒漠草原研究站的全球变化实验平台,研究了氮添加和增减雨（+50%、-50%）及其交互作用对荒漠草原植物群落光合速率和植被特征的影响,分析了荒漠草原植物群落光合速率与植被特征的关系。结果表明：（1）短期氮添加对荒漠草原植物群落光合速率和植被特征没有显著影响（P > 0.05）;（2）降水格局改变显著影响荒漠植物群落光合速率（P < 0.05）,减雨50%显著降低了荒漠草原植物群落光合速率和优势种植物高度（P < 0.05）,而降水增加50%没有改变群落光合速率和植被特征,降水改变下的土壤水分能很好地解释群落光合速率;（3）氮添加和增加降水的交互效应显著提高了群落的光合速率和优势种植物高度（P < 0.05）,而减少降水与氮添加没有显著影响;（4）荒漠草原植物群落盖度、优势种盖度、优势种平均高度与群落的光合速率呈现出指数增加关系,解释率为40%~58%。干旱极大地抑制荒漠草原植物群落光合速率,而氮沉降则依赖于降水增加来提高群落的光合速率,荒漠草原植物群落光合速率与水肥处理下的植物生长特征具有密切的关系。     

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.     

不同生境下红砂(Reaumuria soongorica)的生理生化特征及适应性

测定了荒漠地区超旱生小灌木红砂在3种生境(山前荒漠、山前戈壁和中游戈壁)下的叶片水分状态、抗氧化酶活性及渗透调节物质含量,以探讨荒漠植物在不同生境下的生理生化特征及对荒漠极端环境的适应机制。结果表明:在3种生境下,红砂叶片相对含水量和叶片水势随着土壤含水量的下降而下降,叶绿素含量随着土壤含水量的下降而升高。随着生境土壤干旱的加剧,超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)及过氧化物酶(POD)活性逐渐升高,而过氧化氢酶活性下降。在土壤含水量较少的戈壁生境,渗透调节物质含量上升。SOD和POD活性的升高是红砂抵御干旱环境的主要抗氧化保护机制;渗透调节在红砂叶片适应干旱胁迫的过程中发挥着重要作用,高的渗透调节能力使红砂在水分不足的条件下维持较低的渗透势,有利于植物吸水,从而增强其耐旱性。     

Effect of exogenous application of salicylic acid on the drought stress responses of Gardenia jasminoides

The alleviative effects of exogenous salicylic acid(SA) on plants against drought stress were assessed in Gardenia jasminoides seedlings treated with different concentrations of SA.Drought stress was simulated to a moderate level by 15% polyethylene glycol(PEG) 6000 treatment.Seedlings exposed to 15% PEG for 14 days exhibited a decrease in aboveground and underground dry mass,seedling height,root length,relative water content,photosynthetic pigment content,net photosynthetic rate(Pn),transpiration rate(Tr),stomatal conductance(Gs),and water use efficiency.In PEG-stressed plants,the levels of proline,malondialdehyde(MDA),hydrogen peroxide(H_2O_2),and electrolyte leakage rose significantly,whereas antioxidative activity,including superoxide,peroxidase,and catalase activities,declined in leaves.However,the presence of SA provided an effective method of mitigating PEG-caused physiological stresses on G.jasminoides seedlings,which depended on SA levels.PEG-treated plants exposed to SA at 0.5–1.0 mmol/L significantly eased PEG-induced growth inhibition.Application of SA,especially at concentrations of 0.5–1.0 mmol/L,considerably improved photosynthetic pigments,photosynthesis,antioxidative activity,relative water content,and proline accumulation,and decreased MDA content,H_2O_2 content,and electrolyte leakage.By contrast,the positive effects were not evident,or even more severe,in PEG+SA4 treatment.Based on these physiological and biochemical data,a suitable concentration of SA,potential growth regulators,could be applied to enhance the drought tolerance of G.jasminoides.     

