广东鉴江水系底栖硅藻多样性与时空分布特征

为了解广东省鉴江水系底栖硅藻多样性和时空分布特征,对全流域进行了底栖硅藻采样调查。结果表明,从19个采样点4次采样中共检出底栖硅藻10科52属242种,其中舟形藻属(Navicula)、菱形藻属(Nitzschia)和异极藻属(Gomphonema)是优势类群,出现频次和相对丰度较高。硅藻多样性指数(丰富度、真香农多样性指数和真辛普森多样性指数)随河流等级呈现一定的空间分布特征,但它们季节变化不明显。底栖硅藻群落相异性在上游和下游河段较高,从一级到三级河流递减,四级河流又增加。底栖硅藻群落结构空间变化明显,季节变化显著。群落丰富度的稀疏曲线表明,热带河流底栖硅藻群落以400个体计数,不能完整反映底栖硅藻多样性。这些为鉴江水系河流健康监测和水生态保护奠定了基础。     

川蔓藻属系统分类和演化评述

川蔓藻属Ruppia为沉水单子叶植物,世界广布,主要为咸水和盐水生境,具有重要的生态价值、环境指示作用以及植物系统学研究意义.长期以来,川蔓藻属内种的数目以及属的系统位置一直存在争议.根据已有研究资料,目前川蔓藻属共有5个种--R.maritima、R cirrhosa、R. tuberosa、R, megacarpa和R.tuberosa、R.megacarpa和R.palycarpa得到多数学者的认可.关于其系统位置,主要有隶属于眼子菜科Potamogetonaceae和独立成川蔓藻科Ruppiaceae两种观点.尽管目前许多被子植物分类系统都承认了川蔓藻科.近年来分子系统学研究显示川蔓藻属与丝粉藻科cymodoceaceae和波喜荡科Posidoniaceae有近的亲缘关系,但对川蔓藻属和眼子菜属Potamogeton区别特征的比较结果倾向于支持将其放在眼子菜科.本文还结合川蔓藻属及相关类群的化石记录和果实特征对其演化进行了初步探讨,化石属Limnocarpus和Midravalva被认为是川蔓藻属较早的祖先类群,并认为该属植物应该是由淡水祖先逐渐演变成现在的咸水生长植物.最后,提出了在川蔓藻属未来研究中有待进一步解决的问题.     

硅藻在河流健康评价中的应用研究进展

硅藻作为一种光合自养真核藻类,是水生态系统中重要的初级生产者,反映了水环境的平均状况.作为环境的指示生物,普通菱形藻、小舟形藻、极小异极藻均能指示水体富营养化状况,窄异极藻、结膜窗纹藻、念珠等片藻能反映出水体的贫营养状况;广缘小环藻、细纹长蓖藻、短缝藻能反映水体的酸度;肿节曲壳藻能指示水体中的Cu含量,肘状针杆藻能反映水体中的Zn浓度;其他硅藻种类亦能反映水体的受污染程度.本文综述了国内外对硅藻及硅藻指数的应用研究进展,指出了硅藻及硅藻指数在河流健康评价中所存在的问题,并提出了今后的研究方向:进一步完善硅藻的分类与鉴定;广泛开展不同地区及不同条件下硅藻水质监测与评价研究;注重筛选硅藻生物完整性指数并建立适宜的水质评价基准.     

白洋淀硅藻分布及其与水环境的关系

记录了白洋淀不同水域发现的硅藻85个种、变种及未定种,隶属于22个科31个属,其中小环藻属(Cyclotella)、菱形藻属(Nitzschia)、美壁藻属(Caloneis)和舟形藻属(Navicula)等为优势类群。在白洋淀东北部景区水域,以梅尼小环藻(Cyclotellameneghiniana)为主;污染严重的入库河道水域,以半裸具席藻(Sellaphora seminulum)和蓝绿舟形藻(Navicula veneta)为代表;村落水域,以菱形藻属、舟形藻属硅藻为主;航道水域,以颗粒沟链藻(Aulacoseira granulata)为代表;荷塘以弯棒杆藻(Rhopalodia gibba)为代表;而鱼池以菱形藻属硅藻为主。典范对应分析(canonical correspondence analysis,CCA)显示水体总磷浓度(total phosphorus,TP)和pH是影响白洋淀硅藻种群分布的重要因素。利用欧洲硅藻数据库对白洋淀TP和pH做了定量重建,TP为0.13-0.25 mg/L,pH为6.92-7.23,此估测值极为接近实测值。     

