植硅体研究及其应用的讨论

植硅体是填充于高等植物细胞组织中的非晶质含水二氧化硅颗粒，记录了它所起源的植物细胞的特征，可以在土层或沉积物中很好地保存下来。通过植硅体的形态鉴定和确定组合带，可以恢复古植被、讨论植物群落演替，推断第四纪古气候环境及其变迁，指导地层划分对比。结合数学方法可以进一步计算出各种古环境气候的参数值，从而用以研究气候波动和发现气候事件，进行全球对比研究。在考古学、土壤学、农学和医学等领域，植硅体也得到了广泛的应用。     

Phytolith assemblages as a promising tool for reconstructing Mediterranean Holocene vegetation

The reliability of phytolith assemblage analysis for characterizing Mediterranean vegetation is investigated in this study. Phytolith assemblages are extracted from modern and buried Holocene soils from the middle Rhône valley (France). The relation between modern phytolith assemblages and the surrounding vegetation, as well as between fossil assemblages and contemporaneous vegetation, already reconstructed through other proxies, is discussed. We demonstrate that the main northwestern Mediterranean biomes are well distinguished by soil phytolith assemblage analysis. In particular, the density of pine and nonconiferous trees (densities expressed relatively to the grass cover) and the overall degree of opening of the vegetation appear well recorded by three phytolith indexes. North Mediterranean vegetation changes during the Holocene period, mainly tree line shifts, pine wood development and deforestation are poorly documented, due to the scarcity of proxy-preserving sites. Phytolith assemblage analysis of soils, buried soils, and sediments appears to be a promising technique to fill this gap.     

Advances in Modern Phytolith Research

Phytolith has been widely used as a tool to reconstruct the paleoenvironment, and the investigation of modern phytolith is very crucial to the accurate interpretation of phytolith data in ancient sediments. Studies of modern process of phytolith primarily include the morphological analysis of phytolith in modern plants, and the relationships between the formation and growth of phytolith and environmental factors, as well as the transportation and taphonomy of phytolith in modern soils and sediments. The formation of phytolith in plants is controlled not only by genes but also by environmental factors, such as humidity, precipitation, temperature, CO₂ concentration, soil pH, and nutrient status, etc. The morphology, assemblages, ¹³C and ¹⁸O of phytolith in plants can respond sensitively to environmental variables. The phytolith assemblages can be affected by its taphonomy and transportation that may be different due to phytolith types and soils/sediments texture. It is necessary to investigate the phytolith morphology and types in modern plants, the relationship between its formation and environmental factors, and the impact of transportation and taphonomy on phytolith assemblages under different environmental conditions in order to promote the application of phytolith analysis to paeloenvironment reconstruction.     

东北地区泥炭表层沉积中植硅体分布特征

表土沉积物中的植硅体分析是了解第四纪沉积物中植硅体组成的重要途径,也是重建第四纪古环境的基础。对东北地区跨越3个气候带、6个地区的41处泥炭地表土中的植硅体进行提取,鉴定出东北泥炭表土中主要发育哑铃型、扇型、鞍型、方型、长方型、梯型、尖型、帽型、齿型、棒型和其它等11种植硅体类型。分析显示,它们的分布与纬度、地形和温热条件具有明显关系,即哑铃型、鞍型、扇型、方型、长方型和梯型植硅体随纬度和海拔较高而含量较小,其余类型反之;较高温度条件对应扇型、哑铃型植硅体含量较高,较高湿度对应扇型植硅体含量较高。     

植硅体稳定同位素生物地球化学研究进展

植硅体形态鉴定与组合分析广泛应用于古环境重建和农作物起源分析等.鉴于植硅体的抗腐蚀、抗降解,易保存,锢囚的碳不易污染,且保存了植物的原始信息等特性,其有机地球化学研究日益被重视.植硅体稳定同位素分析表明植硅体是植物通过吸收单硅酸,以蒸腾作用为主要动力,在植物的不同部位发生同位素分馏淀积形成,其稳定同位素组成具有丰富的植物生理和环境信息.植物不同部位植硅体稳定同位素组成具有差异,其含量和硅、氧同位素值沿蒸腾流通常有增加的趋势.沉积物植硅体碳同位素分析不仅可以用于恢复草本的C3、C4植物生物量的比例,并且有可能重建古大气的碳同位素构成,是三者中最具有潜力的考古学、古环境研究的指标.植硅体有机化学组成分析,特别是类脂物分析,有利于认识植硅体碳同位素值相对于总有机碳偏负,C3、C4草本植硅体同位素差值范围缩小的原因.     

