Vaccinium Uliginosum Research Articles

Plant potential and ecological and economic suitability of reindeer pastures on the right bank of the Norilsk River

Purpose : identification of plant potential, ecological and economic suitability of deer pastures of the forest-tundra zone located in the zone of anthropogenic influence Material and methods . Ground geobotanical survey of the vegetation cover of deer pastures was carried out by route method in accordance with the method of geobotanical studies. The ecological and economic value of each type of pasture was determined based on the data of the ecological and economic classification of deer pastures in the north. Results . 25 species of reindeer pastures are described on the right bank of the Norilsk River in the northwestern part of the Putorana Plateau. On the basis of signs of uniformity in the structure of vegetation (proximity of species composition, similarity of vertical and horizontal structures), they are combined into 4 types: tundra, swamps, shrubs and light forests. Tundra (30.9%) and shrub (27.6%) types of pastures dominate. The most important feature is the active participation in the structure of phytocenoses of shrubs (Betula nana s. str, Salix glauca s. str, S. lanata s. str.) and shrubs (Ledum palustre. Vaccinium uliginosum s. str, V. vitis-idaea s. str.). Green fodder is most nutritious in the first half of summer. The nutritional value of fruticose lichens does not change during the year. Reindeer pastures with lichen cover and high (from 5 to 12 o-days/ha) reindeer capacity during the snowy period occupy insignificant (24.3%) areas. Basically, these are willow and dwarf dwarf shrub-lichen tundras and larch sparse forests of dwarf-shrub moss-lichen. The participation of lichens in the ground cover of plant communities does not exceed 25–35%. The following lichen species have been recorded: Cladonia arbuscula, C. stellaris, C. rangiferina, C. cornuta, C. deformis, C. mitis, Cetraria cucullata, and C. islandica. The most widespread species of the genus Cetraria: Cetraria islandica and C. cucullata, with a clear advantage of the latter. The main forage species of the genus Cladonia (Cladonia arbuscula, C. stellaris, C. rangiferina) are not widely distributed. Pastures with a high (from 9 o-days/ha to 14 o-days/ha) reindeer capacity in the summer, early autumn and late spring periods prevail in the study area. Basically, these are communities of shrub and marsh types. Shrubs (Salix glauca s. str, S. lanata s. str., S. hastata, Betula nana s. str.), shrubs (Salix reticulata, Vaccinium vitis-idaea s. str.) and forbs (species of the genera Petasites, Pedicularis, Astragalus, Hedysarum, Equisetum, Bistorta).

Forage plants for the northern pika (<i>Ochotona hyperborea</i> Pallas) in the Chuvansky Range System (South Chukotka)

The northern pika (Ochotona hyperborea Pallas) is a small herbivorous animal from the Ochtonidae family, widely distributed in the mountains of Northeast Asia. Despite its small size, the northern pika plays a noticeable role in the transformation of organic substances of biocenoses. An essential feature of these mammals is the procurement of plant food for the winter period. The food ration of the animals is very diverse and depends on the structure of the surrounding vegetation. It includes aerial parts of shrubs, sub‑shrubs, herbaceous plants, ferns, Equisetum species, rarely trees, bushy lichens, fungi and very rarely mosses. According to our analysis of the literature data, more than 220 species of vascular plants are included in the diet of the northern pika in Northeast Asia. During a survey of the northern spurs of the Chuvansky Range in the basin of the Ozernoe Gorlo river (Anadyr river basin), 14 species of vascular plants, 8 species of bushy lichens and 1 species of moss were identified in winter stocks of the northern pika on 2 terrain areas differing in landscape and vegetation structure. Salix pulchra, S. berberifolia subsp. tschuktschorum, Chamaenerion latifolium, Vaccinium uliginosum subsp. microphyllum, Empetrum nigrum, Ledum palustre subsp. Decumbens are of great importance as the preferred food of northern pika in this territory. In addition, the Dryopteris fragrans fern and more rarely Betula nana, are harvested quite sustainably in one of the sections of a stone scree (stone run) surrounded by a Pinus pumila community. The role of bushy lichens and mosses in the nutrition of the northern pika needs to be clarified.

Isolation and identification of mycorrhizal helper bacteria of Vaccinium uliginosum and their interaction with mycorrhizal fungi.

