Large acorns benefit seedling recruitment by satiating weevil larvae in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus aliena</Emphasis>

Plants can enhance their seed viability and survival through reducing the fitness costs of herbivory by satiating seed predators at either plant or seed level, or both. The former satiates with production of large crops while the latter with large-sized seeds, enhancing the probability of seed survival. We analyzed both types of satiation in the interaction between the Quercus aliena and the weevil Curculio spp in 2 years with different crop size and acorn size. Larger crop size seemed to satiate less effectively weevils due to higher proportions of the seeds were attacked in oaks producing more crops of smaller acorns. However, prematurely abscission of infested acorns in large crop year might compensate this ineffectiveness. Larger acorns in lean year well satiated weevil larvae, as a larger acorn size increased the likelihood of embryo survival and seedling establishment. Although effective satiation by larger acorns would be negated by smaller seed crops, the proportion of attacked acorns that survived increased with large acorn size in lean year. These results highlighted the importance of annual variation in acorn size of Quercus aliena in satiating and defending weevil larval predations, consequently in successful seedling recruitment and establishment.     

Community control on growth and survival of an exotic shrub

A top priority in the field of invasion ecology is to investigate the mechanisms that lead to the successful establishment and spread of harmful exotic species. Studying plant invasions in the context of the invaded community can help us to understand those mechanisms. In this study, we follow a community approach where we describe establishment and growth patterns of an exotic shrub, Elaeagnus umbellata, with respect to the local woody plant community. Primarily focusing on a forest ecosystem, we expect light availability to be a driving factor in the recruitment of E. umbellata individuals; however, this is not supported for seedling recruitment as light becomes detrimental to survival in conditions exceeding 30 % full sun. Instead, growth of first year seedlings is primarily affected by soil moisture. Forest census data of adult individuals show that growth of E. umbellata is affected by light and small-scale neighborhood density (i.e., limited in the understory by space or resources), suggesting a shift in resource requirement. Overall, our study indicates that although E. umbellata individuals are likely to recruit and persist in the understory, successful growth to adulthood is controlled by competitive interactions.     

Invasibility of a Nutrient-Poor Pasture through Resident and Non-Resident Herbs Is Controlled by Litter, Gap Size and Propagule Pressure

Since inference concerning the relative effects of propagule pressure, biotic interactions, site conditions and species traits on the invasibility of plant communities is limited, we carried out a field experiment to study the role of these factors for absolute and relative seedling emergence in three resident and three non-resident confamilial herb species on a nutrient-poor temperate pasture. We set up a factorial field experiment with two levels each of the factors litter cover (0 and 400 g m(-2)), gap size (0.01 and 0.1 m(2)) and propagule pressure (5 and 50 seeds) and documented soil temperature, soil water content and relative light availability. Recruitment was recorded in spring and autumn 2010 and in spring 2011 to cover initial seedling emergence, establishment after summer drought and final establishment after the first winter. Litter alleviated temperature and moisture conditions and had positive effects on proportional and absolute seedling emergence during all phases of recruitment. Large gaps presented competition-free space with high light availability but showed higher temperature amplitudes and lower soil moisture. Proportional and absolute seedling recruitment was significantly higher in large than in small gaps. In contrast, propagule pressure facilitated absolute seedling emergence but had no effects on proportional emergence or the chance for successful colonisation. Despite significantly higher initial seedling emergence of resident than non-resident species, seed mass and other species-specific traits may be better predictors for idiosyncratic variation in seedling establishment than status. Our data support the fluctuating resource hypothesis and demonstrate that the reserve effect of seeds may facilitate seedling emergence. The direct comparison of propagule pressure with other environmental factors showed that propagule pressure affects absolute seedling abundance, which may be crucial for species that depend on other individuals for sexual reproduction. However, propagule batch size did not significantly affect the chance for successful colonisation of disturbed plots.     

