How a winter wildfire affect plant community in subalpine grassland of western Sichuan, China?

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1258.2014.00115

Abstract

Abstract: Aims It had been reported that there are relationships among soil physiochemical properties, soil microbial characteristics, and plant community structures. However, there is still a dispute about the best path of shaping plant community structure by fire. To assist with sustainably managing grassland ecosystem, a hypothesis was put forward on shaping of the plant community structure by winter wildfire in a subalpine grassland of western Sichuan, in which the effects of fire on soil environment (soil physiochemical properties and soil microbial characteristics) could explain the changes of post-fire plant community structure and diversity.Methods To test the abovementioned hypothesis, variables of soil physiochemical properties, soil microbial properties, and plant community structure in naturally burned and unburned areas at different locations were studied. For determination of the direct and indirect effects of fire on plant community structure and diversity, we simulated five paths that fire shapes the plant community structure and diversity by using structural equation modelling according to the result of non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis. Important findings The winter fire had little direct effects on plant community. The best-fit value was given by the path model in which winter fire changed soil microbial properties, which in turn affected plant community structure directly or indirectly by modifying soil physiochemical properties. The results suggested that the effects of the low-intensity fire on soil physiochemical properties and plant community structure may be achieved through mortality and reproduction of soil microbes. However, as the soil is a whole environment, it needs to be studied further to explore the roles of microbial activities in regulating soil biochemical cycle after fire, especially the nitrogen cycle.

Key words: above-belowground interactions, nitrogen cycle, soil microorganism activities, structural equation modeling, subalpine grassland, winter wildfire

WANG Xie,XIANG Cheng-Hua,LI Xian-Wei,WEN Dong-Ju. How a winter wildfire affect plant community in subalpine grassland of western Sichuan, China?[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2014, 38(11): 1194-1204.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3724/SP.J.1258.2014.00115

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2014/V38/I11/1194

Figures/Tables 6

References 27

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指标 Index		数据类型 Data type	单位 Unit
样地的编号 Plot ID		数值 Value
冬季火处理 Treatment by a winter fire		分类 Group
样地的空间位置 Spatial location of plots
	经度 Longitude¹⁾	数值 Value
	纬度 Latitude¹⁾	数值 Value
	海拔 Elevation	数值 Value	m
	坡向 Slope aspect	分类 Group
	坡位 Slope position²⁾	分类 Group
土壤理化性质 Soil physiochemical properties³⁾
	含水量 Water content	数值 Value	g·kg^-1
	容重 Bulk density	数值 Value	g·cm^-3
	最大持水量 Maximum water holding capacity	数值 Value	g·kg^-1
	毛管持水量 Capillary water holding capacity	数值 Value	g·kg^-1
	最小持水量 Minimum water holding capacity	数值 Value	g·kg^-1
	毛管孔隙度 Capillary porosity	数值 Value	%
	非毛管孔隙度 Non-capillary porosity	数值 Value	%
	总孔隙度 Total porosity	数值 Value	%
	酸碱度 pH	数值 Value
	有机质含量 Organic matter content	数值 Value	g·kg^-1
	全氮含量 Total nitrogen content	数值 Value	g·kg^-1
	有效磷含量 Available phosphorus content	数值 Value	mg·kg^-1
	速效钾含量 Rapidly available potassium content	数值 Value	mg·kg^-1
	可溶性有机碳含量 Dissolved organic carbon content	数值 Value	mg·kg^-1
	可溶性有机氮含量Dissolved organic nitrogen content	数值 Value	mg·kg^-1
土壤微生物学特性 Soil microbial properties³⁾
	微生物生物量碳 Microbial biomass carbon	数值 Value	mg·kg^-1
	微生物生物量氮 Microbial biomass nitrogen	数值 Value	mg·kg^-1
	β葡糖苷酶活性 β-glucoside enzyme activity	数值 Value	μg·g^-1·h^-1
	酸性磷酸酶活性 Acid phosphatase activity	数值 Value	μg·g^-1·h^-1
	碱性磷酸酶活性 Alkaline phosphatase activity	数值 Value	μg·g^-1·h^-1
	脲酶活性 Urease activity	数值 Value	mg·g^-1·h^-1
	蔗糖酶活性 Invertase activity	数值 Value	mg·g^-1·h^-1
	蛋白酶活性 Proteinase activity	数值 Value	mg·g^-1·h^-1
	过氧化氢酶活性 Catalase activity	数值 Value	ml·g^-1·h^-1
	荧光素二乙酰酯酶活性 Fluorescein diacetate hydrolase activity	数值 Value	μmol·g^-1·h^-1
植物群落组成 Plant community composition⁴⁾
植物群落结构 Plant community structure
	物种丰富度 Species richness	数值 Value
	物种均匀度 Species evenness⁵⁾	数值 Value
	物种多样性 Species diversity⁶⁾	数值 Value
	可食豆科类生物量比例 Percentage of leguminous species group biomass	数值 Value	%
	毒草类生物量比例 Percentage of noxious species group biomass	数值 Value	%
	可食禾草类生物量比例 Percentage of germinal species group biomass	数值 Value	%
	可食莎草类生物量比例 Percentage of sedge species group biomass	数值 Value	%
	可食杂草类生物量比例 Percentage of forbs species group biomass	数值 Value	%
	样地生物量 Biomass of plot	数值 Value	g·m^-2