长白山北坡垂直植被带表土植硅体组合研究

长白山垂直分布的植被是欧亚大陆从温带到寒带植被水平地带性的缩影。对其北坡不同海拔高度植被带土壤中的植硅体进行初次研究,结果发现,该山北坡海拔700m到2630m的土壤中发育了形态和数量丰富的植硅体。不同植被带植硅体组合的含量各不相同,主要特征表现为随海拔升高示冷型的植硅体含量整体呈上升趋势,而示暖型的植硅体含量整体呈下降趋势。温泉附近土壤中的植硅体则表现出明显的与其上下相邻地点不同的特点。它对中国东北第四纪沉积物中植硅体组合的研究及第四纪古植被和古环境的重建可提供重要的基础性资料。     

Potential of opal phytoliths for use in paleoecological reconstruction

Opal phytoliths, inorganic biogenetic plant particles of microscopic size, were investigated to determine the level at which their varied morphology is taxonomically significant. Extraction methods for the isolation of these particles from living plants and from soils were developed to provide maximum preservation of morphological features while remaining simple, rapid, and inexpensive. Extracts were made and microscopically viewed from 30 live specimens, of which 16 were systematically typed in order to develop taxonomic guidelines for their identification in soils. Clear taxonomic differentiation was noted between and within major plant groups with considerable indication that more detailed investigation will yield finer subdivisions. Since opal phytoliths are reported to be a particularly durable fossil found in deposits as far back as Tertiary Age, it appears that opal phytolith analysis can provide paleobotanical information comparable to palynological data in many areas where pollen is absent. When used in conjunction with pollen where present, they should serve to confirm pollen data as well as provide additional botanical data not available in pollen studies.     

Phytolith Records in Vermicular Red Earth:Implications for Bioclimatic Variationsduring Pleistocene

INTRODUCTIONVermicular red earth is distributed widely in South China,significant for the research into Quaternary environment andglobal change. Huang (1993) discovered the evidence of human activities-popple tools in vermicular red earth of the middle-upper reaches of Hanshui Riverl Zhu et al. (1991 ) statedthat red earth was a good information carrier of global changeafter the research into tropic red earth and environment byweathered mineral and geochemistry. Zhao and Yang (1995)stud…     

植硅体14C测年研究:过去、现在与未来

文章回顾了植硅体14C测年发展的历史,对当前其研究的现状进行了全面的总结和评述,对近年来其研究的争议进行了梳理。植硅体测年研究中存在的问题(如污染和老碳效应等)在其他材料测年过程同样存在,不能基于少量现代植物植硅体测年的异常数据而完全否定其意义。大量的测年数据显示,并不是所有的植硅体年代都偏老,相反地层中的植硅体年代与同层位其他材料的年代重合或接近。因此,在一些缺少其他有机质测年材料的地层,植硅体14C测年仍然是一种极具潜力的年代学方法,在构建一些重要环境和考古文化时间标尺上将会发挥更重要的作用。     

碳酸盐岩红土植硅体记录的指示意义

选取广西桂林市雁山碳酸盐岩红土剖面,对红土中的植硅体类型、分布及含量进行了定量分析。发现:(1)表土植硅体形态多样、含量丰富,含量从剖面表层向下迅速减少,20cm及其以下植硅体含量极少或没有;(2)除了0~0.1m内有植硅体富集外,其他深度再也没有发现新的植硅体富集层;(3)受淋滤和生物扰动作用影响,植硅体可能出现向下10~20cm的运移,但运移对其形态和大小没有明显的选择性,植硅体形态组合受运移影响不大,能够很好地反映上覆植被的组成和所处地区的气候总体特征;(4)研究区植硅体富集于红土表层,且为剖面中的唯一富集层,是红土形成过程植硅体运移的反映,支持了红土的碳酸盐岩风化成因;(5)植硅体运移选择性不明显的特点,为利用碳酸盐岩红土植硅体客观分析和重建古环境提供了基础和可能。      

腾格里沙漠东缘26 ka来环境演化的植硅体记录

贺兰山中段西侧沙漠戈壁沉积发育,生态环境脆弱,对探讨末次冰期以来气候变化与沉积响应具有重要意义.选择了腾格里沙漠东缘晚更新世晚期以来的洪积物剖面进行了初步古环境研究.在数字填图系统和野外路线调查基础上,对贺兰山中段西侧、腾格里沙漠东缘地貌第四纪沉积物进行了较详细的调查研究.在AMS14C测年基础上,从内蒙古阿拉善高原腰坝地区Qp₃-Qhpl洪积剖面沉积物中获得较丰富的植硅体化石,主要类型有方型、长方型、扇型、哑铃型、齿型、帽型、尖型、平滑棒型、刺边棒型、突起棒型、三棱柱型等.此外,沉积物中赋存的大量炭屑和燃烧植硅体反映了古人类活动的历史.运用植硅体组合和温暖指数分析重建了研究区26 ka来的古植被、古气候演化,气候变化自早至晚经历了明显的干凉－暖干－暖湿－冷湿－干冷－暖干－暖湿7个阶段.洪积扇扇缘沉积环境变化反映了气候的干湿变化,且气候干湿变化与区域沙漠化和人类活动具有相关性.      