Initial soil C and land‐use history determine soil C sequestration under perennial bioenergy crops

In the UK and other temperate regions, short rotation coppice (SRC) and Miscanthus x giganteus (Miscanthus) are two of the leading ‘second‐generation’ bioenergy crops. Grown specifically as a low‐carbon (C) fossil fuel replacement, calculations of the climate mitigation provided by these bioenergy crops rely on accurate data. There are concerns that uncertainty about impacts on soil C stocks of transitions from current agricultural land use to these bioenergy crops could lead to either an under‐ or overestimate of their climate mitigation potential. Here, for locations across mainland Great Britain (GB), a paired‐site approach and a combination of 30‐cm‐ and 1‐m‐deep soil sampling were used to quantify impacts of bioenergy land‐use transitions on soil C stocks in 41 commercial land‐use transitions; 12 arable to SRC, 9 grasslands to SRC, 11 arable to Miscanthus and 9 grasslands to Miscanthus. Mean soil C stocks were lower under both bioenergy crops than under the grassland controls but only significant at 0–30 cm. Mean soil C stocks at 0–30 cm were 33.55 ± 7.52 Mg C ha^?1 and 26.83 ± 8.08 Mg C ha^?1 lower under SRC (P = 0.004) and Miscanthus plantations (P = 0.001), respectively. Differences between bioenergy crops and arable controls were not significant in either the 30‐cm or 1‐m soil cores and smaller than for transitions from grassland. No correlation was detected between change in soil C stock and bioenergy crop age (time since establishment) or soil texture. Change in soil C stock was, however, negatively correlated with the soil C stock in the original land use. We suggest, therefore, that selection of sites for bioenergy crop establishment with lower soil C stocks, most often under arable land use, is the most likely to result in increased soil C stocks.     

Modeling spatial dependence and economic hotspots in landowners’ willingness to supply bioenergy crops in the northeastern United States

This paper investigates the spatial heterogeneity of landowners’ willingness to supply three bioenergy crops: switchgrass, Miscanthus, and willow, in the northeastern United States. Spatial heterogeneity might arise for several reasons. For example, landowners closer to bioenergy processing plants might be more likely to be willing to supply bioenergy crops, and landowners who are more willing to supply bioenergy crops may be spatially clustered because they share similar land attributes, demographics, experiences, and/or values. Using high‐resolution GIS data related to the location of pellet plants utilizing bioenergy crops and survey data related to landowners’ characteristics including spatial location, we estimate a spatial probit model to explain the variation in individual‐specific reservation prices (RPs)—the feedstock price at which landowners become willing to supply a bioenergy crop. We find that respondents’ RP is lower the closer they live to their nearest pellet plant and spatial dependency is only present for switchgrass supply. We also identify three economic hotspots (areas with high potential supply and low RPs) for each bioenergy crop. We believe that bioenergy supply chains could be developed around these hotspots.     

Propagule pressure and environmental conditions interact to determine establishment success of an invasive plant species,glossy buckthorn (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Frangula alnus</Emphasis>), across five different wetland habitat types

Many invasive plant species are able to establish within a wide range of community types. This establishment success depends on high propagule pressure and successful recruitment of seedlings following propagule dispersal into receptive environments. This study aimed to investigate interactions between propagule pressure and environmental resistance to seedling recruitment of the invasive shrub, glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus Mill.), over a range of wetland habitat types. We measured propagule deposition using seed traps and recruitment success using sown plots, while characterizing vegetation and abiotic environmental conditions in five adjacent wetland habitat types. Drier habitats, which included Cedar Swamp, Shrub Carr, and String, had lower resistance to buckthorn establishment than the wetter Flark and Cattail Marsh. The drier habitats supported more woody species and provided more raised hummock surfaces essential for successful buckthorn recruitment and establishment. Propagule pressure was also higher in dry habitats that supported higher densities of adult glossy buckthorn, while long-distance dispersal into areas with low adult density was uncommon. Natural recruitment was highest in sites with intense propagule pressure, but experimental sowing of seeds demonstrated that buckthorn establishes in wet sites with higher resistance if propagule pressure is increased and seeds are deposited on hummocks. This study demonstrates the affinity of glossy buckthorn for drier wetland sites, and provides empirical evidence that environmental resistance can be overcome by higher propagule pressure.     

