Does seed availability limit plant establishment during salt marsh restoration?

Patterns of seed dispersal and seed bank accumulation need to be known to predict the species that will recruit into restoration sites versus those that must be introduced. We assessed the temporal and spatial patterns of seed availability and seed accumulation on the salt marsh plain of an 8-ha resforation site, based on seedlings that emerged from tidal material, wrack, rabbit pellets, and soil samples (in controlled experiments). We compared results from the first 3 yr of restoration (2000–2002) with results from a 5-yr-old restoration and an extant marsh, all within Tijuana Estuary, California. Seed dispersal was limited for most marsh plain species. Tidal dispersal occurred mainly in winter; seedling density and richness were highest with high spring tides and after fruiting of the dominant species,Sarcocornia pacifica (>90% of emergent seedlings).S. pacifica was also common in the seedlings that emerged from soil seed banks (up to 63%) and wrack (60%), while other species common in the vegetation were present at much lower densities. Seed bank accumulation in restored sites was low and few species were abundant. Seedlings that emerged from soil samples from the youngest restoration were mostly invasive exotics (64%), those of the 5-yr restoration were mostlyS. pacifica (63%), and those from the nearby extant marsh were mostlyTriglochin concinna (70%), despite more diverse vegetation. No salt marsh seedlings emerged from rabbit pellets; all were invasives (Mesembryanthemum crystallimum andCarpobrotus edulis). Emerging seedlings were much sparser in soil from the younger restoration than from the 5-yr restoration and the extant site (32.9±5.7<4642.2±1131.5 and 4689.3±359.3 seedlings m⁻², respectively). Because dispersal is limited for most species, restoring diverse vegetation will require seeding or planting. Natural recruitment could be facilitated by completing restoration by early winter, when seeds of native plants have maximum tidal dispersal.     

干旱区土壤种子库的研究进展

土壤种子库在连接过去、现在和将来的植物种群和群落的结构和动态中起着重要的生态和进化作用,对保护和恢复干旱区植被起着重要的作用。从土壤种子库的研究方法、数量特征、分布格局、时空动态、与地上植被关系、年龄结构及影响因素等方面论述了干旱区土壤种子库研究的若干进展,展望了干旱区土壤种子库的研究趋势。     

不同人为干扰方式对桂西北喀斯特草丛群落土壤种子库组成与分布的影响

采用野外调查和室内萌发相结合的方法,对桂西北典型喀斯特峰丛洼地刈割、开垦和火烧3种不同人为干扰方式下草丛群落的土壤种子库进行了比较研究。结果表明: ① 3种不同干扰方式草丛群落土壤种子库密度存在显著差异,其种子密度大小为: 刈割群落> 开垦群落> 火烧群落;②刈割、开垦、火烧干扰草丛种子主要分布在0～ 2cm ( 67% )、2～ 5cm ( 55% )、5～ 10cm ( 37% )的土层中;③刈割群落土壤种子库中乔、灌、草生活型的物种比例大于开垦和火烧干扰群落;④ 3种不同干扰方式草丛群落土壤种子库的丰富度指数、Sha nno n-Wie ner 指数和Simpson指数的大小顺序均为: 刈割群落> 开垦群落> 火烧群落,同群落物种数变化趋势一致,与生态优势度呈相反趋势;均匀度指数大小顺序为: 刈割群落> 火烧群落> 开垦群落。⑤从土壤种子库与地面植被物种组成相似性系数来看,刈割群落和开垦群落相似性系数较大,而火烧群落地上与地下物种组成有较大区别,相似性系数为0.296。研究结果表明,刈割干扰相对开垦和火烧更有利于喀斯特地区草丛群落土壤种子库的维持与保护。      

