植物对环境的响应--定量重建古气候的研究进展

生物演化的本质是生物遗传物质与外部环境的辩证统一。一方面,植物和环境的协调发展推动植物界自身的演化;另一方面,外部环境的改变在植物的形态结构、生理功能、繁衍机理,以至最终在遗传物质上留下痕迹,这就是植物对环境的响应。从长时间尺度上(可以达到上亿年)研究植物界的发生发展,是一个探讨和理解植物起源与演化的生命科学问题,也是从宏观角度认识生物演化和全球变化的相关关系的环境科学问题。目前,国际上对全球环境变化的研究,正在加大研究的时间尺度和提高研究的精确程度,即在距今百万年至数千万年,甚至更长的时间范围内,从定性到定量的研究和理解全球变化的过程、规律和机制,以便更有效地预测气候的未来变化。本文介绍了最近10年里,采用特有种气候分析法、共存分析法、叶相分析法、植物气孔参数与古大气CO2浓度变化的相关性,定量研究古环境和古气候方面所取得的进展。     

陆生植物气孔参数与大气CO2浓度变化

陆生植物的起源与演化与全球气候和环境的变化密不可分,利用植物气孔参数(气孔密度和气孔指数)来指示或重建古大气CO₂浓度变化是近年来全球变化研究的热点之一。就陆生植物气孔参数的研究进行了概述,对研究中存在的问题及其前景作了简要探讨,并对植物生物学方法在定量研究古气候和古环境变化的趋势进行了分析。     

陆生植物气孔参数与大气CO_2浓度变化

陆生植物的起源与演化与全球气候和环境的变化密不可分,利用植物气孔参数(气孔密度和气孔指数)来指示或重建古大气CO2浓度变化是近年来全球变化研究的热点之一。就陆生植物气孔参数的研究进行了概述,对研究中存在的问题及其前景作了简要探讨,并对植物生物学方法在定量研究古气候和古环境变化的趋势进行了分析。     

定量研究晚白垩世以来陆地生态系统演化格局和过程的新进展

陆地植物的起源和演化与全球气候环境存在着密不可分的关系,而且地质历史时期全球气候环境和植被均呈动态变化,被子植物在白垩纪开始出现,并发生强烈分化,成为植物界的主宰,对这全球陆地生态系统的演化格局和过程产生重要影响,大量保存在地层中具有叶相特征的被子植物叶化石对认识这一过程提供了极为重要的生物学信息,简述了利用被子植物的叶相对古气候,古地理等进行定量分析的研究历史,“气候与叶片多变量分析程序”（Climate-Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program CLAMP）颇具特色,运用CLAMP在定量解释古气候等方面可以得到准确而精确的结果,这对定量重建晚白垩世以来全球陆地气候环境变化的格局与过程具有十分重要的意义,并对今后的深入研究作了展望。     

中国新生代植物演化及古气候、古环境重建研究进展

文中侧重于介绍近5年来中国新生代植物研究的新进展,以研究实例方式,重点列举从新生代植物类群发现、气候定量重建、历史生物地理、全新世植物遗存反映的环境变化与人类活动等4个方面研究的亮点和最新成果.     

湖泊沉积植物古DNA的现代过程

对植被历史变化过程的研究是理解现代植被组成、分布及其对全球变化响应的基础。近年来, 随着分子古生态学的发展, 分析沉积介质中的陆生植物古DNA信号, 以研究植被及植物多样性演变的历史过程正在成为研究热点, 湖泊沉积植物古DNA已成为古植被和古生态学研究的成熟代用指标。然而与第四纪孢粉分析相比较, 湖泊沉积植物古DNA的现代过程依然不明确, 成为其进一步发展和应用的限制因素。基于此, 该文综述了湖泊沉积植物古DNA技术研究进展, 尝试阐明湖泊沉积植物古DNA的现代过程, 包括植物DNA的来源、沉积和保存过程及其影响因素, 以及植物DNA与现代植被的关系等。已有研究表明, 湖泊沉积植物古DNA主要来自湖泊周边或流域范围, 其丰度和组成除受到源植物生物量的影响外, 同样受到沉积物的搬运和沉积过程中DNA降解作用、土壤以及沉积物中颗粒的吸附过程和稀释作用等因素的影响。湖泊沉积物中植物DNA的保存则主要受到微生物活动、湖水的化学性质(电导率和pH值)、湖泊深度、沉积物组成等一系列生物与非生物因素的共同影响。湖泊沉积植物古DNA可以揭示其沉积时代的植物群落类型以及气候环境信息, 但目前并不能够用来定量重建古植被变化过程。鉴于湖泊沉积植物古DNA现代过程的复杂性, 对研究结果的解释要格外小心。与孢粉分析相比, 湖泊沉积植物古DNA研究仍处于起步阶段, 但随着分子生物技术的进步、实验设计的优化、物种条形码的扩充及参考数据库的完善等, 以DNA宏条形码和宏基因组学为主要技术手段的植物古DNA技术, 必将推动我国植物古生态研究的进一步发展。     