Bioenergy crops and farmland biodiversity: benefits and limitations are scale-dependant for a declining mammal,the brown hare

Biomass energy crops are prompting major land-use changes in agricultural and marginal land in an effort to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. Miscanthus × giganteus, a perennial giant grass, is one of the main such crops in Europe but few studies exist of its interaction with farmland wildlife, particularly mammals. Understanding ecological impacts of bioenergy planting schemes is vital for mitigating potential negative effects on already declining farmland biodiversity and for maximising any benefits from these low-management, structurally diverse crops. We assessed in a mixed farming area in the UK the impact of Miscanthus crops on the brown hare (Lepus europaeus), a widespread but declining farmland species of conservation concern. We intensively radio-tracked hares in Miscanthus blocks of contrasting size and analysed hare diet for evidence of the consumption of Miscanthus. Home ranges differed starkly averaging 10.5 versus 49.6 ha in the small and the large Miscanthus blocks, respectively. Despite entirely avoiding the crop as food, hares appeared able to exist and even thrive in areas planted with Miscanthus though their populations may be significantly limited by reduced food availability and increased energy use where dense Miscanthus is planted over a wide area. As a component of a mixed farming landscape, Miscanthus may provide biodiversity benefits by increasing spatial heterogeneity and refuge areas for declining farmland species like brown hares but any effect is likely to be strongly scale-dependant.     

Historic land use influences contemporary establishment of invasive plant species

The legacy of agricultural land use can have widespread and persistent effects on contemporary landscapes. Although agriculture can lead to persistent changes in soil characteristics and plant communities, it remains unclear whether historic agricultural land use can alter the likelihood of contemporary biological invasions. To understand how agricultural land-use history might interact with well-known drivers of invasion, we conducted factorial manipulations of soil disturbance and resource additions within non-agricultural remnant sites and post-agricultural sites invaded by two non-native Lespedeza species. Our results reveal that variation in invader success can depend on the interplay of historic land use and contemporary processes: for both Lespedeza species, establishment was greater in remnant sites, but soil disturbance enhanced establishment irrespective of land-use history, demonstrating that contemporary processes can help to overcome legacy constraints on invader success. In contrast, additions of resources known to facilitate seedling recruitment (N and water) reduced invader establishment in post-agricultural but not in remnant sites, providing evidence that interactions between historic and contemporary processes can also limit invader success. Our findings thus illustrate that a consideration of historic land use may help to clarify the often contingent responses of invasive plants to known determinants of invasibility. Moreover, in finding significantly greater soil compaction at post-agricultural sites, our study provides a putative mechanism for historic land-use effects on contemporary invasive plant establishment. Our work suggests that an understanding of invasion dynamics requires knowledge of anthropogenic events that often occur decades before the introduction of invasive propagules.     

Impact of agronomic uncertainty in biomass production and endogenous commodity prices on cellulosic biofuel feedstock composition

This study evaluates the effect of agronomic uncertainty on bioenergy crop production as well as endogenous commodity and biomass prices on the feedstock composition of cellulosic biofuels under a binding mandate in the United States. The county‐level simulation model focuses on both field crops (corn, soybean, and wheat) and biomass feedstocks (corn stover, wheat straw, switchgrass, and Miscanthus). In addition, pasture serves as a potential area for bioenergy crop production. The economic model is calibrated to 2022 in terms of yield, crop demand, and baseline prices and allocates land optimally among the alternative crops given the binding cellulosic biofuel mandate. The simulation scenarios differ in terms of bioenergy crop type (switchgrass and Miscanthus) and yield, biomass production inputs, and pasture availability. The cellulosic biofuel mandates range from 15 to 60 billion L. The results indicate that the 15 and 30 billion L mandates in the high production input scenarios for switchgrass and Miscanthus are covered entirely by agricultural residues. With the exception of the low production input for Miscanthus scenario, the share of agricultural residues is always over 50% for all other scenarios including the 60 billion L mandate. The largest proportion of agricultural land dedicated to either switchgrass or Miscanthus is found in the southern Plains and the southeast. Almost no bioenergy crops are grown in the Midwest across all scenarios. Changes in the prices for the three commodities are negligible for cellulosic ethanol mandates because most of the mandate is met with agricultural residues. The lessons learned are that (1) the share of agricultural residue in the feedstock mix is higher than previously estimated and (2) for a given mandate, the feedstock composition is relatively stable with the exception of one scenario.     

