Parasitic plants indirectly regulate below-ground properties in grassland ecosystems

Nature ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 439 (7079) ◽  
pp. 969-972 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard D. Bardgett ◽  
Roger S. Smith ◽  
Robert S. Shiel ◽  
Simon Peacock ◽  
Janet M. Simkin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parasitic Plants ◽  
Grassland Ecosystems ◽  
Below Ground

scholarly journals Interannual Variation in Root Production in Grasslands Affected by Artificially Modified Amount of Rainfall

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karel Fiala ◽  
Ivan Tůma ◽  
Petr Holub
Keyword(s):  
Interannual Variation ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Lower Amount ◽  
Root Production ◽  
Climate Scenarios ◽  
Natural Rainfall ◽  
Plant Matter ◽  
Grassland Ecosystems ◽  
Below Ground

The effect of different amounts of rainfall on the below-ground plant biomass was studied in three grassland ecosystems. Responses of the lowland (dryFestucagrassland), highland (wetCirsiumgrassland), and mountain (Nardusgrassland) grasslands were studied during five years (2006–2010). A field experiment based on rainout shelters and gravity irrigation simulated three climate scenarios: rainfall reduced by 50% (dry), rainfall increased by 50% (wet), and the natural rainfall of the current growing season (ambient). The interannual variation in root increment and total below-ground biomass reflected the experimentally manipulated amount of precipitation and also the amount of current rainfall of individual years. The effect of year on these below-ground parameters was found significant in all studied grasslands. In comparison with dryFestucagrassland, better adapted to drought, submontane wetCirsiumgrassland was more sensitive to the different water inputs forming rather lower amount of below-ground plant matter at reduced precipitation.

Reducing rainfall amount has a greater negative effect on the productivity of grassland plant species than reducing rainfall frequency

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleanor V. J. Gibson-Forty ◽  
Kirk L. Barnett ◽  
David T. Tissue ◽  
Sally A. Power
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Rainfall Events ◽  
Reduced Frequency ◽  
Grassland Ecosystems ◽  
Rainfall Frequency ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Below Ground ◽  
Grassland Productivity ◽  
Manipulation Experiment

The productivity of semiarid Australian grassland ecosystems is currently limited by water availability and may be impacted further by predicted changes in rainfall regimes associated with climate change. In this study, we established a rainfall manipulation experiment to determine the effects of reduced frequency (RF; 8 days between water events) and reduced magnitude (RM; 50% reduction in amount) of rainfall events on the physiology and above- and below-ground growth of five grassland plant species with differing traits. Native C4 grasses exhibited the highest productivity in well watered, control (Cont) conditions, as well as in RF and RM treatments. The RF treatment generally had little effect on total biomass, rooting distributions or photosynthesis, suggesting species were relatively tolerant of reduction in the frequency of rainfall events. However, the RM treatment had a negative effect on total biomass and physiology, and generally resulted in a shift towards shallower rooting profiles. Overall, the reduction in biomass was greater in RM than RF, suggesting that rainfall magnitude may be a more important determinant of grassland productivity and composition than the frequency of rainfall events under future climates.

Pattern and process in above‐ground and below‐ground components of grassland ecosystems

1999 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 307-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.A. Titlyanova ◽  
I.P. Romanova ◽  
N.P. Kosykh ◽  
N.P. Mironycheva‐Tokareva
Keyword(s):  
Pattern And Process ◽  
Grassland Ecosystems ◽  
Below Ground

scholarly journals Carbon Sequestration Potentials of Man-made Grasslands under Different Pattern of Plantation Stands in West Bandung Regency, Indonesia

2021 ◽  
Vol 249 ◽  
pp. 03011
Author(s):  
Annas Dwitri Malik ◽  
Maulida Isfahani Nurillah ◽  
Parikesit ◽  
Susanti Withaningsih ◽  
Ratna Wingit
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Carbon Storage ◽  
Carbon Stock ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Allometric Equation ◽  
Tree Biomass ◽  
Management Planning ◽  
Grassland Ecosystems ◽  
Below Ground

Alternatives of vegetations to store carbon need to be encouraged considering that forests are threatened by widespread destructions. One such vegetation is grasslands which have the potential for carbon storage and to reduce CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. At present, many enterprises have designed grasslands for many purposes. Grasslands at Cikalong Wetan and Little Farmers, West Bandung Regency were established under different pattern of plantation stands. The purpose of this research was to study the potential of carbon stock in grassland vegetation at these locations. Based on RaCSA method, the tree biomass was determined by nondestructive collection of density and basal area of trees, then calculated by an allometric equation. The ground cover biomass was determined by destructive collection of grass and roots. Total measured biomass was multiplied by 46% to obtain carbon storage. Based on the results, the potential of carbon stock in Little Farmers grassland (159,540 ton ha-1) is higher than in Cikalong Wetan (14,482 ton ha-1). Carbon stored in tree biomass gives the highest contribution to overall carbon stock potential in Little Farmers (94.84%) while carbon stored in below-ground understorey biomass gives the highest contribution in Cikalong Wetan (52.13 %). Different management of grasslands and pattern of plantation stands resulting a different contribution of carbon stock in every carbon pool. In order to maintain the carbon sequestration potentials of these locations, an agroforestry management such as agri-silviculture need to be encouraged. This study gives a comparison of the carbon sequestration potentials between two man-made grassland ecosystems. For many enterprises this study will aid in a management planning of man-made grassland in terms of ecosystem services, that is carbon sequestration.

Anatomy and ultrastructure of haustoria in selected West Australian parasitic angiosperms

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 690-691
Author(s):  
John Kuo ◽  
John S. Pate
Keyword(s):  
Parasitic Plants ◽  
The Other ◽  
Nutrient Transfer ◽  
Direct Solution ◽  
Tracheary Elements ◽  
Solute Transfer ◽  
Glycol Methacrylate ◽  
Australian Species ◽  
Anatomy And Ultrastructure ◽  
Solution Transfer

Our understanding of nutrient transfer between host and flowering parasitic plants is usually based mainly on physiological concepts, with little information on haustorial structure related to function. The aim of this paper is to study the haustorial interface and possible pathways of water and solute transfer between a number of host and parasites.Haustorial tissues were fixed in glutaraldehyde and embedded in glycol methacrylate (LM), or fixed in glutaraldehyde then OsO4 and embedded in Spurr’s resin (TEM).Our study shows that lumen to lumen continuity occurs between tracheary elements of a host and four S.W. Australian species of aerial mistletoes (Fig. 1), and some root hemiparasites (Exocarpos spp. and Anthobolus foveolatus) (Fig. 2). On the other hand, haustorial interfaces of the root hemiparasites Olax phyllanthi and Santalum (2 species) are comprised mainly of parenchyma, as opposed to terminating tracheads or vessels, implying that direct solution transfer between partners via vessels or tracheary elements may be limited (Fig. 3).

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