Responses of phenological characteristics of major plants to nutrient and water additions in Kobresia humilis alpine meadow

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1258.2014.00013

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Phenology is a sensitive, integrated indicator of environmental changes. It is important to research the responses of phenological characteristics to environmental changes for understanding interactions between plants and environment, adaptive mechanisms and survival strategies. Our objective is to examine how phenological characteristics of plants respond to nutrient and water conditions in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
Methods Plant phenological characteristics in alpine Kobresia humilis meadow following nutrient and water additions from 2009 to 2011 were quantitatively analyzed by the methods of nested analysis of variance, phonological index and cluster analysis.
Important findings There were no significant differences in either green-up date or senescence date of plants with nutrient addition, but these dates in several dominant species of grasses, sedges and forbs were postponed following N and P addition. The treatments of nutrient and winter moisture addition moved up flowering dates of dominant species (p < 0.01) and green-up dates of forbs (p < 0.05). Effects of nutrient and summer moisture addition were inconsistent. The senescence dates of Elymus nutans and Scirpus distigmaticus were significantly postponed (p < 0.05) and forbs were postponed. Phenological characteristics of different species had significant differences with nutrient addition (p < 0.01): the senescence dates of Potentilla nivea were significantly postponed (p < 0.05), the senescence dates of Scirpus distigmaticus were significantly moved up (p < 0.05), but the different phenology responses of plants to the nutrient addition were based mainly on plant groups, with the green-up dates of grasses mostly postponed but the green-up dates of sedges moved up. Continuance of vegetative growth and vegetative period after fruiting were negative correlated. Phenological characteristics of plants were divided into three groups by cluster analysis. Phenological characteristics of the treatment of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium mixed fertilizer, potassium and nitrogen-potassium mixed fertilizer addition varied considerably among plant groups. In summary, phenological characteristics of species in K. humilis meadow displayed large differences after moisture addition, but displayed smaller differences after nutrient addition.

null

Key words: green-up date, moisture, nutrient, phenology, phenology index, senescence date

YE Xin, ZHOU Hua-Kun, LIU Guo-Hua, YAO Bu-Qing, ZHAO Xin-Quan. Responses of phenological characteristics of major plants to nutrient and water additions in Kobresia humilis alpine meadow[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2014, 38(2): 147-158.