七项河流附着硅藻指数在东江的适用性评估

综合运用因子分析、聚类分析、箱型图分析等统计方法评估了河流附着硅藻生物指数(Biological Diatom Index,IBD)、硅藻营养化指数(Trophic Diatom Index,TDI)、斯雷德切克指数(Sládecˇek’s Index,SLA)、特定污染敏感指数(Specific Polluosensitivity Index,IPS)、硅藻属指数(Generic Diatom Index,IDG)、戴斯指数(Descy Index,DESCY)和欧盟硅藻指数(European Economic Community Index,CEE)在东江流域河流水质评价中的适用性。结果显示:SLA与IPS,CEE显著相关(P<0.05),CEE与TDI不相关,其余指标间均极显著相关(P<0.01)。SLA与13项水质理化指标均无相关性,TDI与含氯度(Cl)显著负相关,CEE与溶解氧(DO)、电导率(Cond.)、总氮(TN)显著正相关(P<0.05),其余指标与氨氮(NH4-N)、pH不存在线性相关,与五日生化需氧量(BOD5)、高锰酸盐指数(CODKMnO4)、亚硝氮(NO2-N)、硝氮(NO3-N),总磷(TP)具极显著相关性(P<0.01)。13项水质理化指标中主成分负荷贡献大于50%的八项理化参数DO、BOD5、CODKMnO4、TN、NO3-N、NO2-N、TP和SiO2将试验区水质分为四组。IPS、IBD、IDG和CEE与水质物化分类一致性较好。IPS、IBD、IDG和CEE的逐步判别分析(引入P=0.20,剔除P=0.25)显示IPS和CEE都只选出了NO2-N,分类判别的正确率分别为55.6%和48.1%;IBD引入了NO2-N,CODKMnO4和DO 3个解释变量,判别正确率74.1%;IDG引入BOD5和NO3-N两个变量,分组正确率63.0%。硅藻群落聚类显示,IBD和IDG在水质物化分类的箱型图中呈现出明显合理的趋势。以上研究表明IBD和IDG硅藻指数最适合用于东江河流水质生物监测与评价。     

桂江流域附生硅藻群落特征及影响因素

研究了桂江流域水质、土地利用、地理因素对河流附生硅藻群落的影响。结果显示,桂江流域电导率(Conductivity,Cond.)由下游至源头呈降低趋势,其它水质参数变化趋势不明显。主成分分析(Principle Component Analysis,PCA)显示前两个主成分共解释了56.2%的水质特征,第一轴反映了氨氮(NH4-N)、硝氮(NO3-N)、总氮(Total Nitrogen,TN)的变化梯度,第二轴反映了水温(WT)、pH、Cond.、溶解氧(Dissolve Oxygen,DO)的变化梯度。桂江流域硅藻特定污染敏感指数(Specific PolluoSensitivity Index,IPS)和硅藻生物指数(Biological Diatom Index,IBD)下游低于源头,差异不显著,与多项水质、土地利用以及地理因子呈线性显著相关。24个样地共发现112种硅藻,丰富度大于5%的37种,丰富度最大的几个种类依次为Achnanthidium minutissimum,A.pusilla,A.tropica,Cymbella laevis。对应分析(Corresponding Analysis,CA)显示桂江流域存在3个差异较大的硅藻群落,流域下游以Nitzschia recta为优势种,A.lanceolata、Amphora montan、Planothidium frequentissimum在中下游丰度较高,上游区域种类较多。典型相关分析(Canonical Correspondence Analysis,CCA)排序前两轴解释了硅藻群落变异程度的28.60%,CCA排序轴1与水质(Cond.、WT、NH4-N、NO3-N、TN)和土地利用(城市面积、农田面积、植被覆盖)显著负相关,与地理因素(流域面积、海拔、坡度)显著正相关,第二轴与浊度(NTU)显著正相关(P<0.05)。偏典型相关分析(Partial CCAAnalyses)显示,土地利用、地理因子、水质分别解释了桂江流域硅藻群落变异的7.20%,17.50%,48.50%。结果表明,桂江流域附生硅藻群落结构是水质、地理因子和土地利用共同作用的结果,水质起决定性作用,电导和不同形态的氮是影响附生硅藻群落结构的主要水质因素。     

