Wyniki wyszukiwania - Biblioteka Nauki

1

ESR geochronology of the Minjiang River terraces at Wenchuan, eastern margin of Tibetan Plateau, China

100%

Liu C.-R. , Yin G.-M. , Zhang H.-P. , Zheng W.-J. , Voinchet P. , Han F. , Wang D. , Song W.-J. , Bahain J.-J.

Geochronometria

|

2013

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tom Vol. 40, no. 4

360--367

EN

The Minjiang River terrace along the Longmen Shan fault zone near Wenchuan, at the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, China, provides archives for tectonic activity and quaternary climate change. However, previous studies were not able to provide ages older than 100 ka due to the limitations of dating material or/and methods applied to date the fluvial sediments. In this study, we used the ESR signal of the Ti-Li center in quartz to obtain the ages of four higher terraces (T3-T6). According to the results, the terraces T3 to T6 were formed at 64±19 ka, 101±15 ka, 153±33 ka, and 423±115 ka, respectively. Combined with previous studies, these results indicate that the formations of all terraces correspond to glacial/interglacial transition periods, such as, T1-T5 being correlated to MIS2/1, MIS4/3, MIS5d/5c, and MIS6/5e respectively, while T6 probably to MIS12/11. According to these data, it is found that the average incision rate was significantly higher over the last 150 ka than that previous 100 ka (250 to 150 ka). As both tectonics and climate have affected the formation of these terraces, in addition to the overall uplifting of Tibetan Plateau, the regional uplift due to isostasy would be an additional tectonic factor in the formation of river terraces in the eastern margin of Ti-betan plateau.

2

Partitioning sources of ecosystem and soil respiration in an Alpine meadow of Tibet Plateau using regression method

86%

Fu G. , Zhang X.-Z. , Zhou Y.-T. , Yu C.-Q. , Shen Z.-X.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2014

|

tom 62

|

nr 1

EN

Partitioning sources of ecosystem and soil respiration (Reco and Rs) is important for understanding how climate change affects carbon cycling. Plant and microbial biomass analyses and daytime measurements of Reco and Rs were performed for 25 plots in an alpine meadow at elevation 4313 m on the Tibetan Plateau. Plant and microbial biomass were determined by harvesting method and the chloroform fumigation-extraction method, respectively. Respiration fluxes were measured by an automated CO2 flux system (LI-8100, LI-COR Biosciences, Lincoln, NE, USA). Soil respiration can be estimated by a linear or exponential relationship between Reco and aboveground plant biomass (AGB). Microbial respiration (Rm) can be estimated by a linear or exponential relationship between Rs and belowground plant biomass (BGB) or by a multiple relationship between Reco and AGB and BGB. Soil respiration (or Rm) is respiration flux when AGB (or BGB) is extrapolated to zero for the linear and exponential regression methods. Similarly, Rm is respiration flux when both AGB and BGB are zero for the multiple regression method. Our findings suggest that the exponential regression method to partition sources of Reco and Rs may be more appropriate compared to other methods for this alpine meadow of Tibet.

3

The soil drying along the increase of warming masks the relation between temperature and soil respiration in an Alpine meadow of Northern Tibet

86%

Shen Z.-X. , Wang J.-W. , Sun W. , Li S.-W. , Fu G. , Zhang X.-Z. , Zhang Y.-J. , Yu C.-Q. , Shi P.-L. , He Y.-T.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2016

|

tom 64

|

nr 1

EN

A warming experiment with two magnitudes was performed in an alpine meadow of Northern Tibet since late June, 2013. Open top chambers (OTCs) with two top diameters (0.60 m and 1.00 m) were used to increase soil temperature. Soil respiration (Rs) was measured during the growing season in 2013–2014. The OTCs with top diameters of 1.00 m and 0.60 m increased soil temperature by 1.30 and 3.10oC, respectively, during the whole study period, but decreased soil moisture by 0.02 and 0.05 m³ m⁻³, respectively. However, the two patters of OTCs did not affect Rs. These results implied that a higher warming did not result in a higher Rs but a greater soil drying. Therefore, a higher warming may not cause a higher soil respiration, which was most likely due to the fact that a higher warming may result in a greater soil drying.

4

Different patterns of changes in foliar carbon isotope composition along altitude

86%

He Z. , Zhan S. , Wang W. , Hu L. , Wu S.

