Time-course of photosynthetic induction in four tropical woody species grown in contrasting irradiance habitats

We investigated the photosynthetic induction time-course in species of different ecological groups grown in contrasting forest irradiance environments, gap and understorey, exposed to different darkness times in order to verify the plant capacity to exploit irradiance heterogeneity. Photosynthetic induction was studied in leaves of Bauhinia forficata and Guazuma ulmifolia (early succession species, ES), and Esenbeckia leiocarpa and Hymenaea courbaril (late succession species, LS). T₅₀ and T₉₀ (time estimates to attain 50 and 90 % of maximum net photosynthetic rate, respectively) varied according to the time of previous exposure to darkness and growth irradiance. In both darkness times of 10 and 30 min, T₅₀ was lower in the LS-than ES-species. These results, jointly with significant higher induction state of the leaves after 10 min of darkness, suggest that the LS-species has a higher potential to sunfleck utilization compared to ES-species, both grown in the understorey. After 10 and 30 min of darkness the differences between ecological groups were not clearly detected in the gap for T₅₀ and T₉₀, indicating that eco-physiological characteristics of each ecological group did not influence the induction time of the species evaluated herein. Thus the capacity to show phenotypic plasticity is not exclusive to an ecological group, but it is rather a more intrinsic feature related to the differential capacity of individuals.     

植被光能利用率研究进展

光能利用率是表征植物固定太阳能效率的指标,指植物通过光合作用将所截获/吸收的能量转化为有机干物质的效率,是植物光合作用的重要概念,也是区域尺度以遥感参数模型监测植被生产力的理论基础。传统的研究方法是通过生物量收获法分别确定植物生长和辐射量,求年或生长季比值;涡度相关技术作为目前直接测定植被冠层与大气间的CO2和水热交换量的唯一方法,使从冠层到景观水平的光能利用率估计成为可能。由于植被类型的差异和气候环境的综合影响使光能利用率表现出显著的空间异质性和时间动态性。在全球尺度上,利用耦合大气CO2观测、卫星遥感和大气辐射传输模型的反演模拟,发现净初级生产力的光能利用率存在明显的地理分异。影响光能利用率时空变异性的因子包括植物内在因素(如叶形、叶羧化酶含量)和外在环境因素。针对光能利用率的时空特征及其波动,建立在通量观测及模型分析基础上的跨尺度模拟,将成为今后该领域的研究重点。     

不同种源白花泡桐种子的休眠生理生态研究

为了探讨亚热带树木休眠理论以及休眠与树木分布的相互关系,研究了不同种源白花泡桐种子的休眠生理生态学特性。结果表明：白花泡桐种子适宜发芽温度范围在20～30℃,经过低温处理后,适宜发芽温度范围扩大到15～30℃,具有浅低温休眠特性;5℃的低温处理不仅提高了不同种源白花泡桐种子的发芽率和发芽势,而且加快了发芽速度,尤其在15℃发芽温度条件下的促进效果更加明显;40d的5℃低温处理效果最好．20d、60d的低温处理效果相对较差;没有用低温处理的不同种源白花泡桐种子,除了在25℃发芽温度下的发芽势差异不显著外,在不同发芽温度条件下的发芽率与发芽势都存在着显著差异,但在20℃、25℃发芽温度下的平均发芽时间差异不显著。在15℃发芽温度条件下,除了桂林种源以外,没有用低温处理的白花泡桐种子的发芽率与发芽势都随着种源纬度的增加而增加,而在20～30℃的适宜发芽温度范围内随种源纬度的变化趋势不明显;不同种源白花泡桐种子对低温处理反应差异明显。低温处理后的中亚热带以南的低纬度种源白花泡桐种子发芽率、发芽势都较北亚热带的高纬度种源高。低温处理后的中亚热带株州种源和北亚热带南部的宜昌种源白花泡桐种子的平均发芽时间最长,而随着纬度的降低或增加平均发芽时间都变短。不同种源白花泡桐种子的浅休眠特性不同,是对不同种源地气候的一种生理生态适应。     

Fluctuating deposition of ocean water drives plant function on coastal sand dunes

Sea‐level rise will alter the hydrology of terrestrial coastal ecosystems. As such, it becomes increasingly important to decipher the present role of ocean water in coastal ecosystems in order to assess the coming effects of sea‐level rise scenarios. Sand dunes occur at the interface of land and sea. Traditionally, they are conceived as freshwater environments with rain and ground water as the only water sources available to vegetation. This study investigates the possibility of ocean water influx to dune soils and its effect on the physiology of sand dune vegetation. Stable isotopes are used to trace the path of ocean water from the soil to the vegetation. Soil salinity, water content and δ¹⁸O values are measured concurrently with stem water and leaf tissue of eight species during the wet and dry season and from areas proximal and distal to the ocean. Our results indicate the dune ecosystem is a mixed freshwater and marine water system characterized by oceanic influence on dune hydrology that is spatially heterogeneous and fluctuates temporally. Ocean water influx to soil occurs via salt spray in areas 5–12 m from the ocean during dry season. Accordingly, vegetation nearest to the sea demonstrate a plastic response to ocean water deposition including elevated integrated water use efficiency (δ¹³C_leaf) and uptake of ocean water that comprised up to 52% of xylem water. We suggest physiological plasticity in response to periodic ocean water influx may be a functional characteristic common to species on the leading edge of diverse coastal habitats and an important feature that should be included in modeling coastal ecosystems. Rising sea level would likely cause a repercussive landward shift of dune species in response to encroaching maritime influences. However, human development would restrict this process, potentially causing the demise of dune systems and the protection from land erosion they provide.     

