尖喙牻牛儿苗繁殖体外部形态特征

尖喙牻牛儿苗(Erodium oxyrrhynchum)是古尔班通古特沙漠短命植物层片优势物种,其繁殖体能够在生物结皮上成功定居,借助扫描电镜等方法对其繁殖体形态进行了观察。结果表明:尖喙牻牛儿苗繁殖体表皮附属毛具4种不同类型,在保持水分和固定繁殖体等方面发挥作用,是对散布和定居的一种适应;果实与芒连结部位存在过渡区和分裂缝隙;芒吸湿后与种子长轴夹角逐渐减小,表皮细胞发生形变,是吸湿运动的形态基础,这种形态变化可以促使繁殖体在地面"行走",遇到适宜的生境时,推动种子钻入土壤而定居。本研究为揭示该种定居适应机制提供了形态学依据。     

接种AM真菌对短命植物生长发育及矿质养分吸收的影响

 采用分室培养方法研究接种幼套球囊霉(Glomus etunicatum,BEG168)、摩西球囊霉(G. mosseae, BEG167)、混合菌剂(M)对两种沙漠早春短命植物小车前(Plantago minuta)和尖喙牻牛儿苗（Erodium oxyrrhynchum）生长发育及矿质养分吸收的影响。结果表明,接种AMF处理的小车前和尖喙牻牛儿苗根系形成了典型的菌根结构,侵染率为22 %～60%;接种AMF提高了小车前和尖喙牻牛儿苗两种植物的生物量、株高及N、P养分吸收量。小车前单独接种BEG167、BEG168以及混合接种都显著提高了单株种子数量,其增幅分别 为67%、50%和78%。上述结果说明,在极端贫瘠和干旱的古尔班通古特沙漠中,丛枝菌根真菌对于早春短命植物小车前和尖喙牻牛儿苗的生态适应性的贡献表现为促进营养生长、提高后代（种子）繁殖数量。     

两种短命植物春萌秋萌个体生态生物学特征比较

短命植物是新疆北部荒漠生态系统中重要组成部分,对稳定该区沙漠生态系统、丰富物种多样性具有重要的意义。以往对短命植物的研究多集中在春季萌发的短命植物,秋季萌发的短命植物研究很少,对秋季萌发短命植物和春季萌发短命植物的生态生物学特征的异同以及它们对稳定荒漠生态系统的意义缺乏了解。选择小车前(Plantago minuta)和尖喙牻牛儿苗(Erodium oxyrrhynchum)为研究对象,采用野外定点标记观测和室内分析结合的方法,研究了两种短命植物春季萌发和秋季萌发两种表现型在冠幅、生物量、物候期、菌根侵染率等生态生物学特征方面的差异性。结果表明:秋季萌发的小车前和尖喙牻牛儿苗能够在覆雪下越冬,其单株的冠幅、叶片数量、干重等均远远大于同一时期生长的春季萌发的小车前和尖喙牻牛儿苗,尤其是单株结种数量更是比春季萌发小车前和尖喙牻牛儿苗的高13.0和4.4倍;秋季萌发的小车前和尖喙牻牛儿苗的花期分别比春季萌发小车前和尖喙牻牛儿苗早14和7 d,植株黄枯期和成熟期分别提早3和4 d;此外,秋季萌发小车前和尖喙牻牛儿苗各时期的菌根侵染率也显著高于同期春季萌发小车前和尖喙牻牛儿苗。本研究得到以下结论:秋季萌发的小车前和尖喙牻牛儿苗在稳定和扩大其后代种群繁衍能力、提高防风固沙能力、稳定荒漠生态系统等方面具有重要意义。     