荒漠绿洲过渡带柽柳和泡泡刺光合作用及水分代谢的生态适应性

对分布于荒漠绿洲过渡带的柽柳(Tamarix ramosissima)和泡泡刺(Nitraria sphaerocarpa)光合和水分代谢特性进行了比较研究。结果表明,柽柳和泡泡刺：①净光合速率与环境因子响应具“光合下调”现象,其曲线符合Gauss model。②净光合速率最大值分别为20.2 μmol CO2·m-2·s-1和23.8 μmol CO2·m-2·s-1;光补偿点和饱和点为244.62 μmol·m-2·s-1和1 180.31 μmol·m-2·s-1,73.67 μmol·m-2·s-1和1 467.85 μmol·m-2·s-1。③净光合速率近似双峰型抛物线;光能利用效率单峰曲线;柽柳蒸腾速率和水分利用效率为单峰旗形,泡泡刺波浪型。 ④泡泡刺利用较高的净光合速率、蒸腾、水分利用效率,柽柳通过高光能利用效率来适应荒漠生态环境。因此,光抑制所导致的“光合下调”现象是柽柳和泡泡刺对水分胁迫所产生的保护性机制,反映了荒漠植物在与环境协同进化过程中的生态适应性;较低的水分利用效率是荒漠植物对其环境响应的普遍适应机理。     

塔里木沙漠公路防护林植物沙拐枣气体交换特性对干旱胁迫的响应

利用LI-6400光合作用系统测定了干旱胁迫和正常灌溉两种处理下,塔里木沙漠公路防护林中乔木状沙拐枣（Calligonum arborescens）净光合速率、蒸腾速率以及水分利用效率等气体交换特性的日变化及季节变化动态。分析得出：两种处理下沙拐枣净光合速率在不同生长季的日变化动态均为单峰型;蒸腾速率除8月干旱胁迫处理下表现出微弱的双峰变化外,其余也为单峰型;干旱胁迫显著降低了沙拐枣的光合能力和蒸腾能力,而且随着干旱胁迫时间的持续,净光合速率和蒸腾速率降低的幅度在不断增加。干旱胁迫所引起的土壤含水量的降低和植物体内的水分亏缺并没有提高沙拐枣的水分利用效率,反而使其有着明显的下降。但尽管如此,沙拐枣在持续干旱的情况下依然能够维持生长,它通过适当降低蒸腾减少水分散失和降低光补偿点以提高弱光利用能力等方法来进行必要的光合积累,这说明沙拐枣有着极强的耐旱能力和适应极端环境的本领,而且通过沙拐枣在长期干旱胁迫处理下的顽强表现,也充分说明沙漠公路防护林在人工管理过程中依然存在着进一步节水的可能性。     

Physiological responses and adjustment mechanisms of the dominate species of natural vegetation of Eastern Tengger Desert

Reaumuria soongorica and Salsola passerina have significant differences in ecophysiological characteristics, which change with the environmental variations. Although they live together for a long period of time, their adaptive mechanisms to environmental stresses are very different. As two extreme xerophytes, Reaumuria soongorica and Salsola passerina differ significantly from other psammophytes in ecophysiological characteristics; they can survive in lower water potential, and can even grow in piedmont areas. Low water potential may be related to the existence of osmosis-regulating substance, such as praline, which can strengthen the capacity of water absorption. Compared to other psammophytes, Reaumuria soongorica and Salsola passerina have a higher degree of photo-inhibition under the same condition, and the photo-inhibition can lead to destruction of the photosynthetic pigment, nevertheless, this photo-inhibition can be repaired under suitable conditions in the morning and evening.     

Effect of plant species on shrub fertile island at an oasis–desert ecotone in the South Junggar Basin, China

Shrub fertile islands are a common feature in arid ecosystems. To examine the effect of plant species on the spatial patterns of soil chemical and physical properties surrounding individual shrubs, two deciduous shrub species with different morphologies (Tamarix spp. and Haloxylon ammodendron Bge.) were studied at an oasis–desert ecotone in South Junggar Basin. Soil samples were collected under the shrub crown (canopy), at the vertically projected limit of shrub crown margin (periphery), and in the space between shrub crowns (interspace) at two depths, 0–10 and 10–20 cm, to analyze their physical and chemical properties. The results show that the fertile islands of Tamarix spp. are enriched with more soil nutrients (significantly higher, P<0.05; soil organic matter (SOM); total nitrogen (TN) and available nitrogen (AN); to a deeper depth (>20 cm) and in a larger area (beyond the canopied area) compared to that of H. ammodendron (significantly higher, P<0.05, soil nutrients detected only for AN; <20 cm in depth; smaller than the canopied area). Soil texture patterns surrounding the shrubs of the two species are even more different, with more coarse particles under the Tamarix spp. canopies compared to the interspace between shrubs but fewer under the H. ammodendron canopies compared to the interspaces. These variations are attributed to the difference in morphology of the two studied species: the Y-shaped crowns of H. ammodendron are less capable of capturing and maintaining litter under them than the hemispheroidal crowns of Tamarix spp., which leads to the less well developed fertile islands surrounding H. ammodendron shrubs.     

