Effects of salinity on the growth,Na partitioning,and Na dynamics of a salt-tolerant tree,Populus alba L.

To obtain the basic information required before using Populus alba L. to phytoremediate degraded saline environments, we investigated the effects of saline irrigation on the growth, survival, Na partitioning, and Na dynamics of 1-year-old rooted cuttings. The plants were grown in a greenhouse in lysimeters containing sandy soil and were watered with field water (control) or solutions containing either 2000 or 5000 mg L^?1 of a mixture of NaCl and CaCl₂ (low- and high-salt treatments, respectively). All plants in the control and the low-salt treatment survived after 1 year of treatment, but the high-salt treatment significantly decreased growth and caused 20% mortality. Strong Na partitioning was observed in the roots in all three treatments, suggesting that this is an important salt tolerance mechanism in P. alba. Total Na uptake was similar in the low-salt and high-salt treatments, and was about 3 times the value in the control. However, the compartmentalization of Na in fallen leaves, dead leaves and dead branches in the high-salt treatment was about twice the level in the low-salt treatment. The plants accumulate Na under moderate levels of salinity, suggesting that P. alba is a good candidate for phytoremediating salinized soil.     

我国北方沙区退化植被的恢复机理

通过讨论我国北方沙区退化植被的恢复机理,认为气候驱动机制、植被自我修复机制、土壤环境变化和景观格局的驱动机制是我国北方沙区退化植被自然恢复的四个主要机制。其中,气候机制决定着植被恢复演替的方向和终点,是植被恢复的外在驱动机制;植被的自我修复机制决定着植物恢复的起始速度和演替速度,是植被恢复的内在驱动机制;而景观驱动作用只发生于斑块较小且呈镶嵌分布的退化植被区,对于面积很大且连片分布的流沙裸地其作用微弱;土壤条件的改善既是植被对土壤作用的结果,又反馈于植被的演替,它决定着群落演替的阶段性和群落类型,自始自终伴随着植被的演替过程。     

AM真菌对干旱区7种珍稀濒危植物引种培育的影响研究

为了探讨AM真菌对干旱区珍稀濒危植物引种过程中的成活、生长保育的影响研究,在盆栽条件下,选取具有代表性的7个珍稀濒临灭绝植物物种,在引种过程中定向接种AM真菌,通过分析植株的生长状况及AM真菌的侵染率,初步筛选在干旱区珍稀濒危植物引种过程中,具有应用价值的AM真菌与植物最佳共生模式。结果表明：7种濒危植物与AM真菌能形成共生关系,但植物与菌种间侵染率存在显著差异。既形成了良好的共生关系又能促进濒危植物生长的最佳组合有：AM真菌F.mosseae与白麻或乌拉尔甘草或蒙古莸的共生,真菌D.eburnea与新疆沙冬青的共生、真菌C.claroideum或F.mosseae与中麻黄的共生、真菌C.lamellosum与胀果甘草的共生、真菌C.etunicatum与蒙古沙冬青的共生。表明濒危植物与AM真菌之间存在一定的生态适用性选择关系,而且在利用AM真菌对濒危植物引种繁育时,必须要考虑他们间的生态适用性关系,才能充分发挥AM真菌的功能。这对干旱区珍稀濒危植物的引种繁殖意义重大。     

SOIL LOSS ON NONCULTIVATED LAND IN THE MIDDLE HILLS OF NEPAL

This paper reports soil losses from 15 erosion plots in the Middle Hills, Nepal, for the 1992 and 1993 monsoon and pre-monsoon seasons. In total, 912 rainfall events were monitored. Land cover varied from grassland and relatively undisturbed mixed broadleaf forest, to degraded Sal forest and bare ground. Soil losses ranged from less than 0.1 t ha^-1 yr^-1 for grassland and undisturbed forest plots, to 3–10 t ha^-1 yr^-1 for Sal forest in various states of degradation, and over 15 t ha^-1 yr^-1 for the bare sites. These results are broadly consistent with those reported in other parts of the Himalayan Middle Hills. Soil loss values could be explained by variations in runoff amounts and rainfall intensity, as well as by the nature of the land cover. Ground and low shrub cover was more important than canopy cover in protecting the forest soils. Human activity has unquestionably led to accelerated rates of soil loss but the degree of acceleration depends on the nature of the human activity and especially the care with which the land is managed. [Key words: soil loss, land use, Nepal, land degradation.]     

