Long-term impacts of land-use change on dynamics of tropical soil carbon and nitrogen pools

Land-use changes, especially the conversion of native forest vegetation to cropland and plantations in tropical region, can alter soil C and N pools and N availability for plant uptake. Deforestation, followed by shifting cultivation and establishment of rubber tree plantation, is a common land-use change in Xishuangbanna, southwest China. However the influence of this kind of land-use change on soil C and N dynamics in this region remains poorly understood. This study was conducted to assess the effects of land-use change on soil C and N pools. Soil samples were collected on five adjacent plots, which belong to three land-use types including secondary forest-an acuminate banana(Musa itinerans) secondary forest and a male bamboo(Dendrocalamus membranaceae) secondary forest, shifting cultivation, and rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis (H.B.K.) Muell. Arg.) plantation(one plot is 3-year-old, and another is 7-year-old). We measured soil bulk density (BD), pH value, moisture content and concentrations of soil organic carbon(SOC), total soil nitrogen(TSN), and inorganic N(NO - 3-N and NH + 4-N ) at 0—3, 3—20, 20—40 and 40—60 cm depths, and calculated C and N pools in 0—20, 20—40, 40—60, and 0—60 cm soil layers. Compared with the adjacent secondary forests, shifting cultivation and establishment of rubber tree plantations resulted in significant decline in concentrations and stocks of SOC and TSN in 0—20 and 0—60 cm soil layers, and increase in pH and bulk density at 0—3, 3—20, and 20—40 cm depths. Soil moisture content decreased only in 0—20 cm surface soils in shifting cultivation and plantations. The dynamics of mineral N was much more complex, which had different trends among depths and ecosystems. Compared with the secondary forests, SOC stocks in 0—20 cm surface soils in shifting cultivation and rubber tree plantations(3-year-old plantation and 7-year-old plantation) decreased by 34.0%, 33%, and 23%; and TSN stocks decreased by 32 2%, 20.4%, and 20.4%, respectively, whereas the decreases of SOC and TSN stocks in 0—60 cm soil layers were much less. The results indicated that C and N losses were mainly occurred in 0—20 cm surface soil, followed by 20—40 cm layer.

Differential Responses of N：P Stoichiometry of Leymus chinensis and Carex korshinskyi to N Additions in a Steppe Ecosystem in Nei Mongol

The typical steppe ecosystems in China are now being increasingly degraded due mainly toovergrazing. To determine the limiting nutrients is of significance in order to find out ways of successfullyrestoring the degraded steppe. In addition to field fertilization experiments, N:P stoichiometry is an alternative,but argumentative tool to study nutrient limitation. In this study, we used these two approaches to identifythe most limiting nutrient element at the species level. Furthermore, nutrient addition experimentprovides an effective means to test our hypothesis that N:P stoichiometry will remain constant becauserelatively narrow range of N:P ratio in tissues of the terrestrial plants is an important adaptive mechanismfor plants to survive on earth. For these purposes, we designed a field experiment to examine theresponses of biomass and N:P stoichiometry of the two dominant species -- Leyrnus chinensis (Trin.)Tzvel. and Carex korshinskyiKom. -- to N fertilization at rates of O, 5, 15, 30, 50 and 80 g NH4NO3.m-2.a-~in two adjacent sites, one being excluded animal grazing for 22 years (site A), and another being free ofgrazing for only two years (site B) before the experiment was carried out. No effects of N fertilization weredetected in the first year as reflected by the aboveground biomass and P concentrations of the twospecies. The regression analysis showed that N:P ratios of two species of both sites remained constant inthe second year. N fertilization significantly increased the N concentrations of two species in both years,while only significantly increased the P contents of the two species in the second year. N and P contentsof the two species were significantly correlated in all cases in 2001. Our results suggest that theL. chinensis was in short of N in site B while the growth of C. korshinskyi was limited by P in site A, andthere is a significant synergistic relationship between tissue N and P concentrations in 2001. Our hypothesiswas valid on the species level since N:P ratio of the two species remained constant with increasing Napplication rates after two years of fertilization. We argue that it may be inappropriate to define an ecosystemwhich is limited by certain nutrient elements since the responses of coexisting species present in acommunity to nutrient additions can vary tremendously.

