Clonal genetic diversity and populational genetic differentiation in Phragmites australis distributed in the Songnen Prairie in northeast China as revealed by amplified fragment length polymorphism and sequence-specific amplification polymorphism molecular markers

Genetic variation within and between four naturally occurring Phragmites australis land populations, DBS, QG, SS1 and SS2 (named after locality), which colonise distinct habitats (different edaphic conditions) in the Songnen Prairie in northeast China, were investigated by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and sequence‐specific amplification polymorphism (S‐SAP) markers. It was found that the selected primer combinations of both markers were highly efficient in revealing the inter‐clonal genetic diversity and inter‐populational genetic differentiation in P. australis from a molecular ecological perspective. Cluster analysis categorised the plants into distinct groups (DBS, QG and SS groups), which were in line with their localities, albeit the two SS group populations (SS1 and SS2) showed a lower degree of inter‐populational differentiation. These results were strongly supported by multiple statistical analysis including Mantel’s test, principal coordinate analysis, allocation test and analysis of molecular variance, which further suggested that gene flow, genetic drift and differences in as yet unidentified edaphic factors may all underpin the inter‐clonal genetic diversity and inter‐populational differentiation at the nucleotide sequence level. Analysis of intra‐population clonal diversity also revealed that the QG population harboured a strikingly lower amount of within‐population variation compared with those of the other three populations, presumably being caused by genetic drift and followed by physical and/or biological isolation. Homology analysis of a subset of population‐specific or population‐private AFLP and S‐SAP bands suggested that regulatory genes and retroelements might play important roles in the ecological adaptation and differentiation of the P. australis populations. Possible causes for and implications of the extensive genetic variability in P. australis were discussed for its future genetic conservation and use in ecological revegetation.     

不同光照及赤霉素处理对菟丝子寄生关系建立的影响

首次使用LED作为光源,研究不同光照条件及GA3对菟丝子(Cuscuta spp.)弯钩打开、缠绕发生与吸器形成的影响.结果表明,光照信号作为一个必要条件参与了菟丝子对寄主的识别及缠绕发生的调控,而化学信号可能起到一定的促进作用;GA3参与了对菟丝子缠绕发生的调控,但对弯钩打开没有明显的作用.除了典型的光敏色素作用外,还有另一类光反应(HER)参与了上述过程,这类光反应可由879 nm远红光引发,证明菟丝子存在HER,还有Pfr向Pr的暗转化过程,在缠绕发生过程中光敏色素和隐花色素发生相互作用.     

再生水浇灌方式对芦苇地土壤水文生态特性的影响

为提高再生水资源在芦苇群落生态恢复中的高效利用,采用温室内模拟实验的方法,以未灌溉(CK)为对照,对再生水(FS)、再生水清水轮灌(QF)及清水灌溉(QS)等3种浇灌方式下的芦苇地盐碱含量及水文物理参数进行测定分析,以其阐明不同浇灌方式下芦苇地的土壤水文生态效应。结果表明:清水灌溉、清废轮灌降盐压碱效果显著(P0.001),而再生水灌溉后土壤含盐量增加12.8%。与未灌溉相比,3种浇灌方式均使土壤容重减小,孔隙度增大,改善土壤水文物理效果表现为清废轮灌清水灌溉再生水灌溉。Horton模型比较适合描述灌溉后芦苇地土壤水分入渗过程,清水灌溉、清废轮灌改善了土壤水分的渗透性能,初渗率和稳渗率均比未灌溉增加,而再生水灌溉后初渗率下降15.0%。3种浇灌方式均能增强芦苇地贮蓄和保持土壤水分的能力,清废轮灌、清水灌溉、再生水灌溉的饱和蓄水量分别比未灌溉增加11.5%、4.3%、2.4%,涵蓄降水和供植物生长有效水分贮存能力表现为清废轮灌最好,其次为清水灌溉,而再生水灌溉则较差。     

三种木通属植物的地理分布与资源调查

木通属（AkebiaDecaisne）植物为我国传统药用植物,有着2000多年的药用历史,具有很高的药用价值;叶、花、果观赏性强,果肉营养丰富,可鲜食或加工,开发潜力巨大。作者对3种具有经济价值的木通属植物（五叶木通Akebia quinata（Houttuyn）Decaisne、三叶木通A.trifoliatassp.trifoliata和白木通A.trifoliatassp.austra-lis）的地理分布、形态学和农艺学特征以及资源现状进行了调查。结果发现,五叶木通主要分布于中国东南部及长江流域,由于长期的过度采收使野生资源遭到严重破坏;三叶木通广泛分布于华中及黄河流域,秦岭沿线分布较多,野生资源蕴藏量匮乏,目前已相继建立GAP栽培基地并作为保健水果进行开发;白木通分布于华南及长江流域各省区,资源丰富,但目前开发利用较少。为保证野生资源的可持续利用,应控制木通属植物的过度采收,加强白木通的合理开发利用,进行更广泛的资源调查、收集和评价,同时建立栽培驯化基地,推广优质、高产栽培技术,培育出品质优良,经济价值高,适合药用、观赏、食用或加工等不同需要的品种,促进木通产业的健康发展。     

The status of Clarkia australis (Onagraceae)

Clarkia australis and C. virgata grow on the western slope of the central Sierra Nevada of California. Clarkia australis was established to accommodate populations of C. virgata from south of the Tuolumne River that could not be successfully hybridized to populations north of the river. Although the species is maintained in the new Jepson Manual, its validity has been questioned because only two populations were originally tested, and they had no useful morphological traits that distinguished them from C. virgata. We report here the results of a large program of interpopulation hybridizations that show that C. australis is distinct and that its reproductive isolation from C. virgata is complete and absolute and reflects a compatibility block that apparently causes abortion of hybrid seeds in early development. Both species include populations north and south of the Tuolumne River and, in general, those of C. australis occupy higher elevations. Morphologically, the species are extremely similar though the mean values of several dimensions of the petals are different. However, significant variation among their populations has the consequence that, at present, the only certain way to assign particular populations to species is to test their compatibility with previously tested populations.     

