增温对川西亚高山针叶林内不同光环境下红桦和岷江冷杉幼苗生长和生理的影响

 川西亚高山针叶林是青藏高原东部高寒林区的重要组成部分, 也是研究全球变化对森林生态系统影响的重要森林类型。开展亚高山针叶林不同树种对气候变暖响应差异的研究, 可为预测未来气候变暖背景下亚高山针叶林植被组成和森林动态提供科学依据。我们以川西亚高山针叶林两种主要树种——红桦(Betula albo-sinensis)和岷江冷杉(Abies faxoniana)为研究材料, 采用开顶式增温法(Open-top chamber, OTC)模拟气候变暖, 研究了增温对全光条件和林下低光环境中(约为全光的10%)生长的红桦和岷江冷杉幼苗生长和生理的影响。在人工林环境下, OTC使增温框内平均气温和地表温度分别升高了0.51和0.33 ℃; 而在林外空地处, OTC使二者分别升高了0.69和0.41 ℃。研究结果显示, 增温总体上促进了两种幼苗的生长和生理过程, 并促使幼苗将更多的生物量投入到其同化部位——叶, 使幼苗的根冠比(R/S)显著降低。增温通过增加叶片的光合色素含量和表观量子效率等光合参数, 促进了幼苗的光合过程和生长。然而, 增温对两种幼苗生长和生理的影响效果与植物种类及其所处的光环境有关。增温仅在林外全光条件下显著影响红桦幼苗的生长和生理过程。岷江冷杉幼苗对增温的响应与红桦相反, 即增温仅在林下低光环境下对岷江冷杉幼苗的生长和生理过程有明显促进作用。这种响应差异可能赋予这两种植物在未来气候变暖背景下面对外界环境变化时具有不同的适应能力和竞争优势, 从而对亚高山针叶林生态系统物种组成和森林动态产生潜在影响。     

模拟增温对高寒草甸植物叶片碳氮及其同位素δ~(13)C和δ~(15)N含量的影响

基于国际冻原计划(ITEX)模拟增温效应对植物影响的研究方法,以高寒矮嵩草草甸4种植物(矮嵩草、垂穗披碱草、棘豆、麻花艽)为实验材料,设置大(OTC1)和小(OTC2)两类增温小室,测定了其叶片碳氮及其稳定性碳同位素(δ~(13)C、δ~(15)N)等指标在增温3年后的变化。结果表明:除矮嵩草在较小增温小室(OTC2)中C/N比值比对照降低了14.1%,其它物种C/N在两个增温处理下都有所增加,但差异均不显著(P0.05)。4种植物叶片δ~(13)C值在-24.12‰~-28.34‰之间,矮嵩草叶片δ~(13)C值随增温而升高,棘豆、麻花艽随增温而降低,且矮嵩草在OTC2的δ~(13)C值变化达到显著水平(P0.05)。矮嵩草和麻花艽的叶片δ~(15)N值在OTC1和OTC2中均比对照增加,且麻花艽增加较显著(P0.05)。垂穗披碱草在OTC1和OTC2的叶片δ~(15)N值比对照分别减少18.7%和26.9%,差异都不显著(P0.05);棘豆叶片δ~(15)N值在OTC2内比对照低11.0%(P0.05),在OTC1的内比对照高2.8%(P0.05)。可见,高寒矮嵩草草甸不同功能群植物物种碳氮含量及稳定性碳氮同位素含量对短期增温有不同的响应模式和规律。     

青藏高原几种高寒植物的抗寒生理特性

研究了青藏高原高寒地区3种多年生植物在生长过程中植物叶组织的可溶性糖、脯氨酸和丙二醛（MDA）含量、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）和过氧化物酶（POD）活性的变化及其生理特性。结果表明;矮嵩草（Kobresia humilis）、垂穗披碱草（Elymus nutans）和黑褐苔草（Carex atro-fusca）叶中的可溶性糖含量随着生长期的进程而增加;脯氨酸含量的变化因植物种类的不同而表现各异,其中在各生长期．垂穗披碱草的脯氨酸含量均高于矮嵩草和黑褐苔草,并在草盛中期表现出明显的差异;3种高寒植物叶片中的丙二醛（MDA）含量随着生长季和气温的变化而呈现不断增加的趋势;3种植物中的超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）和过氧化物酶（POD）活性表现出随生长期和气温变化而改变的趋势,但黑褐苔草的2种膜保护酶活性最高,垂穗披碱草的次之．矮嵩草最低。可见,在不同生长季,这3种高寒植物的抗寒生理反应或低温适应方式可能是多途径的．其中在抗寒物质代谢、膜脂过氧化能力和抗氧化酶系统等方面,有生理反应的共同规律和各自特有的生理抗寒特性．其适应性与抗逆性有所不同,这种差异和生理特性可能与高寒植物的遗传特性和极端高寒低温环境胁迫有关。     