Add to citation manager EndNote|Ris|BibTeX

URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3724/SP.J.1258.2014.00013

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2014/V38/I2/147

Figures/Tables 12

References 50

[1]	Abrams RA (1995). Monotonic or unimodal diversity-produc- tivity gradients: What does competition theory predict? Ecology, 76, 2019-2027. DOI URL
[2]	Abu-Asab MS, Peterson PM, Shetler SG, Orli SS (2001). Earlier plant flowering in spring as a response to global warming in the Washington, DC area. Biodiversity and Conservation, 10, 597-612. DOI URL
[3]	Ackerly DD (2003). Community assembly, niche conservatism, and adaptive evolution in changing environments. International Journal of Plant Sciences, 164(S3), S165-S184. DOI URL
[4]	Amano T, Smithers RJ, Sparks TH, Sutherland WJ (2010). A 250-year index of first flowering dates and its response to temperature changes. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 277, 2451-2457. DOI URL PMID
[5]	Bazzaz FA, Grace J (1997). Plant Resource Allocation. Academic Press, San Diego, USA.
[6]	Bradley NL, Leopold AC, Ross J, Huffaker W (1999). Phenological changes reflect climate change in Wisconsin. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 96, 9701-9704. URL PMID
[7]	Chen XQ, Li J (2009). Relationships between Leymus chinensis phenology and meteorological factors in Inner Mongolia grasslands. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 29, 5280-5290. (in Chinese with English abstract)
	[ 陈效逑, 李倞 (2009). 内蒙古草原羊草物候与气象因子的关系. 生态学报, 29, 5280-5290.]
[8]	Chmielewski FM, Rötzer T (2001). Response of tree phenology to climate change across Europe. Agriculture and Forest Meteorology, 108, 101-112. DOI URL
[9]	Clark CM, Cleland EE, Collins SL, Fargione JE, Gough L, Gross KL, Pennings SC, Suding KN, Grace JB (2007). Environmental and plant community determinants of species loss following nitrogen enrichment. Ecology Letters, 10, 596-607. URL PMID
[10]	Cleland EE, Allen JM, Crimmins TM, Dunne JA, Pau S, Travers SE, Zavaleta ES, Wolkovich EM (2012). Phenological tracking enables positive species responses to climate change. Ecology, 93, 1765-1771.
[11]	Cleland EE, Chuine I, Menzel A, Mooney HA, Schwartz MD (2007). Shifting plant phenology in response to global change. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 22, 357-365. URL PMID
[12]	Elser JJ, Bracken MES, Cleland EE, Gruner DS, Harpole WS, Hillebrand H, Ngai JT, Seabloom EW, Shurin JB, Smith JE (2007). Global analysis of nitrogen and phosphorus limitation of primary producers in freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Ecology Letters, 10, 1135-1142. DOI URL PMID
[13]	Gao FG, Han GD, Shi FL, Wang Z, Li YH, Li N, Zhang LZ (2010). Responses of reproductive phenology and photosynthetic rate of Stipa breviflora under warming and nitrogen addition. Journal of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, 31, 104-108. (in Chinese with English abstract)
	[ 高福光, 韩国栋, 石凤翎, 王珍, 李元恒, 李娜, 张利枝 (2010). 短花针茅生殖物候和光合作用对增温和施氮的响应. 内蒙古农业大学学报, 31, 104-108.]
[14]	Ge QS, Dai JH, Zheng JY, Bai J, Zhong SY, Wang HJ, Wang WC (2011). Advances in first bloom dates and increased occurrences of yearly second blooms in eastern China since the 1960s: further phenological evidence of climate warming. Ecological Research, 26, 713-723. DOI URL
[15]	Grime JP (1997). Biodiversity and ecosystem function: the debate deepens. Science, 277, 1260-1261. DOI URL
[16]	Hamann A (2004). Flowering and fruiting phenology of a Philippine submontane rain forest: climatic factors as proximate and ultimate causes. Journal of Ecology, 92, 24-31. DOI URL
[17]	Harpole WS, Tilman D (2007). Grassland species loss resulting from reduced niche dimension. Nature, 466, 791-793.
[18]	Hulme PE (2011). Contrasting impacts of climate-driven flowering phenology on changes in alien and native plant species distributions. New Phytologist, 189, 272-281.
[19]	Kramer K, Leinonen I, Loustau D (2000). The importance of phenology for the evaluation of impact of climate change on growth of boreal, temperate and Mediterranean forests ecosystems: an overview. International Journal of Biometeorology, 44, 76-81.
[20]	Li YH (2008). Responses of Reproductive Phenology of Inner Mongolia Typical Steppe Plants Under Climatic Change and Artificial Interference. Master degree dissertation, Gansu Agriculture University, Lanzhou. (in Chinese with English abstract)
	[ 李元恒 (2008). 内蒙古典型草原植物生殖物候对气候变化和人为干扰的响应. 硕士学位论文, 甘肃农业大学, 兰州.]
[21]	Ma T (2007). The Effect of Simulation Clipping and Fertilization Level on Plant Community and Function in Qinghai- Tibetan. Master degree dissertation, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou. (in Chinese with English abstract).
	[ 马涛 (2007). 青藏高原高寒草甸植物群落结构和功能对施肥和刈割干扰的响应研究. 硕士学位论文, 兰州大学, 兰州.]
[22]	Muhanguzi HD, Obua J, Origa HO, Vetaas OR (2003). Tree fruiting phenology in Kalinzu Forest, Uganda. African Journal of Ecology, 41, 171-178.
[23]	Newman EI (1973). Competition and diversity in herbaceous vegetation. Nature, 244, 310-311.
[24]	Niu KC (2008). The Response of Reproductive Trait of Component Species to Fertilization and Grazing in Qinghai-Tibetan Alpine Meadow. PhD dissertation, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou. (in Chinese with English abstract).
