| Biology and Soil |
|
|
|
|
| Nitrogenase Activity Chronosequence of Algal Crusts in Temperate Desert Region |
| SU Yan-gui1,2, LI Xin-rong2, JIA Xiao-hong2, LI Ai-xia2, CHEN Ying-wu3 |
1.Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China;
2.Shapotou Desert Research and Experiment Station, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China;
3.Forestry College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471003, Henan, China |
|
|
|
|
Abstract In this study, acetylene reduction was applied to investigate the nitrogenase activity of algal crusts in artificial vegetation areas with different restoration time and natural vegetation area, as well as their responses to simulated precipitation and temperature. Results showed that the nitrogenase activity of algal crusts varied in a range of 4.31~16.6 mmol·m-2·h-1 in the region. Significantly positive correlation was observed between nitrogenase activity and restoration time in the artificial vegetation area, the nitrogenase activity in natural vegetation area was significantly lower than in 52-year-restoration artificial vegetation area, while profoundly higher than 16-year-restoration artificial vegetation area. Significantly positive correlations between nitrogenase activity and Chl a, as well as with crust cover were observed. The nitrogenase activity increased dramatically with increase of simulated precipitation when the precipitation amount was less than 1.1 mm, while when the precipitation was from 1.1 mm to 5 mm, the nitrogenase activity gradually showed steady status. The nitrogenase activity of different vegetation areas showed similar pattern with air temperature. All nitrogenase activity showed a higher value under the air temperature of 24 ℃ compared with 13 ℃ in the artificial vegetation area.
|
|
Received: 07 June 2011
Published: 20 March 2012
|
|
|
| [1]West N E.Structure and function of soil microphytic crusts in wildland ecosystems of arid and semi-arid regions[J].Advances in Ecological Research,1990,20:179-223.[2]Harper K T,Marble J R.A role for nonvascular plants in management of arid and semiarid rangelands[M]//Tueller P T.Vegetation Science Applications for Rangeland Analysis and Management.Dordrecht:Kluwer Academic Publication,1988:136-169.[3]Romney E M,Wallace A,Hunter R B,et al.Plant response to nitrogen fertilization in the Northern Mojave Desert and its relationship to water manipulation[M]//West N E,Skujins J.Nitrogen in Desert Ecosystems.Stroudsburg P A:Dowden,Hutchinson,and Ross,1978:232-243.[4]Nash T H.Lichen Biology[M].Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,1996[5]Aranibar J N,Andersonw I C,Ringrosez S.Importance of nitrogen fixation in soil crusts of southern African arid ecosystems:Acetylene reduction and stable isotope studies[J].Journal of Arid Environments,2003,54:345-358.[6]Belnap J.Factors influencing nitrogen fixation and nitrogen release in biological soil crusts[M]//Belnap J,Lange O L.Biological Soil Crusts:Structure,Function,and Management.Berlin:Springer,2003:241-261.[7]李新荣,陈应武,贾荣亮.生物土壤结皮:荒漠昆虫食物链的重要构建者[J].中国沙漠,2008,28(3):245-248.[8]李新荣,张志山,王新平,等.干旱区土壤-植被系统恢复的生态水文学研究进展[J].中国沙漠,2009,29(5):845-852.[9]陈进福,李新荣,陈应武,等.银川市初夏气溶胶粒子谱分布特征[J].中国沙漠,2006,26(6):986-992.[10]陈荣毅,魏文寿,张元明,等.干旱区生物土壤结皮对种子植物多样性的影响[J].中国沙漠,2008,28(5):868-873.[11]Su Y G,Li X R,Chen Y W,et al.Effects of biological soil crusts on emergence of desert vascular plants in North China[J].Plant Ecology,2007,191:11-19.[12]贾晓红,李新荣,陈应武,等.植被恢复对旱区表土颗粒中有机碳和氮分布的影响[J].中国环境科学,2006,26(5):560-564.[13]Belnap J.Factors influencing nitrogen fixation and nitrogen release in biological soil crusts[M]//Belnap J,Lange O L.Biological Soil Crusts:Structure,Function,and Management.Berlin:Springer,2003:241-261.[14]Eskew D L,Ting I P.Nitrogen fixation by legumes and blue-green algal lichen crusts in a Colorado desert environment[J].America Journal of Botany,1978,65:850-856.[15]Belnap J.Soil surface disturbances in cold deserts:Effects on nitrogenase activity in cyanobacterial-lichen soil crusts[J].Biology and Fertility of Soils,1996,23:362-367.[16]Evans R D,Belnap J.Long term consequences of disturbance on nitrogen dynamics in an arid ecosystem[J].Ecology,1999,80:150-160.[17]Wu N,Zhang Y M,Downing A.Comparative study of nitrogenase activity in different types of biological soil crusts in the Gurbantunggut Desert,Northwestern China[J].Journal of Arid Environments,2009,73:828-833.[18]Housman D C,Powers H H,Collins A D,et al.Carbon and nitrogen fixation differ between successional stages of biological soil crusts in the Colorado Plateau and Chihuahuan Desert[J].Journal of Arid Environments,2006,66:620-634.[19]Hartley A E,Schlesinger W H.Potential environmental controls on nitrogenase activity in biological crusts of the northern Chihuahuan Desert[J].Journal of Arid Environments,2002,52:293-304. |
| No Suggested Reading articles found! |
|
|
Viewed |
|
|
|
Full text
|
|
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
|
|
Cited |
|
|
|
|
| |
Shared |
|
|
|
|
| |
Discussed |
|
|
|
|
2012, Vol. 32 