蒙古扁桃种子雨散布及种子萌发特性研究

以蒙古扁桃（Amygdalus mongolica Maxim）种群和种子为研究材料,通过物理特性、休眠特性、萌发特性的研究,探讨种群致濒因素。结果表明,蒙古扁桃种子比重、体积和千粒重大,散布时间较集中,散布格局是聚集型散布,散布主要依靠自身重力,靠动物散布和水力作用的散布,使种子能传播较远的距离。制约种子萌发的主要因素是种皮障碍和生理休眠（10%）,采用35 ℃条件下处理72 h后机械破除果皮可破除种子休眠,种子低温（2~5 ℃）层积处理能极显著（P <0.01）提高活力,种子变温（5~10 ℃）层积能极显著（P <0.01）提高发芽率和活力,种子萌发对光照不敏感。蒙古扁桃种子休眠较浅,种子萌发所需温度较低,冬前进入土壤库的种子迅速萌发,因不能度过严冬而死亡,是致濒的主要原因。封冻时进入土壤库的种子,在种皮保护下越冬,仍有很高成苗率,开展人工繁育是拯救蒙古扁桃资源的直接措施。     

Growth and reproduction of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sophora moorcroftiana</Emphasis> responding to altitude and sand burial in the middle Tibet

Sophora moorcroftiana, an endemic leguminous shrub in Tibet, is found in valleys, slopes, terraces from 3,000 to 3,900 m above sea level along the middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River. S. moorcroftiana is more tolerant of sand burial than other species in the valleys and is regarded as an ideal species for studying acclimatization to climatic factors. Stem basal diameter showed decline as altitude increased from 3,039 to 3,928 m in the Yarlung Zangbo River valley. Population density increased with the rise of altitude. However, seed bank density, seed germination and seed weight of S. moorcroftiana did not change with changing elevation. Plants responded to altitude variances with remarkable sensitivities. Stem basal diameter size declined along the vertical gradient between plateau and mountainside. Both in alpine and plateau areas, plants similarly adapted growth to altitude, but displayed different responses with respect to reproductive parameters, such as seed bank density, dry weight of seed, seed germination, seedling density and sapling density. Sand accretion remarkably reduced seed bank density and seedling density of the total population of S. moorcroftiana, but could promote shoot sprouting and shoot growing on the individual scale that stimulated the overall development of the population. The results suggested that this particular foredune species did not merely tolerate sand burial, but actually responded positively to sand accumulation.     

Dune stabilization in central and southern Yukon in relation to early Holocene environmental change,northwestern North America

Eolian deposits of central and southern Yukon, northwestern Canada, consist of loess mantles, small areas of active dunes, and larger stabilized dune fields. Dune fields in valley settings within the region are situated both within and beyond the limit of the last glaciation. Infrared stimulation luminescence (IRSL) dating in central and southern Yukon reveals that these dune fields stabilized as late as 9–8.5 ka, well after the retreat of Cordilleran glaciers. These findings are comparable to other valley-setting dune fields and loess from central Alaska, which record activity during the period from the Lateglacial to the Holocene Thermal Maximum (HTM), and reduced or altered activity after 9–8 ka. Post-glacial dune activity was most likely related to warm, dry conditions during the HTM, under predominantly shrub-tundra vegetation. Early Holocene stabilization of these dunes probably occurred in response to cooler, moister conditions, and replacement of predominantly tundra by boreal forest cover, dominated by spruce. Stabilization of dune fields in southern Yukon and Alaska most likely represented an extension of the time-transgressive stabilization of dune fields that occurred across northwestern North America with the post-glacial expansion of the boreal forest.     

Halophyte recruitment in a salt marsh restoration site

In restored salt marshes, seedling recruitment can be limited where large areas of soil are exposed and physical conditions are harsh. On a 0.7-ha excavated marsh plain, we studied recruitment as a function of abiotic (elevation) and biotic factors in 2 × 2 m plots planted with 0, 1, 3, or 6 species from the pool of 8 native halophytes. The random draws of 3-species and 6-species assemblages produced approximately equal numbers of plants per species for the experiment as a whole, yet only three species recruited> 10 seedlings per plot.Salicornia virginica andSalicornia bigelovii each produced> 15,000 seedlings in 1998, andSuaeda esteroa produced> 2,500 seedlings in 1999. For these 3 species, seedling recruitment increased with elevation in 1998, but this trend weakened in 1999, when species richness affected recruitment (fewer seedlings in more species-rich plots). Abiotic effects preceded biotic interactions in determining seedling recruitment patterns early in the development of the salt marsh. Effects of species richness appeared to be scale-dependent in that having all species present in the site likely enhanced overall recruitment (all species had 2 or more seedlings), while plantings of 6 species in a 2 × 2 m plot reduced seedling density.S. virginica was the only species that increased its presence and relative cover in the experimental site over the 4-yr study. Protocols for planting southern California salt marsh restoration sites could omit this species, but all others probably need to be introduced to restore diverse vegetation.     