长白山泥炭湿地主要植物植硅体形态特征研究

对长白山地区常见的泥炭地25个属31个种植物进行了植硅体形态鉴定统计,共发现植硅体类型15种,它们分别是硅化气孔、棒型、扇型、板型、硅质突起、尖型、导管型、帽型、齿型、哑铃型、鞍型、多边帽型、毛发型等。除禾本科和莎草科、菊科部分植物植硅体含量高外,木贼科、堇菜科、茜草科、蓼科等部分植物植硅体的含量也较高。禾本科植物的短细胞植硅体对植物分类有意义,但可能因采样环境和种类差异等原因,长白山泥炭湿地禾本科植物的植硅体在形态和数量上都与其他区域同类研究结果有所差异,如禾本科早熟禾亚科的菵草中新发现了含量丰富的枕木型植硅体,黍亚科的荩草和水稗中还发现少量帽型植硅体; 另外菊科兴安一枝黄花和齿苞风毛菊含有大量的特殊的尖形植硅体。硅化气孔宽度大小可指示环境湿度状况,对硅化气孔的数量和大小的深入研究将对古环境和古CO₂浓度的恢复有一定帮助。长白山泥炭湿地植物的植硅体与植物的分类关系密切,湿地植物植硅体中硅质突起、棒型、哑铃型和尖型植硅体特征组合代表湿冷组合,本研究中的5块泥炭湿地植硅体的组合特征受纬度变化影响不明显。     

棕榈科植硅体形态分析及其环境意义

植硅体分析在古环境、古生态、环境考古、植物分类等众多领域研究中逐渐显示出其重要的作用,其应用潜力依赖于现代植硅体形态基础研究工作的深入。文章主要针对我国热带、亚热带地区常见的棕榈科15个属20个种植物进行了植硅体形态鉴定和多项形态参数(大小、突起等)的测量分析,同时对旅人蕉科的白花扇芭蕉、蝎尾蕉科的黄芭蝎尾蕉、苏木科的无忧树进行了对比研究。结合聚类分析方法把植硅体形态分为5个大的类型,棕榈科植硅体主要包括刺球形、水母形和草帽形3种形态。白花扇芭蕉植硅体呈褶球形,黄芭蝎尾蕉植硅体呈飞梭形,无忧树不含有植硅体。同时,给出了不同类型形态参数的大小和范围,为利用棕榈科植硅体等进行古环境研究提供了基础。     

Estimating phytolith influx in lake sediments

So far, no phytolith extraction protocols have been tested for accuracy and repeatability. Here we aim to display a phytolith extraction method combining the strengths of two widely used protocols, supplemented with silica microspheres as exogenous markers for quantifying phytolith concentrations. Phytolith concentrations were estimated for samples from two sedimentary sequences in which numerical age–depth models make it possible to calculate phytolith influxes (phytolith numbers per cm²per yr). Analysis of replicates confirmed the statistical robustness, the repeatability and the very few biases of our extraction technique for small phytoliths, since the relationship between grass silica short cells and microspheres was kept stable. Furthermore, we demonstrated that silica microspheres are robust exogenous markers for estimating phytolith concentrations. The minimum number of items (i.e., phytoliths plus silica microspheres) that must be counted to estimate phytolith concentrations and thus influxes depends on the ratio of phytoliths to microspheres (R) and is minimized when R = 1. Nevertheless, we recommend using ratios R ≤ 1 in order to avoid having the counting process become excessively time-consuming, because microspheres are easier to identify and count than phytoliths.     

泥炭沉积中植硅体对环境指示的意义--以吉林敦化泥炭剖面为例

泥炭地作为环境变化的敏感带,成为当前环境气候研究的热点之一.植硅体的抗腐蚀、耐高温、个体小、产量高的特点为第四纪环境变迁的研究提供了有效途径.相比孢粉分析而言,植硅体在提高分辨率和恢复局部区域环境方面体现了其优越性.对泥炭沉积中的植硅体进行了分析,初步证实植硅体对重建泥炭地古环境变迁模式起着重要的作用,对提高古气候变化的分辨率有很大的帮助.     

