Ocean acidification affects competition for space: projections of community structure using cellular automata

Historical ecological datasets from a coastal marine community of crustose coralline algae (CCA) enabled the documentation of ecological changes in this community over 30 years in the Northeast Pacific. Data on competitive interactions obtained from field surveys showed concordance between the 1980s and 2013, yet also revealed a reduction in how strongly species interact. Here, we extend these empirical findings with a cellular automaton model to forecast ecological dynamics. Our model suggests the emergence of a new dominant competitor in a global change scenario, with a reduced role of herbivory pressure, or trophic control, in regulating competition among CCA. Ocean acidification, due to its energetic demands, may now instead play this role in mediating competitive interactions and thereby promote species diversity within this guild.     

新疆微孢衣属(Acarospora)地衣的中国新记录种(英文)

结合相关的研究资料,对新疆西部部分山区实地采集的地衣标本进行初步整理、分类和鉴定,结果发现了微孢衣属(Acarospora)的3个中国新记录种: Acarospora glaucocarpa,Acarospora peliscypha,Acarospora veronensis。     

Why do some species in arid lands increase under grazing? Mechanisms that favour increased abundance of Maireana pyramidata in overgrazed chenopod shrublands of South Australia

While the abundance of some plant species decreases under high grazing intensity, others become more abundant. Release from competition by decreaser species contributes to this pattern in mesic systems, but this may not be the case in xeric systems where competition may be less intense. Here we examine three mechanisms that may be involved: (i) increased recruitment and growth because of soil changes produced by grazing, for example, increased soil nutrient availability through dung accumulation; (ii) increased recruitment favoured by the breaking up of the lichen crust; and (iii) reduced competition because of the decline of decreaser species. We used field and glasshouse experiments to determine the possible contribution of these mechanisms to the increase of the chenopod Maireana pyramidata around a watering point in a chenopod shrubland of South Australia. There was no evidence of nutrient accumulation close to the watering point, and while seedlings of M. pyramidata responded to nutrient addition, their growth was the same in soil collected from areas with different grazing intensity. While a broken lichen crust increased the emergence of both M. pyramidata and the decreaser Atriplex vesicaria, the effect was larger for the former. We found no competition between seedlings of the two species or between juveniles of A. vesicaria and seedlings of M. pyramidata in glasshouse experiments. Adult plants of both A. vesicaria and M. pyramidata produced similar growth reduction in seedlings of M. pyramidata. Furthermore, a field removal experiment failed to detect any competitive effect of A. vesicaria on M. pyramidata. Our data indicate that the disintegration of the soil crust by grazer activities can be a major factor controlling floristic changes in overgrazed rangelands. These results imply that factors that control establishment may be more important than competition in shaping shrub population dynamics in these systems. Ground surface itself can affect establishment opportunities, and this should be taken into account in management and restoration efforts in arid lands.     

Dissociation and metal-binding characteristics of yellow lichen substances suggest a relationship with site preferences of lichens

Background and Aims: Many species of lichen-forming fungi contain yellow or orangeextracellular pigments belonging to the dibenzofurans (usnicacid), anthraquinones (e.g. parietin) or pulvinic acid group.These pigments are all equally efficient light screens, leadingus to question the potential ecological and evolutionary significanceof diversity in yellow and orange lichen substances. Here thehypothesis is tested that the different pigments differ in metal-bindingcharacteristics, which suggest that they may contribute to adaptationto sites differing in pH and metal availability. Methods: UV spectroscopy was used to study the dissociation and the pHdependence of the metal-binding behaviour of seven isolatedlichen substances in methanol. Metals applied were selectedmacro- and micro-nutrients (Cu²⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺ andZn²⁺). Key Results: All the pigments studied are strong to moderate acids with pK_a1values between 2·8 and 4·5. Metal complexationis common in the lichen substances studied. Complexation takesplace under acidic conditions with usnic acid, but under alkalineconditions with parietin and most compounds of the pulvinicacid group. The pulvinic acid derivative rhizocarpic acid formsmetal complexes both in the acidic and the alkaline range. Conclusions: Metal complexation by lichen substances could be a prerequisitefor lichen substance-mediated control of metal uptake. Assumingsuch an effect at pH values where the affinity of the metalfor the lichen substance is intermediate would explain the strongpreference of lichens with usnic or rhizocarpic acids to acidicsubstrata. Moreover, it would explain the preference of lichenswith parietin and some lichens with compounds of the pulvinicacid group either for nutrient-rich substrata at low pH or forcalcareous substrata.     

3β-Acetoxyhopan-1β,22-diol,a triterpene from the lichen Pseudoparmelia texana

From the lichen Pseudoparmelia texana the triterpene 3β-acetoxyhopan-1β,22-diol has been isolated and its structure elucidated.     

Structure of a polysaccharide of umbillicaria mammulata

The polysaccharide isolated from Umbillicaria mammulata is a β(1 → 6) linked glucan (degree of polymerization: ca 150) with 9% of the glucose units acetylated at C-3. It is very similar to a polysaccharide recently isolated from the related lichen Gyrophora esculenta.