早春首次降雨时间及降雨量对古尔班通古特沙漠两种短命植物形态特征与叶绿素荧光的影响

早春降雨事件是影响荒漠短命植物生长的重要因子, 为了解古尔班通古特沙漠积雪完全融化后早春首次降雨时间及降雨量对短命植物光合生长的影响。该研究选取两种优势短命植物尖喙牻牛儿苗(Erodium oxyrhinchum)和琉苞菊(Centaurea pulchella)为研究对象, 设置3个首次降雨时间(积雪完全融化后第10、20和30天)和3个降雨水平(5、10和15 mm), 探究两物种的形态、生物量及光化学效率的响应差异。结果显示: 积雪完全融化后第10天进行首次降雨处理时, 随着首次降雨量的增加, 尖喙牻牛儿苗的叶面积和总生物量呈显著增加趋势, 最大光化学效率呈下降趋势。在第20和30天进行首次降雨处理时, 尖喙牻牛儿苗和琉苞菊的叶面积均呈显著增加趋势。在积雪完全融化后5 mm降雨处理时, 随着首次降雨时间的延迟, 尖喙牻牛儿苗和琉苞菊的最大光化学效率呈先下降后上升趋势; 10 mm降雨处理时, 尖喙牻牛儿苗的冠根比降低, 根长和总生物量呈先增加后下降趋势, 琉苞菊的根长呈显著增加趋势; 15 mm降雨处理时, 尖喙牻牛儿苗的叶面积、冠根比和最大光化学效率呈显著增加趋势; 琉苞菊的冠根比和最大光化学效率呈下降趋势, 总生物量呈显著增加趋势。尖喙牻牛儿苗和琉苞菊的根长分别与0-5 cm和5-10 cm土壤含水量呈显著正相关关系。这说明早春首次降雨量比首次降雨时间更能影响植株生长, 但不同物种对降雨格局变化的响应不一致, 这可能通过影响早春短命植物的形态特征, 进而影响早春荒漠生态系统的稳定性。     

增加降水对荒漠短命植物当年牧草生长及群落结构的影响

通过模拟降水增加试验研究了古尔班通古特荒漠常见短命植物盖度、密度及产量对水分输入量增加的响应.结果表明:尖喙牻牛儿苗、弯果胡卢巴、角果藜、琉苞菊、条叶庭芥及囊果苔草6种牧草生物量总和占总生物量的60%以上,是荒漠草原的优势牧草植物;供水量增加显著促进了角果藜、尖喙牻牛儿苗、弯果胡卢巴、条叶庭芥和琉苞菊5种牧草植物的个体生长;在自然降水的基础上,增加40mm和80mm供水使这5种植物生物产量比对照增加86%～230%.供水增加后,6种重要牧草对整个群落的生物贡献比例发生很大变化,只有角果藜和尖喙牻牛儿苗的贡献比例规律性增加,分别比对照增加了58%和11%,表明2种植物对供水增加的环境变化适应能力强;供水量增加促进了弯果胡芦巴、尖喙牻牛儿苗和角果藜3种植物N、P和K养分的吸收量;与此同时,供水量增加也显著提高了荒漠短命植物的密度和盖度.在降水增加的背景下,古尔班通古特沙漠南缘荒漠短命植物群落结构发生改变,植被盖度和群落净初级生产力提高,这对于防风固沙、稳定沙面,增加荒漠草原载畜能力有着积极的意义.     

荒漠区地表凋落物分解对季节性降水增加的响应

为探讨季节性降水增加对荒漠生态系统凋落物分解的影响, 在古尔班通古特沙漠南缘, 选择粗柄独尾草(Eremurus inderiensis)叶、尖喙牻牛儿苗(Erodium oxyrrhynchum)叶、尖喙牻牛儿苗茎、沙漠绢蒿(Seriphidium santolinum)茎4种凋落物样品, 在2009-2011年研究了模拟季节降水增加(冬春增雪、夏季增水)和自然降水处理下凋落物的分解。持续2年的分解实验表明: (1)各组分凋落物的质量损失过程可以用负指数衰减方程较好地拟合(R²> 0.90); 经过637天的分解, 各组分凋落物质量残留率在自然降水、冬春增雪、夏季增水处理下均无显著性差异(p > 0.05)。粗柄独尾草叶、尖喙牻牛儿苗叶、尖喙牻牛儿苗茎、沙漠绢蒿茎在自然降水处理下的质量残留率分别为40.59%、35.50%、36.00%和63.96%; (2)各组分凋落物的质量残留率与N残留率显著正相关, 凋落物N的损失快于其质量损失, 且初始N含量与分解速率显著正相关(r = 0.60, p = 0.038), C/N解释了71%的地面凋落物分解速率。研究表明, 季节性的短暂降水增加对荒漠区地表凋落物分解没有显著影响, 凋落物初始化学组成是预测荒漠区地表凋落物分解的重要因素。     