喀纳斯湖硅藻的中国新记录种及现生种属调查

为了解喀纳斯湖硅藻群落分布生态状况及多样性, 对喀纳斯湖表层沉积物及水体中的硅藻进行了调查。共鉴定硅藻46属123种[1]。其中13种为中国新记录种, 分别为: 模糊双眉藻Amphora indistincta Levkov, 忽视双眉藻密纹变型A. neglecta f. densestriata Foged, 埃德伦星杆藻Asterionella edlundii Stoermer & Pappas, 星纹星盘藻 Discostella stelligeroides (Hustedt) Houk & Klee, 钝脆杆藻贝加尔近披针形变型 Fragilaria capucina fo. sublanceolata-baikali Flower & Williams, 马卡洛娃异极藻 Gomphonema makarovae Lange-Bertalot, 吉奥蹄形藻Hippodonta geocollegarum Lange-Bertalot, Metzeltin & Witkowski, 拟长喙蹄形藻 H. pseudorostrata Metzeltin Kulikovskiy & Lange-Bertalot, 麦特廷菱形藻 Nitzschia metzeltinii Lange-Bertalot, 机遇盘状藻Placoneis opportuna (Hustedt) Chudaev & Gololobova, 拟杆状鞍型藻 Sellaphora pseudobacillum (Grunow) Lange-Bertalot & Metzeltin, 马迪达鞍形藻 S. madida (Kociolek) Wetzel, 斯维律十字形藻Staurosira aff. sviridae Chudaev & Gololobova. 文章对此13种中国新记录种硅藻进行了详细的形态特征描述。     

广东省增江菱形藻属群落分布的时空特征

底栖硅藻是河流生态监测常用的生物监测指标, 为了解底栖硅藻中的菱形藻属(Nitzschia)分布格局及其对环境的指示作用, 于2010 年5 月、9 月和2011 年1 月对广东省增江的21 个采样点进行底栖硅藻采样调查和监测, 分析了底栖硅藻中菱形藻属的分布特征及群落结构与环境因子的关系。三次采样中共检出菱形藻属26 种, 其多样性(丰富度和真辛普森多样性指数)随河流等级呈先升高后下降的空间分布特征。3 种优势种(克劳斯菱形藻、谷皮菱形藻和亚针尖菱形藻)相对丰度的时空分布存在差异: 如克劳斯菱形藻的相对丰度在下游较高, 而亚针尖菱形藻在中游较高; 2011 年1 月采样中的谷皮菱形藻相对丰度明显低于2010 年5 月和9 月。逐步回归表明, 环境因子对菱形藻属相对丰度变化的解释率较高, 三个次采样季节的解释率(Adjusted R2)在60%左右。2010 年9 月和2011 年1 月两次采样的冗余分析中, 环境因子均能显著解释菱形藻属群落的变异, 解释量分别为43.7%和37.9%。多元方差分析表明, 菱形藻属群落结构空间变化明显, 季节变化显著。     