模拟增温对青藏高原多年冻土区小嵩草和藏嵩草生长与抗氧化特征的影响

采用开顶式增温小室(OTCs)方法模拟气候变暖,分别选取青藏高原腹地风火山地区高寒小嵩草草甸和高寒藏嵩草沼泽草甸优势物种小嵩草和藏嵩草为研究对象,对比分析增温处理下两种优势物种叶片的形态与生理特征变化,从而探索高寒植物对气候变暖的内在响应机理.结果表明: 增温显著增加了小嵩草叶片长度(40.0%)和叶片数量(72.7%),也显著增加了藏嵩草株高(11.9%)和叶片长度(19.3%),促进了两种优势植物的形态生长和地上生物量增加.增温处理下小嵩草和藏嵩草叶片的膜透性(电导率),活性氧(过氧化氢和超氧阴离子自由基),超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化物酶、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶和过氧化氢酶活性,丙二醛含量均没有显著变化.但抗坏血酸和游离脯氨酸含量在藏嵩草叶片内分别显著增加了29.8%和53.8%,而在小嵩草叶片内没有明显变化.可见,增温下小嵩草和藏嵩草均能够维持正常的抗氧化水平,以维持该区域优势植物生长;但藏嵩草生理过程对增温更加敏感.     

短期增温对青藏高原高寒草甸植物群落结构和生物量的影响

采用增温棚模拟增温的方法,对比研究了青藏高原腹地典型高寒草甸和沼泽草甸在两种增温梯度条件下植物群落结构及植物生长对温度升高的初期响应。由于开顶式生长室(OTC)的增温作用,在整个生长季内,沼泽草甸月平均气温分别较对照提高2.98℃ (OTC1)和 5.52℃((OTC2),20cm处土壤水分分别减少了2.45%(OTC1)和3.44%(OTC2);高寒草甸月平均气温分别比对照升高了2.59℃(OTC1)和 5.16℃ (OTC2)。20cm处土壤水分分别减少了1.83%(OTC1)和7.71%(OTC2)。受温度升高及土壤含水量减少的影响,模拟增温2个生长季后,与对照样地相比,群落种群高度、密度、盖度、频度和重要值发生变化,群落结构也发生一定变化。增温处理使高寒草甸禾草和莎草盖度减少,杂草盖度增加,而使沼泽草甸中禾草和莎草盖度增加,杂草盖度减少。增温后,两种草甸总生物量均增加,但大幅度的增温条件抑制了高寒草甸的这种促进作用,而促进了沼泽草甸的这种促进作用。两种草甸的地下生物量主要分布在土壤表层,模拟增温使得高寒草甸的生物量分配格局向深层转移,但不明显;而使沼泽草甸生物量明显的趋向深层土壤中转移。     

2种补血草属植物幼苗对NaCI胁迫的生理响应

以盐生植物大叶补血草和黄花补血草为实验材料,研究了NaCI胁迫对其幼苗叶绿素、可溶性蛋白、丙二醛含量等的影响,探讨这些生理指标的变化与补血草耐盐性的关系。结果表明,150mmol／LNaCI胁迫均使大叶补血草和黄花补血草幼苗叶片的叶绿素a（Chla）、叶绿素b（Chlb）和叶绿素总量降低,而过氧化氢（Hzoz）和丙二醛（MDA）含量增加,且这种胁迫效应随处理时间的延长而增强,在相同胁迫时间段,大叶补血草各指标的减少或增加幅度明显大于黄花补血草;NaCI胁迫使大叶补血草叶片可溶性蛋白含量降低,却使黄花补血草可溶性蛋白含量增加。表明,NaCI胁迫对大叶补血草的伤害更大,黄花补血草的耐盐性可能强于大叶补血草。     