古尔班通古特沙漠水热梯度变化对短命植物生态化学计量特征影响

以古尔班通古特沙漠2种优势短命植物尖喙牻牛儿苗(Erodium oxyrhinchum M. Bieb.)和东方旱麦草(Eremopyrum orientale (L.) Jaubert & Spach)为研究对象,通过盆栽控制实验,设定2个温度梯度以及3个水分梯度,对它们在不同温、湿度处理下的C、N、P含量及其化学计量比的变化特点进行分析。结果显示：(1)温度显著影响尖喙牻牛儿苗的N、P、C∶P、N∶P以及东方旱麦草的C、N、P、C∶N、N∶P;水分显著影响2种短命植物的N、P、C∶N、C∶P以及东方旱麦草的N∶P,其中N含量随温度的变化符合温度-生物地球化学假说,而P含量随温度的变化符合温度-植物生理假说。(2)温度和水分的交互作用对2种植物的影响表现为：在高温处理时,随着水分梯度的增加,2种植物的N、P含量先升高再下降,C∶N、C∶P、N∶P先下降再升高;在低温处理时,尖喙牻牛儿苗的N、P含量变化与水分梯度呈反比,C∶P变化与水分梯度呈正比,而东方旱麦草化学计量变化差异不显著。(3)相关性分析结果表明,温度和水分显著影响2种短命植物各元素之间的相关关系,植物的生长速率和养分限制情况受营养元素的主导调控也随之变化。     

植物锥形繁殖体结构及其适应

植物的锥形繁殖体是具有吸湿芒和锐利尖端的一种繁殖体类型。锥形繁殖体结构的功能几乎在植物生活史的各个阶段上都有体现,然而,其最基本的功能是通过繁殖体的打钻作用将自身埋入土壤。从植物繁殖体的形态结构出发,对锥形繁殖体的各项功能进行了综述,重点阐述植物繁殖体打钻作用及其机制方面的研究进展,面临的主要问题和未来的研究方向。     

黄土丘陵沟壑区80种植物繁殖体形态特征及其物种分布

植物繁殖体的形态特征及其物种分布是植物长期适应环境的结果,对退化生态系统的更新与恢复具有重要的理论与实践指导意义。研究了80种植物的繁殖体形态特征及与其物种分布的关系,结果表明：1）繁殖体重量差别较大（0. 020—357.428 mg）,主要集中在1—9.999 mg（占52.5%）。2）繁殖体的形状指数FI变化范围较大（1.06—12.93）,61.3%的植物繁殖体的形状近圆球形。3）33种植物繁殖体具有明显的附属物,包括毛、翅、芒和刺等。4）87.5%的植物繁殖体表面具有各种纹饰（棱、被毛、纹和颗粒状等）;繁殖体颜色以褐色和黑色为主,少数繁殖体颜色鲜艳;6种植物繁殖体具有吸水分泌粘液的特性。5）黄土丘陵沟壑区繁殖体重量小或形状近圆球形的植物分布数量多、范围广。6）繁殖体具有毛、翅和芒附属物或吸湿分泌粘液的植物在黄土丘陵沟壑区较繁殖体无附属物的植物能够分布更多、更广。繁殖体这些有利于物种分布的形态特征对于植物适应该区干旱与土壤侵蚀干扰具有重要的生态学意义,而且可用于指导该区人工补播促进植被恢复的物种选择。     