Cytoskeletal 10 nm filaments in cells of the algal phyla Chlorophyta,Charophyta, and Chrysophyta and their developmentally regulated and species-specific association with prosomes

Summary.  10 nm diameter filaments were observed in whole-mount preparations of algae of diverse phyla: Acetabularia acetabulum and A. major (Chlorophyta), Chara australis and Nitella flexilis (Charophyta), and Poterioochromonas malhamensis (Chrysophyta). A polyclonal antibody raised against a basic, 50 kDa DNA-binding protein of A. acetabulum stains the filaments of A. acetabulum and A. major as well as of C. australis and N. flexilis. While in the perinuclear region of A. acetabulum and A. major and throughout the cytoplasm of P. malhamensis the 10 nm filaments have a smooth appearance, in the stalk of A. acetabulum and A. major they are densely covered by globular structures; in C. australis and N. flexilis they are less frequently associated with such material. The morphology of a part of the globular particles is quite reminiscent of prosomes. A monoclonal antibody elicited against prosomes isolated from A. acetabulum indeed decorates the globular particles on the A. acetabulum and A. major filaments. The possible role of these filament-particle associations is discussed. Received August 10, 2001; accepted October 30, 2002; published online April 8, 2003 RID="*" ID="*" Correspondence and reprints: Max-Planck-Institut für Zellbiologie, 68526 Ladenburg, Federal Republic of Germany. E-mail: sberger@zellbio.mpg.de RID="**" ID="**" Present address: Long Island University, Southampton, New York, U.S.A. RID="+" ID="+" Present address: Leica Microsystems Wetzlar GmbH, Wetzlar, Federal Republic of Germany     

Plant--rhizosphere-microflora association during phytoremediation of PAH-contaminated soil

The capability of plants to promote the microbial degradation of pollutants in rhizosphere soil is a principal mechanism of phytoremediation of PAH-contaminated soil. The formation of a specific rhizosphere microbocenosis with a high degradative potential toward contaminants is largely determined by plant species. The comparative PAH-degradation in unplanted soil and in soil planted with reed (Phragmites australis) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) was studied in pot experiments during 2 years. Both alfalfa and reed successfully remediated contaminated soil by degrading 74.5 and 68.7% of PAHs, respectively. The study of the rhizosphere, rhizoplane, and unplanted-soil microflora in experimental pots showed that alfalfa stimulated the rhizosphere microflora of PAH-contaminated soil more effectively than did reed. Alfalfa clearly enhanced both the total number of microorganisms (1.3 times, according to fluorescence microscopy data) and the rate of the PAH-degrading population (almost seven times, according to plate counting). The degradative potential of its rhizosphere microflora toward PAHs was higher than the degradative activity of the reed rhizosphere. This study provides relevant information for the successful application of alfalfa to phytoremediate PAH-contaminated soil.     

Flight movement of Scapanes australis australis (Boisduval) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) in Papua New Guinea: a radiotelemetry study

Abstract We used radiotelemetry and/or chemical light-tags to track the flight of 15 individuals of Scapanes australis in Madang Province, Papua New Guinea. This species causes severe economic impacts on coconut palms in young plantations. Flights to feeding, mating, resting, and possibly oviposition sites covered distances of 52 to 835 m in males, and from 245 m to>1000 m in females. Upon release, females flew in a tight upward spiral above canopy level (>20 m), then usually flew along a single bearing out of radio reception within 1 min of initiating flight. Dispersing females probably follow scent trails to pheromone-releasing males that occupy feeding galleries excavated most frequently in coconut palms, or search for oviposition sites. Most tagged females were not found again, because they dispersed beyond the tracking capabilities of our radio-receivers, but one female was followed for 245 m to a feeding gallery excavated by an adult male. Males typically flew within 5 m of the ground, took erratic flight paths with numerous turns, and frequently circled coconuts and other host plants. We followed males from the release point until they ceased flight for a night. Males passed daylight hours either in a feeding gallery within a host plant or under soil litter.     

A Germination and Establishment Field Trial of Themeda australis (Kangaroo Grass) for Mine Site Restoration in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales

The current study demonstrated that Themeda australis (R. Br.) Stapf (kangaroo grass), a major understory component of the original grassy Box woodlands in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, was suitable for use in large‐scale mine rehabilitation. The results of the trial were applied in the mine rehabilitation program. Due to extensive clearing of the woodlands and the introduction of exotic flora and fauna for agriculture, only small remnants of the original flora remain. The final land use of the gold mine is a conservation area free from agricultural pressure. Local native species adapted to the soil conditions and variable climate are highly desirable for the control of soil erosion following mining. Germination and establishment of T. australis on oxidized overburden were examined over 53 weeks. Seed‐bearing mulch was used as both the seeding material and an organic additive to the overburden. The effects of five factors were investigated: time since soil preparation, position within small contour banks, location of contour on experimental slopes, additional water, and rate of seed/mulch application. Direct seeding using the lowest rate of mulch application resulted in the establishment of more T. australis seedlings on new contours than on 15‐month‐old contours. The provision of additional water increased germination and establishment in both old and new contours, but was not essential. Seedling densities were greatest in the middle positions of contour banks up to week seven, but were destroyed during a heavy storm. At the close of the experiment, seedling densities were greater in the top and bottom positions of contours. Although significant slope × rate and age × slope interactions occurred, SNK tests did not reveal any consistent interpretable results.