灌木促进的入侵加速了荒漠化
Jacob E Lucero1, Christopher J Lortie2, Alessandro Filazzola3
1Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.
概括
在沙漠中外来草的入侵通过增加生物质生产和减少本土生物多样性来加速荒漠化. 管理入侵性草是缓解荒漠化和保护生态系统健康的关键.
科学领域:
- 生态生态学 生态生态学
- 环境科学 环境科学
- 植物学 植物学
背景情况:
- 理论上说,荒漠化与提高初级生产率以及对降水变化的敏感性有关.
- 将生物入侵与荒漠化症状联系起来的经验证据有限.
- 异国草在干旱生态系统中越来越令人担忧.
研究的目的:
- 调查异国草的入侵是否加剧了荒漠化症状.
- 评估本土灌木在促进异国草入侵中的作用.
- 量化入侵对生物质,生物多样性和降雨敏感性的影响.
主要方法:
- 在莫哈维沙漠和圣若金沙漠的5年降水梯度 (41-248毫米/年) 的实地研究.
- 测量了草本植物生物量和生物多样性,在异国草入侵率高或低的地区.
- 在本地灌木下比较植物群落与间歇空间.
主要成果:
- 异国草的入侵使降水转化为生物质的速度翻了一番.
- 本地灌木促进了异国草的生长,增加了生态系统对降雨的敏感性.
- 由于入侵而增加的生物质生产与显著的本地生物多样性损失相关.
结论:
- 异国草,由本地灌木促进,通过促进对降水变化敏感的非本地植物来加速荒漠化.
- 侵入性草会降低干旱环境中的生物多样性和生态系统功能.
- 控制外来草和管理容易入侵对于减缓荒漠化至关重要.
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