Reproductive phenology of Isolatocereus dumortieri (Cactaceae) in semiarid scrub in central Mexico: Effect of rain during the dry season

The giant cactus Isolatocereus dumortieri is a dominant species of the semiarid scrub of central Mexico. Its reproductive period is during the dry season, and it produces essential resources (pollen, nectar and fruits) for a great variety of animal species. We related the production of reproductive structures with water variables in the soil–plant system. The main goal of the present study was to evaluate the consequences of a change in rainfall pattern on the phenology of I. dumortieri. We watered some plants in the dry season to simulate heavy rain events, and to test the hypothesis that water availability during the reproductive season has a negative effect on fruiting and a positive effect on vegetative growth. The seasonality of rain events caused variations in soil water potential and plant osmotic potential, and we found that both variables influenced fruit production. The regression models relating the number of fruits with soil water potential, rainfall and osmotic potential were significant for all three study periods. The highest production of reproductive structures occurred in the driest year (2009), during which there was an ENSO event. Watering did not have a significant effect on osmotic potential or growth in the cacti. However, the watering × time interaction had a negative effect on the number of immature fruits. That is, at the end of the experiment, the plants that received the most water showed a decrease in the number of fruits. Plant growth during the rainy period was significantly greater than during the dry period. The results support the hypothesis that a change in rainfall pattern during the dry season has an effect on fruit production. Vegetative growth, however, occurred only during the wet season.     

Botanical composition of the seasonal diet of cattle in the rangelands of the Monte Desert of Mendoza, Argentina

Botanical composition of cattle seasonal diets (faecal sampling with microhistological analysis) was determined in a four-pasture, one-herd grazing system during a 3-year period. Diets were classified using cluster analysis. Three diet groups were identified: beginning of rainy season (spring), peak of rainy season (summer) and dry season (fall and winter). Contribution of grasses and woody species to these diet groups was significantly different (p< 0·001). Grasses were the most important component of cattle diets throughout the rainy season, while shrubs and trees were important in the dry season. The major shifts in diets occurred in response to changes in grass phenology.     

Effects of heavy metal (Pb) concentration on some growth parameters of plants grown in lead polluted soil under organic fertilizer amendment

This study investigated morphological variation and biomass accumulation that occurred in Sida acuta and Chromolaena odorata plants grown in lead polluted soil under organic fertilizer amendment. The study was carried out in the screen house at the Biological Gardens of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. The experiment was a factorial combination of one heavy metal (Pb) at five levels of concentration (0, 200, 400, 800 and 1,000 mg/kg) in a completely randomized design, and were replicated three times for each of the two plants and two levels (0 g/kg and 9.4 g/kg) of organic fertilizer (OBD-Plus). Each pot was filled with 5 kg of air-dried and sieved soil and placed on a plastic tray for the collection of excess water. Two weeks after planting, seedlings of uniform height were transplanted from the nursery to experimental pots at the rate of one seedling per pot and grown for 10 weeks. The growth parameters of the plants were biomonitored for 7 weeks. After 10 weeks of treatment, the plants were harvested and dried to calculate the biomass accumulation. The two plant species performed better under fertilizer application than without it. For each of the plant species the growth parameters decreased as the levels of Pb concentration increased. Furthermore, the plants' biomass decreased significantly (p<0.05) as the levels of Pb concentration increased. The organic fertilizer helped to improve the plants' performance in lead-polluted soil.     

金沙江干热河谷不同植被坡面土壤水分时空分布特征

于2016年7~12月和2017年4月的旱、雨季期间,以金沙江干热河谷苴那小流域内的银合欢（Leucaena Benth）林地、车桑子（Dodonaea angustifolia）灌丛地和扭黄茅（Heteropogon cantortus）草地为研究对象,通过网格法和土钻法采集并测定了（0~100 cm）土层的土壤含水量,应用经典统计法和地统计学方法分析该区域不同林草植被下坡面土壤水分的动态变化特征。结果表明：（1）研究区土壤含水量总体较低,雨季显著大于旱季,旱、雨季均表现为灌丛地>草地>林地,呈中度至强度变异（0.07~0.28之间）。（2）不同林草植被下旱、雨季土壤水分具有相似的空间自相关性,自相关系数均由正向负转变,但由正向负转变的滞后距离有所不同,且雨季大于旱季,呈中等或强等空间自相关性。（3）不同林草植被下的土壤水分空间结构不同,林地、灌丛地和草地旱雨季最佳拟合模型均为球状模型;相同林草植被下各土层旱、雨季土壤水分的空间分布特征相似,但旱季的分布格局差异更显著,不同林草植被下深层土壤水分分布比表层土壤水分的分布更为复杂,土壤水分呈明显的斑块或条带状分布,含水量高值区和低值区位置不固定。总之不同林草植被类型会改变局部地段土壤水分空间分布,降雨会加强这种差异的趋势,但土壤水分仍具一定空间连续性。     

