Ecological Characteristics Of Plants Research Articles

In the Qaidam Basin, Soil Nutrients Directly or Indirectly Affect Desert Ecosystem Stability under Drought Stress through Plant Nutrients.

The low nutrient content of soil in desert ecosystems results in unique physiological and ecological characteristics of plants under long-term water and nutrient stress, which is the basis for the productivity and stability maintenance of the desert ecosystem. However, the relationship between the soil and the plant nutrient elements in the desert ecosystem and its mechanism for maintaining ecosystem stability is still unclear. In this study, 35 sampling sites were established in an area with typical desert vegetation in the Qaidam Basin, based on a drought gradient. A total of 90 soil samples and 100 plant samples were collected, and the soil's physico-chemical properties, as well as the nutrient elements in the plant leaves, were measured. Regression analysis, redundancy analysis (RDA), the Theil-Sen Median and Mann-Kendall methods, the structural equation model (SEM), and other methods were employed to analyze the distribution characteristics of the soil and plant nutrient elements along the drought gradient and the relationship between the soil and leaf nutrient elements and its impact on ecosystem stability. The results provided the following conclusions: Compared with the nutrient elements in plant leaves, the soil's nutrient elements had a more obvious regularity of distribution along the drought gradient. A strong correlation was observed between the soil and leaf nutrient elements, with soil organic carbon and alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen identified as important factors influencing the leaf nutrient content. The SEM showed that the soil's organic carbon had a positive effect on ecosystem stability by influencing the leaf carbon, while the soil's available phosphorus and the mean annual temperature had a direct positive effect on stability, and the soil's total nitrogen had a negative effect on stability. In general, the soil nutrient content was high in areas with a low mean annual temperature and high precipitation, and the ecosystem stability in the area distribution of typical desert vegetation in the Qaidam Basin was low. These findings reveal that soil nutrients affect the stability of desert ecosystems directly or indirectly through plant nutrients in the Qaidam Basin, which is crucial for maintaining the stability of desert ecosystems with the background of climate change.

Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics Combined with Cadmium Contamination on Soil Physicochemical Properties and Physiological Ecology of Lactuca sativa

Contaminants such as microplastics (MPs) and heavy metals are commonly found in soils, both of which are extremely difficult to degrade and can easily form compound contamination, altering the physicochemical properties of the soil and thus potentially changing the growth and physiological and ecological characteristics of plants. In order to study the effects of the combined contamination of soil MPs and heavy metals on soil properties and plant growth, polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) with a particle size of 3 μm and the heavy metal cadmium were selected in the study. The changes in the physicochemical properties of soil and their effects on lettuce (Lactuca sativa) seed germination and seedling growth were studied at various exposure concentrations of PS-MPs (0, 10, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg·kg-1) and combined with different Cd contamination concentrations (0, 1.2, and 6.0 mg·kg-1), respectively. The results showed that soil organic matter (SOM), available phosphorus (AP), alkali-hydrolysable nitrogen (AHN), and available kalium (AK) showed significant decreases as the intensity of PS-MPs combined with Cd contamination increased. Simultaneously, PS-MPs combined with Cd contamination also significantly reduced the germination rate of lettuce seeds, but low concentrations of PS-MPs slowed down the effect of Cd (6.0 mg·kg-1) contamination on lettuce seeds, and high concentrations of PS-MPs enhanced the effect of Cd (6.0 mg·kg-1). The fresh weight, dry weight, and plant height of lettuce seedlings showed an increasing and then decreasing trend with increasing exposure to PS-MPs. Chlorophyll content, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) showed a decreasing trend, whereas malondialdehyde (MDA) content showed an overall increasing trend under different Cd concentrations. The main physicochemical indicators of the soil were negatively correlated with MDA of lettuce seedlings, whereas other indicators of the seedlings were positively correlated. The combined contamination of PS-MPs and Cd could affect the germination of plant seeds and the physiological and ecological characteristics of seedlings by changing the physicochemical properties of the soil. Both exposure to single PS-MPs contaminants and the combination of PS-MPs with Cd inhibited the germination of lettuce seeds and affected the physiological activities of their seedlings, and the inhibition was significantly increased with increasing exposure. Low exposure to PS-MPs or the combination of PS-MPs with Cd contamination exhibited a promotive effect on lettuce seedling growth. High exposure to PS-MPs combined with Cd contamination exhibited significant ecological effects on lettuce seedlings, and high exposure to PS-MPs exacerbated the ecotoxicological effects of Cd contaminants on lettuce seedlings, and PS-MPs and Cd exhibited synergistic effects. The results can provide some reference for assessing the ecological effects of MPs and heavy metal pollution in soil-plant systems.