三种增温情景对入侵植物空心莲子草形态可塑性的影响

虽然国内外已对克隆植物的表型可塑性开展了大量研究,但是气候变暖对克隆植物,尤其是入侵性克隆植物形态可塑性的影响及其可能的生态学意义研究仍然有限。通过设置白天增温、夜间增温和全天增温3种方式,通过切断或不切断匍匐茎处理,探讨入侵植物空心莲子草(Alternanthera philoxeroides)形态特征对不同气候变暖情景的响应。研究发现:夜间增温2℃条件下,切断匍匐茎连接显著降低空心莲子草匍匐茎总长度和平均分株长度;白天增温和全天增温2℃对匍匐茎切断和连接组的空心莲子草的匍匐茎总长和平均分株长影响不显著;3种增温方式对空心莲子草的分蘖数均无显著影响。这些结果表明:空心莲子草对增温具有较高的耐受性,并对不同增温方式采取不同的响应策略;夜间增温可能通过光合补偿效应增加其匍匐茎的长度和平均分株长从而促进其水平方向的扩展以占据更加有利的生境,增强其入侵能力;白天和全天增温对整个克隆片段匍匐茎形态几乎无影响。     

青藏高原东缘林线交错带糙皮桦幼苗光合特性对模拟增温的短期响应

采用开顶式生长室(OTC)模拟增温对植被影响的研究方法,研究了青藏高原东缘林线交错带糙皮桦(Betula utilis)光合特性对模拟增温的响应。结果表明:与对照样地相比,OTC内日平均气温(1.2m)在植物生长季中增加2.9℃,5cm土壤温度增加0.4℃。增温使糙皮桦幼苗叶片的净光合速率(Pn)、蒸腾速率(Tr)和气孔导度(Gs)分别增加17.4%、21.4%和33.9%,但对糙皮桦幼苗叶片的水分利用率(WUE)却没有明显影响,而对糙皮桦的叶氮浓度却表现为显著的负效应。同时,增温能显著增加糙皮桦幼苗的最大同化速率(Pnmax)(+19.6%)、暗呼吸速率(Rd)(+14.3%)、表观量子效率(AQY)(+7.9%),但对其光补偿点(LCP)和光饱和点(LSP)却没有明显的影响。此外,增温使糙皮桦幼苗叶片的最大羧化速率(Vcmax)和电子传递速率(J)分别增加了12.3%和11.7%,而磷酸丙糖利用率(TPU)和CO2补偿点(CCP)对增温却并不敏感。该研究表明,模拟增温对林线糙皮桦光合生理总体上表现为正效应,这有可能帮助该物种对未来气候变化更快更好地适应。     

增温对川西北亚高山高寒草甸植物群落碳、氮含量的影响

采用开顶式生长室（OTC）模拟增温实验，研究了川西北亚高山草甸植物群落碳、氮含量对温度升高的响应。由于OTC的增温作用，在整个生长季内，地温（15 cm）、地表温度和气温(30 cm)的平均值在OTC内比对照样地分别高0.28、0.46和1.4℃，OTC内土壤相对含水量也明显减少，低于对照样地5.49%。受增温及土壤含水量减少的影响，一年后，植物群落的生物量积累和碳、氮含量发生了明显的改变。除10月份OTC内地上鲜体生物量略高于对照样地外，OTC内地上鲜体生物量和根系生物量与对照样地相比，都出现了不同程度的减少；OTC内植物群落地上活体的碳浓度在整个生长季高于对照样地，而氮浓度低于对照样地；OTC内植物群落地下活根的碳浓度在整个生长季高于对照样地，并且在8月份统计检验显著，而氮浓度却低于对照样地；OTC内植物碳库在整个生长季较对照样地有不同程度的增加，增幅范围为0.90%～5.65%，而OTC内植物氮库较对照样地有不同程度的减少，减幅范围0.40%～1.28%。     

