微生境对耐旱石生毛尖紫萼藓水分保持与散失特性的影响

毛尖紫萼藓(Grimmia pilifera)是典型石生耐旱藓类,水分是其生存繁衍的关键影响因素。为探究微生境对毛尖紫萼藓水分生理的影响,在安徽省大龙山国家森林公园低山丘陵区选择3种典型微生境(竹林遮蔽S-1,向阳裸岩E,薜荔灌丛遮蔽S-2),对比研究毛尖紫萼藓个体大小、饱和含水量及脱水过程中的含水量指标在不同微生境间的差异性,综合判断微生境对苔藓水分胁迫耐受性的影响及其权衡特征。结果表明:3种微生境毛尖紫萼藓个体大小及饱和含水量差异显著,其中竹林遮蔽生境毛尖紫萼藓具有较小的个体但拥有较高的内、外含水量。向阳裸岩和薜荔灌丛遮蔽生境植株大小及外吸水量接近,但前者内含水量更高。两荫蔽生境苔藓外吸水量是内吸水量的7倍,显著高于向阳裸岩生境的5.8倍。脱水过程中相同时间点向阳裸岩生境苔藓各含水量指标均高于两遮蔽生境,且达到相同含水量的时间差也随脱水进程持续而逐渐增大,这为向阳裸岩生境苔藓的有效光合作用(即相对含水量不低于35%时)及脱水后期的生理和结构调整赢得更多时间。综合而言,向阳裸岩生境毛尖紫萼藓比荫蔽生境具有更强的脱水耐受性,但后者可以通过增加外部吸水量来弥补失水过快的缺陷,这可能是不同微生境毛尖紫萼藓对水分吸收和保持的权衡策略。     

毛尖紫萼藓(Grimmia pilifera P.Beauv) PSII光化学效率对脱水和复水的响应

利用快速叶绿素荧光动力学技术研究了毛尖紫萼藓脱水和复水过程中叶绿素荧光变化,结果显示在脱水过程中毛尖紫萼藓PSⅡ的最大光化学效率（Fv/Fm）、光合机构电子传递的量子产额（ETo／ABS）、捕获的激子将电子传递到电子传递链中超过QA的其它电子受体的概率（ETo／TRo）、单位叶面积的反应中心的数量（RC／CSo）以及PSⅡ受体库（Area）对叶片含水量的响应等均存在相对含水量阈值。在阈值范围内脱水,对以上荧光参数影响不大,低于阈值后,各荧光参数值迅速下降,直至PSⅡ反应中心完全关闭以及光化学过程结束。再复水后,毛尖紫萼藓光合机构的最大捕光效率、实际光化学效率、PSⅡ反应中心受体侧的电子传递链以及反应中心均能得到快速而有效的恢复。表明一定时间内脱水不会对毛尖紫萼藓的光合器官造成严重伤害,光合系统仍维持在可恢复状态。     

毛尖紫萼藓干旱胁迫cDNA文库的构建

干旱胁迫是影响植物生长发育的主要环境因素,严重影响农作物的产量。解决这个问题的有效途径是培育和利用优良的抗旱品种。应用比较功能基因组学方法筛选抗旱相关基因,并通过基因工程培育抗旱品种已成为植物遗传资源与品种改良研究的重要内容。毛尖紫萼藓（Grimmia pilifera）是典型旱生藓类,生长在向阳的裸岩上,具有很强的抗旱能力,是很好的抗旱基因资源。本研究采用SMART技术构建毛尖紫萼藓干旱cDNA文库,文库滴度为2.8×10⁵ pfu·mL^-1,重组率为91.7%,插入片段大小为500~2 000 bp,平均为800 bp。通过测序我们获得了1 045条ESTs,其中高质量的996条,通过拼接获得875个Unigenes,为进一步筛选抗旱相关基因奠定了基础。     

