南亚热带森林木本植物种子萌发和储存

研究了南亚热带森林 90种木本植物的种子和果实的大小、含水量等特征及种子萌发 ,并对其中有足够萌发个体的种 (45种 )进行了萌发分析和对有足够萌发个体和足够种子的种 (41种 )进行了种子或果实储存对萌发影响的研究。肉质果实种子和肉质种子萌发率较干燥种子高 ,两者差异显著。大多数种播种 6 0d内萌发。肉质果实的种子和肉质种子较干燥种子的休眠期长 ,留土萌发种子较出土萌发种子休眠期长。大种子种与小种子种之间、夏季成熟的肉质果实的种子与冬季和春季成熟的肉质果实的种子之间休眠期长短差异不显著。萌发率与新鲜种子含水量无显著的相关 ,但种子中水分含量的减少明显影响萌发率 ,尤其是在种子自然干燥的最初 3d。当种子的水分含量减至 2 0 % (约在种子自然干燥 10～ 14d)时 ,种子萌发率降至很低。萌发率随储存时间 (密封 ,(4± 1)℃ )而下降 ,但储存一个月下降不大 (- 8.3% ) ,储存 3个月后 ,显著下降。果实储存与种子储存之间、大种子种与小种子种储存之间、肉质果实的种子和肉质种子储存与干燥种子储存之间 ,萌发率差异一般不显著。     

黄檗的更新特点及食果实鸟类对其种子的传播

在帽儿山实验林场和哈尔滨实验林场 ,黄檗母树下没有幼苗分布 ,不能进行天然更新 ,需要靠食果实鸟类等将果实和种子传播至远离母树的其他林下。捕食黄檗果实的食果实鸟类有 9种。其中 6种是食果肉鸟类 ,吞入果实后 ,消化果肉 ,而种子完整地随粪便排出而得以传播。其余 3种是食种子鸟类 ,没有传播作用。果实在鸟类消化道内的滞留时间达 2 0～ 30min ,具有很长的潜在传播距离。将鸟类消化后的种子与完整果实和人为去果肉种子进行萌发对比实验 ,消化后种子的累计萌发率与其余二者之间均没有显著性差异 ,说明食果实鸟类的消化 (道 )过程对种子萌发没有明显影响 ,同时证明果肉对种子萌发率没有显著影响 ,果肉中不含萌发抑制物质。黄檗提供多种鸟类以食物 ,而鸟类也同时以多种肉质果植物为食物。因此食果实鸟类和肉质果植物 (包括黄檗 )之间形成了松散的互利共生关系     

小车前（Plantago minuta Pall.）种子表面粘液物质的吸水特性及其对种子在干旱环境中萌发的影响

为了理解荒漠短命植物小车前(Plantago minuta Pall.)种子表面的粘液物质对种子在干旱环境中萌发的作用,在室内控制条件下研究了粘液物质的吸水保水特性、剥离粘液物质的种子(无粘液种子)和保留粘液物质的种子(粘液种子)在-1.15～-0.15 MPa不同渗透胁迫条件下的萌发状况.结果表明: (1)小车前种子表面的粘液物质干重占粘液种子干重的5.6%;在去离子水中,粘液物质可以吸收相当于其自身干重217.1倍的水分;粘液物质的存在使得小车前种子的吸水倍数由2倍增加至14倍,从而保证为种子萌发提供充足的水分;(2)干燥的粘液种子吸水2h后即达到饱和,而吸水饱和后的粘液种子在室温下晾置,经过48h后又干燥失水恢复至原重;(3)在去离子水中或低渗透胁迫(-0.33～-0.15 MPa) 条件下,粘液物质吸水作用能促进小车前种子萌发,粘液种子3d的发芽势和10d的总萌发率均显著高于无粘液种子;在高渗透胁迫(-1.15～-0.73MPa)条件下,粘液种子3d的发芽势显著低于无粘液种子的,而10d的总萌发率与无粘液种子的没有显著差别,表明粘液物质在干旱条件下可能从种子而非外界环境中吸取水分,减缓了种子萌发速率.通过上述结果可以认为小车前种子表面的粘液物质在早春干湿交替剧烈的荒漠生境中起到通过调节水分来调节种子萌发的作用,这种萌发策略大大降低了因大批种子同时萌发导致幼苗受旱甚至种群灭亡的潜在风险.     