NaCl处理下两种补血草种子萌发和幼苗抗性的比较

用不同浓度的NaCl处理盐生植物黄花补血草和大叶补血草，研究其种子萌发和幼苗叶片中叶绿素和可溶性蛋白等各项生理指标的变化，分析比较这两种植物的耐盐性。结果表明，NaCl处理抑制两种补血草种子的萌发，此效应具有浓度依赖性，低浓度的NaCl促进黄花补血草根和大叶补血草茎叶的生长，高浓度的NaCl抑制两种补血草幼苗的生长；与对照比，50、150和300 mmol·L^-1 NaCl处理后，两种补血草幼苗叶片的叶绿素a（Chla）、叶绿素b（Chlb）和叶绿素总量均减少，而H₂O₂和MDA含量却增加；低浓度的NaCl处理使两种补血草幼苗叶片可溶性蛋白含量增加，而高浓度的NaCl处理使其可溶性蛋白的含量降低。此外，相同浓度的NaCl处理对大叶补血草种子萌发、叶绿素含量等指标的抑制作用明显强于黄花补血草，且其MDA产生明显强于黄花补血草，这些表明黄花补血草可能比大叶补血草具有较强的耐盐性。     

Foreign exploration for Scirtothrips perseae Nakahara (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and associated natural enemies on avocado (Persea americana Miller)

Scirtothrips perseae Nakahara was discovered attacking avocados in California, USA, in 1996. Host plant surveys in California indicated that S. perseae has a highly restricted host range with larvae being found only on avocados, while adults were collected from 11 different plant species. As part of a management program for this pest, a “classical” biological control program was initiated and foreign exploration was conducted to delineate the home range of S. perseae, to survey for associated natural enemies and inventory other species of phytophagous thrips on avocados grown in Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, and Brazil. Foreign exploration efforts indicate that S. perseae occurs on avocados grown at high altitudes (>1500 m) from Uruapan in Mexico south to areas around Guatemala City in Guatemala. In Costa Rica, S. perseae is replaced by an undescribed congener as the dominant phytophagous thrips on avocados grown at high altitudes (>1300 m). No species of Scirtothrips were found on avocados in the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, or Brazil. In total, 2136 phytophagous thrips were collected and identified, representing over 47 identified species from at least 19 genera. The significance of these species records is discussed. Of collected material 4% were potential thrips biological control agents. Natural enemies were dominated by six genera of predatory thrips (Aeolothrips, Aleurodothrips, Franklinothrips, Leptothrips, Scolothrips, and Karnyothrips). One genus each of parasitoid (Ceranisus) and predatory mite (Balaustium) were found. Based on the results of our sampling techniques, prospects for the importation of thrips natural enemies for use in a “classical” biological control program in California against S. perseae are not promising.     

Taxonomic status of the species of the green algal genusNeochloris

Komárek has recently reviewed the various species assigned to the green algal genusNeochloris Starr (Chlorococcales, Chlorococcaceae) and removed those with uninucleate vegetative cells to a new genus,Ettlia. Watanabe & Floyd, unaware ofKomárek's work, also reviewed the species ofNeochloris and distributed them among three genera—Neochloris, Chlorococcopsis gen. nov., andParietochloris gen. nov.—on the basis of details of the covering of the zoospore and the arrangement of the basal bodies of the flagellar apparatus. This paper reconciles these two treatments and makes additional recommendations at the ranks of genus, family, order, and class.     

Die GattungKarschia — Bindeglied zwischen bitunicaten Ascomyceten und lecanoralen Flechtenpilzen?

The genusKarschia, in the earlier sense, including saprophytes and parasites on lichens, has been thought to be a non-lichenized parallel genus of the lichen genusBuellia. Modern workers included it on the one hand inBuellia, on the other hand combined it with bitunicate ascomycetes. It is now proved thatKarschia is heterogeneous and contains but superficially similar members both of the genusBuellia of theLecanorales and of typical or masked bitunicateAscomycetes. Therefore, it can not be regarded as a link betweenLecanorales andDothideales. The type species ofKarschia belongs to theDothideales.