指标 Index		数据类型 Data type	单位 Unit
样地的编号 Plot ID		数值 Value
冬季火处理 Treatment by a winter fire		分类 Group
样地的空间位置 Spatial location of plots
	经度 Longitude¹⁾	数值 Value
	纬度 Latitude¹⁾	数值 Value
	海拔 Elevation	数值 Value	m
	坡向 Slope aspect	分类 Group
	坡位 Slope position²⁾	分类 Group
土壤理化性质 Soil physiochemical properties³⁾
	含水量 Water content	数值 Value	g·kg^-1
	容重 Bulk density	数值 Value	g·cm^-3
	最大持水量 Maximum water holding capacity	数值 Value	g·kg^-1
	毛管持水量 Capillary water holding capacity	数值 Value	g·kg^-1
	最小持水量 Minimum water holding capacity	数值 Value	g·kg^-1
	毛管孔隙度 Capillary porosity	数值 Value	%
	非毛管孔隙度 Non-capillary porosity	数值 Value	%
	总孔隙度 Total porosity	数值 Value	%
	酸碱度 pH	数值 Value
	有机质含量 Organic matter content	数值 Value	g·kg^-1
	全氮含量 Total nitrogen content	数值 Value	g·kg^-1
	有效磷含量 Available phosphorus content	数值 Value	mg·kg^-1
	速效钾含量 Rapidly available potassium content	数值 Value	mg·kg^-1
	可溶性有机碳含量 Dissolved organic carbon content	数值 Value	mg·kg^-1
	可溶性有机氮含量Dissolved organic nitrogen content	数值 Value	mg·kg^-1
土壤微生物学特性 Soil microbial properties³⁾
	微生物生物量碳 Microbial biomass carbon	数值 Value	mg·kg^-1
	微生物生物量氮 Microbial biomass nitrogen	数值 Value	mg·kg^-1
	β葡糖苷酶活性 β-glucoside enzyme activity	数值 Value	μg·g^-1·h^-1
	酸性磷酸酶活性 Acid phosphatase activity	数值 Value	μg·g^-1·h^-1
	碱性磷酸酶活性 Alkaline phosphatase activity	数值 Value	μg·g^-1·h^-1
	脲酶活性 Urease activity	数值 Value	mg·g^-1·h^-1
	蔗糖酶活性 Invertase activity	数值 Value	mg·g^-1·h^-1
	蛋白酶活性 Proteinase activity	数值 Value	mg·g^-1·h^-1
	过氧化氢酶活性 Catalase activity	数值 Value	ml·g^-1·h^-1
	荧光素二乙酰酯酶活性 Fluorescein diacetate hydrolase activity	数值 Value	μmol·g^-1·h^-1
植物群落组成 Plant community composition⁴⁾
植物群落结构 Plant community structure
	物种丰富度 Species richness	数值 Value
	物种均匀度 Species evenness⁵⁾	数值 Value
	物种多样性 Species diversity⁶⁾	数值 Value
	可食豆科类生物量比例 Percentage of leguminous species group biomass	数值 Value	%
	毒草类生物量比例 Percentage of noxious species group biomass	数值 Value	%
	可食禾草类生物量比例 Percentage of germinal species group biomass	数值 Value	%
	可食莎草类生物量比例 Percentage of sedge species group biomass	数值 Value	%
	可食杂草类生物量比例 Percentage of forbs species group biomass	数值 Value	%
	样地生物量 Biomass of plot	数值 Value	g·m^-2