Variation of albedo to soil moisture for sand dunes and biological soil crusts in arid desert ecosystems

Surface albedo plays a crucial role in the energy balance of soils. The surface albedo and surface soil moisture of bare sand and biological soil crusts (BSCs) were concurrently observed on field plots of shifting sand dune and in revegetated desert ecosystems at Shapotou, northwestern China, to study relationships between surface albedo, solar elevation angle, and surface soil moisture. Results indicated that rainfall exerted a remarkable lowering effect on the variation of surface albedo by increasing surface soil moisture. Surface albedo was an exponential function of solar elevation angle, and the normalized surface albedo (solar elevation angle effect was removed) decreased exponentially with the increase of surface soil moisture. Sand surface had a higher albedo (0.266) than BSCs (0.226) when the surfaces were very dry. However, sand surface albedo became increasingly lower than that of BSCs when the surfaces were in wet conditions and when the soil moisture exceeded a critical value. The changes in soil surface albedo from sand dune to BSCs after revegetation in shallow soil profiles associated with the variation of the surface soil moisture can be seen as an indicator of the degree of sand dune stabilization when compared with the original shifting sand dune soil.     

Variable rainfall limits the germination of upper intertidal marsh plants in Southern California

Temporal variation in rainfall created a germination window for seedling establishment in the upper intertidal marshes of southern California. In this highly variable climate, total annual rainfall was highly variable, as was the timing and size of rainfall during the wet season. Daily rainfalls>3.0 cm were rare in the long-term record but created germination opportunities that had two components: low salinity and high moisture. During the 1996–1997 wet season, only one-day rainfalls>3.0 cm resulted in large increases in soil moisture and decreases in soil salinity. Germination in the upper intertidal marsh of three wetlands followed two large (>3.0 cm) rainfall events in the relatively dry 1996–1997 season and multiple medium and small rainfall events in the wetter 1997–1998 season. In addition to rainfall, plant cover and soil texture influenced, spatial and temporal variation in soil salinity and moisture. Daily and weekly sampling adequately described soil moisture and salinity so that germination could be predicted; monthly sampling would have missed the low-salinity and high-moisture events that trigger germination.     

典型岩溶峰丛洼地坡面土壤水分空间变异性

采用网格法测量典型坡面上旱季（12月）和雨季（5月）的表层(0~5 cm)土壤含水量,以地统计学方法分析其空间变异性,结果表明:（1）与单一土地利用坡面相比,人为扰动强、土地利用多样的岩溶峰丛坡地表层土壤含水量表现为坡上未被扰动的自然植被区明显高于坡下人为改造的区域;旱季时坡地林地表层土壤平均含水量（32.8%）明显高于位于坡下的梯田空闲地（24.2%）、梯田橘园（20.0%）、梯田菜园（22.0%）、坡地裸地（23.5%）;雨季时,坡地裸地（30.2%）和梯田橘园（32.1%）有明显增大,梯田空闲地（17.8%）剧烈减小,坡地林地（32.2%）土壤含水量依然最高;（2）旱、雨季整个坡面上空间结构比分别为21.0%、8.7%,表现为雨季的空间相关性更好;旱、雨季表层土壤含水量变异系数分别为20.1%和31.7%,属中等程度变异;雨季表层土壤含水量的变程（77.5 m）显著高于旱季（8.0 m）,雨季的土壤含水量具有较好的空间变异结构;（3）裸岩周围空间的土壤含水量随与裸岩的距离增大而减小,梯田石坎周围空间的土壤含水量随与梯田石坎的距离增大而递减。      