ИТОГИ АДАПТАЦИИ НЕКОТОРЫХ ВИДОВ СЕМЕЙСТВА SALICACEAE LINDL. В САРАТОВСКОМ ПОВОЛЖЬЕ

The article presents the results of long-term studies of plants of the family Salicaceae Lindl., growing in the collection of the arboretum of the Research Institute of Agriculture of the South-East, located within the city of Saratov. 10 species belonging to two 2 generic complexes were studied: Salix L. (S. acutifolia, S. babylonica, S. caprea, S. fragilis, S. ledebouriana) and Populus L. (P. alba, P. deltoides, P. nigra, P. pyramidalis, P. tremula). It is established that five species are indigenous. Plants grow in biogroups in identical conditions of the arid south-east of the European part of Russia. In the process of work, the methods of observation and research generally accepted in institutions of the botanical and forestry profile were used. Some methods have been modified by us taking into account the climatic conditions of the region and based on the results of many years of research. According to the results of the conducted studies, the morphometric and ecological characteristics of plants are given. The sanitary condition of plants, the quality of the trunk and crown were evaluated. Taking into account the state of life, three groups are distinguished. The introduced species were compared with the native species. To assess the drought resistance of plants, water retention capacity, water deficiency and heat resistance were determined. It was revealed that all the studied species do not significantly differ from local species, have a high water retention capacity, and are heat resistant. The results of the introduction of the studied species are summarized. The prospects of using willow trees in artificial plantings of the Saratov Volga region are determined. The research results can serve as a scientific justification for the development of an assortment of economically valuable adapted introducents for use in artificial plantings for various purposes and replenishment of the gene pool of the dendroflora of the region.

Ecological Characteristics of Plants Invading/Colonizing Street Tree Bases

Ecological Characteristics of Plants Invading/Colonizing Street Tree Bases

Prospects for the use of Amorpha L. in agroforestry landscapes of the Saratov Volga region

The article presents the results of long-term studies of two species of the genus complex Amorpha L.: A. californica Nutt. and A. fruticosa L., growing in the collection of the arboretum of the Federal Agricultural Research Center for South-East Region, located within the city of Saratov. The morphometric and ecological characteristics of plants are presented based on the results of the studies. The results of the introduction of the studied species have been summed up; an integral assessment of the viability and prospects of plants in new growing conditions for them has been carried out. The prospects for the use of amorphous in artificial plantings of the Saratov Volga region have been determined. The research results can serve as a scientific justification for the development of an assortment of economically valuable adapted introduced species for use in agroforestry landscapes and replenishment of the dendroflora gene pool of the region.

A recommended rate for application of Chaetomium globosum ND35 fungus fertilizer on poplar plantations in China

Previous studies showed that Chaetomium globosum ND35 fungus fertilizer can improve the microbial community structure and enzyme activities of replanted soil. However, it remains unclear whether can improve the physiological and ecological characteristics of plants under successive rotation. In this study, we investigated the photosynthetic, physiological, and biochemical indexes including photosynthetic parameters, chlorophyll fluorescence, and chlorophyll content of 1-year-old poplar seedlings under seven different doses (range from 0 to 1.67 g kg−1) of C. globosum ND35 fungus fertilizer to study the effects of fungus fertilizer on photosynthesis of Poplar. Our results showed that: (1) With increasing application of fungus fertilizer in replanted soil, chlorophyll content of poplar leaves (Chl) increased, while physiological indexes such as electron transport rate (ETR), net photosynthetic rate (P n), quantum efficiency (Φ), nitrate reductase (NR) activity and root vigor initially increased and then declined. Meanwhile, heat dissipation that depended on the xanthophyll cycle declined and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) initially increased and then decreased. When the dose of C. globosum ND35 fungus fertilizer was 0.67 g kg−1 (T3) and 1.00 g kg−1 (T4), excess light energy of photosynthetic apparatus was reduced, and photosynthetic apparatus distributed more light energy to the direction of photochemical reactions, which improved the efficiency of energy use. Plant height and biomass of leaves, stems, and roots were maximum at T3. We conclude that applying appropriate amounts of C. globosum ND35 fungus fertilizer can improve root physiological activity and capacity for use of light by poplar leaves. This can improve the operating states of the photosynthetic apparatus and lead to increased photosynthetic efficiency of poplar leaves and accumulation of dry matter. This suggests a strategy to alleviate the successive rotation obstacle of soil nutrient depletion.