福建金门岛的淡水硅藻初报

报道了2004年11月采自福建省金门岛的淡水硅藻共126个分类单位,包括81种40变种5变型,隶属于2纲6目11科26属,其中瓦尔斯布纹藻Gyrosigma wansbeckii(Donk in)C l.、华美舟形藻Navicula elegansW.Sm ith、扁羽纹藻Pinnularia fasciata(Lagerst.)Hust.、近缘桥弯藻埃法变种Cym bella affinisvar.afarensisGasse、澳大利亚桥弯藻Cym bella australica(A.Schm idt)C leve、多西诺桥弯藻Cym bella dorsenotata strup、近极菱形藻Nitzschia polarisG run.、近粘连菱形藻斯科舍变种Nitzschia subcohaerensvar.scotica(G run.)Van Heurck、具脐菱形藻Nitzschia um bili-cataHust.为中国新纪录。     

柳江流域不同水文季节水质对附生硅藻群落的影响研究

为研究溶解氧(DO)、化学需氧量(CODMn)、氨氮(NH4+-N)、汞(Hg)、铅(Pb)、砷(As)和镉(Cd)在枯水期和丰水期变化对附生硅藻群落结构的影响, 分别于 2017 年 3 月和 6 月对柳江流域进行了调查分析, 旨在为深入研究柳江流域硅藻群落分布特征奠定基础, 以期为该流域水质的利用和管理提供理论依据。柳江流域共鉴定出附生硅藻 137 种, 隶属于 6 目 9 科 34 属。各采样点硅藻丰富度变化范围为 13-42 种, 呈现为丰水期高于枯水期。硅藻优势种组成在枯、丰水期分别有 5 种和 8 种, 具有明显的季节演替。聚类分析(Cluster analysis)显示, 硅藻群落结构在时空分布上存在差异, 枯水期可分为 3 个类群, 基本呈现在干流及支流段的上游、中游和下游; 丰水期可分为 2 个类群, 大致分布在流域的中下游和上游。其中, 在枯水期, Cyclotella fottii、Cyclotella. stelligera、Achnanthes minutissima 和 Cymbella laveis 在上游为优势种, A. minutissima 和 Nitzschia valdecostata 在中游丰度较高, 下游优势种为 Navicula cryptocephala、Amphora montana 和 A. minutissima 等; 在丰水期, 中下游优势种主要以 Nitzschia palea 为主, 上游优势种为 A. minutissima、A. montana 和 Achnanthes petersenii 等。主成分分析(Principle component analysis, PCA)和冗余分析(Redundancy analysis, RDA)显示, 枯水期水质因子对硅藻群落的影响为 Pb>Cd>Hg>As>CODMn>DO, 丰水期为 As>DO>CODMn>NH4+-N>Cd。结果表明, 水质因子 Cd、As、DO 和 CODMn 在枯水期和丰水期都对硅藻群落结构的变化起着重要作用, 但重金属因子在枯水期对硅藻影响较大, 而溶解氧在丰水期对硅藻影响较大。     

Improvement of the ecological water qualification system of rivers based on the first results of the Hungarian phytobenthos surveillance monitoring

Results of an ecological quality ratio-based qualification system, developed on the basis of the analysis of 1,161 benthic diatom dataset of the Hungarian national database, are presented herein. Using Kohonen’s Self Organising Map technique, the 25 Hungarian physiographic river types were pooled into six larger distinct categories (diatom river groups). Diatom metrics were tested for their sensitivity to the targeted stressors (nutrients, COD hydromorphological alteration) in each group. The strongest relationships were found in the case of the IPS, SI and TI indices; therefore the average of these metrics (IPSITI) was proposed as a national multimetric index for Hungarian streams. Based on IPSITI values, the ratio of moderate to worse quality water was the highest in those groups containing small rivers. In the case of large, lowland and mid-altitude rivers with fine sediment, the good and moderate ecological status was more characteristic. Applicability of the IPSITI seems to be very useful in case of small- and medium-sized rivers. For these rivers, the index showed a significant relationship with nutrients and organic pollutants. In the case of very large rivers, the stressor–index relationships were not significant because of the insufficient number of samples and the small range of stressors.     