古尔班通古特沙漠南部沙垄水分动态--兼论积雪融化和冻土变化对沙丘水分分异作用

2004年3月至2005年7月对古尔班通古特沙漠南部典型半固定沙垄土壤水分进行了系统监测,结合气象资料,特别是对冬季积雪和冻土资料的分析,认为该沙漠沙丘土壤水分时空变化规律在很大程度上受积雪融化和季节性冻土的影响.由于冬季稳定存在20~30 cm的积雪于春季融化,使得春季沙丘土壤含水率成为全年最高的季节,从而为早春植物的萌发生长创造了有利的条件.冬季1 m多深的冻土于早春时节由表及里开始消融,沙丘表面融化的雪水在坡面重力作用下,沿难以透水的冻土层上界自坡上向坡下发生迁移,在春夏季形成了垄间最高、坡部次之和垄顶最少的土壤水分空间格局.该研究具有生态学意义,可为古尔班通古特沙漠特殊环境条件下植被恢复与重建提供依据.     

A field quantification of coastal dune perennial plants as indicators of surface stability, erosion or deposition

Dune plants both modify the wind field around them and are impacted by various stress factors, among them sand erosion and sand deposition. As coastal dunes are being either stabilized or remobilized, in response to the changes in the rates of sand and dune movement, the vegetation cover and composition are expected to vary reflecting the differences in the sedimentary conditions. In this field study 315 quadrats of 100 m², in which the perennial plant species were sampled, were analysed with respect to annual rates of sand erosion and deposition that were measured using erosion pins. A visual exploratory data analysis was introduced, based on selective filtering of samples according to their vegetation cover. This method, combined with established statistical tools, enabled the authors to uncover the inclination and indicative power of nine perennial dune plants to either a stabilized or a mobile environment, and to establish whether they are more prevalent in places undergoing sand erosion or sand burial. Two species were found to be clear indicators of a stabilized environment, Stipagrostis lanata , and Retama raetam . Of the species indicating a mobile environment, only one may be stated as a clear indicator of sand erosion: Silene succulenta , with Cyperus macrorrhizus coming close to being an indicator of a less mobile erosive environment. The best indicator species for sand burial was found to be, as expected, Ammophila arenaria , with Artemisia monosperma also indicating high rates of sand mobility especially when its relative cover is higher than 80%. Such information can be used to monitor natural processes of dune stabilization or reactivation, or to assess the success of a management plan that aims at stabilizing a dune, or at remobilizing it by removing vegetation.     

Plant distribution at the mobile dune scale and its relevance to soil properties and topographic features

A survey was conducted in an 11-year recovery mobile dune (RMD11) and a 20-year recovery mobile dune (RMD20), in Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China, to determine plant distribution at the mobile dune scale and its relevance to soil properties and topographic features. The results showed that (1) vegetation cover and species number increased from dune top to bottom in the restoration process of mobile dune; (2) the average value of soil organic C, total N, pH, relative height of sampling site, very fine sand content and soil water contents (40−60 and 60−80 cm) of RMD11 were less than that of RMD20, respectively, and there were significant differences (P < 0.05) between the two dunes; (3) soil resources were redistributed by shrub restoration and relative height of sampling site on dune. The distribution of sand pioneer plant, Agriophyllum squarrosum, was positively related to the relative height of sampling site and soil water content, while that of other herbaceous plants was positively related to soil nutrients in the restoration process of mobile dune. These results suggest that at mobile dune scale, plant distributions are determined by a combination of soil properties and topographic feature. Much effort should be made to preserve the interdune lowland and to improve the level of soil nutrients on mobile dune.     

Mechanisms of expansion for an introduced species of cordgrass, Spartina densiflora, in Humboldt Bay, California