腾格里沙漠西南缘植被季节变化及风沙活动

腾格里沙漠西南缘沙区,3种植被条件下的盖度四季波动情况为:在林带背风面封育区25.89%~35.35%,封育区19.4%~29.39%,流沙区11.39%~16.05%之间; 各季节植被盖度表现为秋季＞夏季＞春季＞冬季,其中,流沙区植被盖度春季增幅最大,旱季降幅最小,而林带背风面封育区则雨季增幅最显著,封育区次之。流沙区草本植物株（丛）数比例从春季开始近似线性增加,旱季变缓,雨季又有所增加,8月底至9月上旬达最大值,灌木植物比例则相反;封育区和林带背风面封育区草本植物株（丛）数比例变化相似,均为春季迅速上升,旱季下降,雨季显著增加,9月底达最大值,灌木植物相反。流沙区因植被稀疏,牲畜采踏,植被难恢复,裸露地面风沙流活动强烈,沙丘前移;封育区植被盖度较大,形成了比较稳定的自然生态植被区域;林带背风面封育区则在多层防护林防护下,区域内风速低,植被盖度大,枯枝落叶多,普遍有1~1.5 mm厚的结皮,形成了更加稳定的生态环境。试验研究表明：在当地降水条件下,只要在沙漠边缘建立足够的封育区,禁止或减少人为活动,自然植被恢复,可大大降低风沙活动,遏制沙漠前移,实现当地的生态可持续发展。     

Growth, ionic and osmotic relations of an Allenrolfea occidentalis population in an inland salt playa of the Great Basin Desert

Variation in growth, physiology and ionic relations patterns of Allenrolfea occidentalis, a perennial halophyte of dry habitats, was studied under field conditions from May 1996 to November 1997. An A. occidentalis community has a characteristic soil pH of 7·3–8·3. During the two years, the population was exposed to great variations in soil salinity, from 29 to 146 dS m⁻¹, and soil moisture, ranging from drought (9·2%) to wet (19%). The salt concentrations were significantly higher in the surface soil layers than in the subsurface layers. Seasonal changes in dry weight are directly related to soil salinity stress. Allenrolfea occidentalis had greater growth and biomass production under saline conditions. Na⁺and Cl⁻ions were accumulated in plant tissues in much greater amounts than K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺. Soil salinities were significantly reduced at the end of the growing season. Water potentials of the shoots decreased significantly with increasing salinity. The plant (F_v/F_mratio) was more affected by salinity and irradiation levels during the summer period.     

Spatiotemporal variability of cultivable microfungal communities inhabiting a playa area in the western Negev Desert,Israel

The soil dilution plate method was used to examine spatiotemporal changes in microfungal communities inhabiting the playa and interdune areas in the western Negev Desert, Israel. Soil samples were collected from the 0–50 cm depth at 10 cm intervals at both habitats during the wet and dry seasons of 2010. Forty-six species belonging to 31 genera were identified, 14 and 12 species were common to both habitats during the wet and dry seasons. The colony-forming units (CFUs) ranged from 75 to 4875 and from 500 to 6925 CFU g⁻¹ dry soil at the playa and interdune, respectively. More diverse species and higher microfungal density were recorded during the wet season compared to the dry season at both habitats, and the microfungal communities inhabiting the playa were characterized by lower species diversity and CFU compared with the interdune regardless of soil depth and sampling season. With the increase in soil depth, decreasing trends were found in both species diversity and CFU throughout the study period, especially in the playa soils. Generally, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Alternaria alternata, Ulocladium atrum, and Fusarium spp. were widespread at the playa with high relative abundance, as were Penicillium and Aspergillus spp. at both habitats.     

