植物地境及物种地境稳定层

植物地境是其生境的重要组成部分.地境结构的系统分析应作为探索植物与其地境生态关系的重要手段之一.植物地境具有鲜明的耗散结构特征, 内部的宏观稳定性和层次性是适应外界环境的自组织结果, 并与植物根群的“层片”结构相契合.每一“层片”代表一个特定的地下小环境.若地境具有多个“层片”, 说明该地境拥有可被多种植物利用的多样小环境.根群作为根系的主功能区, 是联系植物与地境的纽带.与植物的根系相比, 根群的“层片”现象更清晰.通过根群的“层片”, 不同植物实现资源分割, 避免过激竞争, 能够长期共存.基于地境耗散结构特征分析和各物种根群所处深度范围的统计结果, 首次建立了物种地境稳定层的概念.某一物种根群所处的位置即为该物种的地境稳定层.物种地境稳定层可作为地境生态功能分层的基本单位.较之地境全剖面各指标的平均值, 地境稳定层内理化指标组态更为真实地反映了植物生存的地下环境, 可用以确定物种的生存域; 不同植物的生理和生活习性是对其稳定层内指标组态量值及动态变化规律的一种响应; 地境所能提供的稳定层的多寡及组态对地表植物群落的结构具有一定的控制作用; 地境稳定层的消失和产生, 可导致对应物种的消亡和入侵, 造成植物群落的演替.      

Below-ground relationships of soil texture, roots and hydraulic conductivity in two-phase mosaic vegetation in South-east Spain

Results led to the development of a conceptual model, which describes that the presence of deep larger diameter roots in shrub areas form large open channels at deeper soil depths, facilitating deep-water percolation, while presence of thin shallow roots in grass areas form small open channels at shallow depths, causing water to remain within shallow depths. Over time these roots systems will alter their environment and facilitate storage and uptake of water and nutrient availability. The difference in rooting depth will decrease the competition for water between the shrub areas and grass areas and cause differences in water distribution and availability.     

Trophic interactions in an arid ecosystem: From decomposers to top-predators

In this review we compile results on interactions above and below ground and food web functioning in an arid environment at the Baza Basin, in the Iberian southeast. Our data reveal that herbivory is difficult to estimate in our system. Some herbivores (rabbits) and granivores (Messor ants) create nutrient and detritus-rich patches, with important effects on the diversity and abundance of species both above and below ground. Fluctuations of prey availability, especially those caused by changes in their circadian rhythms, provoke seasonal migrations and omnivory in predators. We also present experimental evidence of the effects of interactions between aboveground and belowground macroarthropods on litter degradation; belowground detritivores are responsible for a high percentage of ground surface litter decomposition. We demonstrate that belowground herbivores and decomposers can dramatically change aboveground multitrophic interactions. Finally, we identify the biotic and abiotic factors controlling aboveground and belowground macrofaunal distribution at a broad scale. We conclude that trophic interactions in this semi-arid area are numerous and complex with many of the interactions involving more than two or three organisms. The interactions between above- and belowground organisms added complexity to this system. These habitats in which organisms deal with extreme abiotic conditions promote odd interactions resulting in an increase of biodiversity. Finally, despite the large research effort devoted to understanding food web structure and dynamics in this area recently, our state of knowledge is still far from providing a complete picture of interactions and their implications in the regulation and functioning of the system.     

Subalpine koura,Paranephrops planifrons (Decapoda), in Tongariro National Park: Zoogeographic implications

Koura, Paranephrops planifrons, were found up to 1260 m a.s.l. in a subalpine area of Tonga‐riro National Park in May and July 1978. Their habitat is described briefly, and possible factors limiting the distribution and abundance of high altitude populations of freshwater crayfish are listed. It is suggested that all mountains may not necessarily form absolute zoogeographic barriers to koura; the kind of mountain and the ecological milieu may be more important.     

Carbon and oxygen isotopes of Maastrichtian–Danian shallow marine carbonates: Yacoraite Formation, northwestern Argentina

The Maastrichtian–Danian limestones of the Yacoraite Formation (northwestern Argentina) show carbon and oxygen isotopic values consistent with shallow marine conditions. The members of the formation respond to different sedimentary environments and are characterised by distinctive stable isotopes and geochemistry. The basal Amblayo Member is composed of high-energy dolomitic limestones and limestones with positive isotopic values (+2‰ δ¹³C, +2‰ δ¹⁸O). The top of the member reveals an isotopic shift of δ¹³C (−5‰) and δ¹⁸O (−10‰), probably related to a descent in the sea level. The sandy Güemes Member has isotopically negative (−2‰ δ¹³C, −1‰ δ¹⁸O) limestones, principally controlled by water mixing, decreased organic productivity, and compositional changes in the carbonates. The isotopically lighter limestones are calcitic, with a greater terrigenous contribution and different geochemical composition (high Si–Mn–Fe–Na, low Ca–Mg–Sr). These isotopic and lithological changes relate to the Cretaceous–Palaeogene transition. The Alemanía Member, composed of dolomitic limestones and pelites, represents a return to marine conditions and shows a gradual increase in isotopic values, reaching values similar to those of the Amblayo Member. The Juramento Member, composed of stromatolite limestones, shows isotopic variations that can be correlated with the two well-defined, shallowing-upward sequences of the member.     

Co-occurrence patterns of above-ground and below-ground mite communities in farmland of Sanjiang Plain,Northeast China

One of the fundamental questions in community ecology is whether communities are random or formed by deterministic mechanisms. Although many efforts have been made to verify non-randomness in community structure, little is known with regard to co-occurrence patterns in above-ground and below-ground communities. In this paper, we used a null model to test non-randomness in the structure of the above-ground and below-ground mite communities in farmland of the Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China. Then, we used four tests for non-randomness to recognize species pairs that would be demonstrated as significantly aggregated or segregated co-occurrences of the above-ground and below-ground mite communities. The pattern of the above-ground mite commu- nity was significantly non-random in October, suggesting species segregation and hence interspecific competition. Additionally, species co-occurrence patterns did not differ from randomness in the above-ground mite community in August or in below-ground mite com- munities in August and October. Only one significant species pair was detected in the above-ground mite community in August, while no significant species pairs were recognized in the above-ground mite community in October or in the below-ground mite communities in August and October. The results indicate that non-randomness and significant species pairs may not be the general rule in the above-ground and below-ground mite communities in farmland of the Sanjiang Plain at the fine scale.