Role of arthropod communities in bioenergy crop litter decomposition†

The extensive land use conversion expected to occur to meet demands for bioenergy feedstock production will likely have widespread impacts on agroecosystem biodiversity and ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration. Although arthropod detritivores are known to contribute to litter decomposition and thus energy flow and nutrient cycling in many plant communities, their importance in bioenergy feedstock communities has not yet been assessed. We undertook an experimental study quantifying rates of litter mass loss and nutrient cycling in the presence and absence of these organisms in three bioenergy feedstock crops—miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), and a planted prairie community. Overall arthropod abundance and litter decomposition rates were similar in all three communities. Despite effective reduction of arthropods in experimental plots via insecticide application, litter decomposition rates, inorganic nitrogen leaching, and carbon–nitrogen ratios did not differ significantly between control (with arthropods) and treatment (without arthropods) plots in any of the three community types. Our findings suggest that changes in arthropod faunal composition associated with widespread adoption of bioenergy feedstock crops may not be associated with profoundly altered arthropod‐mediated litter decomposition and nutrient release.     

植物种群更新限制——从种子生产到幼树建成

更新限制是指种子由于各种原因,不能够萌发并生长成幼树。它作为解释生物多样性的理论,一直受到国内外群落生态学家关注。从种源限制、传播限制和建成限制3个角度,对更新限制机制研究进展进行了综述。从种源限制而言,时空因素是影响植物种群更新限制的重要因素,因为植物结实量存在明显时空变化,造成植物更新个体出现明显的时空规律。从传播限制而言,传播数量、距离和食果动物行为均限制植物种群更新。数量上,缺乏有限传播者势必减少传播数量,但如果种子拥有较高质量,则能逃脱数量限制;距离上,植物更新个体显示出明显的Janzen-Connell格局,但传播距离趋向稳定,形成植物种群的进化稳定对策;食果动物行为上,不同传播者对更新贡献存在差异,捕食者直接降低更新,融入两类动物行为的模型更能反映食果动物对更新的限制。从建成限制而言,环境因子制约植物生长。小尺度下,微生境的好坏对于植物幼苗建成至关重要;大尺度下,植物提供较好的广告效应则能摆脱生境限制。将传播者行为、捕食者行为与幼苗的空间分布格局、种子传播机理模型等结合,建立植物更新限制机理模型应是更新限制未来的研究热点。选择稀有种和古老种为主题的长期更新限制研究,为种群恢复提供指导,也是未来重要研究方向。     

Recruitment requirements of the rare and threatened Juncus atratus

The long-term persistence of populations and species depends on the successful recruitment of individuals. The generative recruitment of plants may be limited by a lack of suitable germination and establishment conditions. Establishment limitation may especially be caused by the competitive effect of surrounding dense vegetation, which is believed to restrict the recruitment success of many plant species to small open patches (‘safe sites’). We conducted experiments to clarify the roles of germination and seedling establishment as limiting processes in the recruitment of Juncus atratus Krock., a rare and threatened herbaceous perennial river corridor plant in Central Europe. Light intensity had a positive effect on germination. However, some seedlings emerged even in total darkness and the germination rate at 1% light intensity was more than half of that at 60% light intensity. Seedling establishment in the field after 10 weeks was 30% on bare ground, but it was close to zero in grassland. Establishment in the growth chamber after 8 weeks was close to 75% for seedlings that germinated underwater, but only about 35% for seedlings that germinated afloat. Furthermore, establishment decreased with flooding duration on bare ground, but increased with flooding duration in grassland. These data indicate that establishment, rather than germination, is a critical life stage in Central European populations of J. atratus. They furthermore indicate that the competition of surrounding vegetation for water limits seedling establishment under field conditions without flooding, largely restricting establishment success to bare ground habitats. In contrast, grassland is more suitable for the recruitment of J. atratus than bare ground under prolonged flooding. Grassland may facilitate the establishment of J. atratus seedlings during long-lasting floods by supplying oxygen to the soil through aerenchyma. The shift from competition to facilitation in grassland occurred after 30 days of flooding, i.e. within the ontogeny of individual plants. The specific recruitment requirements of J. atratus may be a main cause of its rarity in modern Central Europe. In order to prevent regional extinction of J. atratus, we suggest maintaining or re-establishing natural hydrodynamics in the species’ habitats.     