指标¹⁾ Variable¹⁾	火烧区域²⁾ Burned area²⁾	未火烧区域 Unburned area	F_{1, 34}³⁾ F_{1, 34}³⁾	p p
含水量 Water content	196.15 ± 45.73	211.34 ± 76.72	0.22	0.64
容重 Bulk density	1.02 ± 0.04	1.00 ± 0.07	0.84	0.37
最大持水量 Maximum water holding capacity	623.81 ± 64.42	648.85 ± 68.47	1.28	0.27
毛管持水量 Capillary water holding capacity	400.97 ± 47.17	476.85 ± 66.24	15.68	<0.01
最小持水量 Minimum water holding capacity	241.99 ± 67.56	264.36 ± 86.25	0.75	0.39
毛管孔隙度 Capillary porosity	22.64 ± 5.27	17.33 ± 4.85	9.89	<0.01
非毛管孔隙度 Non-capillary porosity	40.81 ± 4.19	47.46 ± 4.52	20.93	<0.01
总孔隙度 Total porosity	63.45 ± 4.87	64.79 ± 6.12	0.53	0.47
酸碱度 pH	7.06 ± 0.49	6.73 ± 0.39	4.95	0.03
有机质含量 Organic matter content	135.86 ± 31.89	96.74 ± 22.70	18.11	<0.01
全氮含量 Total nitrogen content	4.46 ± 0.69	3.78 ± 0.45	1.18	0.29
有效磷含量 Available phosphorus content	499.76 ± 406.52	141.26 ± 75.81	0.20	0.66
速效钾含量 Rapidly available potassium content	514.92 ± 93.05	436.56 ± 104.26	5.53	0.02
可溶性有机碳含量 Dissolved organic carbon content	413.50 ± 327.21	324.7 ± 109.73	< 0.01	0.97
可溶性有机氮含量 Dissolved organic nitrogen content	31.54 ± 24.05	37.61 ± 20.38	2.13	0.15
微生物生物量碳 Microbial biomass carbon	1 301.67 ± 145.01	592.92 ± 333.55	45.89	<0.01
微生物生物量氮 Microbial biomass nitrogen	52.19 ± 20.22	61.96 ± 29.62	1.39	0.25
β葡糖苷酶活性 β-glucoside enzyme activity	9.12 ± 1.94	7.24 ± 2.46	6.49	0.02
酸性磷酸酶活性 Acid phosphatase activity	16.58 ± 7.85	13.26 ± 3.81	0.73	0.40
碱性磷酸酶活性 Alkaline phosphatase activity	11.20 ± 3.45	7.55 ± 3.53	12.74	<0.01
荧光素二乙酰酯酶活性 Fluorescein diacetate hydrolase activity	1.26 ± 0.60	1.21 ± 0.39	< 0.01	0.96
脲酶活性 Urease activity	0.30 ± 0.15	0.14 ± 0.09	12.90	<0.01
蔗糖酶活性 Invertase activity	60.39 ± 16.07	50.66 ± 7.53	3.60	0.07
蛋白酶活性 Proteinase activity	1.08 ± 0.28	0.96 ± 0.24	2.02	0.16
过氧化氢酶活性 Catalase activity	1.39 ± 0.11	1.28 ± 0.10	10.45	<0.01
物种丰富度 Richness of species	13.50 ± 3.68	13.33 ± 1.88	0.05	0.83
物种均匀度 Evenness of species	0.74 ± 0.13	0.73 ± 0.08	0.07	0.79
物种多样性 Diversity of species	1.92 ± 0.46	1.89 ± 0.24	0.05	0.82
可食豆科类生物量比例 Percentage of leguminous species group biomass	4.74 ± 7.78	3.04 ± 2.86	0.07	0.80
毒草类生物量比例 Percentage of noxious species group biomass	2.57 ± 3.86	0.79 ± 0.87	2.19	0.15
可食禾草类生物量比例 Percentage of germinal species group biomass	34.38 ± 16.79	43.45 ± 24.73	1.66	0.21
可食莎草类生物量比例 Percentage of sedge species group biomass	6.41 ± 5.86	4.46 ± 5.91	0.95	0.34
可食杂草类生物量比例 Percentage of forbs species group biomass	51.91 ± 20.39	48.27 ± 24.79	0.23	0.63
样地生物量 Biomass of plot	155.79 ± 70.84	262.87 ± 130.57	9.11	<0.01