Soil Phosphorus Dynamics as Influenced by Land Use Changes in Humid Tropical, Southwest China

Land use changes can greatly influence soil phosphorus (P) dynamics, especially when converting native forests to agricultural land. Soils in Xishuangbanna, which is one of southwest China's tropical areas that maintain fragments of primary forests, were studied to a) evaluate the effect of two common land use changes, conversion of forests to agricultural land or rubber tree plantation, on the dynamics of available P and total P in bulk soils as well as total P in particle size fractions; b) assess the relationship between soil P dynamics and soil organic carbon (SOC); and c)elucidate the relationship between soil P content and soil properties such as pH and texture. Clearing secondary forests with subsequent shifting cultivation and establishment of rubber tree plantation caused significant decreases (P ＜ 0.05)in available P at 0-20 cm soil depths, whereas for total P there was a significant decrease (P ＜ 0.05) when converting to shifting cultivation, rubber tree plantation, or fallow field at both 0-20 and 20-40 cm depths. Abandonment of fields used for shifting cultivation led to significant increases (P ＜ 0.05) in available P at 20-40 cm depth. In addition, there was a significant positive relationship between soil organic carbon and soil P content. Compared to secondary forests, the ratio of organic carbon to total P in surface soils (0-20 cm) of shifting cultivation and rubber tree plantation was significantly lower (P ＜ 0.05).

Biogenic VOCs emission inventory development of temperate grassland vegetation in Xilin River Basin, Inner Mongolia, China

Given the key role of biogenic volatile organic compounds(VOCs) to tropospheric chemistry and regional air quality, it is important to generate accurate VOCs emission inventories. However, only a less fraction of plant species, in temperate grassland of Inner Mongolia, has been characterized by quantitative measurements. A taxonomic methodology, which assigns VOCs measurements to unmeasured species, is an applicable and inexpensive alternation for extensive VOCs emission survey, although data are needed for additional plant families and genera to further validate the taxonomic approach in grassland vegetation. In this experiment, VOCs emission rates of 178 plant species were measured with a portable photoionization detector(PID). The results showed the most of genera and some families have consistent feature of their VOCs emission, especially for isoprene, and provide the basic premise of taxonomic methodology to develop VOCs emission inventories for temperate grassland. Then, the taxonomic methodology was introduced into assigning emission rate to other 96 species, which no measured emission rates available here. A systematical emission inventory of temperate grassland vegetation in Inner Mongolia was provided and further evidence that taxonomy relationship can serve as a useful guide for generalizing the emissions behavior of many, but not all, plant families and genera to grassland vegetation.

N Mineralization and Nitrification in a Primary Lithocarpus xylocarpus Forest and Degraded Vegetation in the Ailao Mountain, Yunnan Province

Using the closed-top tube incubation method, we examined the soil nitrogen (N) mineralizationand nitrification in the primary Lithocarpus xylocarpus forest, a secondary oak forest and a tea plantationin the Ailao Mountain, Yunnan Province, China. This study was conducted in the dry season fromNovember 20, 1998 to May 15, 1999. Results showed that there were significant differences among thethree vegetation types in both net N mineralization and nitrification rates, and they also demonstratedtemporal variation. The net ammonification rate (RA) was much higher than net nitrification rate (RN), andthe latter was about 0.5%-10% of the former. Our results indicated that incubation period, vegetation typeand the location of plot all interactively affected RA, RN and net mineralization rate (RM). We providedevidence that anthropogenic disturbances could result in changes of ecosystems processes such as Nmineralization and nitrification rates. It is obvious that tea plantation and secondary growth forest havemore physically (mainly temperature and moisture) controlled N transformation processes than thewell-preserved primary L. xylocarpus forest, implying that the conservation of primary forest ecosystemsin the Ailao Mountain region should be emphasized.

Responses of chlorophyll fluorescence and nitrogen level of Leymus chinensis seedling to changes of soil moisture and temperature

Controlled experiment of Leymus chinensis seedlings grown in the environmental growth chambers at 3 soil moisture levels and 3 temperature levels was conducted in order to improve the understanding how leaf photosynthetic parameters will respond to climatic change. The results indicated that soil drought and high temperature decreased the photochemical efficiency of photosystem(F v/F m), the overall photochemical quantum yield of PSII(yield), the coefficient of photochemical fluorescence quenching(q\-P), but increased the coefficient of non-photochemical fluorescence quenching(q\-N). Severe soil drought would decrease F v/F m and yield by 3.12% and 37.04% under 26℃ condition, respectively, and 6.60% and 73.33% under 32℃ condition, respectively, suggesting that higher temperature may enhance the negative effects of soil drought. All the soil drought treatments resulted in the decline in leaf nitrogen content. There was no significant effect of temperature on leaf nitrogen level, but higher temperature significantly reduced the root nitrogen content and the ratio of root nitrogen to leaf nitrogen, indicating the different strategies of adaptation to soil drought and temperature. It was also implied that higher temperature would enhance the effect of soil drought on leaf photosynthetic capacity, decrease the adaptability of Leymus chinensis to drought.