Water content and land use history controlling soil CO2 respiration and carbon stock in savanna soil and groundnut fields in semi-arid Senegal

Decomposition of soil organic carbon (SOC) regulates the partitioning between soil C-stock and release of CO₂ to the atmosphere and is vital for soil fertility. Agricultural expansion followed by decreasing amounts of SOC and soil fertility is a problem mainly seen in tropical agro-ecosystems where fertilizers are in short supply. This paper focuses on factors influencing temporal trends in soil respiration measured as CO₂ effluxes in grass savanna compared with groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) fields in the semi-arid part of Senegal in West Africa. Based on laboratory experiments, soil CO₂ production has been expressed as a function of temperature and soil water content by fit equations. Field measurements included soil CO₂ effluxes, soil temperatures and water contents. Effluxes in grass savanna and groundnut fields during the dry season were negligible, while effluxes during the rainy season were about 3–8 μmol CO₂ m^?2 s^?1, decreasing to less than 1 μmol by the end of the growing season. Annual soil CO₂ production was simulated to be in the range of 31–38 mol C m^?2. Furthermore, a controlled water addition experiment revealed the importance of rain during the dry season for the overall turnover of soil organic matter.     

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.     

龙滩水库溶解无机碳来源及变化特征

河流在碳的运输过程中扮演着重要角色。为探究河流筑坝拦截后龙滩水库溶解无机碳(DIC)的来源和变化特征,于2016年7月和2017年1月采集水样,然后分析了河水DIC及其碳稳定同位素(δ13C)值。研究结果表明:(1)δ13CDIC值具有显著的时空差异,表明两个季节影响DIC的主要因素和DIC的来源并不相同。雨季,DIC及其δ13C主要分布在2.04~4.12 mmol·L^-1和-5.52‰^-2.87‰的范围内;旱季,水体DIC为3.33~4.61 mmol·L^-1,而δ13CDIC显著低于雨季为-15.90‰^-9.12‰。雨季,稀释效应显著降低了DIC浓度,由于水体热分层使得DIC在水柱剖面上差异显著,而旱季由于混合作用的影响,在剖面上差异较低。(2)在雨季,河流δ13CDIC较旱季明显偏正,碳酸盐岩的强烈风化输入大量HCO3-是DIC的主要来源。在旱季,DIC和δ13CDIC成反比关系,δ13CDIC在旱季变得更低,其大部分的DIC来自于土壤CO2输入和原位有机呼吸作用。旱季水体热分层消失,混合作用使得底部具有较低δ13C值的含碳水体上涌,并与表水层混合导致其δ13CDIC值低于雨季。这种季节性模式与自然河流不同,而是与湖泊的季节变化特征更为类似,说明河流拦截蓄水后逐渐湖沼化,并显著影响了DIC的循环。     

Hydraulic redistribution by two semi-arid shrub species: Implications for Sahelian agro-ecosystems

Hydraulic redistribution is the process of passive water movement from deeper moist soil to shallower dry soil layers using plant roots as conduits. Results from this study indicate that this phenomenon exists among two shrub species (Guiera senegalensis and Piliostigma reticulatum) that co-exist with annual food crops in Sahelian agro-ecosystems. Real-time measurements were conducted for soil water content, soil water potential and microclimate variables notably; air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, precipitation and solar irradiance. Additionally, sap flow measurements were conducted in shrub roots using the thermal dissipation technique on intact and coppiced shrubs. Monthly predawn leaf water potential was measured using a portable pressure chamber. Soil water potential (Ψ_s) at the 20 cm depth declined significantly during the dry season with diel changes in Ψ_s of −0.6 to −1.1 MPa. These variations were attributed to passive water release from shrub roots resulting in overnight rewetting of drier upper soil layers. Sap flow measurements on tap and lateral shrub roots indicated daily reversals in the direction of flow. During the peak of the dry season, both positive (toward shrub) and negative (toward soil) flows were observed in lateral shrub roots with sap flow in the lateral roots frequently negative at night and rapidly becoming positive soon after sunrise. The negative sap flow at night in superficial lateral roots and the periodic positive flow in the descending tap roots were indicative of hydraulic redistribution. Hydraulic redistribution may be an important mechanism for drought stress avoidance while maintaining plant physiological functions in both shrubs and neighboring annuals in water-limited environments.     

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.     