入侵植物北美车前种子粘液的吸水特性及其对干旱胁迫的萌发响应

北美车前(Plantago virginica)是中国南方广泛分布的一种入侵植物。为探讨北美车前种子的休眠萌发特性及种子粘液对其种子在干旱环境中萌发的作用,在室内控制条件下研究了其种子在收获后不同月份的萌发状况、粘液的吸水失水特性、有粘液种子和无粘液种子在不同渗透胁迫条件下的萌发状况。结果表明:北美车前种子有近1个月的休眠期,成熟后第2~9个月保持较高的种子萌发率(48.75%~88.75%);北美车前有粘液种子对水分的吸收能力明显强于无粘液种子,粘液可吸收其干质量近59倍的水量;在-1.21~0 MPa渗透势胁迫下,与对照相比,有粘液种子萌发率只下降了18.58%,无粘液种子萌发率下降了62.71%;可见,北美车前种子休眠期短,萌发率高,种子粘液有较强的吸水能力,有利于种子对干旱环境的适应,从而间接增强了其入侵性。     

青藏高原东缘11种小檗属(Berberis)植物种子萌发特性

在实验室条件下研究了青藏高原东缘11种小檗属(Berberis)植物的种子萌发特性,并分析了种子萌发能力与种子大小和海拔之间的关系。结果表明,11种植物中,仅有5种植物(金花小檗、匙叶小檗、锥花小檗、鲜黄小檗和刺黄花)种子萌发率超过50%,其中金花小檗最高(86.7%);有2种植物(巴东小檗、华西小檗)种子始终没有萌发,其余4种植物种子萌发率均在10%以下;种子萌发开始时间均在10d以后,匙叶小檗种子萌发的持续时间最长(40d)。11种植物种子萌发率、萌发速率、萌发持续时间与种子大小均呈显著负相关,而萌发开始时间与种子大小之间具有显著的正相关关系。萌发率、萌发速率、萌发持续时间与海拔均有较弱的正关联,萌发开始时间与海拔有较弱的负关联。     

NaCl胁迫下外源NO供体硝普钠(SNP)对小麦种子萌发的影响

150mmol.L-lNaCl胁迫下,'鲁麦15'小麦种子萌发率下降,而添加0.08mmol·L-1 SNP的种子萌发率显著增加.NaCl理与否的情况下添加0.08mmol·L-1 SNP对种子最终萌发率、种子含水量、胚中Na*和K 含量影响不显著,而胚的含水量显著增高.     

持久性土壤种子库种子萌发的个体竞争能力会衰减吗?——以紫茎泽兰为例

持久性土壤种子库(PSSB)是一种重要的植物生活史对策, 很多学者就这种对策对物种适应和进化的影响进行过推理。但种子在土壤中的长时间存留是一种风险行为, 所有的PSSB影响的推理都取决于一个假设, 即PSSB种子萌发的个体的竞争能力没有因为存留损耗而显著降低。为验证这一假设, 该文以紫茎泽兰(Eupatorium adenophorum)为研究材料, 比较了埋藏1年和3年的PSSB种子萌发的个体与同母体的当年新种子萌发的个体之间在无竞争和4种密度制约竞争条件下的株高和生物量的差异。结果显示, 无论株高还是生物量, PSSB种子萌发的个体较同母体的新种子萌发的个体均有所降低, 但在多数检测时间内的降低程度未达到显著水平, 表明紫茎泽兰PSSB种子萌发的个体相对于同母体的新种子萌发的个体的竞争能力无显著下降。     