Compositional Dynamics of Plant Functional Groups and Their Effects on Stability of Community ANPP During 17 yr of Mowing Succession on Leymus chinensis Steppe of Inner Mongolia, China

Using field experimental data of 17 yr of mowing succession of Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel. steppe of Inner Mongolia (Nei Mongol), we analyzed the dynamics of community composition based on plant functional groups (PFGs), explored the relationship between changes of the PFGs proportion in community and the community annual net primary production (ANPP), and examined the influences of structural parameters on functional parameters. Our results showed that during 17 yr of mowing succession, changes in both community structure and function took place. The roles of different PFGs varied appar-ently with mowing succession: the dominance of rhizome grasses was replaced successively by annuals and biennials, tall bunch grasses, and short bunch grasses. Following 17 yr of mowing, the community became codominated by rhizome grasses, tall bunch grass, and short bunch grass. ANPP correlated significantly with annual precipitation in control plot, but not in successive mowing plot. Annual precipita-tion explained more than 62% of the annual variability in ANPP of control plot, whereas annual variation of ANPP in mowing plot was mainly driven by successive mowing disturbance. The community ANPP showed resilience to mowing disturbance and kept relatively stable initially through internal regulation of PFGs, and declined to a lower level with structural changes of the community after about 5 yr, and then again maintained at a stable level through structural regulation. Therefore, in mowing succession the commu-nity structurere presented by PFGs changed gradually while the community function represented by ANPP declined abruptly. The community relied on constantly regulating the structure to maintain the function stability. The community function would degrade after its structure changed to certain degree.

Variations of plant life form diversity along the Northeast China Transect and its direct gradient analysis

Plant life form diversity and its direct gradient analysis on a larger scale climate change gradient were tested, based on the data from Northeast China Transect platform. The results showed that the species numbers, life form richness and life form diversity were relative higher at the eastern forests and the ecotone between typical vegetation, while those on the meadow grasslands and typical steppes were lower. Although plant life forms can reflect the climate variations, life form diversity is not consistent with the major global gradient along the NECT.

Effects of Simulated Grazing Pattern and Nitrogen Supply on Plant Growth in a Semiarid Region of Northern China

Grazing in grassland ecosystems affects plant growth by removing biomass and depositing excretal nutrients. However, grazing is not uniformly distributed in space. The spatial pattern of defoliation and excretion deposition by herbivores across vegetation mosaics has been frequently discussed, but rarely spatially quantified. A 60-day field experiment in a native semiarid grassland community was conducted to examine the responses of plant growth to simulated grazing pattern and varying nitrogen levels.Plants were subjected to five defoliation treatments determined by circularly clipped patches of different size (0, 10, 20, 40, 80cm in radius), and four nitrogen supply levels in soils (0, 5, 10, 20g N/m^2). It was detected that defoliation had reduced primary productivity by 41.5% whereas fertilization had increased it by 57.8%. The negative effect of defoliation was greater in the smallest, fertilized patches. N addition had been found to have altered the effect of defoliation, as plants growing at higher nitrogen levels were more negatively affected by defoliation than plants with no supplementary application of nitrogen. These results indicated that the magnitude of defoliation response for an individual plant was modulated by not only defoliation itself, but also other factors, such as nutrient availability, The increase in the ratio of live to dead plant parts suggested that urine deposition delayed the senescence of plants. The results also showed that (1) the effect of defoliation on primary productivity was affected by the patch size, and (2) nitrogen addition (simulated urine deposition) could increase primary productivity and affect the response to defoliation more obviously in the smaller patches than in the larger ones.

