Effects of Caragana microphylla patch and its canopy size on “islands of fertility” in a Mongolian grassland ecosystem

Kondo, Junji; Hirobe, Muneto; Yamada, Yoshihiro; Jamsran, Undarmaa; Sakamoto, Keiji; Yoshikawa, Ken

doi:10.1007/s11355-010-0133-0

Cited by 17 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Differences in clay content were striking, as average clay content was 4.5% for grass patches and 25% for shrub patches, which was in part attributed to overland flow and windblown sediment trapped by shrub patches. The above results were consistent with previous studies (e.g., Zhang et al, 2006b; Kondo et al, 2012).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 94%

Shrub Hydropedology: Preferential Water Availability to Deep Soil Layer

Zhang

et al. 2013

Vadose Zone Journal

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The complex interactions between shrub traits, soil structure, and soil water dynamics are not well understood yet. This study investigated rainfall partition by C. microphylla L., spatial soil water pattern, soil hydraulic conductivity, and soil macropores to ascertain preferential water flow to deep soil layer by shrub. Results indicated that high variability in throughfall existed within individual shrub stand: average coefficient of variation was 0.36 ± 0.13 for shrub and 0.15 ± 0.13 for interspace grass. Throughfall was less at the center of the shrub patch (30–60% of rainfall) than the outward positions at the edges of the canopy (70–90% of rainfall). Soil water responded differently to rainfall, soil depth, and vegetation type and showed high variability within shrub patches and on the slope. Greater and deeper infiltration was observed beneath C. microphylla L. canopy than interspaces grass after rainfall with large amount and high intensity, suggesting that macropore flow dominated in shrub patches. X‐ray CT showed that macroporosity was over six times greater in soil under C. microphylla L. than interspace grass. Soil hydraulic conductivity for shrub at saturation and the pressure heads of −30, −60, and −150 mm were 3, 2, 2.5, and 2 times than those of grass, respectively. Shrub patches had a significant lower bulk density and higher porosity than grass patches at the top 0‐ to 30‐cm depth. Soil hydraulic conductivity was significantly correlated to organic matter content, total N, bulk density, and porosity. This study suggests that rainfall partition by shrub's canopy and subsurface soil macropores induced by root architecture results in preferential water flow into deep soil layer, which might favor competitive advantages for water by shrubs under arid conditions.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 94%

Shrub Hydropedology: Preferential Water Availability to Deep Soil Layer

Zhang

et al. 2013

Vadose Zone Journal

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“…; Kondo et al. ) would moderate its competitive effects on herbaceous plant density (Franco‐Pizaña et al. ; Gómez‐Aparicio et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, competition for light, water and nutrients should decrease them (Facelli & Temby 2002;Weedon & Facelli 2008). Although we did not measure the survival and growth of herbaceous plants, the soil fertilization by C. microphylla (Cao et al 2011;Kondo et al 2012) would moderate its competitive effects on herbaceous plant density (Franco-Pizaña et al 1996;G omez-Aparicio et al 2004). On the other hand, the accumulation of coarse sand, which retains less water and nutrients than fine soil (Ekwoanya & Ojanuga 2002), must inhibit plant emergence and growth on shrub mounds (Li et al 2009).…”

Section: Effects At the Individual Shrub Scalementioning

confidence: 99%

Shrub cover regulates population dynamics of herbaceous plants at individual shrub scale on the Mongolian steppe

Koyama

Sasaki

Jamsran

et al. 2014

J Vegetation Science

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Questions Do shrubs regulate herbaceous plant community by modifying seed and plant distributions at the individual shrub scale? Do the magnitude and extent of effects at this scale change with shrub cover? Location A desert steppe, Mandalgobi, Mongolia. Methods We compared soil properties, seed accumulation and the establishment of plants of three functional types (annual forb, perennial forb and perennial graminoid) between shrub microsites (on mounds vs mound interspace) at sites differing in shrub coverage (high and low). Results Shrub patches (a legume Caragana microphylla) promoted seed accumulation but inhibited plant establishment on mounds, relative to the mound interspace, for all functional types. However, the effects varied with shrub cover, particularly in the mound interspace, with responses specific to each functional type. The accumulation of soil and annual forb seeds increased with shrub cover at both microsites. Additionally, the density of annual forbs was positively related to shrub cover in the mound interspace. In contrast, the density of perennial forbs and graminoids decreased with increasing shrub cover at both microsites, possibly because of enhanced sand accumulation. Conclusion Shrubs shape herbaceous plant community by causing differences at the individual shrub scale in seed and plant distributions. Additionally, we showed that individual shrub effects are shrub cover‐dependent: dense shrub stands enhanced the dominance of annual forbs in spite of the negative effect found at the individual shrub scale, whereas perennial forbs and graminoids were less abundant in denser shrub stands. Shrubs can play an important role in structuring plant communities via shrub cover‐dependent variation at microsites.

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“…The size and architecture of pioneer shrubs play important roles in modifying microenvironment (Bonanomi et al ; Pugnaire et al ). Larger canopy shrubs could greatly affect the enrichment of total soil carbon, nitrogen, and water availability but have no effect on non‐limiting elements, such as exchangeable sodium (Kondo et al ). On the other hand, small canopy shrubs may allow more light penetration and less competition for soil nutrients and water.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Canopy Size Dependent Facilitations from the Native Shrub Rhodomyrtus tomentosa to the Early Establishment of Native Trees Castanopsis fissa and Syzygium hancei in Tropical China

Liu

Zhu

Sun

et al. 2014

Restoration Ecology

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The quantitative role of the canopy size of nurse shrubs on microenvironment and native tree establishment in degraded tropical lands has been seldom studied. In a 21-month field experiment, we aimed to test the effect of a native shrub with different canopy sizes on the early establishment of native trees as part of the effort of forest restoration in tropical China. We examined the microenvironment, and the seedling establishment and growth of two native trees: Castanopsis fissa and Syzygium hancei in both open space (OS) microsite and microsite under the canopy of the native pioneer shrub Rhodomyrtus tomentosa. Shrub microsite was further divided into large canopy (LC), and medium canopy (MC) microsite, based on the shrub leaf area indices. Results showed that relative to OS, LC had higher soil nutrient concentration and water content, and lower photosynthetic active radiation (PAR), while MC had lower PAR and higher soil exchangeable Mg, K, and Ca. Survival and growth were mostly enhanced, while water stress and photoinhibition reduced for C. fissa seedlings in MC and S. hancei seedlings in LC. It is found that the beneficial effects of the native shrub on seedling establishment and growth result mostly from the improvement in nutrient and water availabilities, the reduction in plant stress caused by harsh summer light, and the specific ecological requirements of different tree species. We suggest that different canopy sizes of native shrub R. tomentosa may be explored to target different native trees and hence promote forest restoration in degraded tropical ecosystems.

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Effects of Caragana microphylla patch and its canopy size on “islands of fertility” in a Mongolian grassland ecosystem

Cited by 17 publications

References 42 publications

Shrub Hydropedology: Preferential Water Availability to Deep Soil Layer

Shrub Hydropedology: Preferential Water Availability to Deep Soil Layer

Shrub cover regulates population dynamics of herbaceous plants at individual shrub scale on the Mongolian steppe

Canopy Size Dependent Facilitations from the Native Shrub Rhodomyrtus tomentosa to the Early Establishment of Native Trees Castanopsis fissa and Syzygium hancei in Tropical China

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