喀斯特山地高校苔藓植物多样性及环境响应——以贵州大学为例

以贵州大学喀斯特山地校园为对象,调查其苔藓植物物种多样性及其生境特征,探讨苔藓植物生长与环境的关系。结果表明,研究区域内苔藓植物共12科27属51种。优势科是丛藓科(Pottiaceae)、青藓科(Brachytheciaceae)和灰藓科(Hypnaceae);主要生活型为丛集型、交织型和垫型;不同功能区域的苔藓植物生物多样性从高到低依次为行政办公区、休闲游憩区、教学科研区、体育运动区、宿舍休息区;不同生境物种丰富度从高到低依次是疏林草坪、林下、草坪环境、灌丛花池、道路;人为干扰程度与光照、湿度是影响苔藓植物多样性组成的重要因子。研究区域内苔藓植物多样性较低,多为土生藓类。在苔藓生长的微生境中,人为干扰低、空气湿度大的林地、疏林草坪更利于苔藓生长。     

基于光合参数探讨四种藓类作水族箱植物的应用潜力

水生藓类植物适宜作为水簇箱植物,许多半水生藓类植物同样能够生长于水体环境中。中国东部地区的水生藓类植物种类不多,陆生藓类植物能否应用于水族箱中?为了回答这一问题,需要阐明陆生藓类植物对水体环境的适应能力。该研究测定了匐枝青藓(Brachythecium procumbens),弯叶灰藓(Hypnum hamulosum)、 白发藓(Leucobryum glaucum)和虎尾藓(Hedwigia ciliata)在与它们的自然生境相似条件下以及沉水环境下的光合参数,并应用直角双曲线模型拟合了它们的光-光合响应曲线。结果表明:这四种藓类植物在最大净光合速率(Pn)、光饱和点(LSP)和光补偿点(LCP)上存在很大差异。它们的最大净光合速率、光饱和点和光补偿点的变异范围分别为122.575～19.099 μmol CO₂·kg^-1 DW·s^-1、1 166.00～670.030 μmol·m^-2·s^-1和85.000～5.3 μmol·m^-2·s^-1。在沉水环境中生长30 d后,匐枝青藓、弯叶灰藓和白发藓的最大净光合速率分别是对照的110.78%、80.84%和109.63%,说明在实验周期里这三种藓类植物能够在水体环境中生存,而虎尾藓在水体中浸泡20 d后,其最大净光合速率仅为对照的5.25%,反映出该种植物并不适应水体环境。综上可知,四种藓类植物的光合速率与其形态结构和原生境条件有很大的关系,虽然匐枝青藓、弯叶灰藓和白发藓主要分布于陆生环境,但作为水族箱植物也具有一定的应用潜力。     

遮荫和全光下生长的棉花光合作用和叶绿素荧光特征

 遮荫条件下（遮荫下光强相当于自然光强的40％左右）棉花(Gossypium hirsutum)叶片光合速率明显降低,仅为自然光强下生长叶片的30%～40％,叶片中RuBP羧化酶活性降低,而表观量子效率(AQY)较高。不同光照条件下生长的棉花叶片对短时间持续光强的光合诱导过程有明显的差异,由弱光转到强光下,自然光强下生长的叶片的Pn、Gs、ΦPSⅡ及非光化学猝灭系数(NPQ)都能在较短的时间内达到最大值,而遮荫叶片需要的时间较长;遮荫下生长的棉花叶片的实际光化学效率,随光强的增加下降幅度较大,而自然光照下生长的叶片下降幅度较小;自然光照下生长的叶片的NPQ随光强的升高达到较高水平,而遮荫叶片在较低的光强下即达到最大值,此时NPQ较低,遮荫叶片依赖于叶黄素循环的能量耗散水平较低。遮荫叶片较低的光合速率以及过剩光能耗散能力是其转入自然强光后光抑制严重的主要原因。     