Polish Journal of Ecology

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2017

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tom 65

|

nr 2

EN

Three types of alpine plant species,Carex montis-everestii,Quercus aquifolioidesandStipa capillacea, along an altitudinal gradient of 3005–5025 m on the Tibetan Plateau, were chosen to test the generality of the hypothesis that foliar carbon isotope composition (δ¹³C) of C3 plants increases significantly with altitude and to determine climate drivers shaping its altitudinal pattern. Temperature and relative humidity showed significantly negative correlations with altitude; however, precipitation and soil water potential remained unchanged with altitude. Foliar δ¹³C of C. montis-everestii,Q. aquifolioides,S. capillaceaalone or combined together did not significantly increase with altitude, which does not support the leading hypothesis of increased foliar δ¹³C with altitude. There was no difference in foliar δ¹³C among all three species. Multi-factor correlation analyses showed that temperature, precipitation and relative humidity alone did not affect foliar δ¹³C ofC. montis-everestiiandS. capillacea, but conferred significant effects on foliar δ¹³C of Q. aquifolioides.

5

Water Storage Changes over the Tibetan Plateau Revealed by GRACE Mission

72%

Guo J. , Mu D. , Liu X. , Yan H. , Sun Z. , Guo B.

Acta Geophysica

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2016

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tom Vol. 64, no. 2

463--476

EN

We use GRACE gravity data released by the Center for Space Research (CSR) and the Groupe de Recherches en Geodesie Spatiale (GRGS) to detect the water storage changes over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). A combined filter strategy is put forward to process CSR RL05 data to remove the effect of striping errors. After the correction for GRACE by GLDAS and ICE-5G, we find that TP has been overall experiencing the water storage increase during 2003-2012. During the same time, the glacier over the Himalayas was sharply retreating. Interms of linear trends, CSR’s results derived by the combined filter are close to GRGS RL03 with the Gaussian filter of 300-km window. The water storage increasing rates determined from CSR’s RL05 products in the interior TP, Karakoram Mountain, Qaidam Basin, Hengduan Mountain, and middle Himalayas are 9.7, 6.2, 9.1, –18.6, and –20.2 mm/yr, respectively. These rates from GRGS’s RL03 products are 8.6, 5.8, 10.5, –19.3 and –21.4 mm/yr, respectively.

6

Nutrient resorption and use efficiency at different canopy heights of Alpine tree species Abies georgei var. smithii [Viguie et Gaussen] Cheng, Tibetan Plateau

72%

Li M. , Liu D. , Kong G.

|

nr 1

63-72

EN

Nutrients may be mobilized from senescing leaves and transported to other plant tissues, enabling plants to conserve them and reuse. Nitrogen and phosphorus are two dominant nutrients related to photosynthetic capacity and limiting plant growth. In this study, we examined the effect of canopy height on nutrient use by analyzing N and P concentrations of green and senescent leaves collected from different canopy heights of Abies georgei var. smithii (Viguie et Gaussen) Cheng growing at the alpine timberline in Sergyemla Mt. (4 350 m a.s.l), southeastern Tibetan Plateau. The results showed that N and P concentrations per unit needle mass decreased significantly with needle age, but no significant difference was found among upper, middle and lower canopy. However, area-based N and P concentrations increased with the height of canopy. The leaf level nutrient resorption and use efficiency varied in the order: upper canopy> middle canopy >lower canopy for both N and P. The higher nutrient resorption efficiency had significant relationship with leaf level nutrient use efficiency, that is, higher leaf level nutrient use efficiency was partly due to the high resorption from senescent needles. Additionally, the higher nutrient resorption was related to high current nutrient concentration. Vertical variations of leaf level nutrient use efficiency in this study reflected the strategy of alpine trees to respond to imbalance between light availability and soil nutrients.