Effects of Temperature and Several Chemicals on Metabolic Changes During Dormancy Release in NJ72 Nectarine

Poor, delayed and ununiform budbreak is a major problem for peaches in greenhouse. To clarify the mechanism of breaking bud dormancy in nectarines, the effect of temperature and three dormancy-breaking agents on metabolic changes during dormancy release in two-year old NJ72 nectarine (Prunus persica L. Batch) was investigated. The result showed temperature and chemicals affected the budbreak and the metabolism of NJ72 nectarine during dormancy. Endogeneous peroxide content in buds increased soon after low temperature treatment. Meanwhile, catalase activity was also shown to increase significantly at low temperature treatment, coincided with increase of the activity of peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. The rate of respiration in flower buds increased at low temperature during dormancy. The rate of the pentose phosphate pathway increased, while the rate of the Embden-Meyerhof pathway decreased and the rate of tricarboxlic acid cycle changed little. Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity increased at low temperature during dormancy. At the same time we found an accumulation of peroxide after treatment with dormancy-breaking chemicals. In flower buds treated with dormancy-breaking agents, thiourea, KNO3 and NH4NO3, catalase activity was inhibited soon after treatment, whereas peroxidase activity increased, and the changes of superoxide dismutase remained little. In this study, it was found that the rates of respiration in flower buds increased by chemicals sprays during dormancy. The activity of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, the key enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), increased by spraying with dormancy-breaking agents, concomitantly with the activation of the pentose phosphate pathway.

Differential Responses to Simulated Precipitation Exhibited by a Typical Shrub and a Herb Coexisted in Hunshandak Sandy Land

To assess the ecophysiological responses and adaptive strategies to rainfall exhibited by different plant functional types, we compared gas exchange, leaf water potential (ψleaf) and PS photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) between Hedysarum fruticosum Pall. (shrub) and Salsola collina Y. L. Chang(herb) under a series of simulated rainfalls. The experiment was conducted in Hunshandak Sandy Land, North China. The values of net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (gs), Fv/Fm and ψleaf always elevated with the increasing amount of simulated rainfall. Whereas water useefficiency (WUE) maintained constant in H. fruticosum while always decreased in S.collina. Both speciesfully recovered their Pn and Fv/Fm 3d after rainfall, while gs and ψleaf recovered only within 2 d. However, the response patterns were obviously different. H.fruticosu promote its physiological traits within 5-15 mm rainfall but no further positive enhancement was noted when rainfall was larger than 15 mm. In S.collina, however, the enhancement continued with more water applied. We inferred that H.fruticosum and S.collina responded similarly to rainfall in time courses but differential to simulated precipitation change. S.collina was likely to be physiologically sensitive to instant increasing soil water, that can be regarded as a prodigal water use type; whilst H.fruticosum was a conservative water user.

Response of photosynthesis, morphology and growth of Hedysarum mongolicum seedlings to simulated precipitation change in Maowusu sandland

Response patters were investigated for seedlings of Hedysarum mongolicum, a dominant shrub in Maowusu sandland, to the simulated precipitation change by artificially controlling water supply at four levels. Plant growth characters, in terms of branch number and length, leaf number and area, and biomass, increased while water supply increased. However, the effect of water supply on leaf photosynthetic rate was not significant. Root/shoot biomass ratio significantly decreased with the increase of water supply, which was considered adaptive distribution of biomass investments in the different water supply. Water supply obviously affected branching patter. Branch section number, branch number and length of the same section enhanced as water supply increased. Branch number and length were clearly positive correlation with total and aboveground biomass in four water supply treatments. Branch character fully showed plant growth.

Adopting an ecological view of metropolitan landscape: the case of “three circles" system for ecological construction and restoration in Beijing area

Ecological construction and restoration for sustainable development are now a driving paradigm. It is increasingly recognized that ecological principles, especially landscape ecology theory, are not only necessary but also essential to maintain the long-term sustainability worldwide. Key landscape ecology principles—element, structure and process, dynamics, heterogeneity, hierarchies, connectivity, place and time were reviewed, and use Beijing area as a case study to illustrate how these principles might be applied to ecological construction and restoration, to eventually achieve sustainability. An example to more effectively incorporate the ecological principles in sustainable planning in China was presented.