北京通州平原生态林空间结构特征

林分空间结构直接反映林木间资源竞争情况和生长空间分配状况,对掌握生态林生长状况、制定林分结构调控措施,提升森林质量和生态服务具有重要作用。本文以北京市通州区油松林、白蜡林、旱柳林、毛白杨林、国槐林、刺槐林和垂柳林7种平原生态林为对象,采用聚集度、角尺度、大小比数、开敞度、树冠指数、竞争指数、边缘效益和空间结构综合指数评价了平原生态林的空间结构特征。结果表明: 研究区林分水平分布格局良好,聚集度处于0.32～1.41,角尺度都分布在0.4左右,大小比数主要分布在0.5附近。林分垂直分布格局有待改善,开敞度介于0.19～0.52,大部分树冠指数在0.7左右,竞争指数均大于50,整体居于高位状态。除刺槐林空间结构综合评价指数为Ⅲ级外,其他6种林分均为Ⅱ级,林分开阔程度较低,生活力一般,各林分空间结构综合评价指数从大到小为刺槐林>垂柳林>油松林>旱柳林>白蜡林>国槐林>毛白杨林。     

Can season interfere with diatom ecological quality assessment?

To understand whether seasons influence the ecological quality assessment of streams on the basis of diatoms, a study was undertaken in two lowland water courses located in northwest Portugal, between autumn 2008 and summer 2009. Temporal variation in the chemical pollution of these streams was small as revealed by a number of physical and chemical parameters analyzed. PERMANOVA global test revealed significant variation in water temperature among seasons. The diatom communities also showed a temporal variation although not all the seasons were statistically different. The multidimensional scaling analysis showed that the main differences in the diatom communities were between two groups of seasons: autumn/winter and spring/summer. Species such as Cocconeis pseudolineata, Gomphonema parvulum var. exilissimum, Fragilaria vaucheriae, Encyonema minutum, and Nitzschia recta were more abundant in spring/summer, while species such as Mayamaea atomus and Nitzschia pusilla were more abundant in autumn/winter. The BIOENV routine confirmed that the biological and temperature patterns are highly correlated. Despite the effects observed on diatom communities, these differences were buffered by the EQR (IPS) values which do not reflect seasonal differences. Therefore, the use of the index IPS seems to allow the monitoring of the streams’ ecological quality throughout the year without the interference of the natural temporal variability of diatom communities.     

不同技术迭代对太子参连作障碍的消减效果及作用机制

太子参是一种以根部入药的传统中药材,其在人工单一集约化种植过程中表现出严重的连作障碍现象。为了探索有效克服这一问题的技术方法,本研究以太子参为材料,通过种植太子参后采用休耕(RP-F-RP)、休耕配施专用微生物菌肥(RP-F-BF)、淹水(RP-WF)、淹水落干后配施专用微生物菌肥(RP-WF-BF)4种技术迭代处理组合,并以新植太子参(正茬)为对照,研究不同技术迭代处理方式对连作下太子参土壤环境修复和太子参光合生理和产量形成的影响及其作用机制。结果表明: 4种模式中,只有淹水配施微生物菌肥模式能够分别恢复重茬一年和重茬两年太子参产量至正茬的90%和70%以上,其他模式未能显著提升重茬太子参的产量。淹水配施微生物菌肥(RP-WF-BF)处理的太子参多糖和总皂苷含量分别比正茬显著提升15.3%和16.5%,且根际有益微生物丰度普遍升高而病原菌丰度显著降低,根际土壤氮循环过程得到改善,相较于休耕模式(RP-F-RP),RP-WF-BF技术处理后的太子参根际土壤中氮循环相关基因AOB、nosZ和nirK含量分别提高9.31、1.24和1.00倍,土壤酸化程度得到缓解,太子参抗氧化酶系统稳定性增强,苗期及膨大前期叶片的生长发育改善,叶绿素含量、叶面积指数和光合作用速率显著提升,最终使产量及品质得到明显提升。研究发现,单独淹水(RP-WF)和单独微生物菌肥(RP-F-BF)处理未能显著消减太子参的连作障碍,但两者叠加(RP-WF-BF)能产生“1+1>2”的强化效应,表明合理的技术迭代组合可以更好地消减连作障碍。     