Mycorrhizal helper bacteria (MHB) can promote mycorrhizal fungal colonization and form mycorrhizal symbiosis structures. To investigate the effect of interactions between mycorrhizal beneficial microorganisms on the growth of blueberry, 45 strains of bacteria isolated from the rhizosphere soil of Vaccinium uliginosum were screened for potential MHB strains using the dry-plate confrontation assay and the bacterial extracellular metabolite promotion method. The results showed that the growth rate of mycelium of Oidiodendron maius 143, an ericoid mycorrhizal fungal strain, was increased by 33.33 and 77.77% for bacterial strains L6 and LM3, respectively, compared with the control in the dry-plate confrontation assay. In addition, the extracellular metabolites of L6 and LM3 significantly promoted the growth of O. maius 143 mycelium with an average growth rate of 40.9 and 57.1%, respectively, the cell wall-degrading enzyme activities and genes of O. maius 143 was significantly increased. Therefore, L6 and LM3 were preliminarily identified as potential MHB strains. In addition, the co-inoculated treatments significantly increased blueberry growth; increased the nitrate reductase, glutamate dehydrogenase, glutamine synthetase, and glutamate synthase activities in the leaves; and promoted nutrient uptake in blueberry. Based on the physiological, and 16S rDNA gene molecular analyses, we initially identified strain L6 as Paenarthrobacter nicotinovorans and LM3 as Bacillus circulans. Metabolomic analysis revealed that mycelial exudates contain large amounts of sugars, organic acids and amino acids, which can be used as substrates to stimulate the growth of MHB. In conclusion, L6 and LM3 and O. maius 143 promote each other's growth, while co-inoculation of L6 and LM3 with O. maius 143 can promote the growth of blueberry seedlings, providing a theoretical basis for further studies on the mechanism of ericoid mycorrhizal fungi-MHB-blueberry interactions. It laid the technical foundation for the exploitation of biocontrol strain resources and the development of biological fertilizer.

PHYTOCENOTIC INCIDENCE OF RHODODÉNDRON AURÉUM GEORGI (ERICACEAE) OF THE UDOKAN RIDGE, TRANS-BAIKAL TERRITORY

The paper presents data on phytocoenotic confinement of Rhododendron aureum Georgi, 1775 (Ericaceae) in the Udokan range. Using classical geobotanical methods, 79 populations of Rhododendron aureum were studied within the boundaries of the Trans-Baikal Territory. Within the fragment of R . aureum , the species is found within larch-siberian dwarf pine communities, larch yernic, pure siberian dwarf pine communities and areas of mountain tundra. Ecological densities and distribution differ even in similar communities. The most common associated species are Pinus pumila , Ledum palustre , Vaccinium vitis-idaea , Vaccinium uliginosum and others. The projective coverage of mosses and lichens can also vary from 5 to 95%. This work is particularly important for the assessment of biodiversity and future conservation efforts in areas that are rich in natural resources and minerals

First report of Fusarium commune causing root rot of blueberry in Guizhou Province, China.