     

Molecular phylogeny of Phebalium (Rutaceae: Boronieae) and related genera based on the nrDNA regions ITS 1+2

Parsimony analyses of the internal transcribed spacer regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS 1 & ITS 2) for 38 taxa sampled from the Phebalium group (Rutaceae: Boronieae) and two outgroups confirm that, with the exception of Phebalium sensu stricto and Rhadinothamnus, six of the currently recognised genera within the group are monophyletic. The data indicate that Phebaliums. str. is paraphyletic with respect to Microcybe, and Rhadinothamnus is paraphyletic with respect to Chorilaena. Rhadinothamnus and Chorilaena together are the sister group to Nematolepis. Drummondita, included as an outgroup taxon, clustered within the ingroup as sister to Muiriantha and related to Asterolasia.The phylogeny suggests that the evolution of major clades within a number of these genera (e.g. Phebalium) relates to vicariance events between eastern and south-western Australia. Leionema is an eastern genus, with the most basal taxon being the morphologically distinct Leionema ellipticum from northern Queensland. Leionema also includes one species from New Zealand, but this species (as with some others) proved difficult to sequence and its phylogenetic position remains unknown. Taxonomic changes at the generic level are recommended.The authors wish to thank Paul G.Wilson, PERTH, for advice and discussion, and Paul Forster, BRI, for collecting and providing material of Leionema ellipticum. The project was supported by a Melbourne University Postgraduate Award (to BM), the Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS), Australian Systematic Botany Society and Wolf Den (Australia) Investments.     

Entwicklungsgeschichte und Ultrastruktur von Pollenkitt und Exine bei nahe verwandten entomophilen und anemophilen Angiospermensippen derAlismataceae,Liliaceae, Juncaceae,Cyperaceae, Poaceae undAraceae

Some closely related members of the monocotyledonous familiesAlismataceae, Liliaceae, Juncaceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae andAraceae with variable modes of pollination (insect- and wind-pollination) were studied in relation to the ultrastructure of pollenkitt and exine (amount, consistency and distribution of pollenkitt on the surface of pollen grains). The character syndromes of pollen cementing in entomophilous, anemophilous and intermediate (ambophilous or amphiphilous) monocotyledons are the same in principal as in dicotyledons. Comparing present with former results one can summarize: 1) The pollenkitt is always produced in the same manner by the anther tapetum in all angiosperm sub-classes. 2) The variable stickiness of entomophilous and anemophilous pollen always depends on the particular distribution and consistency of the pollenkitt, but not its amount on the pollen surface. 3) The mostly dry and powdery pollen of anemophilous plants always contains a variable amount of inactive pollenkitt in its exine cavities. 4) A step-by step change of the pollen cementing syndrome can be observed from entomophily towards anemophily. 5) From the omnipresence of pollenkitt in all wind-pollinated angiosperms studied one can conclude that the ancestors of anemophilous angiosperms probably have been zoophilous (i.e. entomophilous) throughout.

     

New geographical distribution and host records of rust fungi from northern Thailand

Ten species of rust fungi (Crossopsora 2, Maravalia 1, Pileolaria 1, Puccinia 1, Ravenelia 1, Sphaerophragmium 1, Uredo 2, and Uromyces 1) are newly recorded together with six new host plants in Thailand.Contribution no. 194, Laboratory of Plant Parasitic Mycology, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan     

Tracking down the "head blob": comparative analysis of wingless expression in the developing insect procephalon reveals progressive reduction of embryonic visual system patterning in higher insects

The evolution of larval head morphology in holometabolous insects is characterized by reduction of antennal appendages and the visual system components. Little insight has been gained into molecular developmental changes underlying this morphological diversification. Here we compare the expression of the segment polarity gene wingless (wg) in the pregnathal head of fruit fly, flour beetle and grasshopper embryos. We provide evidence that wg activity contributes to segment border formation, and, subsequently, the separation of the visual system and protocerebrum anlagen in the anterior procephalon. In directly developing insects like grasshopper, seven expression domains are formed during this process. The activation of four of these, which correspond to polar expression pairs in the optic lobe anlagen and the protocerebral ectoderm, has shifted to postembryonic stages in flour beetle and Drosophila. The remaining three domains map to the protocerebral neuroectoderm, and form by disintegration of a large precursor domain in flour beetle and grasshopper. In Drosophila, the precursor domain remains intact, constituting the previously described “head blob”. These data document major changes in the expression of an early patterning gene correlated with the dramatic evolution of embryonic visual system development in the Holometabola.