7

Winter methane emission from an Alpine open fen on Tibetan Plateau

72%

Zhu D. , Chen H. , Wu N. , Wang Y. , Luo P.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2011

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tom 59

|

nr 1

EN

Methane (CH4) emission was measured from an open fen on the Zoige Plateau (3500 m a.s.l.) (the eastern edge of the Qinghai- Tibetan Plateau) during two winters of 2006 and 2007. Three dominant plant stands, including Carex muliensis Hand-Mazz. (CM), Eleocharis valleculosa Ohwif. setosa (Ohwi) Kitagawa.(EV) and Kobresia tibetica Maxim (KT) were chosen to be monitored. Winter CH4 emissions were roughly estimated to be 0.94 mg CH4 m–2 h–1. High spatialtemporal variations of the emission were found in this fen (the sequence of CM> EV> KT; 0.63 and 1.24 mg CH4 m–2 h–1 for 2006 and 2007, respectively). Factors involved in the spatial-temporal variation were: 1) water table in summer determining the winter amount of “old” CH4 stored in peat; 2) ice layer determining the release of CH4; 3) plant growth determining both the quantity of CH4 stored in peat and available substrates for CH4 production in winter. However, due to the homogeneity of freezing in winters, predictive factors such as plant growth and water table in summer could contribute more to winter CH4 emission than in situ freezing conditions. Considering that plant growth and water table are also the key factors controlling the spatial-temporal variation of CH4 emission in summer, we therefore suggested that winter CH4 emission represents the “inertia” of summer CH4 emission.

8

Effects of snowpack and litter decomposition on nitrogen dynamics in soil of the Alpine zone of the Eastern Tibetan Plateau

72%

Hu X. , Wu Y. , Wang Q. , Liu L. , Zuo W.-Q. , Shi F.-S. , Wu N.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2013

|

tom 61

|

nr 2

EN

Microbes remain active and play an important role in soil nitrogen (N) cycle during the winter in soil of the alpine zone. A shift from microbial N immobilization process dominant during summer to prevailing microbial mineralization process during the winter is observed. Warmer soil under deep snow cover may increase the microbial activity and rate of organic matter decomposition over the winter. Furthermore, severe shortages of dissolved carbon (C) in the winter may cause microbial mortality and lyses. Thus, C limitation on microbial growth and activity may have an important effect on winter N mineralization and even on soil N pools. However, the combined effects of additional organic C (litter inputs) and snow cover on soil N biogeochemical processes in the Tibetan Plateau remain unclear. In the current study, the in situ effects of snowpack and litter decomposition on N dynamics in the alpine zone of the Eastern Tibetan Plateau were investigated. Intact soil core incubations in three different snow regimes (0, 30 and 100 cm depth snow) in the winter were used to solve the problem by measure concentrations of mineral form of soil N. In addition, the litter bag method was used to analyze the litter decomposition over the winter. Our results indicate that the snow cover reduced the ammonium (NH₄⁺-N) content, accelerate N mineralization in soil, and did not significantly change the dissolvable organic nitrogen (DON) and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN). Meanwhile, snowpack increased the litter N content and accelerated litter decomposition in late winter. Litter addition reduced the MBN and NH₄⁺ -N contents in soil, but increased the nitrate (NO₃⁻ -N) content and net N mineralization, suggesting that N availability to plants during the spring thaw period may be enhanced.

9

Response of alpine plant community to simulated climate change: two-year results of reciprocal translocation experiment (Tibetan Plateau)

72%

Zhang F.-W. , Li Y.-N. , Cao G.-M. , Wang S.-P. , Zhao X.-Q. , Du M.-Y. , Wang Q.-X.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2011

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tom 59

|

nr 4

EN

The great sensitivity of the response of alpine plant community to climate change makes the identification of these responses important. In 2007, we conducted a reciprocal translocation experiment on 100 × 100 × 40 cm coherent turf and soil along an elevation gradient of 3200–3800 m on the south slope of Qilian Mountains northeast of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The aim was to understand the warming/cooling effects on the alpine ecosystem where treatments were simulated by donor elevations below/above receptors. Translocated vegetation comprised the Kobresia meadow at 3200 m, deciduous shrub meadow at 3400 m, forbs meadow at 3600 m, and sparse vegetation at 3800 m. The 5 × 5 cm grid method (50 × 50 cm, 100 grids) was used for surveying plant species absolute abundance in translocated quadrats. Results showed that species richness and Shannon-Weaver index of Kobresia meadow increased significantly (P <0.05) when translocated to 3400 m. Shannon-Weaver index of shrub meadow declined, while shrub species abundance responded slightly both to warming and cooling treatments. Both species richness and Shannon-Weaver index of forbs meadow and sparse vegetation were enhanced evidently at 3200 m and 3400 m. Four groups were identified by non-metric multidimensional scaling based on receptor elevation. Responses of the alpine plant community and the function group appeared to be specific to climate magnitude and specific to function type, respectively. Correlation indicated that climatic factors played a much more important role than soil in the response of the alpine plant community. Four vegetation types were sensitive to climate change, while Kobresia meadow behaved flexibly. Global warming would depress sedges but favor legumes and graminoids.

