Aims Recent studies have shown that alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau act as significant CO_(2)sinks.On the plateau,alpine shrub meadow is one of typical grassland ecosystems.The major alpine shrub on the ...Aims Recent studies have shown that alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau act as significant CO_(2)sinks.On the plateau,alpine shrub meadow is one of typical grassland ecosystems.The major alpine shrub on the plateau is Potentilla fruticosa L.(Rosaceae),which is distributed widely from 3200 to 4000 m.Shrub species play an important role on carbon sequestration in grassland ecosystems.In addition,alpine shrubs are sensitive to climate change such as global warming.Considering global warming,the biomass and productivity of P.fruticosa will increase on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.Thus,understanding the carbon dynamics in alpine shrub meadow and the role of shrubs around the upper distribution limit at present is essential to predict the change in carbon sequestration on the plateau.However,the role of shrubs on the carbon dynamics in alpine shrub meadow remains unclear.The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the magnitude of CO_(2)exchange of P.fruticosa shrub patches around the upper distribution limit and to elucidate the role of P.fruticosa on ecosystem CO_(2)fluxes in an alpine meadow.Methods We used the static acrylic chamber technique to measure and estimate the net ecosystem productivity(NEP),ecosystem respiration(Re),and gross primary productivity(GPP)of P.fruticosa shrub patches at three elevations around the species’upper distribution limit.Ecosystem CO_(2)fluxes and environmental factors were measured from 17 to 20 July 2008 at 3400,3600,and 3800 m a.s.l.We examined the maximum GPP at infinite light(GPPmax)and maximum Re(Remax)during the experimental time at each elevation in relation to aboveground biomass and environmental factors,including air and soil temperature,and soil water content.Important Findings Patches of P.fruticosa around the species’upper distribution limit absorbed CO_(2),at least during the daytime.Maximum NEP at infinite light(NEPmax)and GPPmax of shrub patches in the alpine meadow varied among the three elevations,with the highest values at 3400 m and the lowest at 3800 m.GPPmax was positively correlated with the green biomass of P.fruticosa more strongly than with total green biomass,suggesting that P.fruticosa is the major contributor to CO_(2)uptake in the alpine shrub meadow.Air temperature influenced the potential GPPat the shrub-patch scale.Remax was correlated with aboveground biomass and Remax normalized by aboveground biomass was influenced by soil water content.Potentilla fruticosa height(biomass)and frequency increased clearly as elevation decreased,which promotes the large-scale spatial variation of carbon uptake and the strength of the carbon sink at lower elevations.展开更多
Shrub patches often support the colonizers particularly under stressful and/or disturbed environments.The intensities of stresses and disturbances on mountains are often related to an elevation gradient and are decrea...Shrub patches often support the colonizers particularly under stressful and/or disturbed environments.The intensities of stresses and disturbances on mountains are often related to an elevation gradient and are decreased by shrub patches(canopy and litter).We aim to clarify these relationships by using shrub patches at different elevations on a volcano.We monitored all shoots in plots established inside and outside of patches of Salix reinii(Salicaceae)and their related environments,such as temperature,light,moisture and chemistry,at three elevations on Mount Koma(1131 m a.s.l.),northern Japan,from early spring in 2005 to summer in 2006.The patch structures were evaluated by area,branch density and litter thickness.The structures of shrub patches did not differ among the elevations.The patches increased the diversity of rare species,by an overall increase in plant species richness.The moisture,nitrogen and phosphate contents in the patches were higher than outside of patches.The effects of shrub patches on the cohabitants were overall positive,although the effects were negative on seedling abundance,shoot survival and flowering.These results suggest that the growth patterns of shrub patches determine the plant community structures and facilitate plant diversity.展开更多
基金JSPS-KOSEF-NSFC A3 Foresight Program(Quantifying and Predicting Terrestrial Carbon Sinks in East Asia:Toward a Network of Climate Change Research).
文摘Aims Recent studies have shown that alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau act as significant CO_(2)sinks.On the plateau,alpine shrub meadow is one of typical grassland ecosystems.The major alpine shrub on the plateau is Potentilla fruticosa L.(Rosaceae),which is distributed widely from 3200 to 4000 m.Shrub species play an important role on carbon sequestration in grassland ecosystems.In addition,alpine shrubs are sensitive to climate change such as global warming.Considering global warming,the biomass and productivity of P.fruticosa will increase on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.Thus,understanding the carbon dynamics in alpine shrub meadow and the role of shrubs around the upper distribution limit at present is essential to predict the change in carbon sequestration on the plateau.However,the role of shrubs on the carbon dynamics in alpine shrub meadow remains unclear.The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the magnitude of CO_(2)exchange of P.fruticosa shrub patches around the upper distribution limit and to elucidate the role of P.fruticosa on ecosystem CO_(2)fluxes in an alpine meadow.Methods We used the static acrylic chamber technique to measure and estimate the net ecosystem productivity(NEP),ecosystem respiration(Re),and gross primary productivity(GPP)of P.fruticosa shrub patches at three elevations around the species’upper distribution limit.Ecosystem CO_(2)fluxes and environmental factors were measured from 17 to 20 July 2008 at 3400,3600,and 3800 m a.s.l.We examined the maximum GPP at infinite light(GPPmax)and maximum Re(Remax)during the experimental time at each elevation in relation to aboveground biomass and environmental factors,including air and soil temperature,and soil water content.Important Findings Patches of P.fruticosa around the species’upper distribution limit absorbed CO_(2),at least during the daytime.Maximum NEP at infinite light(NEPmax)and GPPmax of shrub patches in the alpine meadow varied among the three elevations,with the highest values at 3400 m and the lowest at 3800 m.GPPmax was positively correlated with the green biomass of P.fruticosa more strongly than with total green biomass,suggesting that P.fruticosa is the major contributor to CO_(2)uptake in the alpine shrub meadow.Air temperature influenced the potential GPPat the shrub-patch scale.Remax was correlated with aboveground biomass and Remax normalized by aboveground biomass was influenced by soil water content.Potentilla fruticosa height(biomass)and frequency increased clearly as elevation decreased,which promotes the large-scale spatial variation of carbon uptake and the strength of the carbon sink at lower elevations.
基金supported in part by Ministry of Education,Culture,Sports,Science and Technology of Japan and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
文摘Shrub patches often support the colonizers particularly under stressful and/or disturbed environments.The intensities of stresses and disturbances on mountains are often related to an elevation gradient and are decreased by shrub patches(canopy and litter).We aim to clarify these relationships by using shrub patches at different elevations on a volcano.We monitored all shoots in plots established inside and outside of patches of Salix reinii(Salicaceae)and their related environments,such as temperature,light,moisture and chemistry,at three elevations on Mount Koma(1131 m a.s.l.),northern Japan,from early spring in 2005 to summer in 2006.The patch structures were evaluated by area,branch density and litter thickness.The structures of shrub patches did not differ among the elevations.The patches increased the diversity of rare species,by an overall increase in plant species richness.The moisture,nitrogen and phosphate contents in the patches were higher than outside of patches.The effects of shrub patches on the cohabitants were overall positive,although the effects were negative on seedling abundance,shoot survival and flowering.These results suggest that the growth patterns of shrub patches determine the plant community structures and facilitate plant diversity.