贝壳砂生境典型灌草植被的土壤水分生态特征

为探讨黄河三角洲贝壳堤岛典型灌草植被的土壤蓄水及持水性能,选取贝壳砂生境的酸枣（Ziziphus jujuba var.spinosa）、杠柳（Periploca sepium）和二色补血草（Limonium bicolor）3种典型植被,以裸地作为对照,测定分析不同植被类型下的土壤颗粒组成、水分物理参数和土壤水分特征曲线,以明确贝壳砂生境不同植被类型的土壤水分生态特征。结果表明：（1）贝壳砂生境下,不同灌草植被均具有减少石砾和粗砂粒、增加细砂粒和粉黏粒含量的作用,其中酸枣林可显著减少粗砂粒、增加粉黏粒含量;杠柳林可显著减少石砾、增加细沙粒含量;草本对减少粗砂粒和石砾含量、增加细沙粒和粉黏粒含量的作用较弱。（2）灌草植被可显著提高贝壳砂的蓄水能力,其中酸枣林最强,杠柳林次之,草本最差。0~30 cm土层的有效含蓄量和含蓄降雨量均值均表现为酸枣林 > 杠柳林 > 草地 > 裸地。（3）0~30 cm的酸枣林贝壳砂持水能力最强,杠柳林次之,草本最差;同一植被类型下0~15 cm贝壳砂的持水能力显著高于15~30 cm的持水能力。贝壳砂生境3种植被类型改善土壤物理性质及蓄水保土功能表现为灌木林优于草地,其中酸枣林的蓄持水分能力最强,杠柳林次之,草本最差。酸枣更适于贝壳砂生境退化生态系统的植被恢复。     

塔里木河下游丛枝菌根植物的侵染

通过对塔里木河下游自然和人工植物群落中的15种主要建群种植物根系菌根的定殖状况的调查及对菌根侵染部位、菌根中的泡囊、丛枝和菌丝的观察,其结果显示:其中11种植物可被AM真菌侵染,占所调查植物种总数的73.33%,野生乡土植物表现出较高的菌根侵染率和侵染强度,其中有84.62%的植物为菌根植物,且乔木、多年生草本和灌木类植物全部为菌根植物,一年生草本植物未见AM真菌侵染;人工引入种蓼科的泡果沙拐枣(Calligonum junceum)和藜科的梭梭柴(Haloxylon ammodendron)均未见有AM真菌侵染。丛枝菌根真菌侵染率、侵染强度与植物所属的科属关系较密切,也与真菌群落所处时空环境及土壤深度有关。     

Changes in intensity of wind erosion at different stages of degradation development in grasslands of Inner Mongolia, China