Relationship Between Vegetation Community Distribution Patterns and Environmental Factors in Typical Wetlands of Poyang Lake, China

Poyang lake is the largest freshwater lake in China, possessing global ecological functions. Impact of soil characteristics on vegetation distribution is potentially important but is poorly understood in this typical vast water-passing lake wetland. To explore the relationships between soil properties and vegetation distribution, soil moisture, soil nutrients, species construction, diversity and biomass were measured monthly in two dominant vegetation communities, namely, the Artemisia selengensis community and the Carex cinerascens community. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and spearmen correlation were performed to evaluate the relationships between vegetation characteristics and edaphic variables. Results showed great heterogeneity in the ecological characteristics of plants. There are positive relationships between soil nutrients and ecological characteristics of plants, especially the biomass and the maximum height of the dominant species. Cynodon dactylon and Artemisia selengensis were mainly distributed in the upland with lower nutrient concentration and moisture content, whereas Cardamine lyrate, Triarrhena Lutarioriparia and Carex cinerascens were mainly found near the lake shore where the moisture and nutrients accumulated, demonstrating a legible zonal distribution along the edaphic gradient. The findings have provided an extension to the existing literatures, improving the understanding of the potentially crucial edaphic effects on vegetation in Poyang lake wetlands.

Diversity and ecological characteristics of plants at Sardara banda, village Ikram pur (Baizo kharki) district Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan)

Diversity and ecological characteristics of plants at Sardara banda, village Ikram pur (Baizo kharki) district Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan)

Spatial similarity in the distribution of invasive alien plants and animals in China

With ongoing development of global economy and increasing trade between countries, China faces increasingly serious invasions by alien species, causing great harm and potential disasters to agriculture, forestry and natural environment. According to a national survey of invasive alien species in China, there are 265 species of invasive alien plants and 171 species of invasive alien animals in China, most of which are widely distributed. In general, there are more invasive species, either plants or animals, in the south than in the north, and more in coastal areas than in interior areas. The distribution of first detection locations of invasive alien plants and animals shows a similar pattern. The cluster analyses showed that the distribution of invasive alien plants and animals was significantly influenced by geographical region, and the alien species of invasive plants and animals were similar in the same geographical region. Thus, the overall distribution of invasive alien plants and animals are spatially similar in China. The results remind us an ongoing invasion pressure from other countries to China and from the provinces with more invasive species to the provinces with less invasive species. Considering different biological and ecological characteristics of plants and animals, common social-economic factors and environmental conditions in each province lead to such similar spatial patterns, supporting the distribution prediction of establishment possibility based on the invasive pest assemblages.

塔里木盆地南缘旱生芦苇生态特征与水盐因子关系

In recent years,ecologists have experienced an increased awareness of the importance of plant-environment interactions. Studies have demonstrated that spatial ecosystem heterogeneity and availability of resources influence plant growth. Understanding the ecological response characteristics of plants and environmental laws influencing arid land vegetation in different water-salt environments should be quite valuable to scientists. To better understand the ecological characteristics of plants and factors that potentially control them such as water availability and salinity in arid regions,we conducted a study in Phragmites australis in dry habitats of the Yutian Oasis along the Keriya River,in the southern marginal zones of the Tarim Basin,Xinjiang,China. Using previously collected observational data related to water-salt distribution laws and the natural water-salt gradient caused by distance from the river,four sample regions were established parallel to the river from east to west,extending from the river to the desert. We analyzed the patterns and correlations of ecological characteristics of Phragmites australis and water-salt indicators in the field,using traditional statistics and redundancy analysis( RDA) in combination with CANOCO software( version 4.5). The statistical analysis revealed that plant ground cover was as low as less than 10%; the belowground biomass was greater than aboveground because of the way desert vegetation adapted to the arid environment. The sampled region was severely dry and salinated; soil moisture contentwas low,with a mean value of 7.22%. The average depth to ground water was 4.23m and soil salt content reached as high as18.24g /kg. Phragmites australis has a high tolerance to aridity and salt stress; the average plant height,coverage and aboveground biomass decreased gradually while the belowground biomass increased as distance from the river to the desert increased; there were also concurrent and expected gradient changes in water-salt indicators. Redundancy analysis showed that water was the key environmental factor influencing the growth of Phragmites australis. A significant correlation was found between ground water depth /soil moisture and the ecological characteristics of Phragmites australis including plant height,coverage,biomass; the sodium adsorption ratio( SAR) /total salt correlation with ecological characteristics was less significant while other indicators had no significant correlation with the plant's ecological characteristics. The importance of water-salt indicators to ecological characteristics of Phragmites australis could be arranged as ground water depth soil moisture SAR total salt HCO-3 pH Cl-/SO2-4. The results suggest that water has greater impact on Phragmites australis than salt,because water limits the plant's survival,growth and reproduction. When a plant is affected by an arid continental climate for long periods,the plant is usually influenced by both water and salt. Any study of Phragmites australis analyzing the effects of different water or soil salinity conditions independently would be fatally flawed; but must be considered together. Our study shows that redundancy analysis of ordination methods can be beneficially used in research into the relationship between plants and environmental factors; when combined with traditional statistics,the two methods can provide comprehensive information. The redundancy analysis can effectively reveal relationships between ecological characteristics of plants and water-salt indicators. The characteristics of Phragmites australis deserve more research,especially research related to the microscopic physiological effects of water-salt interaction.