黄土丘陵区刺槐群落林下物种分布对环境因子的响应

以吴起、安塞、米脂、宜川等地刺槐群落为对象,结合种群生态位宽度及土壤、海拔等环境因子探究刺槐林下物种分布特征及其影响因素,分析该地区刺槐林下物种分布对环境因子的响应机制,为黄土丘陵区刺槐林的管理提供科学依据.结果表明:在黄土丘陵区不同生长年限刺槐林中,分布较为广泛的物种有狗尾草、阿尔泰狗娃花、猪毛蒿、硬质早熟禾、茭蒿、苦荬菜、角蒿等.随刺槐生长年限的增加(10年至50年),林下物种优势种的分布更替依次为:茵陈蒿→硬质早熟禾→猪毛蒿→其他(茜草、悬钩子蔷薇等)→茭蒿→狗尾草.对刺槐林下物种分布影响较大的因子依次为土壤全磷含量(25.6%)>海拔(20.3%)>土壤全氮(19.3%).土壤有机碳含量、土壤全氮含量、土壤全磷含量、土壤含水量与刺槐林下物种的分布数量呈正相关,相关程度因种群不同而有所差异.坡向对刺槐林下物种的分布无明显影响.综上所述,地形与土壤因子在刺槐林下物种的分布中均占有重要地位,坡度越大,海拔越高,刺槐林下物种的分布种类越少.其次,土壤全磷含量和海拔是影响刺槐林下物种分布的重要环境因子.刺槐林下物种的分布是土壤养分状况的反映,对刺槐林的管理具有一定的指示作用.     

Numerical simulations suggest that counting sums and taxonomic resolution of diatom analyses to determine IPS pollution and ACID acidity indices can be reduced

Implementation of the European Union Water Framework Directive and associated national guidelines has emphasized the value of using biota, such as epilithic diatoms in streams, as indicators of water quality. However, guidelines for evaluating diatom samples have been established without explicitly evaluating their statistical robustness. We used epilithic diatom samples from 73 streams in northern Sweden and simulated the effects of variations in the counting sum size and taxonomic resolution of classifications for two indices indicating pollution (Indice de Polluo-sensibilité Spécifique, IPS) and acidity (acidity index for diatoms, ACID). Instead of the stipulated 400, we found that a count sum of 40 diatom valves for 50 streams, and 80 valves for 60 streams, would have been sufficient to obtain the same IPS index classification. The ACID index is more sensitive to count sum reductions, since the same classification would only have been obtained for 12 streams with 40 counted diatom valves or 24 streams with a count of 80 valves. Excluding rare taxa had negligible effects on the IPS and ACID indices. Excluding taxa occurring with less than 1.0% frequency affected the IPS classification of only one stream, and excluding taxa with less than 2.5% and 5.0% frequencies affected those of just one and no streams, respectively. The ACID index was affected for none, five, and 12 streams, respectively. At least in relatively unpolluted regions such as northern Sweden, our simulations suggest that a simplified methodological approach with site-specific counting sum sizes and reduced taxonomical resolution could be adopted, taking into account the way sites are classified in relation to established class boundaries. The simplified method is a step forward in improving the cost efficiency for stream monitoring, as costs of diatom analysis to obtain identical IPS and ACID classifications of our streams could be reduced considerably. Before the simplified method can be widely adopted, further simulations including regions with a higher proportion of polluted streams are required.     