Overgrazing by increasing numbers of livestock in the Horqin Sandy Land of Inner Mongolia, China, has led to extensive degradation of the region's sandy steppes. Degraded grasslands are generally classified into four main types: fixed (least degradation), semi-fixed (light degradation), semi-shifting (moderate degradation) and shifting (severe degradation) sandy lands, representing four stages of degradation development. An experiment was conducted in the Horqin Sandy Land to investigate changes in intensity of wind erosion at different stages of degradation development in sandy grasslands and determine the extent to which surface wind erosion was affected by surface-related soil and vegetation factors through their effects on surface roughness length and wind regimes. Daily wind erosion rate was monitored at four sites of degraded grassland over an erosive period from 1 April to 10 June in 2001. Soil and vegetation properties for these sites were also measured twice: one in mid-April prior to the establishment of vegetation and again in mid-June after the establishment of vegetation. Relationships between surface roughness length and soil and vegetation variables were examined at each of the two stages of vegetation development. This study shows striking differences in the intensity of surface wind erosion among sites. The daily wind erosion rate in the fixed sandy land was, on average, only about 1/5 of the rate in the semi-fixed sandy land, 1/14 of the rate in the semi-shifting sandy land and 1/47 of the rate in the shifting sandy land suggesting a much higher resistance of the fixed sandy land to wind erosion compared to other sites. Differences in rate of wind erosion between sites were attributed to between-site differences in soil and vegetation properties that exerted significant effects on wind regimes by altering surface roughness length. At the pre-establishment stage of vegetation, surface roughness length was determined by a combination of litter amount on the ground, soil surface hardness and soil moisture content, with litter amount explaining the greatest proportion of the variation. At the post-establishment stage of vegetation, the development of the surface roughness effects was mainly governed by vegetation characteristics (vegetation cover in particular), while the effects of soil surface hardness and soil moisture on surface roughness length are likely to be masked by vegetation effects. The findings suggest that better management practices of restoring vegetation in degraded grasslands are required to reduce soil erosion losses and achieve a sustainable livestock production in the Horqin Sandy Land, an ecologically fragile sandy land ecosystem.     

Vertical distribution of Artemisia halodendron root system in relation to soil properties in Horqin Sandy Land, NE China

Root distribution plays an important role in both vegetation establishment and restoration of degraded land through influencing soil property and vegetation growth. Root distribution at 0~60 cm depth of A. halodendron was investigated in Horqin Sandy Land. Soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (SN) concentration as well as carbon and nitrogen in root biomass and necromass were measured. Root length density (RLD) was estimated. Total root biomass, necromass and the RLD at 0~60 cm depth was 172 g/m², 245 g/m², and 368 m/m², respectively. Both biomass and necromass of A. halodendron roots decreased with soil depth, live roots were mainly at 0~20 cm (76% of biomass and 63% of root length), while 73% of the necromass was within 0~30 cm depth. N concentration of roots (biomass and necromass) was about 1.0% and 1.5%, respectively. There were significant differences in SOC concentration between soil layers, but insignificant for SN. Soil C/N ratio decreased with depth (P<0.05). C and N storage for belowground system at 0~60 cm decreased markedly with depth; 41.4% of C and 31.7% of N were allocated to the 0~10 cm layer. Root bio- and necromass together contained similar amount of C to that of the soil itself in the top layer. N stock was dominated by soil nitrogen at all depths, but more so in deeper layers. It is clear that differentiating between soil layers will aid in interpreting A. halodendron efficiency in soil restoration in sandy land.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal associations in Solanum centrale (bush tomato), a perennial sub-shrub from the arid zone of Australia

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi convey well documented benefits to plant growth in domesticated species. We investigated AM in Solanum centrale, a desert shrub of central Australia and traditional food for Indigenous Australians. AM were observed in roots of S. centrale from wild and cultivated stands of different ages and management regimes. Greenhouse seedlings grown in sterilised sand were provided with no or minor additions of phosphorus, with or without AM fungi. Inoculated seedlings not fertilised with phosphorus exhibited moderate AM formation. Added phosphorus resulted in an absence of AM. Inoculation did not significantly affect dry weight, root length and plant height of seedlings fertilised with phosphorus but significantly increased the size of unfertilised seedlings. Inoculation significantly increased root phosphorus content, decreased root to shoot ratio and decreased root biomass at all phosphorus additions, despite the absence of observable AM. Thus it appears AM fungi in the root zone influenced certain plant characteristics, regardless of phosphorus nutrition. Overall, S. centrale benefited from the presence of AM through increased phosphorus uptake, but only when the seedlings were growing in soil with extremely low available phosphorus. The response was immediate in our experimental system and is likely to be important in the wild.     