In February 2017, an unknown root disease was observed on blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum L.) plants in Fenggang county, Guizhou Province, China. Root symptoms began with small necrotic lesions; subsequently, dark brown rot of the tap root and stem base was observed; finally, the whole plant withered and died. Root tissue was obtained from the junction of diseased and healthy tissue, and the samples were rinsed 3 times with sterile water. Then the surface was disinfected in 75% alcohol for 30 s, washed three times with sterile water, washed with 3% (v/v) sodium hypochloride for 3 min, rinsed three times in sterile water and cultured on PDA at 28 ℃ for 3-5 days. Fungal colonies were subcultured on PDA 3-4 times until purified colonies were obtained. Eight isolates exhibiting morphological characteristics of Fusarium were recovered from symptomatic roots. Six isolates showed morphological characteristics consistent with Fusarium commune. The colonies of LMGF6, a representative, on PDA were white and pink, and there was abundant aerial hyphae. Microconidia were cylindrical, usually without septa, with a dimension of 5.0 to 12.0 μm × 2.0 to 3.5 μm; macroconidia were usually 3-septate and 10.5 µm to 36.5 µm × 3.0 to 5.0 μm in size. Chlamydospores were smooth and spherical. DNA fragments were amplified from LMGF1-6 from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region using ITS1/ITS4 primers (White et al. 1990), DNA-directed RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) gene using 5f2/7cr primers and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1) gene using EF1/EF2 primers (Zhong et al. 2021; O'Donnell et al. 2022). The sequences were submitted to GenBank (GenBank accession Nos. OP035965 to OP035970 for ITS, OP106349 to OP106354 for RPB2, and OP106355 to OP106360 for TEF1). BLAST analysis showed 100% identity to those of F. commune. Ten plants were used for the experimental and control. The roots of experimental bushes were inoculated with 50 ml of a 1ⅹ106 conidial suspension. The roots of control plants were irrigated with sterile water. The plants were grown under the ambient conditions (monthly average maximum temperature of 30℃, monthly average minimum temperature of 20℃). After 25 days, all inoculated plants showed symptoms similar to those of the natural infection observed, but no lesions were observed on the control plants. The same fungus was successfully reisolated from all of the inoculated plants and was identified as F. commune based on colony morphology, phylogenetic analysis of concatenated ITS-RPB2-TEF1 sequences was performed using MEGA7.0 and pathogenicity tests. To our knowledge, this is the first report of F. commune causing root rot on blueberry plants in Guizhou Province, China.

From everywhere all at once: Several colonization routes available to Svalbard in the early Holocene.

For many arctic species, the spatial (re-)colonization patterns after the last Pleistocene glaciation have been described. However, the temporal aspects of their colonization are largely missing. Did one route prevail early, while another was more important later? The high Arctic archipelago Svalbard represents a good model system to address timeframe of postglacial plant colonization. Svalbard was almost fully glaciated during last glacial maximum and (re-)colonization of vascular plants began in early Holocene. Early Holocene climatic optimum (HCO) supported an expanded establishment of a partly thermophilic vegetation. Today, we find remnants of this vegetation in sheltered regions referred to as "Arctic biodiversity hotspots". The oldest record of postglacial plant colonization to Svalbard is found in Ringhorndalen-Flatøyrdalen. Even though thermophilic species could establish also later in Holocene, only HCO was favorable for vast colonization, and only hotspots offered stable conditions for thermophilic populations throughout Holocene. Thus, these relic populations may reflect colonization patterns of HCO. We investigate whether the colonization direction of thermophilic plants (Arnica angustifolia, Campanula uniflora, Pinguicula alpina, Tofieldia pusilla, and Vaccinium uliginosum ssp. microphyllum) in Ringhorndalen-Flatøyrdalen was uniform and different from later colonization events in other localities and non-thermophilic plants (Arenaria humifusa, Bistorta vivipara, Juncus biglumis, Oxyria digyna, and Silene acaulis). We analyzed plastid haplotypes of the 10 taxa from Ringhorndalen-Flatøyrdalen, from later-colonized localities in Svalbard, and from putative source regions outside Svalbard. Only rare and thermophilic taxa Campanula uniflora and Vaccinium uliginosum ssp. microphyllum provided results suggesting at least two colonization events from different source regions. Tofieldia pusilla and all the non-thermophilic plants showed no clear phylogeographically differentiation within Svalbard. Two of the thermophilic species showed no sequence variation. Based on the results, a uniform colonization direction to Svalbard in early Holocene is not probable; several source areas and dispersal directions were contemporarily involved.

Elemental Composition of Reindeer Pasture Plants and Lichens in Nadym District (Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area)

Abstract—There are plans to expand reindeer husbandry in the Nadym District of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area. For this purpose, we studied the elemental composition of the dominant species of the tundra and open boreal woodland vegetation cover. We analyzed leaves of dwarf birch (Betula nana L.), dwarf shrubs of bog blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum L.), marsh Labrador tea (Ledum palustre L.), and leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata (L.) Moench); sphagnum moss (Sphagnum sp. L.); and fruticose lichens (Cladina stellaris (Opiz.) Brodo). The X-ray fluorescence analysis was used to obtain data on the content of Ca, K, P, Si, Mg, Na, S, Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, Fe, Mn, Cr, Ti, and Al. We defined the biogeochemical features of the reindeer forage plants. In vascular plants and sphagnum mosses, the content of almost all essential macroelements is low, while the content of most microelements (Cu, Ni, Co, Cr, and Mn) exceeds the world average values. The lichens are characterized by low concentration of Ca, K, Mg, and P, which is more than one order of magnitude lower than the world average values, and the deficiency of microelements. The results were compared with the results from similar studies in other geographical regions of the tundra zone, and it was found that tundra plants have a similar pattern of element accumulation. In particular, leaves of dwarf birch are distinguished by accumulation of Mg; the content of Al, Fe, and Si is increased in mosses; Mn is accumulated in dwarf shrubs and dwarf birch; lichens are characterized by the deficiency of most elements. Therefore, in order to prevent animal diseases, it is necessary to improve the elemental composition of reindeers feed by increasing the share of “green” forage in winter, when lichens dominate the diet.