Groundwater use by native plants in response to changes in precipitation in an intermountain basin

Many arid basins in western North America are likely to experience future changes in precipitation timing and amount. Where shallow water tables occur, plant acquisition of groundwater and soil water may be influenced by growing season precipitation. We conducted a rainfall manipulation experiment to investigate responses of four common native plant species to ambient, increased, and decreased summer monsoon rainfall. We measured plant xylem pressure potentials (Ψ) and stable oxygen isotope signatures (δ¹⁸O) to assess effects of altered precipitation on plant water relations and water acquisition patterns. Reduced rainfall decreased Ψ more in the grasses Sporobolus airoides and Distichlis spicata than the more deeply rooted shrubs Sarcobatus vermiculatus and Ericameria nauseosa. E. nauseosa had little response to natural or experimental differences in available soil water. Plant xylem water δ¹⁸O indicated that S. airoides and D. spicata are almost entirely dependent on rain-recharged soil water, while E. nauseosa is almost entirely groundwater-dependent. Sarcobatus vermiculatus used groundwater during dry periods, but utilized precipitation from soil layers after large rainfall events. Persistent changes in precipitation patterns could cause shifts in plant community composition that may alter basin-scale groundwater consumption by native plants, affecting water availability for human and ecosystem uses.     

Spatial relationships among species, above-ground biomass, N, and P in degraded grasslands in Ordos Plateau, northwestern China

We chose five communities, representing a mild to severe gradient of grassland desertification in a semi-arid area of Ordos Plateau, northwestern China, to explore the spatial relationships among plant species, above-ground biomass (AGB), and plant nutrients (N and P). Community 1 (C1) was dominated by Stipa bungeana; Community 2 (C2) by a mix of S. bungeana and the shrub Artemisia ordosica; Community 3 (C3) by A. ordosica; Community 4 (C4) by a mix of Cynanchum komarovii and C. komorovii; and Community 5 (C5) by C. komorovii. Quantitative methods, including geostatistics, were used to compare community composition, structure, and indicators of ecosystem function (i.e. AGB, plant N and P) in five 16-m² plots. The highest AGB, plant nitrogen (N) and plant phosphorus (P) were found in lightly degraded community C2. With increasing desertification effects from C3 to C5, the AGB, N, and P decreased significantly while plant density remained unchanged. The spatial variations of AGB were higher in shrub-dominated communities (C1 and C5) than in grass-dominated communities (C2–C4). Strong spatial relationships were detected within and among the communities, with stronger relationships between AGB and density than between AGB and species richness. Spatial patterns of plant N and P were different from those of AGB, reflecting different N and P contents of individual plants and different species that can redistribute soil resources in these communities. The AGB was positively correlated with soil nutrients (TOC, TN, TP, and IN), except for soil AP. We concluded that several specific aspects of ecosystem properties were directly associated with the conversion of the grass and shrub “functional types” in these degraded grasslands.     

Effect of cattle breeding on habitat use of Pampas deer Ozotoceros bezoarticus celer in semiarid grasslands of San Luis, Argentina

The largest population of the Argentinean Pampas deer Ozotoceros bezoarticus celer is found in the semiarid grasslands of the San Luis province. Despite relatively high deer numbers in the region, there has been concern that expansion of farming practices could displace the species. Since the 1990’s, cattle breeding has intensified especially as a result of the replacement of natural grassland with South African digit grass (Digitaria eriantha) and African lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula). In this study, we studied how deer in “El Centenario” ranch used available habitat types, especially to assess whether it preferentially used natural over exotic pastures. We employed 8 fixed line transects to record deer numbers and habitat use during the dry season, early rainy and late rainy seasons. We estimated a mean population size of 731 ± 121 individuals, a density of 1.95 ± 0.25 deer/km². Our results also showed that deer did not appear to select natural pastures over exotic ones, though D. eriantha grasslands with cattle were used less during the late rainy season. Grazed pastures with D. eriantha without cattle were used significantly more during all time periods. Our results therefore suggest that Pampas deer are not shifted by exotic pastures but we caution that it is important to manage these habitats sustainably (e.g. cattle load adjusted to grassland nutritional supply, rotational crops with parcel rest period), to ensure the conservation of the species within agricultural areas.     

