Ludalbin,a new lactone from Artemisia ludoviciana

Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt. ssp. albula (Woot.) Keck, a member of the vulgaris complex, contains a sesquiterpene lactone, ludalbin, which is 8-α-acetoxydouglanine.     

慢性氨氮胁迫对台湾泥鳅幼鱼生长、免疫及组织结构的影响

以平均体质量为(2.00±0.56) g的台湾泥鳅(Paramisgurnus dabryanus ssp. Taiwan)幼鱼为研究对象, 探究氨氮胁迫浓度为0、3.5、6.0、10.4和18.0 mg/L时台湾泥鳅幼鱼生长性能、免疫酶活性及组织结构的变化。经过56d的氨氮胁迫试验结果显示: 台湾泥鳅终末体质量(W_F)、增重率(WGR)和特定生长率(SGR)随氨氮浓度的升高而逐渐降低, 各组之间存活率无显著差异。10.4和18.0 mg/L处理组肝脏超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、碱性磷酸酶(ALP)和鳃Na+K+-ATP酶活性均显著低于对照组(P<0.05); 18.0 mg/L处理组肝脏溶菌酶(LZM)活性显著低于对照组(P<0.05), 而丙二醛(MDA)含量显著高于对照组(P<0.05)。组织切片结果显示, 氨氮处理组幼鱼均存在不同程度的鳃组织损伤, 表现为鳃小片短小、上皮细胞水肿、细胞空泡化、上皮细胞坏死和脱落; 肝组织则表现为肝血窦扩张、细胞轮廓模糊、细胞水样变性、细胞核偏移和细胞核溶解; 且两种组织中其病变区域随着氨氮浓度升高而增大。上述结果表明, 氨氮胁迫对台湾泥鳅幼鱼的生长和免疫酶活性具有显著的抑制作用, 并对其鳃和肝组织造成损伤。     

外源ATP对油菜幼苗耐寒性的影响

以“陇油7号”油菜为实验材料,研究了外源ATP对油菜幼苗耐寒性的影响。结果表明:与单独低温胁迫相比,外源ATP预处理再进行低温胁迫后,油菜幼苗MDA含量、O₂^-.含量均显著降低,而叶绿素含量、抗氧化酶活性(SOD、POD、CAT、APX)和RBOHD、RBOHF、CPK4、CPK5基因表达均增加;与外源ATP+低温相比,EGTA+外源ATP+低温处理下,MDA含量显著增加,总叶绿素含量、T-AOC酶活性、RBOHD、RBOHF基因表达均显著下降,DMTU+外源ATP+低温处理下,MDA含量显著增加,总叶绿素含量、Ca²⁺-ATPase酶活性、CPK4、CPK5基因表达均下降,表明外源ATP通过Ca²⁺和H₂O₂依赖性机制影响油菜幼苗的耐寒性。     

Hosts and distribution of Viscum album L. ssp. album in Croatia and Slovenia

Abstract

Viscum album L. ssp. album is semi-parasitic on deciduous trees and shrubs. In order to identify hosts and map the distribution of V. album ssp. album in Croatia and Slovenia, field research was carried out, and herbaria were surveyed. In Croatia and Slovenia, V. album ssp. album occurred on 59 taxa. In Croatia, there were 52 hosts (33 autochthonous and 15 allochthonous species, two cultivars and two hybrids). In Slovenia, there were 25 hosts (21 autochthonous and four allochthonous species). There were 18 hosts common to both countries, 34 hosts were found only in Croatia, and seven hosts only in Slovenia. The hosts belonged to 13 families. The majority of these (19 species) belong to the Rosaceae, followed by Salicaceae, Aceraceae, Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Juglandaceae, Tiliaceae, Hippocastanaceae, Ulmaceae, Oleaceae, Fabaceae, Moraceae and Viscaceae. All hosts have been previously recorded in the literature, except Alnus japonica (Thunb.) Steud., Amelanchier lamarckii F.G. Schroed. and Crataegus nigra Waldst. et Kit. The distribution of this mistletoe was scattered, due to the scattered distribution of hosts, local conditions, movement of bird-vectors, etc. A continuous distribution was found only in part of the distribution area of narrow-leaved ash (Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl).     