The variation of total flavonoids, anthocyanins and total phenols in Vaccinium uliginosum fruits in Changbai Mountain of China is closely related to spatial distribution

BACKGROUND: The fruit of Vaccinium uliginosum is a natural berry resource that is rich in polyphenols, flavonol glycosides, anthocyanins, and other active substances, indicating its high developmental potential. However, research on V. uliginosum is limited, with no literature available to clarify the germplasm resources suitable for breeding. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the contents of total flavonoids (TF), total anthocyanins (TA), and total phenols (TP) in 10 different populations of V. uliginosum from the Changbai Mountains, China, and investigate the correlation between these functional components and spatial distribution. METHODS: The components and contents of TA, TF, and TP were determined using mass spectrometry, high-performance liquid chromatography, and the Folin–Ciocalteu method, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 15 anthocyanins were detected, and the content of Mal-glu, Pet-glu, and Del-glu was the highest among these anthocyanins. The TF and TA and TP contents were highest in the DFHI and LJII populations, respectively, which can be reasonably developed as excellent populations. The TF content of sample DFHI-8, TA content of LJIII-1 and TP content of LJIII-4 were higher than other samples, which can be used as important breeding germplasm. The content of TF is positively correlated with altitude, while the content of TA and TP is bidirectional, which is positively correlated at 740–838 m and negatively correlated at >838 m. CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences in the contents of TF, TA, and TP in V. uliginosum fruit were found among and within populations, and there was a certain correlation between these contents and their spatial distribution.

Prediction of the Potential Distribution of Vaccinium uliginosum in China Based on the Maxent Niche Model

Vaccinium uliginosum L. is a wild fruit tree, mainly distributed in the extremely cold climate region of China, such as the Greater Khingan Mountains, Lesser Khingan Mountains, and Changbai Mountains. Most fruit trees are largely unsustainable in these regions, but wild V. uliginosum thrives in the region. Therefore, it is necessary to protect the precious wild V. uliginosum resources. With the effect of global warming, the suitable habitat of V. uliginosum has also changed. A total of 287 pieces of data with 22 environmental variables were collected on the geographical distribution of wild V. uliginosum. The Maxent model was applied to predict the potential distribution of V. uliginosum in China under different climate scenarios (Socioeconomic Pathways 1-2.6 (SSP1-2.6), SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5) in the current and future two periods (the 2050s and 2070s). The predicted results show that the distribution and area of the suitable area-change range is small. The results show that the cumulative contribution rates of BIO07 (annual temperature range), BIO12 (annual precipitation), and BIO10 (mean temperature of warmest quarter) reach 74.1%, indicating that temperature and precipitation are the key factors affecting the distribution of V. uliginosum. This study can provide a reference for relevant departments to take conservation measures with respect to climate change and the adaptation of V. uliginosum to habitat changes.

Effects of warming and litter positions on litter decomposition in a boreal peatland