10

Role of seed bank in establishment of single and mixed-sowing artificial grasslands of Tibetan Plateau

72%

Ma Z. , Zhang C. , Zhou H.-K. , Yao B.-Q. , Zhao X.-Q.

Polish Journal of Ecology

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2017

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tom 65

|

nr 4

EN

Artificial grassland establishment is one of the fastest and most effective ways to restore the productivity of degraded grasslands. Little is known about the effect of different types of artificial grassland establishment (i.e., single- and mixed-sowing grassland establishment with perennial grasses) on soil seed bank in degraded grassland ecosystems. Single-sowing population of a high yield species usually has a great standing biomass causing shading that may inhibit germination of seeds in soil seed bank. Thus, we hypothesized that there is higher species richness and seed density in the soil seed bank of single-sowing than mixed-sowing grasslands. Here, we investigated the soil seed bank in four-year old single-sowing and mixed-sowing and control (degraded) grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. We found that the autumn seed bank of mixed-sowing grasslands had lower species richness and seed density than single-sowing grasslands, while the summer soil seed bank (persistent seed bank) showed little differences. There were differences in biomass among the three grasslands (single-sowing > mixed-sowing > control), but there was no differences in species richness of vegetation. In sum, our results of the autumn seed bank support our hypothesis. Greater above-ground biomass in single-sowing grasslands could generally cause low light availability preventing seeds in soil from germinating and support more seed output, which both may indirectly or directly result in the relatively higher species richness and seed density in the soil seed bank. Our results also suggest that artificial grasslands usually returning to native grasslands in terms of production and species composition after several years is likely due to stability of the persistent soil seed bank.

11

Impacts of vegetation type on soil phosphorus availability and fractions near the alpine timberline of the Tibetan Plateau

72%

Zhang L. , Wu Y. , Wu N. , Luo P. , Liu L. , Hu H.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2011

|

tom Vol. 59, nr 2

307-316

EN

Soil phosphorus (P) availability and fractions are influenced to a large extent by land use and cover changes. Inorganic P (IP) and organic P (OP) fractions in surface soils (0-20 cm) under typical vegetation types, including subalpine coniferous forests, alpine shrubs, and alpine shrub-meadows, near the alpine timberline of the eastern Tibetan Plateau of China, were measured by a modified Hedley fraction method. The results showed that OP is the dominant soil P fraction and the main source of available P in alpine soils near the timberline. Soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total P contents were higher in subalpine coniferous forests than in alpine shrubs and alpine shrub-meadows. Concentrations of soil labile P (the sums of Resin-IP, NaHCO3-IP, and NaHCO3-OP) were higher in subalpine coniferous forests than in alpine shrubs and alpine shrub-meadows, an observation that may be partially ascribed to the presence of deep litter layers generated by trees. Concentrations of soil labile and moderately organic P (NaHCO3-OP and NaOH-OP) in subalpine coniferous forests were also greater than in alpine shrubs and alpine shrub-meadows. Greater amounts of soil stable OP (extracted by concentrated HCl and cHCl.OP) were accumulated in alpine shrub-meadows compared to alpine shrubs or subalpine coniferous forests. The reduced availability of OP may be attributed mainly to increasing recalcitrant soil organic matter input in alpine shrub-meadows and alpine shrubs. Concentrations of IP associated with Ca minerals and parent materials (extracted by diluted HCl and HCl-IP, and extracted by concentrated HCl and cHCl-IP, respectively) were lower in subalpine coniferous forests, indicating that coniferous forests are more likely to use recalcitrant IP than alpine shrubs and alpine shrub-meadows. In this alpine region, land cover changes from subalpine coniferous forests to alpine shrubs and alpine shrub-meadows near the alpine timberline could decrease soil P conservation, availability, and supplementation.