The differences of water balance components of Caragana korshinkii grown in homogeneous and layered soils in the desert–Loess Plateau transition zone

Soil texture greatly influences soil water movement, thus may affect the water balance and vegetation growth in the desert–Loess Plateau transition zone. This study is to determine if the water balance differs in homogeneous and layered soils with Caragana korshinkii stands in semiarid region. Soil water measurements up to 500-cm depth were taken in 2006 and 2007 on homogeneous sandy soil, homogeneous silt loam soil, and layered soil with sand overlying silt loam. HYDRUS-1D was used to simulate the soil water balance. The results indicated the annual water balance components were greatly affected by soil layering. The ratio of average actual evapotranspiration (ET_a) to precipitation (P) during the two years in the layered soil was slightly lower than that in homogeneous soils. The ratios of annual actual transpiration (T_r) to evapotranspiration were 50.9%, 41.2% and 30.6% in layered soil, homogeneous sandy soil, and homogeneous silt loam soil, respectively. C. korshinkii grown in layered soil had deeper soil water recharge and higher T_r/ET_a ratio, thus had more available water for transpiration than that in homogeneous soils. This study suggested the layered soil with sand overlying silt loam is more favorable to C. korshinkii growth in terms of water use than homogeneous soils in the desert–Loess Plateau transition zone.     

Neighbor competition modifies demographic responses of desert dune annuals to gradients in sand stability

A field experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that competitive interactions affect demographic responses of desert dune annuals to gradients in sand stability. The experiment was based on a three-way factorial design with two types of neighbor treatments (complete neighbor removalvs. control), two types of habitats (stablevs. unstable sands) and two species which characterize sandy areas of the western Negev Desert (Neurada procumbensandBromus fasciculatus). Each of the eight treatment/habitat/species combinations was characterized by three demographic variables: seedling survival to reproduction, fruit number per reproductive plant and fruit number per seedling. All of these variables exhibited significant interactions between the effects of neighbor removal and habitat type, indicating that neighbor conditions were important in determining the observed patterns of demographic variation. Moreover, while plants ofNeurada procumbensgrowing without neighbors suffered more mortality on unstable sands, conspecific plants growing at natural density conditions suffered more mortality on stable sands. In the case ofBromus fasciculatus, individuals growing in the absence of competitive effects produced more fruits on stable sands, but conspecific plants growing at natural density conditions exhibited higher fruit production on unstable sands. These findings indicate that competitive effects not only modify, but may even reverse demographic responses of desert dune annuals to gradients in sand stability. Based on these results and evidence from two other studies it is suggested that seed dispersal from abiotically favorable into less favorable habitats may increase fitness of desert annuals by reducing the average effect of competition.     

Resprout characteristics of creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) when subjected to repeated vehicle damage

Studies were conducted in the central Mojave Desert to quantify how creosote bushes (Larrea tridentata) respond to physical damage during large-scale military training exercises. Creosote bush possesses a resilient growth form that recovers from repeated physical damage via resprouts arising from meristems in stem bark below severed or crushed canopy units. At high levels of disturbance by heavy vehicles, nearly all individuals showed measurable breakage, but without additional damage each plant can regain a full canopy within 5 years under arid field conditions. Resprouts exhibited more vigorous growth and doubled the biomass accumulation stimulated by high rainfall of 1998, an El Niño year, vs. a normal year. New shoots of resprouted individuals were markedly different in morphological traits than canopy old growth and had slightly higher predawn shoot water potentials. The natural ability of this evergreen species to recover from cutting and crushing bodes well for re-establishment of creosote bush desert scrub communities following episodes of severe damage by vehicles.