河岸带及其生态重建研究

河岸带具有重要的生态、社会、经济和旅游价值。河岸带研究以生态学、水文学和地貌学为基础涉及多种学科和技术。我国河岸带及其退化生态系统重建理论与实践研究均较为薄弱。本文基于 6年河岸带退化生态系统重建的科学研究实践 ,阐述了河岸带研究的意义、内容及其生态、经济和社会效能 ;分析了河岸带生态重建的理论与技术方法 ,探讨了河岸带滩地生态重建的措施及河岸带今后管理的目标、原则和方向 ,并以皖天柱山麓潜水河岸带滩地生态重建为例进行了验证     

基于MODIS数据的松辽平原土地退化宏观评估

该文利用植被指数、最小噪声化变换、纯净像元指数和匹配滤波等遥感信息定量分析方法,从MDDIS陆地观测数据中提取反映松辽平原土地退化状况的植被覆盖、盐碱化和沙漠化信息,实现土地退化制图及土地退化格局分析。MODIS数据及其定量分析技术,对干旱区与半干旱区土地退化的宏观监测具有重要作用。     

Exploring the potential of perennial crops in reducing soil erosion: A GIS-based scenario analysis in southern Tuscany,Italy

Preserving soils is a major challenge in ensuring sustainable agriculture for the future. Soil erosion by water is a critical issue in the Mediterranean regions and usually occurs when high-erosive precipitation is in temporal association with poor vegetation cover and density. Modelling soil erosion risks over large spatial scales suffers from the scarcity of accurate information on land cover, rainfall erosivity and their intra-annual dynamics. We estimated the soil erosion risk on arable land in a Mediterranean area (Grosseto Province, southern Tuscany, Italy) and investigated its potential reduction as a response to the change in intra-annual distribution of land cover due to the increase of perennial forage crops. A GIS-based (R)USLE model was employed and a scenario analysis was performed by setting criteria for raising the performance of perennial forage crops. Statistical data on agricultural crops provided an insight into current intra-annual land cover dynamics. Rainfall erosivity was computed on the basis of 22-year hourly precipitation data. The model was used to: i) quantify the potential soil losses of arable land in the study area, ii) identify those areas highly affected by erosion risks iii) explore the potential for soil conservation of perennial crops, thereby enabling appropriate preventive measures to be identified. The erosion rates, averaged over an area of about 140’000 ha, are estimated to 33.42 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹. More than 59% of the study area was subjected to soil losses higher than 11 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ (from moderate to severe erosion) and the highest rates are estimated for steep inland areas. Arable land with severe soil erosion rates (higher than 33 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹) represent about 35% of the whole study area. The risk of soil loss by water erosion in the study area is estimated to be reduced on average by 36% if perennial crops are increased in terms of 35% of the total arable land. The soil erosion data produced compared well with the published local and regional data. This study thus provides useful preliminary information for landscape planning authorities and can be used as a decision support tool in quantifying the implications of management policies.     

Can vegetation productivity be derived from greenness in a semi-arid environment? Evidence from ground-based measurements

Trends of biomass production and land processes in the Sahel have been widely studied since the droughts of 1970s. Satellite data have been an important source of information because of limited in situ data. Previous studies relied on the assumed existence of a relationship between vegetation productivity and the NDVI, in particular the annually integrated NDVI (iNDVI). This study examines this assumption and its limitations, based on in situ time series measurements of biomass, species composition, NDVI and soil moisture at the Dahra test site in northern Senegal. It is shown that, there are large differences between the NDVI – vegetation productivity relationships, and these differences can be linked to species composition. There is moderate correlation between NDVI and above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) at the peak season (r² = 0.39). In particular, the species Zornia glochidiata is characterized by high peak NDVI and low ANPP, compared to other common species such as Cenchrus biflorus and Aristida adscensionis. It is concluded that spatial and temporal variations in species dominance is likely to add noise to the relationship between NDVI and biomass. However, the seasonal cyclic fraction of the NDVI – “small seasonal integral” – reduces such noise.     