12

Partitioning sources of ecosystem and soil respiration in an alpine meadow of Tibet Plateau using regression method

72%

Fu G. , Zhang X.-Z. , Zhou Y.-T. , Yu C.-Q. , Shen Z.-X.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2014

|

tom Vol. 62, nr 1

17--24

EN

Partitioning sources of ecosystem and soil respiration (Reco and Rs) is important for understanding how climate change affects carbon cycling. Plant and microbial biomass analyses and daytime measurements of Reco and Rs were performed for 25 plots in an alpine meadow at elevation 4313 m on the Tibetan Plateau. Plant and microbial biomass were determined by harvesting method and the chloroform fumigation-extraction method, respectively. Respiration fluxes were measured by an automated CO2 flux system (LI-8100, LI-COR Biosciences, Lincoln, NE, USA). Soil respiration can be estimated by a linear or exponential relationship between Reco and aboveground plant biomass (AGB). Microbial respiration (Rm) can be estimated by a linear or exponential relationship between Rs and belowground plant biomass (BGB) or by a multiple relationship between Reco and AGB and BGB. Soil respiration (or Rm) is respiration flux when AGB (or BGB) is extrapolated to zero for the linear and exponential regression methods. Similarly, Rm is respiration flux when both AGB and BGB are zero for the multiple regression method. Our findings suggest that the exponential regression method to partition sources of Reco and Rs may be more appropriate compared to other methods for this alpine meadow of Tibet.

13

Effects of snowpack and litter decomposition on nitrogen dynamics in soil of the alpine zone of the Eastern Tibetan Plateau

72%

Hu X. , Wu Y. , Wang Q. , Liu L. , Zuo W.-Q. , Shi F.-S. , Wu N.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2013

|

tom Vol. 61, nr 2

297--304

EN

Microbes remain active and play an important role in soil nitrogen (N) cycle during the winter in soil of the alpine zone. A shift from microbial N immobilization process dominant during summer to prevailing microbial mineralization process during the winter is observed. Warmer soil under deep snow cover may increase the microbial activity and rate of organic matter decomposition over the winter. Furthermore, severe shortages of dissolved carbon (C) in the winter may cause microbial mortality and lyses. Thus, C limitation on microbial growth and activity may have an important effect on winter N mineralization and even on soil N pools. However, the combined effects of additional organic C (litter inputs) and snow cover on soil N biogeochemical processes in the Tibetan Plateau remain unclear. In the current study, the in situ effects of snowpack and litter decomposition on N dynamics in the alpine zone of the Eastern Tibetan Plateau were investigated. Intact soil core incubations in three different snow regimes (0, 30 and 100 cm depth snow) in the winter were used to solve the problem by measure concentrations of mineral form of soil N. In addition, the litter bag method was used to analyze the litter decomposition over the winter. Our results indicate that the snow cover reduced the ammonium (NH4+-N) content, accelerate N mineralization in soil, and did not significantly change the dissolvable organic nitrogen (DON) and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN). Meanwhile, snowpack increased the litter N content and accelerated litter decomposition in late winter. Litter addition reduced the MBN and NH4+-N contents in soil, but increased the nitrate (NO3--N) content and net N mineralization, suggesting that N availability to plants during the spring thaw period may be enhanced.

14

Biomass and nitrogen responses to grazing intensity in an alpine meadow on the eastern Tibetan Plateau

72%

Gao Y.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2007

|

tom Vol. 55, nr 3

469-479

EN

This study was conducted to examine the seasonal dynamics of biomass and plant nitrogen (N) content under three grazing intensities (light grazing - LG: 1.2, moderate grazing - MG: 2.0, and heavy grazing - HG: 2.9 yaks ha[^-1]) in representative alpine meadow on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Differentiation in grazing intensity in the study area started since 1997 and has continued to the present time. Plant samples were collected in the middle of June, August and September. The highest aboveground biomass occurred at the MG site for both August and September. Over the growing season, belowground biomass (0.30 cm) increased as grazing intensity increased. The total belowground biomass averaged over all sampling dates was 1226, 1908 and 2244 g m[^-2] for LG site, MG site and HG site, which accounted for 75, 81 and 88% of total biomass, respectively. The results suggested that grazing intensity changed biomass allocation pattern between aboveground and belowground parts of plants. Higher grazing intensity resulted in higher N concentration in both live and dead aboveground biomass over the study period. Increased grazing intensity tended to increase plant N content averaged over all sampling dates, which were 17.9 g m[^-2], 23.8 g m[^-2] and 27.6 g m[^-2] in LG site, MG site and HG site. The results indicated that higher grazing intensity had a potential to increase the ecosystem pool of plant N.