红马蹄草的生态生物学特征及其扦插繁殖

为了解红马蹄草(Hydrocotyle nepalensis Hook.)的生态生物学特征, 对其形态解剖特征及光合特性进行了研究。结果表明, 红马蹄草叶片较薄, 栅栏组织不发达, 海绵组织与栅栏组织厚度之比较大;遮荫条件下叶片的净光合速率日变化呈单峰型, 具有较低的光补偿点、光饱和点、叶绿素a/b 以及较高的表观量子效率、总叶绿素含量、叶绿素b 含量, 这显示其耐荫特性, 对弱光环境的适应能力和利用弱光的能力较强。同时, 红马蹄草扦插繁殖迅速, 成活率较高, 以荫蔽潮湿的生长环境为佳。因此, 红马蹄草适合生长在弱光环境中, 因其具有较高的观赏价值, 是一种值得大力推广的地被植物。     

黄土丘陵区沙棘、油松和刺槐光合生理特性及其环境适应性

植物光合生理特性在一定程度上能够体现其对生境的响应情况。通过测定黄土丘陵区安塞国家生态试验站人工纯林和混交林沙棘（Hippophae rhamnoides）、油松（Pinus tabuliformis）和刺槐（Robinia pseudoacacia）在不同水分条件下的光响应曲线,采用5种光响应模型进行拟合分析,以比较3个树种在不同水分条件下适宜的光响应模型及光合生理参数差异,探讨该地区主要造林树种的光合生理生态适应性。结果表明：（1）湿润时期（9月）纯林和混交林中3个树种叶片净光合速率（P_n）均显著高于干旱时期（7月）（P < 0.05）,且7月,纯林沙棘、纯林刺槐和混交林刺槐出现光饱和、光抑制现象。（2）5种模型对各树种叶片光响应过程拟合效果的优劣顺序为：直角双曲线修正模型（MRH）、指数修正模型（MEM）、非直角双曲线模型（NRH）、指数模型（EM）、直角双曲线模型（RH）。（3）与9月相比,7月各树种叶片光合生理参数值（表观量子效率[φ]、光补偿点[LCP]、光饱和点[LSP]、暗呼吸速率[R_d]、最大净光合速率[P_nmax]）相对较低,表明在干旱时期,各树种光能利用减弱,光合能力也受到限制。（4）与纯林相比,混交林沙棘光合生理参数值整体呈上升趋势,表明混交造林有助于提高其光合潜力、对弱光的利用能力及光照生态幅宽度;油松整体呈下降趋势,表明混交种植可能会降低其光合作用能力;刺槐变化无明显规律,其叶片φ和P_nmax值下降,R_d增加,光照生态幅最宽,表明混交种植可能会增强其对强光的适应性,但会降低其对弱光的利用能力及光合潜力。     

毕节吞天井边缘地带不同郁闭度环境对泥炭藓叶绿素荧光特性及蓄水量的影响

为了丰富对泥炭藓的生长环境认识,探究其对冲蚀型喀斯特天坑形成的可能影响,并寻找对其更适合的生长条件,采用梯度划分法,以采自毕节吞天井边缘地带不同郁闭度环境下生长的泥炭藓(Sphagnum palus?tre)为实验材料,分别测出其叶绿素荧光参数及蓄水量,探究不同郁闭度环境下泥炭藓的光合能力和持水能力。结果显示:①随着郁闭度的增大,泥炭藓的初始荧光(F^o)和最大荧光(F^m)均显著增大,分别由224.67上升至264,716上升至785.33。PSⅡ最大光化学效率(F^v/F^m)先降低后趋于平稳,光化学淬灭系数(qP)显著增大,由0.17上升至0.46。非光化学淬灭系数(NPQ)显著减小,由1.57下降至0.8。光合电子传递速率(ETR)显著增大,由5.72上升至9.68。②随着光照减弱,泥炭藓的吸水率和蓄水量显著升高,其中,自然吸水率由14.36上升至26.37,饱和吸水率由21.7上升至27.01;自然蓄水量由3032.97上升至12816.01,饱和蓄水量由4576.34上升至13175.97。③泥炭藓虽具有良好的耐光性,但高郁闭度环境,更有利于其叶绿素的积累,增强光合作用,提高生物量的积累,进而获得更强的蓄水能力。此外,不同植物种群之间的竞争会抑制泥炭藓的生长,分享土壤水分,而充足的水分是泥炭藓生存极为重要的条件。④泥炭藓良好的持水特性和吸水作用,在减缓地表径流上具有重要作用,在地质过程中起减慢的作用。而不同郁闭度环境下泥炭藓持水性的不同,也在一定程度上影响了水流的分配规律,从而对冲蚀型天坑的形成产生影响。     