A preliminary assessment of the response of a native reptile assemblage to spot‐spraying invasive Bitou Bush with glyphosate herbicide

During recent work examining the effects of Bitou Bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. rotundata) invasion on native reptile assemblages in coastal heathland vegetation in Eastern Australia, unplanned spot‐spraying of glyphosate occurred at some of our experimental sites invaded by Bitou Bush. We used this unexpected herbicide application as an opportunity to provide a preliminary assessment of the short‐term impacts on reptiles of glyphosate spot‐spraying of Bitou Bush. Using an M‐BARCI design, we compared reptile assemblages among uninvaded (reference) sites, invaded (control) sites and invaded and sprayed (impact) sites before and after spraying. We found no significant short‐term (7 – 10 months) differences in reptile abundance, species richness or assemblage composition among invaded, uninvaded and sprayed sites before and after glyphosate application. We cautiously interpret our results to generate a preliminary finding that spot‐spraying of Bitou Bush with glyphosate appears not to have a deleterious effect on reptile assemblages at seven and ten months following herbicide application. While we would not recommend basing management decisions on the outcomes of our study alone, we suggest that our findings can be used to assist in the development of strategic analyses of glyphosate impacts on native flora and fauna.     

Effects of land-use change on functional and taxonomic diversity of Neotropical bats

Human land-use changes are particularly extensive in tropical regions, representing one of the greatest threats to terrestrial biodiversity and a key research topic in conservation. However, studies considering the effects of different types of anthropogenic disturbance on the functional dimension of biodiversity in human-modified landscapes are rare. Here, we obtained data through an extensive review of peer-reviewed articles and compared 30 Neotropical bat assemblages in well-preserved primary forest and four different human-disturbed habitats in terms of their functional and taxonomic diversity. We found that disturbed habitats that are structurally less similar to primary forest (pasture, cropland, and early-stage secondary forest) were characterized by a lower functional and taxonomic diversity, as well as community-level functional uniqueness. These habitats generally retained fewer species that perform different ecological functions compared to higher-quality landscape matrices, such as agroforestry. According to functional trait composition, different bat ensembles respond differently to landscape change, negatively affecting mainly gleaning insectivorous bats in pasture, narrow-range species in cropland, and heavier animalivorous bats in secondary forest. Although our results highlight the importance of higher-quality matrix habitats to support elevated functional and taxonomic bat diversity, the conservation of bat species that perform different ecological functions in the mosaic of human-modified habitats also depends on the irreplaceable conservation value of well-preserved primary forests. Our study based on a pooled analysis of individual studies provides novel insights into the effects of different human-modified habitats on Neotropical bat assemblages.     

Morphological and molecular identification to secure cultivar maintenance and management of self-sterile Rubus arcticus

Background and Aims

Preservation of cultivar purity creates a particular challenge for plants that are self-incompatible, require insects for cross-pollination, and have easily germinating seeds and vigorously spreading rhizomes. As the fields must be planted with mixed populations, and a balance must be maintained between the cultivars to achieve effective pollination, methods for field monitoring of the relative density of different cultivars must be practical. Furthermore, a DNA-based method is needed for cultivar verification in the collections and outside of the growing season. The aim of this study was to develop both types of methods for Rubus arcticus (arctic bramble).

Methods

Morphological parameters were measured from six cultivars grown on three farms. Observations from the flowers and fruits included: petal and sepal number, flower diameter, arrangement of petals, size of calyx in relation to corolla, fruit weight, yield and soluble sugars. Observations from the leaves included: width and height of middle leaflet, shape of the base of terminal leaflet, shape of terminal leaflet, leaf margin serration and fingertip touch. The applicability of simple sequence repeat (SSR) or microsatellite DNA markers developed for red raspberry was tested on eight arctic bramble cultivars.

Key Results and Conclusions

Morphological and molecular identification methods were developed for R. arcticus. The best morphological characteristics were the length-to-width ratio of the middle leaflet and leaf margin serration. A particular characteristic, fingertip touch, was shown by electron microscopy to be related to the density and quality of the leaf hairs. Red raspberry SSR marker no. 126 proved to be applicable for differentiation of the eight arctic bramble cultivars tested. These identification methods are critical to secure the maintenance and management of R. arcticus. However, the challenges faced and approaches taken are equally applicable to other species with similar biology.