Miscanthus Clones Display Large Variation in Floral Biology and Different Environmental Sensitivities Useful for Breeding

A wider range of Miscanthus varieties is required to develop Miscanthus clones that are suitable for bioenergy production. For this reason, breeding programs need to be initiated using knowledge regarding the genetic influence on floral biological traits. The objective of the present study was to characterize the genotypic variation in flowering and panicle architecture traits in Miscanthus by studying (i) the clone effect on these traits and (ii) the clone sensitivity to environmental conditions. The flowering traits characterized were date of panicle emergence, date of flowering onset, and interval between these two traits. The panicle architecture traits characterized were total panicle length, longest panicle raceme size, raceme number per panicle, floral density, and total flower number per panicle. Eight clones were studied in a greenhouse under four environmental conditions including two day lengths (an 8-h short day length and a natural day length) and two temperature treatments (warm and cool). Miscanthus clones showed large differences in flowering and panicle architecture traits. Moreover, day length appeared to be the most important environmental factor creating differential clone sensitivities for the panicle emergence and the onset of flowering in contrast to temperature factor for the total flower number per panicle. In addition, the behavior of the clone Sacc was in contrast with that of the other clones for most of the traits studied. This knowledge will be useful to optimize the synchronization of flowering between Miscanthus clones for more successful breeding programs.     

Lack of recruitment in Lavandula stoechas subsp. pedunculata: a case of safe-site limitation

Lavandula stoechas subsp. pedunculata regeneration depends exclusively on the establishment of new individuals. Seed availability and seedling emergence and survival are therefore critical life stages and processes for species regeneration. In this study, seedling emergence and survival was monitored for two years in the scrub, both in clearings and adjacent to adult plants, and the surrounding perennial grassland, at 1, 3 and 5 m from the scrub. Soil seed bank spatial distribution was also studied for one year in the same two habitats, using the same sampling design. Soil seed availability in the scrub is high regardless of the distance from the adult individuals. On the contrary, the adjacent grassland shows a drastic fall in seed density, and almost no seedlings were observed there. In the scrub, seedling density was negatively related to distance from the three nearest adult plants in the clearings, and positively related to adult plant size beneath the adult Lavandula plants. There was also a negative relationship between seedling density and the percentage of bare soil. Only one seedling survived the first drought period, with no detection of effects of either position with respect to adult individuals or seedling density. We hypothesized that the study populations suffer a lack of appropriate safe sites within the scrubland while in the adjacent perennial grassland, observed low seed availability was added to safe-site limitation. That results in a lack of successful seedling establishments and a poor expansion potential of Lavandula scrublands, whose edges remain static in the short and medium term. As found in other Mediterranean scrubland, recruitment may only occur in years with particularly favourable weather, under disturbance regimes that increase seedling survival probability or when external dispersal agents increased seed availability in adequate places for Lavandula establishment.     

Potential impacts on ecosystem services of land use transitions to second‐generation bioenergy crops in GB

We present the first assessment of the impact of land use change (LUC) to second‐generation (2G) bioenergy crops on ecosystem services (ES) resolved spatially for Great Britain (GB). A systematic approach was used to assess available evidence on the impacts of LUC from arable, semi‐improved grassland or woodland/forest, to 2G bioenergy crops, for which a quantitative ‘threat matrix’ was developed. The threat matrix was used to estimate potential impacts of transitions to either Miscanthus, short‐rotation coppice (SRC, willow and poplar) or short‐rotation forestry (SRF). The ES effects were found to be largely dependent on previous land uses rather than the choice of 2G crop when assessing the technical potential of available biomass with a transition from arable crops resulting in the most positive effect on ES. Combining these data with constraint masks and available land for SRC and Miscanthus (SRF omitted from this stage due to lack of data), south‐west and north‐west England were identified as areas where Miscanthus and SRC could be grown, respectively, with favourable combinations of economic viability, carbon sequestration, high yield and positive ES benefits. This study also suggests that not all prospective planting of Miscanthus and SRC can be allocated to agricultural land class (ALC) ALC 3 and ALC 4 and suitable areas of ALC 5 are only minimally available. Beneficial impacts were found on 146 583 and 71 890 ha when planting Miscanthus or SRC, respectively, under baseline planting conditions rising to 293 247 and 91 318 ha, respectively, under 2020 planting scenarios. The results provide an insight into the interplay between land availability, original land uses, bioenergy crop type and yield in determining overall positive or negative impacts of bioenergy cropping on ecosystems services and go some way towards developing a framework for quantifying wider ES impacts of this important LUC.     