增加水分对古尔班通古特沙漠4种短命植物生物量及氮素形态吸收的影响

为明确土壤水分含量对荒漠生态系统短命植物生长及氮素吸收偏好性的影响,该研究以古尔班通古特沙漠4种优势短命植物东方旱麦草(Eremopyrum orientale)、尖喙牻牛儿苗(Erodium oxyrhinchum)、琉苞菊(Centaurea pulchella)和卵果鹤虱(Lappula patula)为研究对象,通过盆栽控水实验,设定3个水分梯度分别为：干旱处理(W₁,土壤含水量2％)、正常水分处理(W₂,土壤含水量8％)和湿润处理(W₃,土壤含水量14％),利用¹⁵N同位素示踪法研究水分对4种植物生物量及不同形态氮素的吸收策略的影响。结果表明：(1)随着土壤含水量的增加,4种短命植物的地上、地下、总生物量呈递增趋势,在正常水分处理时增速最快,且同一生活型不同物种之间的生物量累积速率不同;而4种短命植物的根冠比随土壤水分含量的增加呈显著下降趋势。(2)在不同水分处理下,4种短命植物对不同形态的¹⁵N吸收速率表现为：硝态氮＞铵态氮＞甘氨酸,对3种形态氮素以及总氮的吸收速率均随着水分梯度的增加呈增大趋势。(3)在干旱处理时,硝态氮是4种短命植物最偏好吸收的氮形态,随着土壤含水量的增加东方旱麦草、琉苞菊的氮素形态偏好性不会改变,而在水分持续增大至湿润处理时,铵态氮对尖喙牻牛儿苗和卵果鹤虱的氮素吸收的贡献率超过硝态氮,成为这2种植物最偏好吸收的氮形态。     

Effects of restoration treatments on the diaspore bank under dense Pteridium stands in the UK

Abstract. The diaspore bank (seeds of higher plants and spores of ferns and bryophytes) was assessed between 3 and 5 yr after experiments to control Pteridium aquilinum (bracken) and restore appropriate vegetation were initiated at two contrasting locations in the UK. We tested the response of the diaspore bank using univariate and multivariate analysis of variance. The two approaches were complementary and together improved the interpretation of these results. There were considerable differences in the diaspore banks of the two sites and among the experimental locations within sites. Within each experiment there were differences in species composition, with species that were (1) common to both diaspore bank and vegetation, (2) restricted to the diaspore bank and (3) restricted to the vegetation. There is a possibility of increasing the biodiversity of the developing vegetation if some of the species present in the diaspore bank can be germinated. This was especially true for ferns where four species were found in the spore bank which were not present in the vegetation. There were few significant effects of management treatment on the diaspore bank as the experiments had been in progress for only 3 to 5 yr, but a few species had different densities in the different treatments (Betula pubescens, Juncus effusus and some bryophytes). The greatest correlation between vegetation and diaspore bank was found at the top hierarchical level (entire dataset) and this progressively reduced with scale. We interpret this as a landscape/species pool effect: as the scale of the study reduces the correlation between diaspore bank and vegetation also reduces, at least over the time scale of our study. The relevance of these results for restoration ecology is discussed briefly.     

Seed size and survival in the soil in arid Australia

Abstract We investigated the relationship between seed size and seed survival in the soil in 67 species from arid Australia. There was a very weak, marginally significant positive relationship between the viability of fresh seeds and diaspore mass. However, by the time seeds had been buried in the soil for 1 year in nylon mesh bags, there was a highly significant positive relationship between diaspore mass and diaspore viability. Over the range of seed masses observed, a tenfold increase in diaspore mass was associated with a threefold increase in the odds of surviving 1 year of burial in the soil. Thus, large‐seeded species were favoured over small‐seeded species during this important selective process. However, the magnitude of this advantage was small compared with the advantage experienced by small‐seeded species during seed production. We also investigated aspects of diaspore morphology in relation to viability retention during burial. We found no relationship between seed survival and the amount of protective tissue per unit diaspore surface area. Diaspore mass was a better predictor of survival than was diaspore surface area.     