植物界的一个新类群——原裸子植物

自植物界登陆以来,又经历了近四亿年的发展与演化,终于形成了今天气象万千、形态各异、生态类型多样并遍布全球的植被景观。在名目繁多的植物类群中,生存于中泥盆世至早石炭世(距今3.7—3.2亿年)的一个已经绝灭了的植物类群——原裸子植物纲,晚近才被确定下来,并日益受到人们的格外青睐。我国著名古植物学家徐仁、李星学和周志炎三教授,曾率先对这类植物作过简略介绍。原裸子植物在高等陆生植物的发展演化上占有显赫的地位,本文拟对这一植物类群再作一些较为系统的介绍。原裸子植物概念的形成原裸子植物的概念,是由美国古植物学家C.B.Beck首先提出的。1960年,他在研究北美晚泥盆世植物化石时,意外地发现一种古羊齿(Archaeopteris)的     

现代分子生物技术在湖泊沉积物古DNA研究中的应用

分子生物学技术的发展,为从分子生物学角度探讨湖泊生态系统演化提供了一个新窗口。依据湖泊沉积物中古DNA研究,从古微生物、动植物群落结构组成及数量变化等方面开展研究,可进一步反演湖泊及周边的气候环境变化,探讨生物与气候、人类活动之间的关系。本文首先介绍了湖泊沉积物中古DNA来源、保存特点以及提取方法,其次比较分析了现代分子生物技术在湖泊沉积物古DNA中的应用特点,并阐述了湖泊沉积物古DNA在重建古气候、古生态以及人类活动对古环境影响方面的应用,最后对目前湖泊沉积物古DNA研究方法存在的一些问题进行了总结。     

古植物学研究的新领域——化石角质层

古植物学是研究地史时期植物的形态、构造、分类、分布和进化关系的科学,它不仅是植物学的一个组成部分,同时又是古生物学的分支学科之一。古植物学的研究对象是保存在地层中的植物化石,植物化石是确定陆相地层的地质年代、推断古气候、古地理的良好标志。古植物学资料对解决地层问题,尤其对研究晚古生代以来的含煤、含油地层特别重要。此外,植物界的发生、发展和演化方面的研究,完全依赖于古植物学。植物学家研究现代植物,以丰富的根、茎、叶、花、果、实为依据。而古植物研究过程中所获得的各种器官,根本无法与完善的现代植物材料相比,因此,最大     

青藏高原及毗邻区植物多样性演化与维持机制:进展及展望

生物多样性演化和维持受遗传和环境的共同影响。环境要素中,地质和气候的影响最大。地质和气候过程对青藏高原及毗邻区植物多样性的演化和维持的影响尤为强烈。本文从不同时空尺度综述了青藏高原隆升、亚洲季风气候演变、冰期旋回的气候波动及偶联的环境变化对青藏高原及毗邻区植物多样性起源、演化、群体动态及维持机制的影响。总结了当前植物多样化和物种分布格局变迁和维持研究的最新进展和存在的不足,展望了气候变化对植物遗传多样性的影响、杂交带及其群体动态和维持机制、植物多样性格局及其成因、季风气候演变对植物多样性维持的影响以及植物群落构建机制等五个值得深入的热点研究方向。     

A new tool for determining degrees of mineralization in fossil amphibian skeletons: The example of the Late Palaeozoic branchiosaurid Apateon from the Autun Basin,France

Studying ontogenetic features of fossil tetrapods is of major interest for investigating the adaptive strategies of early tetrapods to their palaeoenvironments. To determine the degree of calcification of skeletal elements, biologists have until now relied on X-ray radiographs of organisms or isolated bones, or on thin sections. An X-ray tomographic scan of Apateon, a Carboniferous – Permian branchiosaurid from the Autun Basin, France, reveals distinct density properties related to different mineralized tissues (calcified cartilage versus bone). The rendering of Apateon as a “test individual” provides a 3D map of the degrees of ossification of the axial and cranial elements. The combination of these anatomical observations with histological information from classical thin sections made in limb bones of several other specimens of the same locality allows the detailed determination of their ontogenetic stage. A comparison with the well-known specimens of the Saar-Nahe Basin, Germany, makes it possible to investigate the influence of different palaeoenvironments on ontogenetic features.     

The future as the key to the past for palaeobotany?

Continued increase in the concentration of atmospheric CO(2) and its possible effects on global climate has generated intense research interest on the likely responses of terrestrial plants and vegetation. Results from this new research provide quantitative information on plant function and growth in an environment with a high CO(2) concentration, but are also relevant to understanding plant growth in the distant past and to the techniques employed by palaeobotanists for reconstructing past climates from fossil plant remains. Experimental CO(2) enrichment of plants has demonstrated direct effects on leaf physiognomy, the tolerance of plants to low temperature and the relationship between tree rings, CO(2) and climate; it therefore signals the need for caution in interpreting palaeoclimates from fossils.     