Light limitation and litter of an invasive clonal plant,Wedelia trilobata,inhibit its seedling recruitment

Background and Aims

Invasive clonal plants have two reproduction patterns, namely sexual and vegetative propagation. However, seedling recruitment of invasive clonal plants can decline as the invasion process proceeds. For example, although the invasive clonal Wedelia trilobata (Asteraceae) produces numerous seeds, few seedlings emerge under its dense population canopy in the field. In this study it is hypothesized that light limitation and the presence of a thick layer of its own litter may be the primary factors causing the failure of seedling recruitment for this invasive weed in the field.

Methods

A field survey was conducted to determine the allocation of resources to sexual reproduction and seedling recruitment in W. trilobata. Seed germination was also determined in the field. Effects of light and W. trilobata leaf extracts on seed germination and seedling growth were tested in the laboratory.

Key Results

Wedelia trilobata blooms profusely and produces copious viable seeds in the field. However, seedlings of W. trilobata were not detected under mother ramets and few emerged seedlings were found in the bare ground near to populations. In laboratory experiments, low light significantly inhibited seed germination. Leaf extracts also decreased seed germination and inhibited seedling growth, and significant interactions were found between low light and leaf extracts on seed germination. However, seeds were found to germinate in an invaded field after removal of the W. trilobata plant canopy.

Conclusions

The results indicate that lack of light and the presence of its own litter might be two major factors responsible for the low numbers of W. trilobata seedlings found in the field. New populations will establish from seeds once the limiting factors are eliminated, and seeds can be the agents of long-distance dispersal; therefore, prevention of seed production remains an important component in controlling the spread of this invasive clonal plant.     

Comparative assessment of ecosystem C exchange in Miscanthus and reed canary grass during early establishment

Land‐use change to bioenergy crop production can contribute towards addressing the dual challenges of greenhouse gas mitigation and energy security. Realisation of the mitigation potential of bioenergy crops is, however, dependent on suitable crop selection and full assessment of the carbon (C) emissions associated with land conversion. Using eddy covariance‐based estimates, ecosystem C exchange was studied during the early‐establishment phase of two perennial crops, C₃ reed canary grass (RCG) and C₄ Miscanthus, planted on former grassland in Ireland. Crop development was the main determinant of net carbon exchange in the Miscanthus crop, restricting significant net C uptake during the first 2 years of establishment. The Miscanthus ecosystem switched from being a net C source in the conversion year to a strong net C sink (?411 ± 63 g C m^?2) in the third year, driven by significant above‐ground growth and leaf expansion. For RCG, early establishment and rapid canopy development facilitated a net C sink in the first 2 years of growth (?319 ± 57 (post‐planting) and ?397 ± 114 g C m^?2, respectively). Peak seasonal C uptake occurred three months earlier in RCG (May) than Miscanthus (August), however Miscanthus sustained net C uptake longer into the autumn and was close to C‐neutral in winter. Leaf longevity is therefore a key advantage of C₄ Miscanthus in temperate climates. Further increases in productivity are projected as Miscanthus reaches maturity and are likely to further enhance the C sink potential of Miscanthus relative to RCG.     

子午岭三种生境下辽东栎幼苗定居限制

辽东栎(Quercus wutaishanica)是子午岭地区的乡土乔木树种,也是该地区气候顶极群落的建群种,其幼苗的补充更新影响着森林群落的结构及物种组成。在3种典型生境(辽东栎林、人工油松林、灌草丛)中,设置3因素(种子、干扰、遮荫)两水平的野外播种实验(随机区组设计),记录辽东栎幼苗出苗量,并监测幼苗同生群在3种生境中3a间的生长状况,以确定种子及微生境在辽东栎幼苗补充过程中的限制作用。播种实验样方大小30cm×30cm,共计216个样方。结果显示,在辽东栎林及油松林内,增加种子和干扰强度(去除枯落物),能引起出苗量和幼苗补充量的显著增加,且2种处理方式间存在交互作用,表明在郁闭林冠下,辽东栎幼苗的补充受到了种子和微生境的双重限制,枯落物是导致微生境限制的主要因素之一。在灌草丛生境,各种处理方式均不能增加幼苗的补充量,表明辽东栎无法在开阔生境(强光照、干旱)中完成实生幼苗的补充更新。3种生境中的幼苗同生群生存分析表明,辽东栎幼苗在森林群落中存活率显著高于灌草丛群落。根据幼苗生长指标判断,在3种生境中,人工油松林是辽东栎幼苗定居的最佳场所。与实验预期相反,灌木对辽东栎幼苗的补充无显著影响。     