Experimental studies of diaspore attachment to animal coats: predicting epizoochorous dispersal potential

The transport of diaspores on animal hairs depends on the ability of a diaspore to attach to the hair and to be retained in it over longer periods of time. Whereas several studies of diaspore retention on animal hairs have been conducted recently, the process of diaspore attachment to the hair has not yet been studied systematically. We describe a new method to quantify the attachment potential (AtP) of plant diaspores. Attachment potential was measured as the proportion of diaspores of a given species that attached to pieces of an animal coat in a standardised experiment. The experiment was conducted for 58 plant species (herbs and grasses) and three different coat types: sheep wool, cattle and roe deer hair. Attachment potentials differed widely between the three coat types, but also between plant species. We found diaspore surface structure (a quantitative measure of diaspore morphology) and diaspore exposition (describing the morphology of the infructescence) to be the most important plant traits regulating AtP. An influence of seed mass on attachment potential could not be detected. For sheep wool, a general linear model (with diaspore exposure as a factor and diaspore surface structure as covariate) explained 77% of the variation in AtPs. To validate this model, we predicted AtPs for 27 additional species and compared these to the measured Atps; the predicted and measured AtPscorrelated significantly with r _s = 0.68. A comparison of attachment and retention potentials to sheep wool for 127 randomly selected plant species showed that attachment and retention are only very weakly correlated, indicating that both processes act rather independently of each other. Since many diaspores seem to perform well in only one of these processes, attachment can be considered to be as equally as decisive as retention in terms of epizoochorous dispersal. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Ants as diaspore removers of non-myrmecochorous plants: a meta-analysis

Diaspore (e.g. seeds, fruits) dispersal is pivotal for plant communities and often involves several steps and different dispersing agents. Most studies focusing on diaspore dispersal by animals have highlighted the role of vertebrates, neglecting the role of ants in the diaspore dispersal of non-myrmecochorous plants. Diaspore dispersal by ants is especially relevant in the current scenario of declining of vertebrate populations and, consequently, collapse of the dispersal system of large-seeded plants. Although ants can never compensate for the dispersal service provided by vertebrates, they can mitigate the impact of vertebrate decline via removal of diaspores deposited on the ground. We have used a meta-analytical approach to investigate the contribution of ants in the removal of non-myrmecochorous diaspores (through vertebrate exclusion experiments). We considered the number of diaspore removal as effect size and factors such as plant growth forms, diaspore and ant size, habitat type as moderators. In addition, we investigated the role of such factors on the diaspore removal distance by ants. Ants played complementary role to non-myrmecochorous diaspore removal services provided by vertebrates (mean Hedges’ g of −0.30). The ant diaspore removal was 69% higher for diaspores from shrubs than that of tree diaspores and removal of small-sized diaspores were 69% and 70% higher in comparison to medium- and large-sized diaspores, respectively. Regarding the diaspore removal distance by ants, those of tree species were removed 32% farther than those of shrub species, and diaspores were removed three- times farther in the savanna than in rainforest ecosystems. Our results highlight the shrubs and small-sized diaspores. Regarding the diaspore removal distance, the ants can be crucial for the dispersal of tree diaspores and in the savanna ecosystems. Finally, considering the biodiversity crisis, the ants may play an even more important role than appreciated in diaspores dispersal.     

DIASPORE SIZE,SHAPE, AND FALL BEHAVIOR IN WIND-DISPERSED PLANT SPECIES

Seeds and fruit of 38 anemochorous species were dropped in still air to simulate their descent under natural conditions. Fall rate and lateral distance were recorded as indices of wind-borne dispersal capability. Differences in fall rates among plumed species were dependent on interspecific variation in diaspore weight and plume area, while fall rates of winged species were strongly differentiated by contrasting wing shapes. In Acer platanoides and Asclepias syriaca, representing wing and plume architectures, respectively, the range of diaspore weight was artificially extended by removing embryos or adding lead weights. In both of these species, rate of descent of altered diaspores was controlled by weight relative to wing or plume area. The wing morphology of A. platanoides showed lower fall rates than the plumed A. syriaca above 45 mg, while the plume morphology of A. syriaca achieved lower fall rates below this weight. Compared with wide variation in diaspore weight, members of the Compositae showed relatively low variation in plume loading (diaspore weight/plume area) and fall speed. These observations suggest functional and phyletic constraints on diaspore architecture. Such constraints may limit evolutionary change in diaspore size and performance.     