果实成熟度和贮藏条件对枇杷种子无菌萌发的影响

为探讨影响枇杷(Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.)种子萌发的因素,将种子播种于1/2MS培养基80 d,研究了成熟度和贮藏条件对枇杷种子萌发的影响。结果表明,‘软条白沙’、‘宁海白’、‘塘科白沙’和‘大红袍’转色期和完熟期采收的种子的萌发率和苗高无显著差异;而‘大房’完熟期采收种子的萌发率较高。‘洛阳青’枇杷果实或种子经4℃贮藏5 d和10 d,萌发率和苗高与未贮藏种子的无显著差异,而贮藏期达20 d或更长时,贮藏种子的萌发率和苗高显著下降。在不同温度下贮藏的枇杷种子萌发率和苗高存在差异,‘早钟6号’和‘太平白’枇杷在15℃和4℃的优于25℃的,但适宜贮藏时间分别不超过15 d和30 d。因此,在转色期采收果实以及适度贮藏果实或种子可以保持枇杷种子的萌发能力。     

珍稀濒危植物金丝李种子脱水耐性和贮藏特性

为测定不同脱水程度金丝李(Garcinia paucinervis)种子的萌发情况及其复水后的吸水率、脱水过程中抗性生理指标的变化以及不同贮藏方式下种子的萌发情况,该文研究了金丝李种子的脱水敏感性和储藏特性。结果表明:(1)金丝李种子初始含水量为45.29%,室内通风处放置35 d失水率即达45%。(2)种子失水率低于18%时,萌发率和复水后的吸水率变化不显著;失水率超过18%时,萌发率和复水后吸水率均显著下降,失水率为42%时萌发率为0。其种子的临界含水量为27.29%,半致死含水量为12.72%。(3)随着种子脱水程度的加深,相对电导率、可溶性糖及脯氨酸含量逐步上升;丙二醛含量在失水率低于24%时变化不大,高于24%时显著提高; SOD和POD的活性均呈波动性变化,失水率为18%时活性均最高。(4)室温干藏1个月和-1、-20℃下湿藏1个月的种子均不能萌发;水浸贮藏1个月的种子萌发率显著降低; 4℃湿藏1、3和6个月均显著延缓种子萌发,但对萌发率无显著影响。表明金丝李种子在失水率低于18%时,种子可通过抗性调节维持细胞的正常代谢,能忍受一定程度的脱水和低温;当失水率超过18%时,种子代谢失衡发生劣变直至死亡,属于低度的顽拗性种子。4℃湿沙藏(含水量7.5%)是短期贮藏其种子的较好方法。     

辽东栎种子的顽拗性——脱水和低温敏感性

该文采用硅胶(快速脱水)和35℃电子恒温干燥箱中脱水(缓慢脱水)、冷藏(4℃)和冻藏(-4℃)的方法,研究了辽东栎种子的脱水和低温敏感性及其对种子萌发的影响。结果表明:辽东栎种子成熟散落时具有较高的含水量(96.0%)和萌发率(78.9%),无论是快速脱水还是缓慢脱水,萌发率、萌发速率、萌发指数和活力指数均随着脱水时间的延长和含水量的降低呈现减小的趋势,至脱水96 h后(快速和缓慢脱水种子含水量分别为66.0%和69.8%),种子全部失去活力。辽东栎种子活力与含水量呈显著的正相关关系,但轻度脱水可促进种子萌发,快速脱水种子比缓慢脱水种子具有更高的脱水耐性。辽东栎种子不能耐受低温贮藏,萌发率、萌发速率、萌发指数和活力指数在4℃下冷藏30 d或-4℃下冻藏6 h后均显著降低,冷藏90 d或冻藏48 h后种子全部丧失活力。     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Hewardieae, Petrosavieae, and Tricyrteae

The young pistils in the melanthioid tribes, Hewardieae, Petrosavieae and Tricyrteae, are uniformly tricarpellate and syncarpous. They lack raphide idioblasts. All are multiovulate, with bitegmic ovules. The Petrosavieae are marked by the presence of septal glands and incomplete syncarpy. Tepals and stamens adhere to the ovary in the Hewardieae and the Petrosavieae but not in the Tricyrteae. Two vascular bundles occur in the stamens of the Hewartlieae and Tricyrtis latifolia. Ventral bundles in the upper part of the ovary of the Hewardieae are continuous with compound septal bundles and placental bundles in the lower part. Putative ventral bundles occur in the alternate position in the Tricyrteae and putative placental bundles in the opposite. position in the Petrosavieae. The dichtomously branched stigma in each carpel of the Tricyrteae is supplied by a bifurcated dorsal bundle.     