印度蔊菜与无瓣蔊菜形态变异特征的比较及分类关系

印度蔊菜(Rorippa indica)与无瓣蔊菜(R. dubia)的分类关系仍存在较大争议, 为阐明二者的分类学关系, 本研究综合利用形态指标测量、DNA相对含量检测、体细胞染色体观察和基于SSR分子标记的遗传距离分析等方法, 系统地比较了二者的分类学特征和细胞遗传学差异。结果表明: 印度蔊菜(2n = 48)为六倍体, 无瓣蔊菜(2n = 32)为四倍体。同时, 前者DNA相对含量约为150, 是后者的1.5倍。通过45对SSR分子标记的遗传距离分析得出, 相对于球果蔊菜(R. globosa)与欧亚蔊菜(R. sylvestris), 二者亲缘关系较近, 独立聚类为一支, 但在遗传距离为0.23处可以明确划分为两个种。同时, 利用角果长度和结籽密度两个形态指标可以将二者明显区分为两个种。另外, 二者存在明显的生殖障碍, 通过正反交授粉实验得出: 印度蔊菜与无瓣蔊菜自花授粉的结实率分别为97.73%和95.65%, 而以印度蔊菜为母本的杂交处理结实率为0, 以无瓣蔊菜为母本的杂交处理结实率为47.06%, 但其种子萌发率为0。综上所述, 印度蔊菜与无瓣蔊菜为两个种。     

Sap flow characteristics and its responses to precipitation in Robinia pseudoacacia and Platycladus orientalis plantations

Aim In the loess hilly region, drought stress frequently occurs during the late spring and early summer as a result of insufficient water supply and asynchronous changes between temperature and precipitation. Our objective was to quantify the characteristics of water-consumption through transpirations and their responses to precipitation in the dominant plantations in this region. Methods Thermal dissipation probe (TDP) was used to measure the sap flow density (F_d) of Robinia pseudoacacia and Platycladus orientalis from April through October in 2009 in Ansai National Ecological Experimental Station. Environmental variables, including meteorological factors and soil water content, were simultaneously measured. Important findings The diurnal variation of F_d exhibited a single-peak curve during the growing season of R. pseudoacacia and P. orientalis. The maximum F_d was three times greater in R. pseudoacacia (0.12068 m³·m^-2·h^-1) than that in P. orientalis (0.03737 m³·m^-2·h^-1). Except in the rapid-growth season (July to August), the F_d of these two species during the post-precipitation period were significantly higher than that during the pre-precipitation period. The F_d of P. orientalis and R. pseudoacacia was well fitted with transpiration (VT), an integrated index calculated from both vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and solar radiation (R_s), using an exponential saturation function. Generally, F_d increased in response to rising VT, while these values tended to be stable when VT reached about 50 kPa (W·m^-2)^1/2. Furthermore, R. pseudoacacia showed more sensitive to precipitation (p < 0.001) than P. orientalis, according to different hydraulic conductance model coefficients (fitting parameter b) between pre- and post-precipitation periods. Therefore, R. pseudoacacia could be considered as a precipitation-sensitive species, while P. orientalisasa precipitation-insensitive species. Through analyzing the different responses of plantation species to precipitation in the loess hilly region, this study provides a scientific basis for the local plantation management from the aspect of tree water use during ecological restoration.     

Biodiversity among West African Rhizophora: Foliar wax chemistry

Foliage from 21 red mangroves (Rhizophora mangle, R. racemosa and R. x harrisonii) from different ecogeographic conditions in Gabon, West Africa, was analyzed for epicuticular wax composition using CC, GC and GC-MS. Aliphatic hydrocarbons ranging from C₂₃ to C₃₄ and some triterpenoids were identified. Alkanes were the major constituents (46.7–99.9%), with triterpenoids also accounting for up to 53.3% of the wax extract. High contents of octacosane (27.2%) and lower amounts of nonacosane (14.9%) and hentriacontane (9.8%) distinguished R. mangle from the other two species. R. hizophora x harrisonii was exceptionally rich in nonacosane (45.3%) with moderately high concentrations of hentriacontane (25.4%), whereas R. racemosa was intermediate between the two former species in its content of these three alkanes. Inclusion of the less abundant constituents in principal components analysis provided a good separation of R. x harrisonii, whereas the two other species showed some degree of overlap. Although major alkane patterns can be used to discriminate among the Rhizophora species examined, we do find substantial intra-specific variation that may be attributable to population genetic variation; this was least for R. x harrisonii. The hybrid status of this latter species could not be confirmed from the biochemical analyses carried out.