Comparison of recent vegetation and diaspore banks along abiotic gradients in brackish coastal lagoons

Submerged vegetation and diaspore banks were investigated in three shallow brackish lagoons along the German southern Baltic Sea coast. The distribution of vegetation and diaspores was analysed at three depths (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 m) on three transects in each lagoon along salinity and nutrient gradients. Thirteen taxa of submerged vegetation were identified in three lagoons: 8 angiosperms and 5 charophytes. The diaspore analysis yielded 11 taxa of submerged diaspore types: 7 angiosperm taxa and 4 charophyte taxa groups.Salinity and nutrient gradients are the key factors governing the distribution of the vegetation and diaspore banks here. Statistical analysis (SIMPER) of vegetation and diaspore bank show differences in dissimilarities, i.e. Bray-Curtis similarities subtracted from 100, between the lagoon parts and between the lagoons. These differences increased with increasing intensity of the salinity and nutrient gradients. We argue that the diaspore bank reflects the former vegetation gradients shaped primarily by salinity gradients, whereas the present vegetation gradients are more affected by eutrophication. Vegetation surveys and diaspore bank analyses therefore supplement each other, and their combined use provides insight into former as well as recent gradients in the vegetation and the factors governing these gradients.     

Environmental drivers of the bryophyte propagule bank and its comparison with forest-floor assemblage in Central European temperate mixed forests

Species richness, composition and abundance of the bryophyte diaspore bank of Central European temperate mixed forests were compared with the forest-floor bryophyte assemblage. The impact of environmental variables and anthropogenic disturbances, including tree species composition, stand structure, microclimate, light conditions, soil and litter properties, management history, and landscape properties, potentially influencing bryophyte diaspore bank assemblages were explored. Thirty-four, 70–100 years old mixed stands with differing tree species composition were examined in the ?rség National Park, Western Hungary. The diaspore bank was studied by soil collection and cultivation, and data were analysed by multivariate methods. Contrary to the forest-floor bryophyte assemblage, where substrate availability, tree species composition and stand structure were the most influential environmental variables, the composition and abundance of the diaspore bank was mainly affected by site conditions (microclimate, litter and soil properties). Species richness of the bryophyte diaspore bank was lower than that of the forest-floor bryophyte assemblage. Short-lived mosses (colonists, short-lived shuttles) were dominant in the diaspore bank, as opposed to the forest-floor bryophyte community, where perennial mosses dominated. In the studied forests, the importance of the bryophyte diaspore bank was relatively low in the regeneration and maintenance of the forest-floor bryophyte vegetation.     

Diaspore bank of bryophytes in tropical rain forests: the importance of breeding system,phylum and microhabitat

Diaspore banks are crucial for the maintenance and resilience of plant communities, but diaspore banks of bryophytes remain poorly known, especially from tropical ecosystems. This is the first study to focus on the role of diaspore banks of bryophytes in tropical rain forests. Our aim was to test whether microhabitat (substrate type) and species traits (breeding system, phylum) are important in explaining the diaspore bank composition. Using samples cultivated in the laboratory, we assessed the number of species and shoots emerging from bark, decaying wood and soil from two sites of the Atlantic rain forest (montane and sea level) in Brazil by comparing the contribution of species by phylum (mosses, liverworts) and breeding system (monoicous, dioicous). More species emerged from bark (68) and decaying wood (55) than from soil (22). Similar numbers of species were found at both sites. Mosses were more numerous in terms of number of species and shoots, and monoicous species dominated over dioicous species. Substrate pH had only weak effects on shoot emergence. Species commonly producing sporophytes and gemmae had a high contribution to the diaspore banks. These superficial diaspore banks represented the extant vegetation rather well, but held more monoicous species (probably short-lived species) compared to dioicous ones. We propose that diaspore bank dynamics are driven by species traits and microhabitat characteristics, and that short-term diaspore banks of bryophytes in tropical rain forests contribute to fast (re)establishment of species after disturbances and during succession, particularly dioicous mosses investing in asexual reproduction and monoicous mosses investing in sexual reproduction.