Temporal variation in the woody understory of an old-growth Fagus-Acer forest and implications for overstory recruitment

Abstract. Changes in woody vegetation were examined over eight years, using a 1.05-ha permanent plot in which the location of every shrub and tree > 1m height was mapped. There was little change in the overstory vegetation, as expected for an old-growth forest. Much greater change occurred in the understory, primarily related to a 40 % increase in density. Differences occurred among species in the under-story, as Acer saccharum and Prunus serotina increased and Fraxinus americana and Fagus grandifolia decreased. Canopy gap dynamics are implicated in differences among species in the establishment and growth of individuals in the understory and their recruitment into the overstory. It is concluded that because understory is temporally variable, overstory recruitment from the understory may take different courses at different times in the same forest.     

干旱和臭氧浓度升高对元宝枫早生和晚生叶片色素和脱落酸含量的影响

臭氧和干旱是威胁我国北方城市植物生长的两大重要因素。于2012年利用开顶式气室,通过设置4个处理(AW-大气环境和水分充足;AW+60-大气增加60 nL/L臭氧+水分充足;AD-大气+干旱处理;AD+60-大气增加60 nL/L臭氧+干旱处理),开展了大气臭氧浓度升高(以下简称"臭氧")和干旱对元宝枫秋季变色期主要色素含量及脱落酸(ABA)含量的影响研究。结果表明:(1)早生叶在臭氧处理后,总叶绿素和类胡萝卜素分别下降了21%和29.6%、花青苷和类黄酮相对含量显著升高了34.1%和7.3%、脱落酸含量增加了19.8%。干旱处理后,早生叶总叶绿素显著下降了18.7%、花青苷和类黄酮相对含量分别显著升高了37%和7.4%、脱落酸含量显著升高了13%。叶片的上述生理变化将会导致叶片提前变红、叶片早衰和提前脱落。(2)晚生叶在干旱处理后总叶绿素含量减少了18.8%,脱落酸含量增加了33.4%,臭氧以及与干旱共同处理未对晚生叶产生显著影响。(3)臭氧和干旱共同处理后,早生叶总叶绿素含量、花青苷和叶片脱落酸含量存在显著交互作用,交互作用缓解了叶片总叶绿素的下降和花青苷的上升,但未缓解叶片脱落酸含量的增加。综上,早生叶和晚生叶对臭氧和干旱处理的响应不同,早生叶对臭氧处理响应大于晚生叶,而晚生叶对干旱更敏感。臭氧和干旱处理均加速了叶片衰老,二者共同处理后叶片脱落风险增加。     

Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) Invasion of a Natural Forest Stand: Understory Consequence and Regeneration Pattern

Norway maple (Acer platanoidesis) is invasive in a natural stand in suburban Ithaca, NY. To determine the understory pattern and consequences of a Norway maple invasion, I compared density and species richness under Norway maples and sugar maples (Acer saccharum). Mean sapling density was significantly lower (P<0.0027) under Norway maples (3.64/100 m²±1.6 SE) than under sugar maples (19.4/100 m²±4.4 SE). Mean sapling species richness was significantly lower (P<0.0018) under Norway maples (0.7/32 m²±0.18 SE) than under sugar maples (2.6/32 m²±0.48 SE). Likewise, Norway maple regeneration is more frequent under sugar maples than sugar maple regeneration: 57% of sugar maple plots had Norway maple saplings while 0% of Norway maple plots had sugar maple saplings. Two significant plot effects were found for presence–absence: Norway maple saplings grow under Norway maples with a significantly lower frequency (P<0.03) than under sugar maples; sugar maple saplings grow under Norway maples with a significantly lower frequency (P<0.000) than under sugar maples. Across the site, Norway maple saplings were the most abundant (29 saplings for 480 m²). The success of Norway maple regeneration and the reductions in total stem density beneath Norway maples is most likely the result of its strong competitive abilities, notably its high shade tolerance and abundant seed crops.     