	[ 牛克昌 (2008). 青藏高原高寒草甸群落主要组分种繁殖特征对施肥和放牧的响应. 博士学位论文, 兰州大学, 兰州.]
[25]	Niu KC, Luo YJ, Choler P, Du GZ (2008). The role of biomass allocation strategy in diversity loss due to fertilization. Basic and Applied Ecology, 9, 485-493.
[26]	Nomura N, Kikuzawa K (2003). Productive phenology of tropical montane forests: fertilization experiments along a moisture gradient. Ecological Research, 18, 573-586.
[27]	Nottingham AT, Griffiths H, Chamberlain PM, Stott AW, Tanner EVJ (2009). Soil priming by sugar and leaf-litter substrates: a link to microbial groups. Applied Soil Ecology, 42, 183-190.
[28]	Obeso JR (2002). The costs of reproduction in plants. New Physiologist, 155, 321-348.
[29]	Peñuelas J, Filella I (2001). Phenology: responses to a warming world. Science, 294, 793-795.
[30]	Piao SL, Fang JY, Zhou LM, Ciais P, Zhu B (2006). Variations in satellite-derived phenology in China’s temperate vegetation. Global Change Biology, 12, 672-685.
[31]	Price MV, Waser NM (1998). Effects of experimental warming on plant reproductive phenology in a subalpine meadow. Ecology, 79, 1261-1271.
[32]	Rabinowitz D, Rapp JK, Sork VL, Rathcke BJ, Reese GA, Weaver JC (1981). Phenological properties of wind- and insect-pollinated prairie plants. Ecology, 62, 49-56.
[33]	Rajaniemi TK (2003). Explaining productivity-diversity relationships in plants. Oikos, 101, 449-457.
[34]	Root TL, Price JT, Hall KR, Schneider SH, Rosenzweig C, Pounds JA (2003). Fingerprints of global warming on wild animals and plants. Nature, 421, 57-60.
[35]	Schaeffer SM, Evans RD (2005). Pulse additions of soil carbon and nitrogen affect soil nitrogen dynamics in an arid Colorado Plateau shrubland. Oecologia, 145, 425-433. DOI URL PMID
[36]	Schwartz MD (1999). Advancing to full bloom: planning phenological research for the 21st century. International Journal of Biometeorology, 42, 113-118.
[37]	Sherry RA, Zhou XH, Gu SL, Arnone JA, Schimel DS, Verburg PS, Wallace LL, Luo YQ (2007). Divergence of reproduc- tive phenology under climate warming. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 104, 198-202. URL PMID
[38]	Stanton ML, Rejmánek M, Galen C (1994). Changes in vegetation and soil fertility along a predictable snowmelt gradient in the Mosquito Range, Colorado, USA. Arctic and Alpine Research, 26, 364-374.
[39]	Tilman D, Lehman CL, Thomson KT (1997). Plant diversity and ecosystem productivity: theoretical considerations. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 94, 1857-1861. URL PMID
[40]	Veresoglou DS, Fitter AH (1984). Spatial and temporal patterns of growth and nutrient uptake of five co-existing grasses. Journal of Ecology, 72, 259-272.
[41]	Walther GR, Post E, Convey P, Menzel A, Parmesan C, Beebee TJ, Fromentin JM, Guldberg OH, Bairlein F (2002). Ecological responses to recent climate change. Nature, 416, 389-395. DOI URL PMID
[42]	Wan MW, Liu XZ (1979). Phenology Observation Methods in China. Science Press, Beijing. (in Chinese)
	[ 宛敏渭, 刘秀珍 (1979). 中国物候观测方法. 科学出版社, 北京.]
[43]	West NE, Wein RW (1971). A plant phenological index technique. BioScience, 21, 116-117.
[44]	Wolkovich EM, Cook BI, Allen JM, Crimmins TM, Betancount JL, Travers SE, Pau S, Regetz J, Davies TJ, Kraft NJ, Ault TR, Bolmgren K, Mazer SJ, McCabe GJ, McGill BJ, Parmesan C, Salamin N, Schwartz MD, Cleland EE (2012). Warming experiments underpredict plant phenological responses to climate change. Nature, 485, 494-497. DOI URL PMID
[45]	Yang X (2007). Patterns of Flowering Phenology on Alpine Meadow in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and Their Response to Different Disturbances. Master degree dissertation, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou. (in Chinese with English abstract)
	[ 杨晓 (2007). 青藏高原东缘高寒草甸开花物候格局及其对不同干扰方式的响应. 硕士学位论文, 兰州大学, 兰州.]
[46]	Zang YM, Zhu ZH, Li YN, Wang WJ, Xi B (2009). Effects of species diversity and functional diversity on primary productivity of alpine meadow. Chinese Journal of Ecology, 28, 999-1005. (in Chinese with English abstract)
	[ 臧岳铭, 朱志红, 李英年, 王文娟, 席博 (2009). 高寒矮嵩草草甸物种多样性与功能多样性对初级生产力的影响. 生态学杂志, 28, 999-1005.]
[47]	Zhang F, Zhou GS, Wang YH (2008). Phenological calendar of Stipa krylovii steppe in Inner Mongolia, China and its correlation with climatic variables. Journal of Plant Ecology (Chinese Version), 32, 1312-1322. (in Chinese with English abstract)
	[ 张峰, 周广胜, 王玉辉 (2008). 内蒙古克氏针茅草原植物物候及其与气候因子关系. 植物生态学报, 32, 1312-1322.]
[48]	Zhang YQ, Zhou XM, Wang QJ, Zhang YS (1994). Numerical analysis of phenological characteristics of main plants in Potentilla fruticosa shrub. In: Jiang S, Chen CD eds. Vegetation Ecology Research. Science Press, Beijing. 289-296. (in Chinese)
	[ 张堰青, 周兴民, 王启基, 张耀生 (1994). 金露梅灌丛主要植物种物候特征的数值分析. 见: 姜恕, 陈昌笃编. 植被生态学研究. 科学出版社, 北京. 289-296.]
[49]	Zhao XQ, Cao GM, Li YN, Xu SX, Cui XY, Zhou HK (2009). Alpine Meadow Ecosystem and Global Change. Science Press, Beijing. (in Chinese)
	[ 赵新全, 曹广民, 李英年, 徐世晓, 崔晓勇, 周华坤 (2009). 高寒草甸生态系统与全球变化. 科学出版社, 北京.]
[50]	Zhou HK, Zhou L, Zhao XQ, Liu W, Li YN, Yan ZL, Zhao XX (2002). A quantitative study on the plant population phenology in Kobresia humilis meadow. Acta Agrestia Sinica, 10, 279-286. (in Chinese with English abstract)
	[ 周华坤, 周立, 赵新全, 刘伟, 李英年, 严作良, 赵旭霞 (2002). 矮嵩草草甸植物种群物候学定量研究. 草地学报, 10, 279-286.]