The dominant plant in Humboldt Bay salt marshes in Spartina densiflora, a species of cordgrass apparently introduced from South America. At several salt marshes and restoration sites around Humboldt Bay, distribution of this plant has increased significantly. We investigated the relative contributions of vegetative tiller production and seed germination to the establishment and expansion of S. densiflora. Lateral spread of plants surrounded by competitors were compared to areas without competing plant species. Plants growing in areas without competitors had significantly higher rates of vegetative expansion (p<0.0001). Viable seed production, germination rates, seedling survivorship, and growth of adult plants were measured in six salinity treatments. Approximately 1,977±80 viable seeds are produced per plant (0.25–0.5 m²). The number of germinating seeds was inversely related to increases in salinity. Salinity treatments between 19‰ and 35‰ produced significantly lower germination rates than salinities of 0–18‰ (p<0.0001). Seedling survivorship was 50% at ≤4‰ and 8–14% at ≥11‰. Lateral expansion of adult, greenhouse-grown plants occurred in all salinity treatments, with modest decreases in the highest salinity treatments (p<0.05). Our findings indicate that S. densiflora expands primarily by vegetative expansion, and lateral tillers are produced by throughout the year. Spartina densiflora produces prolific amounts of seed, but recruitment in mature salt marshes may be limited by competitors and higher salinities. At restoration sites, planting of native species such as Salicornia virginica, Distichlis spicata, or Jaumea carnosa may prevent monospecific stands of S. densiflora from developing.     

荒漠地区土壤初始状况对水平入渗的影响

通过对沙坡头荒漠地区人工植被固沙区生物土壤结皮与固沙区外天然沙丘沙以及天然植被红砂、珍珠分布区砂粘土在不同初始含水率（θ_i）条件下土壤水平入渗过程的对比试验研究,探讨土壤质地以及θ i对水平入渗系数（λ_f）、剖面平均含水率（θ_m）状况的影响。生物土壤结皮对降水入渗量的截持作用大于沙丘沙,因而将显著地改变降水入渗过程中土壤水分的再分配格局,减少降水对深层土壤（沙丘沙）的有效补给。通过对土壤剖面平均含水率θ_m与距离湿润锋前缘0～5 cm、5～10 cm处体积含水率θ_fA、θ_fB比较,生物土壤结皮的θ_m、θ_fA和θ_fB分别约为沙丘沙的1．5倍。     

新疆博斯腾湖东岸盐渍土分布特征

新疆焉耆盆地博斯腾湖东岸几种不同地貌单元中,盐渍土发育强烈。在研究区内自北至南50km的地段呈线性分布。以刻槽法分5层连续采取0～1．00m深度土壤样品,分析易溶盐含量,判断盐渍土的含盐类型。平面上,从冲洪积扇前缘的细土平原到冲积-湖积平原,盐渍化程度呈增高趋势。盐渍土的含盐类型,沙垅段主要为硫酸盐,东南岸冲积-洪积平原主要发育亚硫酸盐和硫酸盐,其余地段盐渍土类型以氯盐和亚氯盐为主。剖面上,除沙垅段外,各个地貌单元土壤盐渍化表聚性特征明显。     

Recolonization dynamics in a mixed seagrass meadow: The role of clonal versus sexual processes

Recolonization dynamics from disturbance on a Philippine mixed seagrass meadow, containing species spanning more than 10-fold in rhizome elongation rates and reproductive effort, was examined by following the recovery of a 1,200 m² gap over 2.5 yr. The objective was to assess the contribution of contrasting species to the recovery process and to evaluate the importance of sexual versus vegetative colonization. Large, slow-growing species,Thalassia hemprichii andEnhalus acoroides, that produce large, broadly-dispersed seeds dominated sexual colonization with a total of 2,643 and 210 seedlings, respectively, recruiting to the area. Despite very rapid turnover of sexual recruits, the high frequency of seedling establishment ensured successful development of new patches in areas devoid of vegetation, leading to a scattered and evenly distributed presence of vegetation inside the gap. The small seagrass speciesCymodocea rotundata andHalodule uninervis, characterized by fast rhizome elongation rates but low reproductive output and limited seed dispersal, were the major contributors to the overall 450 m² increase in vegetation cover through fast lateral extension (144±6 cm yr⁻¹) from meadow edge and surviving patches, forming a compact vegetation cover in one edge of the denuded area. We conclude that contrasting recruitment strategies in the mixed-species seagrass community examined have implications for colonization potential at different spatial scales. Fast clonal growth is only an efficient mechanism for colonization of disturbances within established meadows (small gaps), whereas the large species, which combined high reproductive output with high seed dispersal capacity, may act to accelerate the colonization process in large gaps or distant from established meadows.     