Demographic bottlenecks in tropical plant regeneration: A comparative analysis of causal influences

Mortality factors that act sequentially through the demographic transitions from seed to sapling may have critical effects on recruitment success. Understanding how habitat heterogeneity influences the causal factors that limit propagule establishment in natural populations is central to assess these demographic bottlenecks and their consequences. Bamboos often influence forest structure and dynamics and are a major factor in generating landscape complexity and habitat heterogeneity in tropical forests. To understand how patch heterogeneity influences plant recruitment we studied critical establishment stages during early recruitment of Euterpe edulis, Sloanea guianensis and Virola bicuhyba in bamboo and non-bamboo stands in the Brazilian Atlantic forest. We combined observational studies of seed rain and seedling emergence with seed addition experiments to evaluate the transition probabilities among regeneration stages within bamboo and non-bamboo stands. The relative importance of each mortality factor was evaluated by determining how the loss of propagules affected stage-specific recruitment success. Our results revealed that the seed addition treatment significantly increased seedling survivorship for all three species. E. edulis seedling survival probability increased in the addition treatment in the two stand types. However, for S. guianensis and V. bicuhyba this effect depended strongly on artificially protecting the seeds, as both species experienced increased seed and seedling losses due to post-dispersal seed predators and herbivores. Propagules of all three species had a greater probability of reaching subsequent recruitment stages when protected. The recruitment of large-seeded V. bicuhyba and E. edulis appears to be much more limited by post-dispersal factors than by dispersal limitation, whereas the small-seeded S. guianensis showed an even stronger effect of post-dispersal factors causing recruitment collapse in some situations. We demonstrated that E. edulis, S. guianensis and V. bicuhyba are especially susceptible to predation during early compared with later establishment stages and this early stage mortality can be more crucial than stand differences as determinants of successful regeneration. Among-species differences in the relative importance of dispersal vs. establishment limitation are mediated by variability in species responses to patch heterogeneity. Thus, bamboo effects on the early recruitment of non-bamboo species are patchy and species-specific, with successional bamboo patches exerting a far-reaching influence on the heterogeneity of plant species composition and abundance.     

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Miscanthus sinensis Germplasm in China

Miscanthus is a perennial rhizomatous C4 grass native to East Asia. Endowed with great biomass yield, high ligno-cellulose composition, efficient use of radiation, nutrient and water, as well as tolerance to stress, Miscanthus has great potential as an excellent bioenergy crop. Despite of the high potential for biomass production of the allotriploid hybrid M. ×giganteus, derived from M. sacchariflorus and M. sinensis, other options need to be explored to improve the narrow genetic base of M. ×giganteus, and also to exploit other Miscanthus species, including M. sinensis (2n = 2x = 38), as bioenergy crops. In the present study, a large number of 459 M. sinensis accessions, collected from the wide geographical distribution regions in China, were genotyped using 23 SSR markers transferable from Brachypodium distachyon. Genetic diversity and population structure were assessed. High genetic diversity and differentiation of the germplasm were observed, with 115 alleles in total, a polymorphic rate of 0.77, Nei’s genetic diversity index (He) of 0.32 and polymorphism information content (PIC) of 0.26. Clustering of germplasm accessions was primarily in agreement with the natural geographic distribution. AMOVA and genetic distance analyses confirmed the genetic differentiation in the M. sinensis germplasm and it was grouped into five clusters or subpopulations. Significant genetic variation among subpopulations indicated obvious genetic differentiation in the collections, but within-subpopulation variation (83%) was substantially greater than the between-subpopulation variation (17%). Considerable phenotypic variation was observed for multiple traits among 300 M. sinensis accessions. Nine SSR markers were found to be associated with heading date and biomass yield. The diverse Chinese M. sinensis germplasm and newly identified SSR markers were proved to be valuable for breeding Miscanthus varieties with desired bioenergy traits.