光照对两种热带雨林树种幼苗光合能力、热耗散和抗氧化系统的影响

 研究了生长于不同光照条件下（100%、25%和8%光强）热带雨林冠层树种绒毛番龙眼（Pometia tomentosa）和中层树种滇南风吹楠（Horsfieldia tetratepala）幼苗的光合能力、热耗散、活性氧和保护性酶的活性。结果表明,绒毛番龙眼的最大光合速率随着生长光强的增加而提高,而滇南风吹楠在全光条件下的最大光合速率反比25%光照条件下的低。全光条件下两个树种光系统II的最大光化学效率（Fv/Fm）都显著降低,表明发生了长期光抑制。当把生长于遮荫条件下的幼苗移到全光下,从凌晨到中午随着光强的增加光抑制加剧,日落时生长于8%光照条件下的绒毛番龙眼及生长于8%和25%光照条件下的滇南风吹楠的光抑制不能完全恢复。非光化学猝灭对光强的响应曲线表明,随着生长光强的增加滇南风吹楠的热耗散能力增强,而生长在全光和25%光照条件下的绒毛番龙眼的热耗散能力都比滇南风吹楠的弱。两个树种叶片中O-[]·2、H2O2含量、SOD和CAT活性均随着生长光强的增加而提高;在同一光照条件下,绒毛番龙眼叶片中O-[]·2、H2O2含量、SOD和CAT活性显著高于滇南风吹楠。上述结果表明,在光抑制条件下,冠层树种绒毛番龙眼较大程度通过提高保护性酶的活性来保护光合机构免受损伤,而中层树种滇南风吹楠却较大程度通过增强非光化学猝灭来耗散过量光能;滇南风吹楠对强光的适应性差。     

Photoinhibition as a control on photosynthesis and production of Sphagnum mosses

The effect of high light intensity on photosynthesis and growth of Sphagnum moss species from Alaskan arctic tundra was studied under field and laboratory conditions. Field experiments consisted of experimental shading of mosses at sites normally exposed to full ambient irradiance, and removal of the vascular plant canopy from above mosses in tundra water track habitats. Moss growth was then monitored in the experimental plots and in adjacent control areas for 50 days from late June to early August 1988. In shaded plots total moss growth was 2–3 times higher than that measured in control plots, while significant reductions in moss growth were found in canopy removal plots. The possibility that photoinhibition of photosynthesis might occur under high-light conditions and affect growth was studied under controlled laboratory conditions with mosses collected from the arctic study site, as well as from a temperate location in the Sierra Nevada, California. After 2 days of high-light treatment (800 mol photons m^–2 s^–1) in a controlled environmental chamber, moss photosynthetic capacity was significantly lowered in both arctic and temperate samples, and did not recover during the 14-day experimental period. The observed decrease in photosynthetic capacity was correlated (r ²=0.735, P<0.001) with a decrease in the ratio of variable to maximum chlorophyll fluorescence (F _v/F _m) in arctic and temperate mosses. This relationship indicates photoinhibition of photosynthesis in both arctic and temperate mosses at even moderately high light intensities. It is suggested that susceptibility to photoinhibition and failure to photoacclimate to higher light intensities in Sphagnum spp. may be related to low tissue nitrogen levels in these exclusively ombrotrophic plants. Photoinhibition of photosynthesis leading to lowered annual carbon gain in Sphagnum mosses may be an important factor affecting CO₂ flux at the ecosystem level, given the abundance of these plants in Alaskan tussock tundra.     