山东山旺中新世植物群研究进展

 山旺盆地位于东经118º,北纬36º,是一个中新世中期内陆湖泊沉积盆地。地层内保存了丰富的植物及动物化石。自40年代至今,已对山旺中新世植物群中的大植物化石(87属125种),植物孢粉(41属71种),硅藻(16属45种)及真菌(9属15种)进行了详细的研究。考虑到山旺中新世植物群处于全球气候变化的转折期,对其进行埋藏学,古环境重建等深入细致的研究,对阐明全球中新世气候变化的机制具有重要意义。     

Evolution and history of the western Palaearctic avifauna

Recent data accumulated from fields as varied as avian palaeontology, palaeobotany, historical biogeography and molecular phylogenetics provide a completely renewed picture of the origin, evolution and distribution of modern birds. Although the origin of birds is still controversial, their Tertiary history is now well known. The reconstruction of palaeoenvironments and the identification of shifts in major vegetation belts and habitats during the Pliocene–Pleistocene epochs have added to these recent developments. Together they provide a new perspective on speciation and extinction rates since the late Pliocene and the establishment of modern avifaunas in the western Palaearctic.     

THE GEOLOGICALLY YOUNGEST ALBANERPETONTID AMPHIBIAN, FROM THE LOWER PLIOCENE OF HUNGARY

Abstract:  The Albanerpetontidae are salamander-like, Middle Jurassic to Neogene lissamphibians from Laurasia and North Africa. Extensive series of albanerpetontid bones recently identified in collections from the Csarnóta 2 locality, south-central Hungary, extend the temporal range of the clade forward about seven million years from the middle Miocene to the early Pliocene. The Hungarian material is diagnostic for the Euramerican type genus Albanerpeton and pertains to a new species, A. pannonicus sp. nov., which differs from the seven previously reported congeners (Early Cretaceous–Miocene) in a distinctive combination of primitive and derived character states of the jaws and frontals, including a unique ventromedian keel on the azygous frontals. Some of the Hungarian specimens are articulated sets of skull bones, including ones containing the first three-dimensional examples of a nasal and jugals known for albanerpetontids, that help clarify some details of cranial osteology in these amphibians. Cladistic analysis nests A. pannonicus within the robust-snouted clade, as the sister taxon to an unnamed late Palaeocene species from Canada and A. inexpectatum from early–middle Miocene deposits in France, Austria and Germany. This phylogeny and recent reports of diagnostic Albanerpeton material from the Campanian of France and Maastrichtian of Romania suggest the evolutionary history of Albanerpeton was more complex than previously hypothesized, with Europe having played a larger role. The 25 fossiliferous layers at Csarnóta 2 record a shift from forest to grassland palaeoenvironments. Fossils of A. pannonicus are present in all layers, implying that this species was not adversely affected by the change in palaeoenvironments.     

Sinaspidoneura magnifica nov. gen., nov. sp., first Chinese Caloneurodea (Insecta: Archaeorthoptera)

We describe the first Chinese Caloneurodea, Sinaspidoneura magnifica nov. gen., nov. sp., from the middle Permian Yinping Formation. This new genus and species belongs to the small family Aspidoneuridae, previously known from two genera and species, one from the latest Carboniferous of France and another from the late early Permian of North America. This discovery shows that this order was more widespread during the middle Permian than previously supposed, under a great variety of palaeoclimates. This clade is still unknown in the late Permian, and possibly became extinct because of the crisis of biodiversity that happened at the end of the middle Permian.     

FORTHCOMING REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this article:
CONVEY, PETER. The influence of environmental characteristics on life history attributes of antarctic terrestrial biota.
SVENSSON, MATS. Sexual selection in moths: the role of chemical communication.
BRECKNELL, JOHN E. & FAWCETT, JAMES W. Axonal regeneration.
SKEER, JACQUELINE M., NORMAN, ROBERT I. & SATTELLE, DAVID B. Invertebrate voltage-dependent calcium channel subtypes.
BARCISZEWSKA, MIROSLAWA Z., ERDMANN, VOLKER A. & BARCISZEWSKI, JAN. Ribosomal ₅S RNA: tertiary structure and interactions with proteins.
ANDREWS, PETER. Palaeoecology and hominoid palaeoenvironments.     

March flies and European Cenozoic palaeoclimates (Diptera: Bibionidae)

The proportions of the different bibionid genera are used to estimate the temperature changes between the Late Eocene and the Late Miocene in Western Europe. The genus Plecia is a good indicator of the warm Cenozoic palaeoclimates. We propose a new approach for the estimation of the value of the palaeoclimatic information that could be obtained by actualistic inferences using extinct taxa. Other taxa (i.e. Mastotermitidae) that could appear a priori better palaeoclimatic indicators result to be less sensitive than bibionids to temperature changes. Intraspecific and intrageneric morphological diversity is explored for the genera Bibio, Penthetria and Plecia, showing the difficulties to characterize the fossil bibionid species.