Reducing topsoil salinity and raising carbon stocks through afforestation in Khorezm, Uzbekistan

Agricultural mismanagement of irrigated drylands results in severe soil degradation. Afforestation is an option for ameliorating such degraded land. We evaluated the impact afforestation has on the topsoil (0-20 cm) of salinized degraded cropland in regards to salinity, aggregate stability, and soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in Uzbekistan, Central Asia. The effects of tree plantations established under either furrow or drip irrigation were studied four years following afforestation and two years after irrigation ceased. For comparative study we also sampled fallow land, land with 80 years of tree growth, natural forest, desert ecosystems, and paddy rice fields. Initial furrow irrigation showed to be most effective in improving soil fertility after four years of afforestation; the respective plantations of Populus euphratica and Ulmus pumila showed significant levels of reduced soil salinity and increased aggregate stability and improved SOC stocks. The comparison of the long-term afforested land with the short-term equivalent suggested a C sequestration rate of 0.09-0.15 t C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. The SOC stocks of the long-term afforestation site exceeded those of the native forest. Hence, a rehabilitation of salt-affected cropland is feasible following the conversion into occasionally irrigated tree plantations, although it takes decades to reach steady-state conditions.     

Restoring habitat for riparian birds in the lower Colorado River watershed: An example from the Las Vegas Wash, Nevada

The success of riparian restoration projects in the arid southwestern U.S. is often measured in terms of vegetation characteristics such as growth, cover, and structure. Among low-elevation riverine environments within the Colorado River watershed, restoration is typically conducted to improve degraded habitats for birds of conservation concern by replacing the exotic tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima) with native cottonwoods (Populus spp.) and willows (Salix spp.). The working assumption for many restoration practitioners is that replacing exotic plants with native plants will improve habitat quality and will, therefore, benefit birds. Based on data collected at exotic and restored (i.e., native) sites along the Las Vegas Wash, Nevada, not all birds benefit from restoration. Broad measures of community benefit, including benefits to birds of conservation concern and riparian obligate/dependent birds, were not detected. There were, however, some species-specific benefits. Some environmental variables that were associated with exotic and native sites were significant in explaining the composition of the bird community. For example, the richness of forbs and grass-like plants (a proxy of soil moisture), invertebrate mass, and percent shade (a proxy for canopy characteristics) were important. Considering our results and depending on restoration goals, tamarisk replacement projects may not inherently provide benefits to birds.     

Impact of land cover types on the soil characteristics in karst area of Chongqing

The 26 plots including natural forestland, secondary forestland, shrub-grassland, sloping cropland, artificial forest and abandoned field, were selected to discuss the impact of land cover on the soil characteristics in the three karst districts of Chongqing. The results showed that: (1) After the vegetation turned into secondary vegetation or artificial vegetation, or reclamation, soil physical properties would be degraded. In the surface-layer soil of sloping cropland, the contents of > 2 mm water-stable aggregates decreased obviously with apparent sandification. (2) The contents of soil organic matter and total nitrogen are controlled completely by vegetation type and land use intensity. The increasing trend is rather slow in the early days when over-reclamation is stopped and the land is converted to forest and pasture. (3) Herbaceous species increase and woody plants species decrease with the increase of land use intensity, therefore, the soil seed banks degrade more seriously. (4) The soil degradation index has been set up to describe the relative soil degradation degree under the conditions of different vegetation types. (5) Land cover has a significant effect on karst soil characteristics, land degradation in the karst ecosystem is essentially characterized by the different degradation of soil functions that serve as water banks, nutrient banks and soil seed banks.     

Soil erosion rates in rangelands of northeastern Patagonia: A dendrogeomorphological analysis using exposed shrub roots