不同微生境下齿肋赤藓(Syntrichia caninervis)生理生化特性对不同季节的响应

齿肋赤藓(Syntrichia caninervis)作为典型的耐旱藓类,在古尔班通古特沙漠的藓类结皮中占优势地位。该沙漠的季节气候差异较大,冬季低温湿润,春季干旱,夏季高温且干旱。荒漠藓类植物叶片仅具单层细胞,对外界环境的变化十分敏感。而有关荒漠藓类植物在生理上如何适应这种剧烈环境变化还不得而知。研究测定了生长于两种不同微生境下的齿肋赤藓,经由低温湿润的冬季到干旱的春季再到高温干旱的夏季过程中生理生化变化特征,以探究不同微生境下齿肋赤藓在水热变化剧烈的不同季节的适应机制。研究发现:季节、微生境及二者的交互作用能够显著影响齿肋赤藓的游离脯氨酸、可溶性糖、可溶性蛋白及丙二醛(MDA)含量、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、过氧化物酶(POD)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性。夏季的高温干旱使齿肋赤藓的脯氨酸、可溶性糖、MDA含量及3种抗氧化酶活性均显著高于冬季及春季,而可溶性蛋白含量却呈相反趋势。干旱的春季齿肋赤藓脯氨酸及可溶性糖显著高于冬季。而在低温湿润的冬季,齿肋赤藓丙二醛含量及过氧化氢酶活性均显著高于春季。表明夏季齿肋赤藓所受胁迫最大,脯氨酸、可溶性糖含量及抗氧化酶活性大幅度提高。同时,在具有积雪覆盖的冬季,两种微生境下的齿肋赤藓生理生化特性无显著差异;而在无积雪覆盖的春夏季节,灌丛的遮阴作用为齿肋赤藓提供了水含量相对较高的良好生活环境,其下齿肋赤藓的渗透调节物质含量和抗氧化酶活性均显著低于裸露地。表明生长在裸露地的齿肋赤藓较活灌丛拥有更强的胁迫耐受性。     

Germination and seed water status of four grasses on moss-dominated biological soil crusts from arid lands

Biological soil crusts dominated by drought-tolerant mosses are commonly found through arid and semiarid steppe communities of the northern Great Basin of North America. We conducted growth chamber experiments to investigate the effects of these crusts on the germination of four grasses: Festuca idahoensis, Festuca ovina, Elymus wawawaiensis and Bromus tectorum. For each of these species, we recorded germination time courses on bare soil and two types of biological soil crusts; one composed predominantly of the tall moss Tortula ruralis and the other dominated by the short moss Bryum argenteum. On the short-moss crust, the final germination percentage was about half of that on bare soil. Also, the mean germination time was 4 days longer on short-mosses than on bare soil. In contrast to the short-moss crust, the tall-moss crust did not reduce the final germination percentage but increased the mean germination time. Similar results were observed in the four grasses studied. To investigate the mechanism by which moss crusts affected germination, we analyzed the water status of seeds on bare soil and moss crusts. Six days after seeding, the water content of seeds on bare soil was approximately twice that of seeds on tall- or short-moss crust. Analysis of the time course of changes in seed weight and water potential in Bromus tectorum revealed that overtime seeds on tall mosses reached higher water content than those on short mosses. The increase in the water content of seeds on tall mosses occurred as the seeds gradually fell through the moss canopy. Taken together, our results indicate that biological soil crusts with distinct structural characteristics can have different effects on seed germination. Furthermore, this study revealed that a biological soil crust dominated by short mosses had a negative effect on seed water status and significantly reduced seed germination.     

