老北京的“茅子”和倒码子的

老北京管厕所叫“茅子”,大部分厕所基本都是碎砖头砌的,多数是露天的,有的上边设棚。非常简陋,四周的墙,也就多半人高的矮墙。“茅子”里有六、七个不等的坑,

Study on Dynamics of Calorific Value, Biomass and Energy in Calamagrostis epigejos Population in Songnen Grassland

There were two peaks of seasonal changes of the calorific value in shoot and leaves of Calamagrostis epigejos in middle June and in the early August respectively. The calorific value in stem presented a single peak curve which appeared in the early August. The calorific values in inflorescence and dead standing showed a fluctuation and the peak value of inflorescence was in the early September and that of dead standing was in middle June. The seasonal changes of energy standing crop on the above-ground part synchronized with that of the biomass, which presented a single peak curve. The energy allocated to each organ in different seasons was in the order as leaves > stem > inflorescence in middle June, leaves > stem > dead standing > inflorescence in early July, leaves > stem > inflorescence > dead standing in middle July, and leaves > stem > dead standing > inflorescence from August to September. The vertical allocation of energy in the parts of above-ground was that the energy value gradually increased from the surface to the 20 cm high level and the maximum value at the 10 - 20 cin high level which made up 26.91% of energy on the above-ground partion, and then it was decreased. In the under-ground portion, the energy value progressively decreased with depth and the maximum value was at 0 - 10 cm depth layer which made up 69.01% of energy of the under-ground portion.

Phenotypic Plasticity in Response to the Heterogeneous Water Supplyin the Rhizomatous Grass Species, Calamagrostis epigejosin the Mu Us Sandy Land of China

Calamagrostis epigejos (L.) Roth. is a perennial grass with slender and long rhizome segments between interconnected neighbor ramets. To investigate the phenotypic plasticity in response to the heterogeneous soil water supply, ramet pairs of the species were subjected to heterogeneous water supply by which either mother ramets or daughter ramets were in high or low soil water supply, respectively, in the Maowusu (Mu Us) Sandy Land of Nei Mongol. The results showed that the phenotypic characteristics of the individual ramets of C epigejos were greatly influenced by the heterogeneous water supply. The ramets treated with high water supply significantly produced more new rhizomes and more offspring (ramets), and accumulated more shoot biomass, and allocated more biomass to their shoots than those treated with low water supply. In comparison with the daughter ramets in homogeneous soil water supply, phenotypic characteristics, in terms of new rhizome growth, the production of new offspring, and the biomass allocation pattern, of the daughter ramets within the pairs of the species were not significantly changed, no matter that high or low soil water supply to mother ramets. The phenotypic responses of mother ramets to soil water supply were similar to those of daughter ramets. From these results, it is inferred that the interconnected ramets of C epigejos response phenotypically to their local soil water rather than to the soil water experienced by the interconnected ramets. The interconnected ramets of C epigejos might be independent of each other in water relationship, although they are physically interconnected with rhizome segments. The physiological independence of interconnected ramets might facilitate the risk spreading and thus enhance the genet survivorship under the frequent drought stresses in Mu Us Sandland.

Relation of Wind-induced Sand Displacement to Plant Biomass and Plant Sand-binding Capacity

Desertification is a process in which vegetation cover degrades followed by increased wind and water erosion. Plants adapted to moving sand conditions are able to reverse this process. They can stabilize die substrate. Not much data is available on the soil stabilization capacity of plants. This study was conducted to investigate the wind-induced sand displacement around plants in relation to their biomass. Sand displacement is examined in relation to the biomass allocation pattern of three different plant species. A new method was developed to experimentally investigate plant sand-binding capacity. The relationship between sand displacement and plant biomass was not linear. Apart from the amount of biomass, species-specific plant characters like the biomass allocation pattern and plant structure may be very important in determining the sand-binding capacity.

Soil microbes weaken the positive effect of an aquaticterrestrial subsidy on plant performance

Aims Linkages formed through aquatic-terrestrial subsidies can play an important role in structuring communities and mediating ecosystem functions.Aquatic-terrestrial subsidies may be especially important in nutrient-poor ecosystems,such as the freshwater sand dunes surrounding Lake Michigan.Adult midges emerge from Lake Michigan in the spring,swarm to mate and die.Their carcasses form mounds at the base of plants,where they may in crease plant productivity through their nutrient inputs.However,the effect of aquatic-terrestrial subsidies on plant productivity could depend on other biotic interactions.In particular,soil microbes might play a key role in facilitating the conversion of nutrients to plant-available forms or competing for the nutrients with plants.Methods In a greenhouse experiment,we tested how carcasses from lake emerge nt midges(Chironomidae)and soil microbes indepe ndently and interactively influe need the performance of a common dune grass,Calamovilfa longifolia.To determine whether midges influenced abiotic soil properties,we measured how midge additions influe need soil nutrients and soil moisture.Important Findings Midges greatly increased plant biomass,while soil microbes in flue need the magnitude of this effect.In the absence of soil microbes plant biomass was seven times greater with midges than without midges.However,in the presence of soil microbes,plant biomass was only three times greater.The effect of midges might be driven by their nutrient inputs into the soil,as midges contained 100 times more N,10 times more P and 150 times more K than dune soils did.Our results suggest that soil microbes may be competing with plants for these nutrients.In sum,we found that midges can be an important aquatic-terrestrial subsidy that produces strong,positive effects on plant productivity along the shorelines of Lake Michigan,but that the impact of aquatic-terrestrial subsidies must be considered within the context of the complex interactions that take place within ecological communities.