秋茄(Kandelia candel)幼苗对多氯联苯污染的生理生态响应

通过盆栽实验,研究了4种不同浓度（180、900、1800和2700μg kg^-1）的多氯联苯（PCBs）对红树植物秋茄幼苗的茎高、茎径、生物量、相对生长速率以及叶片的叶绿素含量、水势、丙二醛含量和游离脯氨酸含量等生理生态指标的影响,结果表明：（1）在所设PCBs浓度范围内,PCBs对秋茄幼苗的茎高、茎径、生物量和相对生长速率等生长指标的生长没有产生不利的影响,相反具有促进作用,红树植物秋茄在PCBs污染情况下能旺盛生长;（2）在所设PCBs浓度范围内,秋茄幼苗叶片能保持相对正常的叶绿素水平和相对稳定的叶绿素a／b值,叶绿素a、叶绿素b和叶绿素a＋b的含量虽然有所降低,但均为对照的70％以上;叶绿素a／b值有所升高,但均未超过对照的15％。（3）随着PCBs浓度的升高,秋茄幼苗叶片水势呈上升趋势,而游离脯氨酸含量和膜质过氧化产物MDA含量均有一定的增加,说明PCBs对秋茄幼苗产生了一定的影响。总体来看,秋茄幼苗能在所设浓度的PCBs范围内正常生长,对PCBs有较强的耐受性和适应性,对PCBs污染的沉积物进行修复是可行的。     

Ecotype-specific improvement of nitrogen status in European grasses after drought combined with rewetting

Drought stress and associated low soil moisture can decrease N status of forage plants by reducing nitrogen (N) uptake. Conversely, rainfall and associated favorable soil moisture can improve plant N status. Yet, it is unclear to which degree drought combined with rewetting can buffer negative effects of drought on N status of forage plants and their populations. Here, we compared shoot N status (N concentration, total N uptake and C/N ratio) of four temperate grass species. Particularly, we investigated ecotypes (populations) grown from seeds from four to six European provenances/species after a drought treatment combined with rewetting (10 day harvest delay) versus continuously watered conditions for control.The experimental combination of drought and rewetting significantly increased shoot N concentration (+96%), N uptake (+31%); and decreased C/N ratio (−46%), biomass production (−29%) and C concentration (−1.4%) compared to control. Shoot N status was found to be different between target grass species and also within their populations under drought combined with rewetting treatment. Presumably drought-adapted populations did not perform better than populations from moist sites indicating no evidence of local adaptation.The drought combined with rewetting event could buffer the negative effects of drought. Shoot N status of grasses after drought and rewetting even exceeded control plants. This surprising finding can potentially be explained by higher N uptake, lack of growth dilution effects or delayed plant maturation. Furthermore, within-species shoot N status responses to drought combined with rewetting event were ecotype-specific, hinting at diverse responses of different population. For rangeland management, we recommend that if a drought event occurs during the growing season, harvesting should be delayed beyond a following rain event.     

Extended life cycle in the chestnut weevil: prolonged or repeated diapause?

Many insect species extend the life cycle of a part of their population over several years. The adaptive value of these long cycles is now well documented, but the physiological processes underlying them have been little studied. Long life cycles are usually viewed as resulting from prolonged diapause proceeding from a simple extension of the usual winter diapause. However, this hypothesis has not been greatly tested, and information is lacking for species with a larval diapause. The energetic cost of a prolonged larval diapause also needs to be measured, because the few published estimates of lipid consumption concern an imaginal diapause. It is not therefore clear whether the negligible lipid consumption observed during adult prolonged diapause can be extrapolated to larval diapause. From microrespirometry and lipid measures in the chestnut weevil, Curculio elephas Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), we show that: (1) in contrast to the usual hypothesis, the long cycle does not result from an extension of larval winter diapause, but is due to a prolonged diapause occurring secondarily to a developmental phase, and (2) energy consumption during the prolonged diapause is not negligible, but is provided for by a higher initial lipid content in the long cycle individuals. The adaptive value of the observed cycle is discussed.     

Individual variation in metabolism and thermal tolerance in juvenile qingbo (Spinibarbus sinensis)

Studies of individual variation in the physiological performance of animals and their relationship with metabolism may provide insight into how selection influences diversity in phenotypic traits. Thus, the aims of the present study were to investigate variation in thermal tolerance and its relationship with individual metabolism in juvenile qingbo (Spinibarbus sinensis). To fulfill our goal, we first measured the resting metabolic rate (RMR), maximum metabolic rate (MMR), metabolic scope (MS, MMR–RMR) and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) of 40 fish at 25 °C. We then measured the critical thermal minimum (CT_min), lethal thermal minimum (LT_min), critical thermal maximum (CT_max), and lethal thermal maximum (LT_max) of 20 fish. Both MMR and MS were positively correlated with the metabolic recovery rate (MRR) (p = 0.001), indicating that high aerobic metabolic performance individuals possessed an advantage for the recovery of anaerobic metabolism. However, the negative correlation between EPOC and MRR (p = 0.017) indicated a slow recovery of the metabolism of high anaerobic metabolic capacity individuals. The RMR was positively correlated with CT_min and LT_min, whereas all of the metabolic rate parameters (RMR, MMR, and MS) were negatively correlated with CT_max and LT_max (p < 0.05), indicating that high aerobic metabolic performance individuals have a weakened thermal tolerance. These results suggested that there is a trade-off between aerobic metabolic performance and thermal tolerance.