指标¹⁾ Variable¹⁾	火烧区域²⁾ Burned area²⁾	未火烧区域 Unburned area	F_{1, 34}³⁾ F_{1, 34}³⁾	p p
含水量 Water content	196.15 ± 45.73	211.34 ± 76.72	0.22	0.64
容重 Bulk density	1.02 ± 0.04	1.00 ± 0.07	0.84	0.37
最大持水量 Maximum water holding capacity	623.81 ± 64.42	648.85 ± 68.47	1.28	0.27
毛管持水量 Capillary water holding capacity	400.97 ± 47.17	476.85 ± 66.24	15.68	<0.01
最小持水量 Minimum water holding capacity	241.99 ± 67.56	264.36 ± 86.25	0.75	0.39
毛管孔隙度 Capillary porosity	22.64 ± 5.27	17.33 ± 4.85	9.89	<0.01
非毛管孔隙度 Non-capillary porosity	40.81 ± 4.19	47.46 ± 4.52	20.93	<0.01
总孔隙度 Total porosity	63.45 ± 4.87	64.79 ± 6.12	0.53	0.47
酸碱度 pH	7.06 ± 0.49	6.73 ± 0.39	4.95	0.03
有机质含量 Organic matter content	135.86 ± 31.89	96.74 ± 22.70	18.11	<0.01
全氮含量 Total nitrogen content	4.46 ± 0.69	3.78 ± 0.45	1.18	0.29
有效磷含量 Available phosphorus content	499.76 ± 406.52	141.26 ± 75.81	0.20	0.66
速效钾含量 Rapidly available potassium content	514.92 ± 93.05	436.56 ± 104.26	5.53	0.02
可溶性有机碳含量 Dissolved organic carbon content	413.50 ± 327.21	324.7 ± 109.73	< 0.01	0.97
可溶性有机氮含量 Dissolved organic nitrogen content	31.54 ± 24.05	37.61 ± 20.38	2.13	0.15
微生物生物量碳 Microbial biomass carbon	1 301.67 ± 145.01	592.92 ± 333.55	45.89	<0.01
微生物生物量氮 Microbial biomass nitrogen	52.19 ± 20.22	61.96 ± 29.62	1.39	0.25
β葡糖苷酶活性 β-glucoside enzyme activity	9.12 ± 1.94	7.24 ± 2.46	6.49	0.02
酸性磷酸酶活性 Acid phosphatase activity	16.58 ± 7.85	13.26 ± 3.81	0.73	0.40
碱性磷酸酶活性 Alkaline phosphatase activity	11.20 ± 3.45	7.55 ± 3.53	12.74	<0.01
荧光素二乙酰酯酶活性 Fluorescein diacetate hydrolase activity	1.26 ± 0.60	1.21 ± 0.39	< 0.01	0.96
脲酶活性 Urease activity	0.30 ± 0.15	0.14 ± 0.09	12.90	<0.01
蔗糖酶活性 Invertase activity	60.39 ± 16.07	50.66 ± 7.53	3.60	0.07
蛋白酶活性 Proteinase activity	1.08 ± 0.28	0.96 ± 0.24	2.02	0.16
过氧化氢酶活性 Catalase activity	1.39 ± 0.11	1.28 ± 0.10	10.45	<0.01
物种丰富度 Richness of species	13.50 ± 3.68	13.33 ± 1.88	0.05	0.83
物种均匀度 Evenness of species	0.74 ± 0.13	0.73 ± 0.08	0.07	0.79
物种多样性 Diversity of species	1.92 ± 0.46	1.89 ± 0.24	0.05	0.82
可食豆科类生物量比例 Percentage of leguminous species group biomass	4.74 ± 7.78	3.04 ± 2.86	0.07	0.80
毒草类生物量比例 Percentage of noxious species group biomass	2.57 ± 3.86	0.79 ± 0.87	2.19	0.15
可食禾草类生物量比例 Percentage of germinal species group biomass	34.38 ± 16.79	43.45 ± 24.73	1.66	0.21
可食莎草类生物量比例 Percentage of sedge species group biomass	6.41 ± 5.86	4.46 ± 5.91	0.95	0.34
可食杂草类生物量比例 Percentage of forbs species group biomass	51.91 ± 20.39	48.27 ± 24.79	0.23	0.63
样地生物量 Biomass of plot	155.79 ± 70.84	262.87 ± 130.57	9.11	<0.01