茶条槭自然种群种子和果实表型多样性研究

为探析茶条槭(Acer ginnala)种子和果实表型差异程度及变异规律,该研究采用巢式方差分析、主成分分析、聚类分析等方法,对茶条槭主要分布区内7个种群种子和果实的12个表型性状进行比较研究,分析茶条槭种群间和种群内的表型多样性以及与地理生态因子的关系。结果表明:除种子长/宽(SLW)外,其它11个表型性状在茶条槭种群间和种群内均具有显著差异;各性状平均变异系数(CV)为13.90%,变异幅度为8.14%～32.08%;种群间翅果性状的平均变异系数(15.63%)高于种子性状的平均变异系数(8.71%),表明种子性状的稳定性高于果实性状。主成份分析中,果实形态特征对茶条槭种群表型的贡献率大于种子贡献率。种群间表型分化系数为35.47%,说明种群内变异(64.53%)大于种群间变异(35.47%),暗示变异主要来源于种群内变异。茶条槭种子和果实表型性状受地理生态因子影响较小,主要受自身遗传因素的影响。基于种群间欧式距离的聚类分析将茶条槭7个种群分为2大支,没有严格按照地理距离而聚类,表明茶条槭种群表型性状变异的不连续性。茶条槭不同种群种子和果实具有较高的表型多样性,与其分布范围和生物学特性有关。     

优良槭树橄榄槭的苗期试验与培育技术

橄榄槭为是我国自然分布的优良乡土槭树之一。通过在南京的引种试验,阐明了其幼苗生长特性,并概括了壮苗培育技术,以期为该种植物的合理开发与利用提供参考。     

镉对茶条槭和五角槭光合作用和叶绿素荧光特性的影响

以北方阔叶树种茶条槭(Acer ginnala)和五角槭(Acer mono)2年生苗木为材料,采用土壤和风化砂混合物作为盆栽基质,设置0(CK)、10、50、100、200 mg·kg-1 5种土壤镉浓度,研究了土壤镉胁迫对苗木叶片光合作用和叶绿素荧光特性的影响.结果表明:随着土壤镉胁迫浓度增加,茶条槭净光合速率(Pn)、气孔导度(Gs)和蒸腾速率(Tr)先升后降,胞间二氧化碳浓度(Ci)则先降后升,且均在10 mg·kg-1 Cd2+时达到峰值或谷值;同时五角槭的Pn逐渐降低,Ci持续升高,Gs和Tr则先升后降且均在10 mg·kg-1 Cd2+时达到峰值.随土壤镉处理浓度的增加,茶条槭和五角槭的Fv/Fm、Fv/F0和qN均呈先升后降趋势,ΦPSⅡ则均持续下降;qP在茶条槭表现为先升后降,而在五角槭则逐渐下降.所有指标(除Ci外)在随镉浓度的变化过程中,其上升幅度均为茶条槭大于五角槭,而下降幅度则为五角槭大于茶条槭.研究发现,重金属镉通过破坏或抑制光合作用过程来影响茶条槭和五角槭的生长,高浓度镉导致的Pn下降是由非气孔限制因素所致;茶条槭对土壤镉的耐性大于五角槭,100和50 mg·kg-1 Cd2+可能分别是茶条槭和五角槭对土壤镉污染的耐受极限.     

Analysis of the disassortative mating pattern in a heterodichogamous plant, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acer mono</Emphasis> Maxim. using microsatellite markers

Heterodichogamy is a form of sex expression in which protandrous and protogynous individuals coexist, and is considered to be a mechanism that avoids selfing and promotes disassortative mating. We examined mating patterns in a heterodichogamous maple, Acer mono, using microsatellite markers. Parentage analysis revealed a selfing rate of only 9.8%. Disassortative mating between flowering types significantly exceeded within-type mating, but the mating patterns were better explained by flowering phenology (i.e., the temporal overlap between the female and male stages). Heterodichogamy in A. mono thus appears to promote outcrossing without requiring obligate self- or cross-incompatibility systems, although it did not guarantee disassortative mating. Multiple-regression analysis suggested that successful reproduction of pollen parents significantly increased with increased flower production and reciprocal flowering synchrony, but decreased only marginally with mating distance, although the distribution of mating distances suggested leptokurtic dispersal of pollen.