Effect of environmental heterogeneity on field germination of Opuntia tomentosa (Cactaceae,Opuntioideae) seeds

We studied in Opuntia tomentosa the effect of plant shade (orientation and distance), and the place where the seeds remained before germination. Seeds were collected in 1998 and a) sown immediately on soil (non-buried seeds), b) stored in the laboratory and sown on soil during the 1999 rainy season (control) or c) buried after collection (under the shade of a tree, a rock and in an open space), exhumed 7 months later and sown in 1999 (exhumed seeds). Seeds were sown under or outside the shade of several trees; or on the northern, eastern and western sides of a 14-m-tall tree. In 1999, germination was high in all samples, but the control seeds had delayed germination. After two rainy seasons, non-buried seeds had the lowest germination rate. Germination was not affected by the distance from the tree. Outside of the plant's shade, germination was low. Germination was affected more by the environmental heterogeneity than by the individual plant shade. Germination probabilities were the highest at 16–19 °C; field germination was zero at 20.6 °C. Seed polymorphism and microenvironmental heterogeneity spread germination across two rainy seasons creating a permanent seed bank.     

Effect of nitrogen amendments on microbial biomass, above-ground biomass and nematode population in the Negev Desert soil

Nitrogen amendments (0, 25, 50 and 100 kg NH₄NO₃/ha) were used to study the responses of primary production, microbial biomass and nematode population in desert soil. The study was conducted in the Israeli Negev Desert, a region characterized by low and randomly distributed rainfall. Over a 1-year study period, nitrogen amendments resulted in a significant (p<0·01) increase in soil microbial biomass. Soil microbial biomass also increased concomitantly with the increase in soil organic matter. The number of free-living nematodes in the soil increased with the increase in soil moisture, ranging from 43,000 individuals per square metre at the end of the summer to 351,000 individuals per square metre during the rainy season. No significant correlation was found between the nitrogen treatments and the nematode population, whereas a significant positive correlation was found between the nitrogen amendments and the above-ground biomass (r²=0·94, p<0·03). The nitrate proportion of the total soluble nitrogen in the soil also increased with the increase in soil moisture. This study provides baseline data for nitrogen amendments on soil microbial status, as well as insights into the importance of nitrogen in fertility in arid environments.     

Biological soil crusts exhibit a dynamic response to seasonal rain and release from grazing with implications for soil stability

In Northern Mexico, long-term grazing has substantially degraded semiarid landscapes. In semiarid systems, ecological and hydrological processes are strongly coupled by patchy plant distribution and biological soil crust (BSC) cover in plant-free interspaces. In this study, we asked: 1) how responsive are BSC cover/composition to a drying/wetting cycle and two-year grazing removal, and 2) what are the implications for soil erosion? We characterized BSC morphotypes and their influence on soil stability under grazed/non-grazed conditions during a dry and wet season. Light- and dark-colored cyanobacteria were dominant at the plant tussock and community level. Cover changes in these two groups differed after a rainy season and in response to grazing removal. Lichens with continuous thalli were more vulnerable to grazing than those with semi-continuous/discontinuous thalli after the dry season. Microsites around tussocks facilitated BSC colonization compared to interspaces. Lichen and cyanobacteria morphotypes differentially enhanced resistance to soil erosion; consequently, surface soil stability depends on the spatial distribution of BSC morphotypes, suggesting soil stability may be as dynamic as changes in the type of BSC cover. Longer-term spatially detailed studies are necessary to elicit spatiotemporal dynamics of BSC communities and their functional role in biotically and abiotically variable environments.     

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.     

Nest dynamics of Constrictotermes cyphergaster (Termitidae,Nasutitermitinae) and its association with the supporting vegetation in a semiarid area,northeast, Brazil

We evaluated growth, abandonment, decay and emergence of new nests of the Neotropical termite Constrictotermes cyphergaster (Termitidae) and its association with the supporting vegetation in an area of caatinga (arid thorn scrub in the state of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil). In an area of 1 ha, a total of 272 nests were observed monthly, from March 2005 to March 2007. Of these, 245 nests were small, 9 were of medium size, and 18 were large nests. During the rainy season (from June to February), nests grew 94.2 L, whereas during the dry season (March–May), their total growth was 23 L. The number of abandoned nests was positively correlated with rainfall. Decomposition of nests was greater during the rainy season. The pattern of nest distribution was associated with the distribution of the primary supporting plants. Rainfall appears to be one of the most important factors in the dynamics of growth of nests of C. cyphergaster in the caatinga.