Holocene Dune Mobility and Forcing Mechanisms at the Northern Margin of the East Asian Monsoon

Dune fields at the northern margin of the East Asian monsoon (EAM), are mosaics of mobile and vegetation-stabilized aeolian dunes. These sand dunes are highly sensitive to environmental change, thus the distribution and the timing of their development may provide important clues to past environmental dynamics. Due to the strong wind erosion and dune migration, long and continuous stratigraphic records are seldom preserved. Synthesizing a large body of events, ultimately producing a relatively complete and high-resolution record, may be a proper method to investigate the dune development history and climate change. In this study, we synthesized a large body of luminescence ages for aeolian deposits from the Mu Us, Otindag, Horqin dune fields at the northern margin of the EAM. The results show that these dune fields, as a whole experienced a most extensive mobility during the early Holocene, followed by a widespread shift toward limited mobility and soil development in the mid-Holocene, and widespread reactivation occurred during late Holocene. The dune developments are directly linked to the effective moisture change controlled by the EAM changes, which respond to the low latitude summer insolation variation. The increased subsidence at the margin contrary to the core EAM, the delay from the feedback of the soil-vegetation-air coupled system, the increased evaporation due to the high temperature all play partial role in the lag of the margin EAM effective moisture change to the low latitude summer insolation. The asynchronous end of the wetter mid-Holocene mainly responds to the southeastwardly shift of the precipitation belt, while the regional sensitivity, response speed and internal feedback also contributed. The correspondence between dune records and North Atlantic drift-ice records of the rapid climate changes implies a close relationship between North Atlantic climate and the frequent dune activity at the northern margin of EAM.     

Geoarchaeological and chronostratigraphical investigations of open‐air sites in the Geelbek Dunes,South Africa

The Geelbek Dunes located north of Cape Town, South Africa, are an active, northward migrating dune field. Interdunal deflation hollows temporarily expose former land surfaces that are associated with archaeological sites. These open‐air sites shed light on large‐scale patterns of Middle and Later Stone Age settlement and augment the information gained from well‐stratified, but spatially limited caves, rock shelters, and coastal shell middens. Based on paleopedological and sedimentological parameters, three former land surfaces were identified and associated with different assemblages. A chronostratigraphy of the various land surfaces was established by applying optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating. The youngest former land surface is represented by a dune generation (AD2) which stabilized at a maximum of 5 ka. An older dune generation (AD1) shows a more heterogeneous age pattern where deposition started at ca. 27 ka with a maximum estimated age of stabilization at ca. 10 ka. Both of these dune generations overlie a weathered calcrete complex of Middle to Late Pleistocene age. While the third dune generation (AD0) was observed between underlying calcrete layers, samples taken from this unit could not be dated. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Understanding the Impacts of Climate Change: an Analysis of Inundation,Marsh Elevation,and Plant Communities in a Tidal Freshwater Marsh

Tidal freshwater marshes around the world face an uncertain future with increasing water levels, salinity intrusion, and temperature and precipitation shifts associated with climate change. Due to the characteristic abundance of both annual and perennial species in these habitats, even small increases in early growing season water levels may reduce seed germination, seedling establishment, and late-season plant cover, decreasing overall species abundance and productivity. This study looks at the distribution of tidal freshwater marsh plant species at Jug Bay, Patuxent River (Chesapeake Bay, USA), with respect to intertidal elevation, and the relationship between inundation early in the growing season and peak plant cover to better understand the potential impacts and marsh responses to increased inundation. Results show that 62% of marsh plant species are distributed at elevations around mean high water and are characterized by narrow elevation ranges in contrast with species growing at lower elevations. In addition, the frequency and duration of inundation and water depth to which the marsh was exposed to, prior to the growing season (March 15–May 15), negatively affected peak plant cover (measured in end-June to mid-July) after a threshold value was reached. For example, 36 and 55% decreases in peak plant cover were observed after duration of inundation threshold values of 25 and 36% was reached for annual and perennial species, respectively. Overall, this study suggests that plant communities of tidal freshwater marshes are sensitive to even small systematic changes in inundation, which may affect species abundance and richness as well as overall wetland resiliency to climate change.