东北地区湿度梯度下的表土植硅体的空间分布规律

植硅体的现代过程研究是恢复古环境的基础,探讨表土植硅体分布及组合特征对环境因子的响应尤为重要。沿中国东北地区年均温为4 ℃等温线采集70块表土样品,研究了单一温度因素控制下表土植硅体的空间分布规律,以期获得不同类型植硅体对降水的响应。研究结果表明:所有表土样品中植硅体丰富且数量较多,主要有棒型、尖型、块状、扇型、扁平状、短鞍型、帽型、哑铃型、齿型、三棱柱型、导管型、硅质突起、硅化气孔、弓型和多面表皮植硅体;且主要以短细胞、棒型、尖型为主,其平均百分含量之和高达80.77%,块状、扁平状、扇型次之,其他类型的植硅体含量较少。方差分析结果表明:棒型、三棱柱型、硅质突起、哑铃型和扁平状在大兴安岭、松嫩平原和长白山之间存在显著性差异,且棒型、三棱柱型、硅质突起的百分含量与年降水量具有极显著的正相关性,哑铃型的百分含量与年降水量具有极显著的负相关性。总之,年均温为4 ℃等温线上70块表土样品中植硅体类型基本相同,但不同类型植硅体的百分含量存在差异,说明本研究区域内表土植硅体组合特征对降水的响应较为敏感。     

Phytolith analysis of an archaeological site (longshan period) in Zhumadian City,Henan Province,China: Paleoenvironmental and cultural implications

With phytolith analysis of an archaeological site (Longshan Culture Period, 4800-4000 B. P.) in Zhumadian City of Henan Province, environmental and cultural information have been obtained. Phytolith assemblages both from the site and from a nearby ancient lake deposit of the same period indicate a warm and wet climate. Since this area is in an environment outside the natural distribution of wild rice, abundant “scooped” bilobate and special glume epidermal phytoliths found in all of the cultural layers and two samples of the lake deposits suggest that rice was cultivated in this region by the local people. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

植硅体化学组成研究进展

现代植物植硅体化学组成研究有利于揭示植硅体的化学组成与细胞形态、植物种类及植物生长环境之间的关系,认识植硅体形成机制、植物分类及生态意义。植硅体化学组成测试方法多种多样,主要涉及植硅体化学元素组成及Si、O和C元素同位素组成测定,研究表明植硅体主要含二氧化硅和水,封闭有少量的有机成分及多种矿质元素。在植硅体封闭有机成分存在形式,部分元素的形成、迁移等循环机理,稳定碳同位素组成、分布及其生态指示意义以及^14C测年研究等方面取得一定认识。植物种类、组织部位、细胞微环境以及植物生长的环境因子能够影响植硅体的化学组成。植硅体化学组成研究对植硅体形成机制及碳、硅等元素循环具有重要意义,植硅体部分化学元素、植硅体稳定同位素组成及^14C测年具有较好的古环境及考古研究潜力。现代植物植硅体化学组成及其与环境因子的关系,以及植硅体电子探针微区研究有待于进一步深入开展。     

Effect of fire on phytolith coloration

Dark‐colored phytoliths are often found preserved in paleosols and archaeological sediments. Some practitioners believe these darkened phytoliths provide evidence of fire histories, while others suggest alternative reasons for their occurrence. This study examines the effect of fire on phytolith appearance and discusses the extent to which color may be used as proxy evidence for fire. The results of this study demonstrate that under oxidative conditions of openair fire, the color of phytoliths can be altered, although dark‐colored phytoliths also occur naturally in some unburned plant species. Despite some overlap observed between burned and unburned color in phytoliths, clear differences are apparent in the way this color appears optically. In particular, transparent and opalescent qualities were found to occur in nature as opposed to a dull opaque appearance of charred phytoliths. Although fire‐induced color change is probably limited to a portion of the phytolith assemblage, phytolith color remains a tool that can be confidently used to indicate the presence of fire in various sedimentary contexts. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

广东珠江三角洲地区茶岭遗址的水稻遗存分析

稻作的起源与传播一直是学术界关注的热点,然而关于水稻向南传播的路径和时间节点尚有诸多疑问和缺环。广东茶岭遗址是岭南地区新石器时代末期到商周时期的重要遗存(约4500—3700 cal.a B.P.)。文章综合植硅体、大植物遗存等多方面的证据,来探讨茶岭遗址水稻遗存性质和先民生计方式,并尝试归纳水稻在岭南地区的传播进程。研究显示,至少在距今4400年前,茶岭先民已经开始种植以粳稻为主的栽培稻;新石器时代末期,该聚落的生业经济结构呈现多样化的趋势,先民同时从事水稻种植、采集业和狩猎活动来维持生计。商周时期,水稻的种植规模有所扩大,采集业仍是先民食物来源的重要组成。通过对岭南地区的史前水稻遗存梳理发现:新石器时代末期,栽培稻开始出现在岭南地区并获得较大发展,分别在距今5000年、4500年前后传入广东和广西地区;此后在4500a B.P.左右遍布粤北石峡文化各遗存中,并沿珠江进一步向岭南内陆和珠江三角洲地区扩散。茶岭遗址发现了目前珠江三角洲地区直接测年最早的水稻大植物遗存。该研究打破了珠三角地区史前渔猎采集经济结构模式的固有观念,为进一步了解水稻在岭南地区的传播提供了新的线索。