植物生态学报 ›› 2025, Vol. 49 ›› Issue (5): 732-747.DOI: 10.17521/cjpe.2024.0157  cstr: 32100.14.cjpe.2024.0157

所属专题: 草原与草业

• 研究论文 • 上一篇    下一篇

海拔梯度对昆仑山北坡中部草原植物与土壤微生物群落结构与多样性的影响

马富龙1,2, 王雨晴3, 郝瑜3, 段继超4, 刘霏霏4, 席琳乔4, 韩路1,2,*()   

  1. 1塔里木大学农学院, 新疆阿拉尔 843300
    2塔里木大学南疆绿洲农业资源与环境研究中心, 新疆阿拉尔 843300
    3塔里木大学生命科学与技术学院, 新疆阿拉尔 843300
    4塔里木大学动物科学与技术学院, 新疆阿拉尔 843300
  • 收稿日期:2024-05-13 接受日期:2024-11-12 出版日期:2025-05-20 发布日期:2024-11-14
  • 通讯作者: *韩路(hlzky@163.com)
  • 基金资助:
    新疆生产建设兵团财政科技计划(BT1122316);新疆生产建设兵团财政科技计划(2023CB006)

Effects of altitude gradient on plant and soil microbial community structure and diversity in the middle part of the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains, China

MA Fu-Long1,2, WANG Yu-Qing3, HAO Yu3, DUAN Ji-Chao4, LIU Fei-Fei4, XI Lin-Qiao4, HAN Lu1,2,*()   

  1. 1College of Agriculture, Tarim University, Aral, Xinjiang 843300, China
    2Southern Xinjiang Oasis Agricultural Resources and Environment Research Center, Tarim University, Aral, Xinjiang 843300, China
    3College of Life Science and Technology, Tarim University, Aral, Xinjiang 843300, China
    4College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Aral, Xinjiang 843300, China
  • Received:2024-05-13 Accepted:2024-11-12 Online:2025-05-20 Published:2024-11-14
  • Supported by:
    Science and Technology Program of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps(BT1122316);Science and Technology Program of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps(2023CB006)

摘要:

植物与土壤微生物在调节陆地生态系统功能和稳定性中起着至关重要的作用, 探讨植物、土壤微生物群落物种组成与多样性的海拔变化格局及其驱动机制对理解全球变化下陆地生态系统的响应与生物多样性维持机制意义深远。该研究以昆仑山北坡山地草原为对象, 在3个草原类型设置垂直梯度实验, 通过群落调查、室内实验与Illumina高通量测序技术并结合气候数据, 研究了干旱区山地草原植物、土壤微生物群落结构与多样性沿海拔梯度(2 200-3 800 m)的变化格局及其潜在关系。结果表明: 干旱区山地草原植物群落物种多样性、生物量与土壤细菌、真菌群落物种多样性及土壤养分含量沿海拔梯度呈单调递增格局, 至高寒草原最高; 土壤真菌对梯度环境变化较细菌敏感, 海拔梯度变化引起植物群落与土壤真菌群落发生了变化, 而土壤细菌群落结构未发生明显变化。植物群落物种多样性、生物量与土壤微生物群落物种多样性显著相关, 与细菌多样性的联系强于真菌。植物、土壤微生物群落物种多样性与年降水量、土壤养分(碳、磷、钾)含量呈显著正相关关系, 而与年平均气温呈显著负相关关系。格局分析表明, 海拔(地理距离)、气候因子对植物、土壤微生物多样性的解释率大于土壤因子, 海拔梯度引起的气候因子变化(年降水量、气温)是植物、土壤微生物群落变化的主导驱动因素, 但作用不同; 而土壤养分对植物、土壤微生物群落物种多样性也起着重要的作用。综上所述, 干旱区山地局域尺度上草原植物与土壤微生物群落的区域分布格局主要受海拔高度变化引起的气候因子与土壤因子共同调控。该研究揭示了干旱区气候因子是驱动山地草原生态系统植物、土壤微生物群落分布格局与结构变化的主导因子, 土壤微生物(尤其是细菌)多样性对提高草原群落生产力发挥重要作用。

关键词: 干旱区, 山地草原, 群落结构, 生物多样性, 海拔梯度, 驱动机制

Abstract:

Aims Plants and soil microorganisms play crucial roles in regulating the function and stability of terrestrial ecosystems. Exploring the variations in community composition and diversity of plants and soil microorganisms and their driving mechanisms along altitude gradients provides a better understanding of their responses to changes in terrestrial ecosystems and the mechanisms that maintain biodiversity under global change.

Methods In this study, a vertical gradient experiment was conducted across three grassland types on the northern slope of Kunlun Mountains. High-throughput sequencing was employed to assess soil bacterial and fungal communities. The study examined the patterns of variation in community structure, composition, and species diversity of plants and soil microorganisms along an altitudinal gradient (2 200-3 800 m) and explored their potential interrelationships.

Important findings The species diversity and productivity of plants, as well as the diversity of soil microorganisms (including bacteria and fungi) and soil nutrients content, all increased monotonically along the altitudinal gradient, with peak values observed in the alpine steppe. Soil fungi were more sensitive to environmental gradient than bacteria. The aboveground plant community and soil fungal community showed significant variation along the altitude gradient, while the structure and composition of the soil bacterial community remained largely unchanged. The species diversity and aboveground biomass of the plant community were significantly correlated with the diversity of the soil microbial community, with a stronger relationship observed with bacterial diversity than with fungal diversity. The species diversity of soil microorganisms and plants was positively correlated with mean annual precipitation (MAP) and soil carbon and nutrient (phosphorus and potassium) contents, but negatively correlated with mean annual air temperature (MAT). The pattern analysis showed that altitude (geographical distance) and climate factors had greater contributions to microbial and plant diversity than soil factors. The variation in climate factors (MAT and MAP) due to the altitude gradient was the dominant drivers of community dynamics in both plant and soil microorganisms, though their roles differed. Soil nutrients also played an important role in the diversity of both soil microorganisms and plants. In summary, the regional distribution pattern of aboveground plant and soil microbial communities in mountain steppe ecosystems is co-regulated by climate and soil factors associated with the altitude gradient in arid regions. This study highlights that climatic factors in arid areas are the dominant drivers of variations in the distribution pattern and structural composition of plant and soil microbial communities. Moreover, soil microbial diversity, especially bacterial diversity, plays a crucial role in enhancing grassland community productivity. The findings of this research provide valuable insights for grassland ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation in arid regions.

Key words: arid region, mountain steppe, community structure, biodiversity, altitude gradient, driving mechanism