Mosses modify effects of warmer and wetter conditions on tree seedlings at the alpine treeline

Climate warming enables tree seedling establishment beyond the current alpine treeline, but to achieve this, seedlings have to establish within existing tundra vegetation. In tundra, mosses are a prominent feature, known to regulate soil temperature and moisture through their physical structure and associated water retention capacity. Moss presence and species identity might therefore modify the impact of increases in temperature and precipitation on tree seedling establishment at the arctic‐alpine treeline. We followed Betula pubescens and Pinus sylvestris seedling survival and growth during three growing seasons in the field. Tree seedlings were transplanted along a natural precipitation gradient at the subarctic‐alpine treeline in northern Sweden, into plots dominated by each of three common moss species and exposed to combinations of moss removal and experimental warming by open‐top chambers (OTCs). Independent of climate, the presence of feather moss, but not Sphagnum, strongly supressed survival of both tree species. Positive effects of warming and precipitation on survival and growth of B. pubescens seedlings occurred in the absence of mosses and as expected, this was partly dependent on moss species. P. sylvestris survival was greatest at high precipitation, and this effect was more pronounced in Sphagnum than in feather moss plots irrespective of whether the mosses had been removed or not. Moss presence did not reduce the effects of OTCs on soil temperature. Mosses therefore modified seedling response to climate through other mechanisms, such as altered competition or nutrient availability. We conclude that both moss presence and species identity pose a strong control on seedling establishment at the alpine treeline, and that in some cases mosses weaken climate‐change effects on seedling establishment. Changes in moss abundance and species composition therefore have the potential to hamper treeline expansion induced by climate warming.     

Juniper Shade Enables Terricolous Lichens and Mosses to Maintain High Photochemical Efficiency in a Semiarid Temperate Sand Grassland

On a semiarid sand grassland (Festucetum vaginatae) colonised by juniper (Juniperus communis L.) shrubs terricolous lichens and mosses segregate strongly between microhabitats: certain species grow in the open grassland, others almost exclusively in the shade of junipers. The contrasting irradiances of these microhabitats influence much the metabolism of these organisms, and thus affect their small-scale distribution. This was confirmed by determining the efficiency of photochemical energy conversion by measuring chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters. In the open grassland maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem 2 (PS2, F_v/F_m) declined from the humid spring to the hot and dry summer in all species, and this was caused by an increase in base fluorescence (F₀), but not by the decrease in fluorescence maximum (F_m). In summer, mosses and lichens growing in the open grassland generally possessed lower F_v/F_m than cryptogams growing in the shade cast by juniper shrubs. Thus mosses and lichens in the open grassland suffer lasting reduction in photochemical efficiency in summer, which is avoided in the shade of junipers. Juniper shrubs indeed influence the composition and small-scale spatial pattern of sympatric terricolous lichen and moss communities by—among others—providing a shelter against high light in summer.     

Mosses and the struggle for light in a nitrogen-polluted world

The impact of reduced light conditions as an indirect effect of nitrogen (N) deposition was determined on three mosses in a montane ecosystem, where sedge and grass cover increase due to N enrichment. Additionally, in the greenhouse we established the importance of low light to moss growth as an indirect N deposition effect relative to the direct toxic effects of N. The amount of light reaching the moss layer was strongly and negatively related to graminoid abundance. Mosses showed differing sensitivities to reduced light in the field. Racomitrium lanuginosum biomass was found to be highest under high-light conditions, Polytrichum alpinum at intermediate light levels, whilst that of Dicranum fuscescens was unrelated to light availability. Moreover, Racomitrium biomass decreased with increasing amounts of graminoid litter, whereas the other species were little affected. All three mosses responded differently to the combination of elevated N (20 vs 10 kg N ha^–1 year^–1) and reduced light (60 and 80% reduction) in the greenhouse. Racomitrium growth was strongly influenced by both light reduction and elevated N, in combination reducing shoot biomass up to 76%. There was a tendency for Dicranum growth to be modestly reduced by elevated N when shaded, causing up to 19% growth reduction. Polytrichum growth was not influenced by elevated N but was reduced up to 40% by shading. We conclude that competition for light, induced by vascular plants, can strongly influence moss performance even in unproductive low biomass ecosystems. The effects of reduced light arising from N pollution can be as important to mosses as direct toxicity from N deposition. Yet, different sensitivities of mosses to both toxic and shading effects of elevated N prevent generalisation and can lead to competitive species replacement within moss communities. This study demonstrates the importance of understanding moss-vascular plant interactions to allow interpretation and prediction of ecosystem responses to anthropogenic drivers such as atmospheric N deposition or climate change.     

