Search

Lifespan of fine roots plays important roles in regulating carbon (C) cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Determination of root lifespan and elucidation of its regulatory mechanism in different plant communities are essential for accurate prediction of C cycling from ecosystem to regional scales. Temperate steppes in Inner Mongolia grasslands have three major types, i.e., Stipa krylovii, Stipa grandis and Stipa breviflora grasslands. There have been no studies to compare the root dynamics among the three types of grasslands. In the present study, we determined root lifespan of the three grasslands using the rhizotron. We found that root lifespan differed substantially among the three types of grasslands within the temperate steppes of Inner Mongolia, such that root lifespan of Stipa breviflora > Stipa grandis > Stipa krylovii grasslands. Root lifespan across the three types of grasslands in the Inner Mongolian temperate steppes displayed a similar temporal pattern, i.e. lifespan of the roots produced in spring and autumn was shortest and longest, respectively, whereas lifespan of summer-produced roots was between that of roots produced in spring and autumn. The spatial and temporal differences in root lifespan across the three types of grasslands were mainly determined by contents of soluble sugars in roots of the dominant species. The differences in root lifespan across the major types of grasslands and different seasons highlight the necessity to take into account these differences in the prediction of C cycling within grassland ecosystem by the simulating model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhanced deposition of atmospheric nitrogen (N) resulting from anthropogenic activities has negative impacts on plant diversity in ecosystems. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the species loss. Ion toxicity due to N deposition-induced soil acidification has been suggested to be responsible for species loss in acidic grasslands, while few studies have evaluated the role of soil-mediated homeostasis of ions in species loss under elevated N deposition in grasslands with neutral or alkaline soils. To determine whether soil-mediated processes are involved in changes in biodiversity induced by N deposition, the effects of 9-year N addition on soil properties, aboveground biomass (AGB) and species richness were investigated in an Inner Mongolia steppe. Low to moderate N addition rate (2, 4, 8 g N m-2yr-1) significantly enhanced AGB of graminoids, while high N addition rate (≥ 16g N m-2yr-1) reduced AGB of forbs, leading to an overall increase in AGB of the community under low to moderate N addition rates. Forb richness was significantly reduced by N addition at rates greater than 8 g N m-2yr-1, while no effect of N addition on graminoid richness was observed, resulting in decline in total species richness. N addition reduced soil pH, depleted base cations (Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+) and mobilized Mn2+, Fe3+, Cu2+ and Al3+ ions in soils. Soil inorganic-N concentration was negatively correlated with forb richness and biomass, explaining 23.59% variation of forb biomass. The concentrations of base cations (Ca2+ and Mg2+) and metal ions (Mn2+, Cu2+ and, Fe3+) showed positively and negatively linear correlation with forb richness, respectively. Changes in the metal ion concentrations accounted for 42.77 % variation of forb richness, while reduction of base cations was not associated with the reduction in forb richness. These results reveal that patterns of plant biodiversity in the temperate steppe of Inner Mongolia are primarily driven by increases in metal ion availability, particularly enhanced release of soil Mn2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhanced deposition of atmospheric nitrogen (N) resulting from anthropogenic activities has negative impacts on plant diversity in grassland ecosystems globally. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the species loss. Ion toxicity due to N deposition-induced soil acidification has been suggested to be responsible for species loss in acidic grasslands, while few studies have evaluated the role of soilmediated homeostasis of ions in species loss under elevated N deposition in alkaline grasslands. To determine whether soil-mediated processes are involved in changes in species composition by N deposition, the effects of 9 yrN addition on soil properties, aboveground biomass (AGB) and species composition were investigated in an Inner Mongolia steppe. Low to moderate N addition rate (2, 4, 8 g N m-2 yr-1) significantly enhanced AGB of grasses, while high N addition rate (> 16 g N m-2 yr-1) reduced AGB of forbs, leading to an overall increase in AGB of the community under low to moderate N addition rates. Forb richness was significantly reduced by N addition at rates greater than 8 gNm-2 yr-1, while no effect of N addition on grass richness was observed, resulting in decline in total species richness. N addition depleted base cations (Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+) in soils, reduced soil pH and mobilized Mn2+, Fe3+ and Cu2+ ions in soils. Soil inorganic-N concentration was negatively correlated with forb richness, explaining 27.2% variation of forb richness. The concentrations of base cations (Ca2+ and Mg2+) and metal ions (Mn2+ and Cu2+) showed positively and negatively linear correlation with forb richness, accounting for 25.9 and 41.4% variation of forb richness, respectively. These results reveal that disruption of metal ion homeostasis in soils by N addition, particularly enhanced release of soil Mn2+ and Cu2+ may be associated with reduction in forb richness in temperate steppe of Inner Mongolia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roots are key components of C cycling in terrestrial ecosystems and play an important role in the regulation of response of terrestrial ecosystems to global climate warming, which is predicted to occur with greater warming magnitudes at night than during daytime across different regions on the Earth. However, there has been no detailed study to investigate the effect of asymmetrical warming on root dynamics at the level of terrestrial ecosystems. To understand the effects of day and night warming on root lifespan in the semiarid temperate steppe in northern China, a field study with a full factorial design including control, day warming, night warming and continuous warming was conducted using modified rhizotron technique during three growing seasons in 2007-2009. Our results show that day, night and continuous warming had different effects on longevity of roots born in spring, summer and autumn, and that day warming significantly prolonged overall lifespan for the roots born in the three growing seasons, while night warning had no effect on overall lifespan. Day and night warming had different effects on root non-structural carbohydrate content, suggesting that allocation of photoassimilate may account for the differential responses of root lifespan to day and night warming. These results differ from other processes associated with ecosystems C cycle such as total ecosystem productivity, net ecosystem productivity and soil respiration. Our findings highlight that it is essential to incorporate the differential effects of day and night warming on root dynamics into simulating and predicting the responses and feedbacks of terrestrial ecosystems C cycling to global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]