15

Interannual variation of the growing season maximum normalized difference vegetation index, MNDVI, and its relationship with climatic factors on the Tibetan Plateau

72%

Wang S.-H. , Sun W. , Li S.-W. , Shen Z.-X. , Fu G.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2015

|

tom 63

|

nr 3

EN

The effects of the growing season climatic factors (i.e., temperature, precipitation, vapor pressure and relative humidity) on the growing season maximum normalized difference vegetation index (MNDVI), which can mirror the aboveground net primary production and the vegetation maximum absorbed ability of photosynthetically active radiation, were examined during the period from 2000 to 2012 on the Tibetan Plateau. The effects of climatic factors on the MNDVI changed with vegetation types, which was probably due to the fact that the changes of climatic factors differed with the type of vegetation. There was a significant increasing trend for the spatially averaged MNDVI of the vegetation area over the entire plateau. Approximately 16 and 3% of the vegetation area demonstrated a significant MNDVI increasing and decreasing trend, respectively. The MNDVI was significantly affected by relative humidity and vapor pressure, but not affected by temperature and precipitation over the entire plateau. Our findings suggested that the environmental humidity played a predominant role in affecting the variation of MNDVI over the entire Tibetan Plateau.

16

Impact of extra nitrogen on ecological stoichiometry of Alpine grasslands on Tibetan Plateau: meta-analysis

72%

Zhang H. R. , Sun W. , Li S. W. , Han F. S. , Yu C. Q. , Zhang X. Z. , Wang J. S. , He Y. T. , Zhong Z. M.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2018

|

tom 66

|

nr 4

EN

The general impact of extra nitrogen on ecological stoichiometry was examined in alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau. Extra nitrogen increased the ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus (N:P ratio) in leaves and aboveground parts of plants by 43.4% and 32.7%, respectively. In contrast, extra nitrogen reduced the ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C:N ratio) in leaves by 30.6%. Extra nitrogen decreased soil C:N ratio by 9.1% in alpine meadows, but increased soil C:N ratio by 3.4% in alpine steppes. Extra urea had a stronger positive impact on aboveground vegetation N:P ratio than did extra ammonium nitrate. Extra urea rather than ammonium nitrate decreased aboveground vegetation C:N ratio and soil C:N ratio. The impact of extra nitrogen on aboveground vegetation N:P ratio was positively correlated with latitude, mean annual temperature and precipitation, nitrogen application rate and accumulated amount, but negatively correlated with elevation, duration and aboveground vegetation N:P ratio of the control plots. The impact of extra nitrogen on leaves N:P ratio was positively correlated with nitrogen application rate and accumulated amount. The impact of extra nitrogen on leaves C:N ratio was positively correlated with latitude, but negatively correlated with mean annual temperature and precipitation, nitrogen application rate, accumulated amount, duration and leaves C:N ratio of the control plots. Therefore, nitrogen enrichment caused by human activities will most likely alter element balance and alpine plants from nitrogen limitation to phosphorus limitation. This effect may weaken with time, and increase with climatic warming, increased precipitation and nitrogen input rate.

17

Effects of Salix sphaeronymphe Gorz shrubs on herbaceous community in forest secondary succession (Tibetan Plateau)

72%

Wang Y. , Bao W. , Wu N.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2011

|

tom Vol. 59, nr 3

495-505

EN

In the present study, we selected a total of 26 Salix sphaeronymphe Gorz shrubs of various sizes on a cutover in the eastern Tibetan Plateau to evaluate the effects of shrub size on richness, cover and biomass of the understorey herbaceous community, grasses and forbs, as well as litter cover and biomass. Results indicated that the richness of herbaceous community, grasses and forbs significantly increased with the increased area of both undershrub canopies and open field. However, the cover and biomass of the herbaceous community beneath the shrub canopies decreased with increasing shrub size. Grasses and forbs, as different functional groups, responded differently to the increasing area of shrubs: the cover and biomass of grasses decreased while those of forbs increased. The cover and biomass of herbaceous community, grasses and forbs in the open field did not obviously vary with area. Under the shrub canopies, the cover and mass of litter positively correlated to area, but this was not the case in the open field. Our results suggest that shrubs have a positive effect on diversity and a negative effect on the cover and productivity of the herbaceous community in forest secondary succession on the alpine cutovers, and that these effects are size.dependent. Moreover, different functional groups of herbaceous plants can respond differently to the presence of shrubs.