Rodents balancing a variety of risks: invasive fire ants and indirect and direct indicators of predation risk

We used foraging trays to compare how oldfield mice, Peromyscus polionotus, altered foraging in response to the presence of fire ants, Solenopsis invicta, and in the presence of direct (predator urine) and indirect (sheltered or exposed microhabitat, moonlight, and precipitation) indicators of predation risk. Foraging reductions elicited by S. invicta were greater than reductions in response to well-documented indicators of risk (i.e., moonlit nights) and the presence of predator urine. The presence of S. invicta always led to reduced foraging, but the overall impact of S. invicta was dependent upon microhabitat and precipitation. When S. invicta was not present, foraging was greater in sheltered microhabitats compared to exposed microhabitats. S. invicta made sheltered microhabitats equivalent to more risky exposed microhabitats, and this effect was especially pronounced on nights without precipitation. The effect of S. invicta suggests that interactions with S. invicta may entail a potentially heavy cost or that presence of S. invicta may represent a more reliable indicator of imminent competition or predation compared to indirect cues of risk and predator urine. The presence of S. invicta led to reduced foraging under situations when foraging activity would otherwise be greatest (i.e., under vegetative cover), potentially reducing habitat quality for P. polionotus and the distribution of seeds consumed by rodents.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal structure and fungi associated with mosses

We investigated the colonization and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi associated with 24 moss species belonging to 16 families in China. AM fungal structures, i.e. spores, vesicles, hyphal coils (including intracellular hyphae), or intercellular nonseptate hyphae, were found in 21 moss species. AM fungal structures (vesicles, hyphal coils, and intercellular nonseptate hyphae) were present in tissues of 14 moss species, and spores and nonseptate hyphae on the surface of gametophytes occurred in 15 species. AM fungal structures were present in 11 of the 12 saxicolous moss species and in six of the ten terricolous moss species, but absent in two epixylous moss species. AM fungal structures were only observed in moss stem and leaf tissues, but not in rhizoids. A total of 15 AM fungal taxa were isolated based on trap culture with clover, using 13 moss species as inocula. Of these AM fungi, 11 belonged to Glomus, two to Acaulospora, one to Gigaspora, and one to Paraglomus. Our results suggest that AM fungal structures commonly occur in most mosses and that diverse AM fungi, particularly Glomus species, are associated with mosses.     

Effects of temperature and elevation on habitat use by a rare mountain butterfly: implications for species responses to climate change

Abstract 1. The present study used the mountain specialist butterfly Parnassius apollo as a model system to investigate how climate change may alter habitat requirements for species at their warm range margins. 2. Larval habitat use was recorded in six P. apollo populations over a 700 m elevation gradient in the Sierra de Guadarrama (central Spain). Larvae used four potential host species (Sedum spp.) growing in open areas amongst shrubs. 3. Parnassius apollo host‐plant and habitat use changed as elevation increased: the primary host shifted from Sedum amplexicaule to Sedum brevifolium, and larvae selected more open microhabitats (increased bare ground and dead vegetation, reduced vegetation height and shrub cover), suggesting that hotter microhabitats are used in cooler environments. 4. Larval microhabitat selection was significantly related to ambient temperature. At temperatures lower than 27 °C, larvae occupied open microhabitats that were warmer than ambient temperature, versus more shaded microhabitats that were cooler than ambient conditions when temperature was higher than 27 °C. 5. Elevational changes in phenology influenced the temperatures experienced by larvae, and could affect local host‐plant favourability. 6. Habitat heterogeneity appears to play an important role in P. apollo larval thermoregulation, and may become increasingly important in buffering populations of this and other insect species against climatic variation.