养分类别 Nutrient category	养分形态 Nutrient form	添加量 Addition (g·36 m^-2·a^-1)
N	CO(NH₂)₂	771.43
P	Ca(H₂PO₄)₂·H₂O	1 464.39
K	K₂SO₄	802.40
C	C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁	5 148.00
Ca^*	CaCO₃	538.39
Mg^*	MgCO₃	374.67
Fe^*	FeSO₄·7H₂O	3 043.58
Mn^*	MnSO₄	247.54
Zn^*	ZnSO₄·7H₂O	158.26
Cu^*	CuSO₄·5H₂O	141.51
B^*	Na₂B₄O₇·10H₂O	31.77
Mo^*	Na₂MoO₄·2H₂O	9.08

养分类别 Nutrient category	养分形态 Nutrient form	添加量 Addition (g·36 m^-2·a^-1)
N	CO(NH₂)₂	771.43
P	Ca(H₂PO₄)₂·H₂O	1 464.39
K	K₂SO₄	802.40
C	C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁	5 148.00
Ca^*	CaCO₃	538.39
Mg^*	MgCO₃	374.67
Fe^*	FeSO₄·7H₂O	3 043.58
Mn^*	MnSO₄	247.54
Zn^*	ZnSO₄·7H₂O	158.26
Cu^*	CuSO₄·5H₂O	141.51
B^*	Na₂B₄O₇·10H₂O	31.77
Mo^*	Na₂MoO₄·2H₂O	9.08