Litter decomposition is an important source of carbon accumulation in the permafrost peatlands. Climate warming has led to shrub expansions and accelerated litter mixing with soils and fluctuations in the water table. However, little is known about how changes in the position of the litter will affect litter decomposition under climate warming. To reveal the mechanisms of response of the location of litter in the soil and climate warming to litter decomposition in permafrost peatlands. Here, we selected the evergreen shrub,Chamaedaphne calyculata, and the deciduous shrub,Vaccinium uliginosum, from the permafrost peatlands of the Greater Hing’an Mountains, China. The leaf litter was placed on the soil surface (no-mixing) and mixed with the soil (soil-litter mixing), and then it was incubated for 124 days at 15°C (control) and 20°C (warming). Our results showed that warming significantly increased the CO2emission rates ofC. calyculataandV. uliginosumby 19.9 and 17.4%, respectively. When compared to no-mixing, the CO2emission rates were reduced (not significantly) by 1.5 (C. calyculata) and increased 13.6% (V. uliginosum) with soil-litter mixing. Interestingly, soil-litter mixing suppressed the positive effect of warming on the CO2emission rates relative to no-mixing, and the suppressing effects in theV. uliginosumsubplot were stronger than those in theC. calyculatasubplot. Specifically, warming significantly increased the CO2emissions ofC. calyculataby 27.4% under no-mixing but the increase decreased to 13.1% under soil-litter mixing. Similarly, warming induced significant increases in the CO2emissions ofV. uliginosum, with an increase of 38.8% under no-mixing but non-significant increases (1.9%) were observed under soil-litter mixing. The combination of the enzyme activities of β-1,4-glucosidase, β-1,4-xylosidase and β-D-1,4-cellobiosidase and laccase and phenolics explained more than 60.0% of the variability in the CO2emissions ofC. calyculataandV. uliginosum, respectively. Our study highlights the importance of litter positions in mediating the responses of litter decomposition to climate warming and shrub expansions in the northern peatlands.

Biogeochemical Features of Landscapes of the Nadym Region of YANAO

The purpose of the study is to reveal the biogeochemical features of soils (illuvial-ferruginous podzols, podzols, cryozems, oligotrophic peat frozen soils, alluvial gray-humus and lacustrine-alluvial soils) and vegetation (Betula nana L., Chamaedaphne calyculata (L.) Moench, Vaccinium uliginosum L., Ledum palustre L., Sphagnum sp L.) of the Nadym region. To achieve the goal, the following tasks were set and implemented: to determine the total content and radial differentiation of elements in the studied soils; to reveal the features of the biological accumulation of elements by the dominant types of vegetation cover. The elemental composition of soils and plants was determined on a serial X-ray fluorescence spectrometer S6 JAGUAR according to the method for determining the mass fraction of metals and metal oxides in powder samples. It has been established that the soils of the Nadym region are characterized by a low content of macroelements, including potassium, calcium, and phosphorus necessary for the mineral nutrition of plants. Calculation of soil-geochemical coefficients shows that the studied soils have an average degree of weathering and leaching moisture regime, peat-gley and cryozems are classified as more fertile soils. Ca, P, and S are accumulated in organic soil horizons, and Co, Cr, and Ni are accumulated in mineral horizons. The radial geochemical structure of cryozems combines features of eluvial-illuvial differentiation and biogenic accumulation. In podzols, the distribution of all elements is eluvial-illuvial, with a minimum in the podzolic horizon. Among plants, the leader in the accumulation of elements is dwarf birch (the maximum accumulation of Ca, K, P, Mg, Zn, Ni), in mosses, on the contrary, the minimum accumulation of elements was found. The elements of energetic and strong accumulation (Kb=n-100n) include Pb, Mo, Cd, Cl, S.

Foliar Resorption Efficiency Does Not Change Along an Elevational Gradient in Two Dominant Peatbog Plant Species

Plants adapted to nutrient-poor temperate peatlands exhibit relatively low foliar N and P contents and resorb N and P from ageing leaves very efficiently to minimize their nutrient losses through litter fall. Changes in nutrient resorption efficiency due to an expectable increase of temperature may affect nutrient cycling in peatlands. We used an elevational gradient as a proxy for the effect of ongoing climatic change and compared the foliar N and P resorption efficiencies (REN, REP) of two co-occurring typical plant dominants (Molinia caerulea and Vaccinium uliginosum) at four microsites of each of two acidic peatbogs in southern Bohemia, Czechia, at two elevations differing by ca 500 m. No significant difference in soil nutrient content was found between the two sites. Foliar N and P contents in mature leaves in both species did not depend on the elevational gradient and were mostly not correlated with the inorganic soil nutrients. The REN (70–78%) and REP values (61–70%) in Vaccinium were markedly lower than those in Molinia (84–85% and 92–94%, respectively). In line with literature data, the peatland dominants Molinia and Vaccinium possess different strategies of foliar N and P resorption from ageing leaves. High REN and REP in Molinia obviously underlie its strong dominance in unmanaged peatland habitats. No elevational difference in both REN and REP was found in either species, indicating that the resorption efficiencies of these species are not expected to change markedly under the projected scenario of increasing temperature and lengthening growing season.

