Habitats shape root-associated fungal and bacterial communities of Minjiang fir saplings

Root-associated microbes play an essentialrole in mediating plant growth,health,and habitat adaptability.However,it is unknown which microbial taxa help develop host fitness and how habitats shape root-associated microbial assembly patterns.As an endemic species of subalpine forests in western Sichuan,China,Minjiang fir(Abies fargesii var.faxoniana)is dominant on cold-shaded northwestern slopes while absent on warm sunlit southwestern slopes.In this study,fungal and bacterial communities were investigated in three spatial compartments(endosphere,rhizosphere,and bulk soil)associated with Minjiang fir saplings on a cold-shaded northwestern slope and a warm sunlit southwestern slope.Habitats differentiated the microbial communities regardless of the spatial compartment and microbial taxa.Slope aspect variations caused shifts in root-associated(rhizosphere and endosphere)microbial compositions.Compared with the southwestern slope,the cold-shaded northwestern slope harbored a higher abundance of the growth-promoting bacteria Burkholderia and ectomycorrhizal fungi Cortinarius and Piloderma.The slope aspect had stronger effects on fungal diversity than bacterial diversity,with higher fungal endemism and lower bacterial endemism.Slope aspect variations were the dominant drivers of root-associated microbial communities,with lower contribution by soil properties and higher contribution by plant traits on the northwestern slope.Findings from this study could improve the understanding of plant habitat adaptability from the perspective of microbial community assembly.It is suggested that forest management should consider root-associated microbiomes for enhancing species fitness and habitat adaptability.

Integrated assessment of river health based on water quality, aquatic life and physical habitat

The health conditions of Liao River were assessed using 25 sampling sites in April 2005, with water quality index, biotic index and physical habitat quality index. Based on the method of cluster analysis （CA） for water quality indices, it revealed that heavily polluted sites of Liao River are located at estuary and mainstream. The aquatic species surveyed were attached algae and benthic invertebrates. The result showed that the diversity and biomass of attached algae and benthic index of biotic integrity （B-IBI） were degrading as the chemical and physical quality of water bodies deteriorating. Physiochemical parameters, BODs, CODcr, TN, TP, NH3-N, DO, petroleum hydrocarbon and conductivity, were statistically analyzed with principal component analysis and correlation analysis. The statistical results were incorporated into the integrated assessing water quality index, combining fecal coliform count, attached algae diversity, B-IBI and physical habitat quality score. A comprehensive integrated assessing system of fiver ecological health was established. Based on the systimetic assessment, the assessed sites are categorized into 9 ＂healthy＂ and ＂sub-healthy＂ sites and 8 ＂sub-sick＂ and ＂sick＂ sites.

Lifestyles of Older Adults in Castilla-La Mancha(Spain):Influence of Sex,Age,and Habitat

This paper presents the quantitative research results of a comprehensive study titled“Current Profle of Older Adults in Castilla-La Mancha(Spain).”The study aims to understand and describe the characteristics of individuals aged 65 and above within this autonomous region,with a focus on the variables of sex,age,and habitat.A cross-sectional approach was employed,utilizing quantitative methods to collect data.To gather information,a customized questionnaire was developed to address the study objectives,covering various aspects such as sociodemographic factors,living conditions,leisure activities,social participation,and cultural interests.The survey was conducted via telephone,ensuring representation by employing gender quotas,age-group stratifcation,and considerations for habitat size.A representative sample of 1,065 participants was included in the study.The fndings reveal a degree of homogeneity in the lifestyles of older adults,with discernible variations infuenced by factors such as sex,habitat,and age.These results shed light on the diverse habits and experiences of older adults,emphasizing the signifcance of habitat conditions,social participation,and the aging process.

Site-Floristic Variability of Foxteil Meadows in Poland

On the basis of multifaceted investigations of approximately 600 phytosociological surveys of foxtail meadows taken in years 2002-2012 in river valleys with the assistance of the Braun-Blanquet method, the authors carried out evaluation of the floristic composition with respect to phytosociological structure, floristic variability, degree of synanthropisation and life form structures. In addition, they ascertained the dependence of floristic variability of Alopecuretum pratensis phytocenoses on site conditions determined using： the phytoindication method and the laboratory analyses assessed the soil content of available forms of P and K and of Mg. The greatest areas among the recognised syntaxons are taken up by patches of a typical sub-association developed in fresh sites on soils of lightly acid reaction and moderate nitrogen availability. Floristic variability of Alopecuretum pratensis is characterised by： presence in the phytosociological structure of species characteristic for other syntaxons, floristic abundance and botanical structure, domination of species of the 1 st and 2nd degree of stability, high proportion of synanthropic species, values of the floristic diversity index （H＇）, natural and fodder score values. Geobotanical variability of foxtail meadows confirms difficulties with unequivocal determination of the systematic position of the Alopecuretum pratensis association.

Community Characteristics of Wild Fruit Forests Along Elevation Gradients and the Relationships Between the Wild Fruit Forests and Environments in the Keguqin Mountain Region ofⅠii

In this paper,the quantitative relationship between the wild fruit communities and direct environmental factors is discussed on the basis of detailed data on landscape scale habitats obtained through field vegetation investigation.The results from TWINSPAN and DCCA showed that:1) In the distribution sections of the wild fruit forest in the Keguqin Mountain region,the basic patterns characteristic of the different habitats are due to topographic factors,nutrients and moisture conditions;2) The elevation affected the most basic differentiation of plant communities in the study area,indicating that the elevation condition was the most important factor restricting the distribution of the wild fruit communities in the study area;3) The close relationship between the moisture content in the upper soil layer and the elevation reflected the influence of moisture conditions on both wild fruit and herb-layer communities;4) Nutrient differences not only indicated that the habitat conditions were different in themselves but also showed that the present nutrient conditions of the habitats were seriously affected by human activities.In summary,under complicated mountainous topographic conditions,the habitat conditions for the communities differed very significantly,and the combination of elevation,soil moisture content,total nitrogen,slope aspect,and pH value influenced and controlled the formation of community distribution patterns in the study area.

Seasonal patterns of root and shoot interactions in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau

Aims Numerous studies have showed that the balance between negative and positive plant–plant interactions shifted along environmental gradients.But little is known how the positive or negative plant–plant interactions varied with temporal fluctuating habitat conditions and plant ontogenetic phases.Methods In a 2-year experiment,the four perennial grasses(Kobresia humilis,Stipa aliena,Elymus nutans and Saussurea superba)were grown under four interaction treatments(no root or shoot interaction,only shoot interaction,only root interaction,root and shoot interaction).Intensity of above-and belowground interactions is proposed to vary with the fluctuation of seasonal climatic conditions and soil available nutrients.Here we report measurements of above-and belowground interactions during entire growing season.Correlation between plant interaction intensity and seasonal soil available N as well as habitat climate conditions was also performed.Important findings Our experiment found that root interactions had negative effect on plant growth for the four species during growing season.However,both negative and positive shoot interactions occurred among the four species.Despite there being shoot facilitative effect for E.nutans and S.superba,the full interaction was negative,suggested that root interaction take more important role on plant growth than that of shoot interaction.The interaction between root and shoot effect varied as a function of species identity and growth phases.The weak correlation of plant interaction intensity to habitat environmental factors suggested that plant ontogenetic characteristics may be primary factors causing temporal variation in plant interaction.