Selection with two alleles and complete dominance

For a plant selection model with frequency-independent viabilities, fertilities and selfing rates, it is shown that apart from global fixation, for certain parameter combinations a protected polymorphism and facultative fixation (either allele may become fixed according to initial frequencies) may both occur. Facultative fixation requires different selling rates for the dominant and recessive type. Protection of the polymorphism requires resource allocation for male and female function. In this connection the problem of purely genetically caused population extinction is discussed.
For general frequency dependence and regular segregation, the chances for establishment of a completely recessive gene are compared to those of a completely dominant gene. It is proven that the process of establishment of the recessive gene, despite a fitness advantage, may be considerably endangered by drift effects if random mating prevails. The recessive gene may reach the same effectivity in establishment as a dominant gene, only if the recessive homozygote mates exclusively with its own type during the period of establishment.     

Composition and diversity of bird communities in Swedish farmland–forest mosaic landscapes

CapsuleThe amount of forest (at local and landscape scales) and occurrence of residual habitats at the local scale are shown to be the major factors influencing bird community composition in farmland–forest landscapes in central Sweden.

Aims To investigate the importance of local habitat and landscape structure for breeding birds in farmland–forest landscapes in central Sweden.

Methods Breeding birds were censused at 292 points. A detailed habitat mapping was made within 300 m of the points. Within a 300–600 m radius only two major habitats (forests and arable fields) were identified.

Results Cluster analyses of bird communities identified three site types that also differed in habitat composition: (i) partially forested sites in forested landscapes; (ii) heterogeneous sites with residual habitats in mosaic landscapes; and (iii) field-dominated farmland sites in open landscapes. A total of 19 of 25 farmland bird species (restricted to farmland or using both farmland and forest) had the highest abundance in farmland sites with mosaics of forest and farmland, while only six farmland species had the highest abundance in field-dominated sites. The bird community changed from being dominated by farmland species to being dominated by forest species (common in forest landscapes without farmland) at small proportions (10–20%) of forest at the local scale. A major difference in habitat composition between heterogeneous and field-dominated sites was the occurrence of different residual habitats (e.g. shrubby areas and seminatural grasslands). These habitats seemed to influence bird community composition more than land-use, despite covering <10% of the area. Seminatural grasslands were important for bird community composition and species-richness, but grazing seemed to be less important. Among different land-use types, cereal crops were the least preferred fields. Set-asides with tall vegetation and short rotation coppices were positively associated with species-richness of farmland birds.

Conclusion In general, the composition of the landscape was important for bird community composition, although amount and distribution of forests, occurrence of residual habitats and land-use of fields at the local scale had the strongest influence on bird community composition. The possible implications of these patterns for managing farmland–forest landscapes are discussed.     

Chemical constituents from the fruits of Rhus typhina L. and their chemotaxonomic significance

This work describes the isolation and characterization of twenty-nine compounds from the fruits of Rhus typhina L., including eleven flavonoids (1–11), eleven phenols (12–22), two pentacyclic triterpenes (23–24), two organic acids (25–26), one lumichrome (27), one courmarin (28) and one pyrimidine (29) on the basis of their spectroscopic data. Compounds apigenin (1), daidzein (4), orobol (5), 3′, 5, 5′, 7-tetrahydroxyflavanone (6), naringenin (7), butein (8), (-)-catechin (9), quercetin-3-O-α-L-(3″-O-galloyl)-rhamnoside (11), 2-hydroxybenzoic acid (13), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (14), vanillin (15), methyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate (16), 3,5-dihydroxybenzamide (18), tyrosol (19), caffeic acid (20), 3-(2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propan-1-one (21), phlorizin (22), friedelin (23), oleanolic acid (24), 4,4-dimethyl-heptanedioic acid (25), anthranilic acid (26), lumichrome (27), scoparone (28) and uracil (29) have not been recorded before in this plant. This is the first report on the occurrence of compounds 4–7, 9, 11, 13–14, 16, 18–21, 25–29 from the genus Rhus. Moreover, the chemotaxonomic significance of these isolated compounds was also summarized.