Interactive climate-soil forces shape the spatial distribution of foliar N:P stoichiometry in Vaccinium uliginosum planted in agroforests of Northeast China

In regions with a ban on forest logging, fruit-bearing shrubs are favored as an alternative source of ecological products over the harvesting of timber. The introduction of cultured shrubs from their habitat to newly developed lands has to be decided according to nutrient availability. Foliar nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry is an easily measured and reliable parameter to quickly indicate possible limits in imbalanced N-P availability. When attempting to create a spatial distribution map of the foliar N:P ratio in an objective shrub species, it is helpful to first explore its potential acclimation to the N:P imbalance caused by the joint forces of soil property and regional climate. This study evaluated the cultivated populations of Vaccinium uliginosum in northeastern China's agroforests, using Vaccinium uliginosum as a model shrub species. A total of 51 populations were selected from 51 managed stands, of which 34 were in forests and 17 on farmlands. Foliar N and P concentrations, soil physical and chemical properties, and topography were investigated in 2018, and regional climatic factors were assessed by averaging previous 5-year records (2013–2018). V. uliginosum was determined to have a foliar N:P ratio lower than 4.4, which can be characterized as a limit of N relative to that of P. On forested lands, soil pH negatively impacted regressed foliar N:P, which was also part of the contributions of soil total P content and average temperature to foliar N concentration. On farmlands, low soil pH also resulted in a reduced foliar N:P ratio with joint contributions of ammonium N, nitrate N, and available P contents in soils and air humidity. Spatial interpolation indicated that western forests could benefit from introduced V. uliginosum with a higher foliar N concentration, while the introduction to eastern farmlands can lead to a higher foliar N:P ratio up to 14.6. Our study demonstrates recommended locations with expected soil and meteorological conditions by mapping spatial distributions, which can be referred to by other species and regions.

Impact of wildfire on soil carbon and nitrogen storage and vegetation succession in the Nanweng'he National Natural Wetlands Reserve, Northeast China

In boreal regions, wildfires have a major impact on vegetation and permafrost. The ecosystem-protected Xing’an permafrost is sensitive to warming climate and wildfires, particularly on the southern margin of boreal coniferous forest and patchy permafrost zone. However, it remains unclear how fire disturbances are linked with changes in ecosystem composition and soil nutrients in the permafrost zones of Northeast China. Here, 13 years after the fire in the Yile’huli mountain knots, we investigated the parameters like vegetation cover, ground temperatures, active layer thickness, and soil carbon and nitrogen storage at burned and unburned sites of shrub wetlands. The fire resulted in ground warming of 0.1–5.0 °C at depths of 1.0–20.0 m and active layer deepening of 0.5 m, and gravimetric soil moisture content increasing of 26%-266%. Fire also increased the number of herbs and tall shrubs. After the fire, graminoids and tall shrubs increased significantly, and the species of herbs increased by five species. However, dwarf shrubs like Ledum palustre and Vaccinium uliginosum were missing from the burned site. A massive loss of total organic carbon (TOC) (248.40 t C/hm2) and nitrogen (TN) (11.87 t N/hm2) was observed by comparing their storage at burned and unburned sites. These results highlighted that the post-fire responses of vegetation cover and TOC and TN storage were dependent on the thermal regimes of near-surface permafrost and active layer, recovery of vegetation and organic layer, and soil moisture content. This study can provide an important reference for carbon storage and emission in boreal shrub wetlands under a warming climate and increasing fire disturbances.