Impacts of Overgrazing and Reclamation on Soil Resources in Rangeland Ecosystems in Huailai Basin, Hebei, China

The soil constituents and relations between the variation of soil resources and plant communities in three adjacent sites representing the overgrazing, reclamation and comparatively undisturbed communities respectively were quantified and examined in study area in Huailai Basin, Hebei Province, China. There have been significantly greater constituent of C, N, P in the soils of shrubland site. Corg, Ntotal, Navail and Pavail were between 1.18 and 3.90 times more concentrated in the soils of shrubland site in comparison with the other two sites. Although the Ptotal concentration was lower in shrubland soils than in overgrazed rangeland soils, the Pavail concentration, however, was significantly greater in the soils of shrubland site, and increased by 59.1% and even 289.6% in the soils of shrubland site comparing to those in the soils of range-land and millet field sites. Among the three sites, CV exceeding 40% were found for SO4, Cl, and F ion. The CV of organic carbon also exceeded 40% but only in the soils of millet field site. The highest CV were found for F, SO4 ion in the soils of shrubland and overgrazed rangeland sites, while for Cl and SO4 ion in those of millet field site. The results also showed that the introductions of shrubs are of vital importance for the accumulation of soil nutrients and maintenance of soil fertilities, and also for the restoration and reconstruction of desertified ecosystems.

Plateau Marsh Methane Oxidation as affected by Inorganic N

In a series of laboratory incubations using soils of two contrasting sites from a temperate marsh on the QinghaiTibet Plateau,potential methane (CH4) oxidation rates were measured to study the effects of inorganic N inputs on CH4 oxidation. For a drained site,subsurface peat (5-15 cm) at an initial 20 μL CH4 L-1 showed a significantly different (P＜0.05) CH4 oxidation rate compared to other soil depths,with a maximal rate of 20.9 ng CH4 gDW (dry weight)-1h-1; the underlying mineral soil layers (15-30 and 30-50 cm) also had a strong CH4 oxidation capacity at about an initial 2000 μL CH4 L-1. With a waterlogged site,the CH4 oxidation rate in an aerobic incubation was significantly greater (P＜0.05) in the surface soil layer (0-5cm) compared to the 15-30 and 30-50 cm depths. There was generally no or a very weak effect from addition of NO3- on CH4 oxidation. In marked contrast,NH4+ salts,such as (NH4)2SO4,NH4C1 and NH4NO3,exhibited strong inhibitions,which varied as a function of the added salts and the initial CH4 level. Increasing NH4+ usually resulted in greater inhibition and increasing initial CH4 concentrations resulted in less. NH4+ inhibition on CH4 oxidation in natural high-altitude,low-latitude wetlands could be as important as has been reported for agricultural and forest soils. The NH4+ effects on the CH4 oxidation rate need to be further investigated in a wide range of natural wetland soil types.

A new mechanism of invader success: Exotic plant inhibits natural vegetation restoration by changing soil microbe com-munity

Since the 1950s of the last century, the exotic plant, Eupatorium adenophorum, has spread rapidly across southwest China, damaging native ecosystems and causing great economic losses. We examined the pH, N, P, K, and organic matter concentrations, and the bacterial community character (by Biolog EcoPlateTM) in soils from sites heavily and lightly invaded by this exotic species. Also, soil from the lightly invaded site was treated with a water extract of E. adenophorum roots to examine the effect of the plant on soil properties. We grew three plant species, one native and two exotic, in pot experiment using soil from heavily invaded site to examine the effects of the soil on these plants growth. The soil analysis demonstrated that the pH, organic matter, total N, total P and total K in soils from the heavily invaded site were only slightly different from those of the lightly invaded site, but concentrations of NH4+, NO?3 and available P and K in the heavily invaded site were greater than those in the lightly invaded site. The catabolic activity of soil bacterial community in the heavily invaded site was different from that in the lightly invaded site. The catabolic activity of bac- terial community in soils treated by the water extract of E. adenophorum roots changed and became similar to that in soils from the heavily invaded site. The pot experiment showed that the exotic plants growth in heavily invaded soil were not different from in lightly invaded soil; however, the native plant biomass decreased dramatically when grown in soil from the heavily invaded site as compared to soil from the lightly invaded site; and the same phenomenon was found when any potential allelopathic effects by E. adeno- phorum were eliminated by added activated carbon to those soils. Difference in soil nutrient availability and allelopathy could not explain this phenomenon of the native plant in the soils from the heavily and lightly invaded sites. Changes ob- served in the soil bacterial community were obviously related to native plant growth in those tow soils. Those results sug- gest that changing soil microbial community may be an im- portant part of E. adenophorum invasion process. Since the soil microbial community serves as bridge in connection of exotic and natural plants, the exotic plant could inhibit the natural plant growth and reproduction by changing the soil microbial community in invaded site.