物种 Species	养分添加 Nutrient addition
物种 Species	NPK	K	NP	N	P	PK	NK	C	Control
矮生嵩草 Kobresia humilis	0.83	0.83	1.00⁺	0.77	0.75	1.00⁺	1.00⁺	0.92	0.75
垂穗披碱草 Elymus nutans	0.58	0.55	0.31^-	0.39^-	0.67	0.62	0.50^-	0.62	0.75
双柱头藨草 Scirpus distigmaticcus	0.46^-	1.00	0.50^-	0.75	0.63^-	0.82	0.89	0.67	1.00
麻花艽 Gentiana straminea	0.46⁺	0.42⁺	0.17	0.08	0.50⁺	0.33	0.15	0.25	0.08
美丽凤毛菊 Saussurea superba	0.42^-	0.58	0.33^-	0.73⁺	0.55	0.83⁺	0.69⁺	0.58	0.55
黑褐穗薹草 Carex atrofusca	0.60	0.71⁺	0.75⁺	0.67	1.00⁺	0.20^-	0.70	0.62	0.50
雪白委陵菜 Potentilla nivea	0.67^-	0.91	0.54^-	0.92⁺	1.00⁺	0.91	0.92⁺	0.67	0.83
冷地早熟禾 Poa crymophila	0.70	0.67^-	0.70	0.70	0.70	0.83	0.42^-	0.62	0.83
异针茅 Stipa aliena	0.08^-	0.36	0.30^-	0.33^-	0.42	0.46	0.50	0.58	0.88

物种 Species	养分添加 Nutrient addition
物种 Species	NPK	K	NP	N	P	PK	NK	C	Control
矮生嵩草 Kobresia humilis	0.83	0.83	1.00⁺	0.77	0.75	1.00⁺	1.00⁺	0.92	0.75
垂穗披碱草 Elymus nutans	0.58	0.55	0.31^-	0.39^-	0.67	0.62	0.50^-	0.62	0.75
双柱头藨草 Scirpus distigmaticcus	0.46^-	1.00	0.50^-	0.75	0.63^-	0.82	0.89	0.67	1.00
麻花艽 Gentiana straminea	0.46⁺	0.42⁺	0.17	0.08	0.50⁺	0.33	0.15	0.25	0.08
美丽凤毛菊 Saussurea superba	0.42^-	0.58	0.33^-	0.73⁺	0.55	0.83⁺	0.69⁺	0.58	0.55
黑褐穗薹草 Carex atrofusca	0.60	0.71⁺	0.75⁺	0.67	1.00⁺	0.20^-	0.70	0.62	0.50
雪白委陵菜 Potentilla nivea	0.67^-	0.91	0.54^-	0.92⁺	1.00⁺	0.91	0.92⁺	0.67	0.83
冷地早熟禾 Poa crymophila	0.70	0.67^-	0.70	0.70	0.70	0.83	0.42^-	0.62	0.83
异针茅 Stipa aliena	0.08^-	0.36	0.30^-	0.33^-	0.42	0.46	0.50	0.58	0.88

物种 Species	养分添加 Nutrient addition								Control
物种 Species	NPK	K	NP	N	P	PK	NK	C	Control
矮生嵩草 Kobresia humilis	0.93⁺	0.71	0.95⁺	0.83	0.83	0.82	0.86⁺	0.78^-	0.80
垂穗披碱草 Elymus nutans	0.79	0.96⁺	0.87	0.88	0.85	0.91	0.89	0.83^-	0.91
双柱头藨草 Scirpus distigmaticcus	0.89⁺	0.52	0.72⁺	0.62	0.93⁺	0.58	0.57	0.66	0.54
麻花艽 Gentiana straminea	0.75	0.90⁺	0.94⁺	0.77	0.88⁺	0.84	0.87	0.73^-	0.84
美丽凤毛菊 Saussurea superba	0.92	0.88	0.97⁺	0.95	0.98⁺	0.94	0.99⁺	0.83^-	0.89
黑褐穗薹草 Carex atrofusca	0.72	0.89	0.82	0.90	0.92⁺	0.78^-	0.88	0.85	0.91
雪白委陵菜 Potentilla nivea	0.83	0.77	0.93	0.83	0.81	0.88	0.94	0.74^-	0.96
异叶米口袋 Gueldenstaedtia diversifolia	0.96	1.00⁺	0.89	0.97	0.96	0.95	1.00⁺	0.99⁺	0.95
甘青剪股颖 Agrostis hugoniana	0.85	0.93	0.86	0.95⁺	0.89	0.95⁺	0.90	0.96⁺	0.86
异针茅 Stipa aliena	0.80	0.78	0.73	0.81	0.71	0.85	0.68^-	0.86⁺	0.85
冷地早熟禾 Poa crymophila	0.63	0.87⁺	0.78	0.80⁺	0.61	0.67^-	0.69	0.88⁺	0.70