Allocation and transfer of photosynthetic 13C in the vegetation‐soil system and its response to permafrost degradation

AbstractThe Xing'an Mountains, located on the southern edge of the Eurasian permafrost zone, are sensitive to permafrost degradation. In particular, the impact of wetland degradation in permafrost regions on carbon sequestration capacity cannot be ignored. Therefore, there is an urgent need to understand the allocation and transfer of photosynthetic 13C in the wetland vegetation‐soil system and its response to permafrost degradation. Three regions with different types of permafrost were selected predominantly continuous and island permafrost (located in Mohe); sparse island permafrost (located in Heihe); and isolated patches of permafrost (located in Yichun). The effects of permafrost degradation on the allocation and transfer of photosynthetic 13C in trees, shrubs, herb vegetation, and mosses were investigated using isotope tracing techniques, redundancy analysis, and structural equation modeling. Mohe had the largest 13C excess and more transfer of shrubs and herbs to the underground carbon pool. The recoveries of photosynthate‐13C for Larix gemlini, Vaccinium uliginosum, and Sphagnum sp. were significantly different in different permafrost regions using Tukey's honestly significant difference (HSD) post hoc comparisons of means tests. The amount of Δphotosynthate‐13C transfer was larger in Mohe than in Heihe and Yichun. The allocation of photosynthetic 13C in the plant roots in the three permafrost regions was positively correlated with the total soil phosphorus content. The active layer thickness was an important factor affecting the transfer of Δphotosynthate‐13C. The allocation and transfer of photosynthetic 13C to the subsurface were larger in the predominantly continuous and island permafrost areas than in the sparse island and isolated patch permafrost regions. The allocation and transfer of photosynthetic 13C in the vegetation‐soil system were affected by the soils' physicochemical properties and the environmental changes after permafrost degradation.

Tundra shrub expansion in a warming climate and the influence of data type on models of habitat suitability

ABSTRACT Warming across the low Arctic is increasing tundra vegetation productivity and facilitating the expansion of upright shrubs. We modeled the effects of warming on habitat suitability in green alder, dwarf birch, Labrador tea, bog bilberry, and lingonberry and assessed the influence of data type (true absence or pseudo-absence) on species distribution models (SDMs). We generated SDMs using the two absence data types under current (1970–2000) and future (2061–2080) climate projections. Our results show that warming leads to range expansion of all shrubs, though responses vary in magnitude and extent, with mean increases in suitability ranging from 0.080 (Labrador tea) to 0.369 (lingonberry) with true absences. Differences in driving variables and suitability projections suggest that physiological and ecological variability between species mediate responses to warming. Between data types, we observed inconsistencies in model performance, suitability projections, and variable importance. Bog bilberry and lingonberry exhibited larger differences in suitability (0.201 and 0.288, respectively), whereas alder showed similar responses (difference of 0.01). These results are important to consider when assessing changes in habitat suitability or identifying environmental or climatic determinants of species’ distributions. We suggest further development of open data repositories, facilitating access to true absence data to support conservation and land use planning.

Carbohydrates and secondary compounds of alpine tundra shrubs in relation to experimental warming

BackgroundIt is critical to understand the sensitivity, response direction and magnitude of carbohydrates and secondary compounds to warming for predicting the structure and function of the tundra ecosystem towards future climate change.ResultsOpen-top chambers (OTCs) were used to passively increase air and soil temperatures on Changbai Mountain alpine tundra. After seven years’ continuous warming (+ 1.5 °C), the vegetation coverage, nonstructural carbohydrates (soluble sugars and starch) and secondary compounds (total phenols, flavonoids and triterpenes) of leaves and roots in three dominant dwarf shrubs, Dryas octopetala var. asiatica, Rhododendron confertissimum and Vaccinium uliginosum, were investigated during the growing season. Warming did not significantly affect the concentrations of carbohydrates but decreased total phenols for the three species. Carbohydrates and secondary compounds showed significantly seasonal pattern and species-specific variation. No significant trade-off or negative relationship between carbohydrates and secondary compounds was observed. Compared to Dr. octopetala var. asiatica, V. uliginosum allocated more carbon on secondary compounds. Warming significantly increased the coverage of Dr. octopetala var. asiatica, did not change it for V. uliginosum and decreased it for Rh. confertissimum. Rh. confertissimum had significantly lower carbohydrates and invested more carbon on secondary compounds than the other two species.ConclusionsEnhanced dominance and competitiveness of Dr. octopetala var. asiatica was companied by increased trend in carbohydrate concentrations and decreased ratio of secondary compounds to total carbon in the warming OTCs. We, therefore, predict that Dr. octopetala var. asiatica will continue to maintain dominant status, but the competition ability of V. uliginosum could gradually decrease with warming, leading to changes in species composition and community structure of the Changbai tundra ecosystem under future climate warming.