Soil erosion is an important process of land degradation in many rangelands and a significant driver of desertification in the world's drylands. Dendrogeomorphology is an alternative to traditional methods for determining soil erosion rate. Specifically, the vertical distance between the upper portion of exposed roots and the actual soil surface can be used as a bioindicator of erosion since plant establishment. In this study, we determined (i) the soil erosion rate from exposed roots of the dwarf shrub Margyricarpus pinnatus [Lam.] Kuntze in two ecological sites in the northeastern rangelands of Patagonia and (ii) the relationship between shrub age and upper root diameter. We selected two ecological sites, a pediment-like plateau and a flank pediment, where the dominant soils were Xeric Haplocalcids and Xeric Calciargids, respectively. The soil erosion rates in the pediment-like plateau and in the flank pediment were 2.4 and 3.1 mm yr^− 1, respectively. Data clearly indicate a high rate of soil erosion during the mean 8-year life span of the dwarf shrubs in degraded patches, which represent ~ 10% of surface cover in the study area. Simple linear regression analysis yielded a highly significant predictive model for age estimation of M. pinnatus plants using the upper root diameter as a predictor variable. The measurement of ground lowering against datable exposed roots represents a simple method for the determination of soil erosion rates. In combination with other soil surface features, it was used to infer the episodic nature of soil erosion. This approach could be particularly useful for monitoring the effects of land management practices on recent soil erosion and for the establishment of records in regions where historical data regarding this process are scarce or absent.     

Herbaceous layer development during spring does not deplete soil nitrogen in the Portuguese montado

Nitrogen (N) content in the soil and in the herbaceous biomass were monitored during spring of 2004-2006 to determine how the herbaceous layer development influences soil N availability in the montado ecosystem of southern Portugal. Highest (246.6 ± 52.7 g m⁻²) and lowest (123.2 ± 89.5 g m⁻²) peak biomass occurred in 2006 and 2005 respectively. Total soil N within the top 20 cm soil profile ranged between 0.2 ± 0.1% in February and 0.41 ± 0.2% in May, while available soil N was lowest (5 ± 2 μg g⁻¹soil) in February but increased three-to-five fold in March and was >17.5 μg g⁻¹soil at senescence in May. Significant (p < 0.001) increase in total N in the aboveground pool occurred between February and May. There was however, no decay in soil N content. Instead, the herbaceous vegetation enhanced soil N input and N retention in the ecosystem. Most of the herbaceous plants were annuals with large reserves of organic N at senescence, which returned to the soil as detritus. The herbaceous vegetation is a critical component of the montado that contributes to N recharge and cycling within the ecosystem.     

Diversity of filamentous fungi isolated from the soil in the semiarid area,Pernambuco, Brazil

The Caatinga (dryland) biome of Brazil is experiencing accentuated desertification due to deforestation and inappropriate uses of its natural resources. Studies examining the diversity of filamentous fungi in Caatinga soils are still scarce and the present work was designed to isolate and identify the soil fungi of this biome in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil. Soil samples were taken at five random sites during the dry and rainy seasons from the soil surface and at depths of 20 cm. A total of 85 species of filamentous fungi were identified, including species of anamorphic fungi (71 species), Zygomycota (8) and Ascomycota (6). The most abundant genera were Aspergillus (28) and Penicillium (18). No significant differences were observed in the numbers of colony forming units in samples taken during either the rainy or dry seasons, or from surface or subsurface soils. Most of the fungi species isolated from caatinga soils were classified as rare. Our results indicate that anamorphic fungi dominate the soil mycobiota in the Brazilian semiarid region, with species of Aspergillus and Penicillium being most common.     

Use of the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) for soil and nutrient loss estimation in long-used rainfed agricultural lands,North Ethiopia

This study was conducted to quantify agricultural land degradation in the Ruba Gered watershed, Ethiopia. The watershed was divided into 12 land mapping units (LMU) after superimposing maps of soil, slope, land use/cover, and elevation. Subsequently, cultivated land was delineated to assess degradation types and severity based on standard approaches. Sheet erosion was estimated using the revised universal soil loss equation. Composite soil samples were collected from each LMU to quantify key soil nutrients (OM, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium) lost by sheet erosion. The annual average soil loss due to sheet erosion was estimated to be 17.4 t ha^?1 yr^?1, with average annual nutrient losses estimated as 246.5 kg ha^?1 organic matter, 12.4 kg ha^?1 total nitrogen, 0.1 kg ha^?1 available phosphorus, and 1.6 kg ha^?1 available potassium. The study revealed that substantial quantities of soil and nutrients are lost every year in the study area due to severe sheet erosion. This amount of nutrient loss severely degrades soil and reduces soil fertility.