Loss of Genetic Diversity of Domesticated Panax notoginseng F H Chen as Evidenced by ITS Sequence and AFLP Polymorphism： A Comparative Study with P. stipuleanatus H T Tsai et K M Feng

In the present study, we evaluated the genetic diversity of Panax notoginseng F H Chen, a domesticated species, and P. stipuleanatus H T Tsai et K M Feng, an endangered wild species in southeastern Yunnan and adjacent areas in Vietnam, using sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Twenty-four accessions from three plantations of P. notoginseng and 51 samples from eight populations of P. stipuleanatus were assayed. A total of 694 bp of partial sequences of 18S, ITS 1, 5.8S, ITS2, and partial sequences of 26S were obtained. No sequence variation was detected within P. notoginseng and nine sites (1.30%) were variable in P. stipuleanatus. Two-thirds of the variable sites were found between Langqiao and other populations. In P. notoginseng, four pairs of AFLP primer combinations generated 312 bands, of which 240 (76.9%) were polymorphic and 60.15% of the polymorphisms were harbored within plantations. Approximately 41.0% and 66.9% of bands were polymorphic in population D7 and 5589, respectively. In P.stipuleanatus, the same four primer combinations produced 346 bands, of which 334 (96.5%) were polymorphic and approximately 62.14% of polymorphisms were maintained within populations. Considerable variations were observed. The percentage of polymorphic bands ranged from 50.2% to 84.9% and the average over populations was 70.9%. Cluster analysis did not show correlation of genetic differentiation with the distinctive leaf morphology of P. stipuleanatus (i.e. one form with bipinnatifid leaflets and the other with undivided leaflets). Because over 40% of genetic variations were maintained among populations and because of the very restricted distribution of P. stipuleanatus, all natural populations of this species should be conserved in situ. Considering that there are variations in P. notoginseng within and among plantations, we suggest establishing a genetic resource conservation garden or reintroducing P. notoginseng into its native habitats in southwestern China. Such reintroduction should be carefully executed after large-scale screening of genetic variation within the species.

GMOs:The new hotspot in ecological research

Gene flow is an important ecological and genetic process, and the fitness conferred by the insertion of a foreign gene could be important in ecology after it becomes introgressed into the wild genetic background of organisms, which is the determinative factor for the fate of GMOs or foreign genes in natural ecosystem and for the competition with native species. Trophic interrelation fulfilled by food chains is the most important correlation between species in ecosystem and could be affected by the modified genotypes after the introduction of GMOs. The technology enabling the precise manipulation of genotype is a great opportunity for the study of ecological genetics in an unknown way prior to the biotechnology era. Especially interesting is the impact of genes on ecosystem function when GMOs are released into environment. A variety of ecological terminology has been frequently used in assessment of ecological risks related to the release of GMOs in environment, e.g. gene flow, fitness, interspecific competition and food chain. The value of GMOs in ecological research is illustrated through several examples in biosafety assessment related to those terms here. It is proposed that ecologists should pay attention to the study of gene function in ecosystem and take the opportunity to enrich ecological theory with the release of GMOs.

Where Is the Site of the “Oxygen Burst” Located During Light Induction in Dark-Adapted Leaves？ A Study Using Photoacoustic Techniques

The “oxygen burst” phenomenon that appeared during the light-induction period of intact leaves could be monitored using a photoacoustic technique high time resolution. The relationship between oxygen bursts and dark-adapted time, far-red light pretreatment, photothermal signal, and chlorophyll a (Chl a) fluorescence kinetics were investigated in the present study. Using extraneous inhibitors or cofactors of electron transport, a modified vacuum-infiltration method was undertaken to locate directly the site at which oxygen bursts of intact leaves occurred. We found that the photothermal signal showed little evidence of oscillation during the light-induction period. The oxygen burst was resolved into two components if dark-adapted time lasted longer than 20 min. Methyl viologen (MV) or far-red light could not eliminate the first component, whereas formate-Na (pH 7.0,20 μmol/L) eliminated the first component but had no effect on the second one. Furthermore, the photochemical quenching, the electron transport rate of Chl a fluorescence, and the first component of the oxygen bursts approached lowest values simultaneously. This evidence indicates that the site at which the first component of oxygen bursts occurred was located between photo-system (PS)I and PSII (i.e. the PQ pool). The formate-Na experiment also showed a linkage between the first component and the S state of oxygen evolution at the donor side of PSII. Furthermore, elimination of the second component by far-red light and absorption of the second component by MV indicated that the site at which the second component of oxygen bursts may be located at the acceptor side of PSII.