Taxonomic status of intraspecific germplasm resources of Vaccinium uliginosum based on chloroplast matK gene and SRAP molecular markers

BACKGROUND: Abundant germplasm resources of Vaccinium uliginosum are present in Changbai Mountain in China, which have considerable research and development value. They include the naturally distributed alpine V. uliginosum, the white-fruited V. uliginosum variety, and various fruit shapes dominated by ellipses. However, the relevant research is limited, and the taxonomic status of various specific germplasm resources has not been addressed. OBJECTIVE: The genetic relationship and taxonomic status of four species of V. uliginosum germplasm resources in Changbai Mountain were investigated. METHODS: The chloroplast matK gene and SRAP molecular markers of 94 V. uliginosum samples were analyzed. RESULTS: According to the analysis of chloroplast matK gene, all four types were divided into three branches. The results showed low variation among natural samples of V. uliginosum in China and a relationship between haplotype distribution and geographical distribution. The results of the SRAP molecular marker analysis divided the V. uliginosum population into five branches. The multiple individuals of the same trait were clustered together, and different partial samples were clustered together. CONCLUSIONS: Diploid alpine V. uliginosum and tetraploid V. uliginosum were identified as two subspecies of V. uliginosum. The elliptical fruit shapewas the variant of tetraploid round blue fruit V. uliginosum, and the white-fruited V. uliginosum variety is a variant.

Microclimate relationships of intraspecific trait variation in sub‐Arctic plants

Within‐species trait variation is a substantial part of plant functional diversity. However, this intraspecific trait variation (ITV) is rarely investigated in relation to a key characteristic of the Arctic and alpine ecosystems: fine‐scale microclimatic heterogeneity. Here, we quantified the influence of microclimate (soil moisture, snow and local temperatures) on plant functional traits, specifically on ITV. We focused on six widespread northern latitude vascular plant species, and measured four traits: plant height, leaf area, leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and specific leaf area (SLA). We related ITV to field and remotely sensed microclimate data from 150 study plots within six study grids. The grids were located within a 76‐m altitudinal belt in three environments: the tundra, tundra–forest ecotone and mountain birch forest in Kilpisjärvi, northwestern Finland. We compared the range of trait values between this local trait dataset (n = 5493) and global trait databases (n = 10 383). We found that information in the local dataset covers a relatively large portion of the trait ranges in global databases. The proportion varies among traits and species; the largest portion was 74% for variation in leaf area of Vaccinium uliginosum, and the lowest was 19% for LDMC of Betula nana. We found that ITV in height was mostly related to local temperatures, whereas SLA and LDMC were more related to soil moisture and snow conditions. However, species showed contrasting relationships with the microclimate drivers. We conclude that microclimate profoundly shapes ITV in northern latitude plants and that even a very compact geographic area can contain a large amount of ITV. The influence of the microclimatic conditions varies among functional traits and species, which indicates that plastic response or adaptive potential of the species to climate change may also vary across species, but that necessary variation may often be present within local plant populations.

Technology of growing Bog blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum L.) seedlings from green cuttings in Tashkent province, Uzbekistan

Blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum L.) is one of the most popular fruit plants in the world consumer market. In North America, cultivars of blueberry are widely used as a valuable food and medicinal plant. Blueberries are widely used in both folk medicine and official medicine. This research was aimed at researching different technology use in growing Bog blueberry seedling using its green cuttings in Tashkent province, Uzbekistan. During the experiments, phenological observations and statistical analysis method Dospekhov were employed to analyze growth Bog blueberry in different treatment options. The results showed that the effect of plant concentration on the diameter of the young plant body was recorded at indolyl butyric acid-80 mg/l and Indolyl butyric acid-100 mg/l at plant concentration. In this variant, too, the effect of the concentration of the growing substance on the body diameter of the plants was positive, and it was found that the Duke variety was in the range of 7.5-7.1 mm and the Patriot variety in the range of 6.5-6.4 mm. The highest rate of total average leaf level of plants (360.8-359.7 cm2) was recorded in plants developed from green cuttings of the Duke variety.