18

The Soil Drying Along the Increase of Warming Masks the Relation between Temperature and Soil Respiration in an Alpine Meadow of Northern Tibet

72%

Shen Z.-X. , Wang J.-W. , Sun W. , Li S.-W. , Fu G. , Zhang X.-Z. , Zhang Y.-J. , Yu C.-Q. , Shi P.-L. , He Y.-T.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2016

|

tom Vol. 64, nr 1

125--129

EN

A warming experiment with two magnitudes was performed in an alpine meadow of Northern Tibet since late June, 2013. Open top chambers (OTCs) with two top diameters (0.60 m and 1.00 m) were used to increase soil temperature. Soil respiration (Rs) was measured during the growing season in 2013–2014. The OTCs with top diameters of 1.00 m and 0.60 m increased soil temperature by 1.30 and 3.10oC, respectively, during the whole study period, but decreased soil moisture by 0.02 and 0.05 m3 m-3, respectively. However, the two patters of OTCs did not affect Rs . These results implied that a higher warming did not result in a higher Rs but a greater soil drying. Therefore, a higher warming may not cause a higher soil respiration, which was most likely due to the fact that a higher warming may result in a greater soil drying.

19

Selection of land cover by the Tibetan fox Vulpes ferrilata on the Eastern Tibetan Plateau, Western Sichuan Province, China

72%

Wang Z. , Wang X. , Lu Q.

Acta Theriologica

|

2007

|

tom 52

|

nr 2

EN

Habitat loss is one of the main factors impacting endangered wildlife in China. The Tibetan foxVulpes ferrilata Hodgson, 1842 is a characteristic species of the Tibetan Plateau. However, its habitat use is poorly known. We conducted a project (2001–2003) to better understand habitat use by the Tibetan fox in Shiqu County, Sichuan Province, China. The research site was classified into four land cover categories: grassland, grassland and shrubs, shrubs, and disturbed area (more than half of the area in a plot covered by bare soil and gravel). Their proportional share in land cover categories was estimated by line transects and used as expected land cover. Plots were also located at fox locations, fox dens, and fox feces (hereafter “fox plots”). Using Bonferroniz-statistics, land cover proportions in fox plots were compared with the expected land cover proportions. Tibetan foxes were found primarily in grassland habitat and there was evidence of use of grassland/shrub habitat and disturbed area. However, the fox were rarely observed in shrubs. Two reasons for this are: (1) the need of prey, pika, which mainly lives in open areas; (2) the requirement of security from natural enemies.

20

Effect of road on the distribution of amphibians in wetland area - test with model-averaged prediction

58%

Dai Q. , Wang Y.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2011

|

tom Vol. 59, nr 4

813-821

EN

We studied the effects of roads on presence of Plateau brown frogs (Rana kukunoris Nikolsky, 1918) and Tibetan frogs (Nanorana pleskei Gunther, 1896) in temporary pools of Sedges dominated wetland area in eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The road is seven meter-wide, asphalt-paved with daily traffic rate about 400 vehicles. The temporary pools hold water only in summer with surface area of about 2 m2. We used logistic regression models, a theoretic information approach, and model averaging to test the effects of distance from road and depth, area and pH of pools on distribution of frogs in terms of presence/absence in 180 small pools located at 10 to 150 m from the road edge. Observed data showed that presence probabilities of both species declined in the vicinity of roads, starting at approximately 100 m away from the road edge. Model averaging based on AICc ([Sigma Omega i] = 95% confidence) indicated that both distance from road edge and its quadratic term were important predictors for explaining presence of both amphibians. Model-averaged prediction based on 95% confidence model set also revealed non-monotonic increasing curve relationships between presence probability of both amphibians and distance from road edge, even when other habitat variables were held constant. These results indicated that the road-effect zone for both amphibians extended 100 m on side of the wetland roads along which we sampled. Additionally, the results showed that water depth and water pH of pools positively influenced presence of Tibetan frogs and had highest contribution to the models. In contrast, water depth influenced presence of Plateau brown frogs negatively. It was indicated that environmental variables influence the presence of the two species of amphibians in different ways.