Tail structure is formed when blastocoel roof contacts blastocoel floor in Xenopus laevis

The tail organizer has been assessed by such transplantation methods as the Einsteck procedure. However, we found that simple wounding of blastocoel roof (BCR) made it possible to form secondary tails without any transplantation in Xenopus laevis. We revealed that the ectopic expression of Xbra was blocked by inhibiting the contact between BCR and blastocoel floor (BCF), and wounding per se seemed to be not directly related to the secondary tail formation. Therefore, the secondary tail might be induced by the contact between BCR and BCF due to the leak of blastocoel fluid from the wound. This secondary tail was similar to the original tail in the expression pattern of tail genes, and in the fact that the inhibition of fibroblast growth factor signaling prevented the secondary tail induction. Our results imply that the secondary tail formation reflects the developmental processes of the original tail, indicating that simple wounding of BCR is useful for the analysis of tail formation in normal development.     

Effects of UV-B radiation on Chl fluorescence of greening barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) seedling

Effects of UV-B radiation on the developing chloroplast of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) seedling during greening were determined by Chl contents, Fo, Fv and fluorescence quenching coefficients. In greening of etiolated barley seedling, the value of Fo was greatly increased after the initiation of greening. However Fv and Fv/Fo were gradually increased. In greening with the additional irradiation of UV-B radiation, the value of Fo was strikingly decreased than that of the control after the initiation of greening, but Fv was gradually decreased from than that of the control during the greening period. These results suggest that the function of light-harvesting Chl are more sensitive than photosynthetic electron transport system by UV-B. Chl contents, Fv/Fo, qP and qNP, were decreased from than that of the control during the 72 h greening, especially, qR was strikingly decreased, but qE was slightly decreased by UV-B. These suggest that the sites of inhibition by UV-B are PSII and all sites of photosynthetic electron transport system. But PQ pool seems to be slightly inhibited by UV-B.     

The Effect of Glucose on the Biochemical and Ultrastructural Characteristics of Developing Euglena Chloroplasts*

SYNOPSIS. Chloroplast development is inhibited in Euglena gracilis strain Z, when greened in a medium containing glucose. This inhibition is reflected not only in the pattern of chlorophyll accumulation but also in the chloroplast ultrastructure and activities of the 2 light reactions of photosynthesis. Chloroplasts of cells greening in the presence of glucose are delayed in déveloping certain structures. Photosystem I activity develops at about the same rate as that of the controls during the first 48 h of greening, after which it develops at a slower rate. The rate of development of photosystem II activity in cells greening in a glucose medium lags considerably behind that of the controls until the later hours of greening. There are similarities between glucose inhibition and chloramphenicol inhibition of chloroplast development. Glucose may inhibit a step in chloroplast development ultimately controlled by the chloroplast genome.     

六种园林植物耐旱性分析

为选择耐旱性较强的园林绿化植物,选择6种常见的园林植物：金银木（Lonicera maackii）、紫荆（Cercis chinensis）、紫薇（Lagerstroemia indica）、荆条（Vitex negundo var.heterophylla）、胡枝子（Lespedeza bicolor）和构树（Broussonetia papyrifera）,进行盆栽控水试验,对植株外观形态和土壤含水率、叶片叶绿素含量、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性、丙二醛（MDA）含量进行比较。结果表明,随干旱胁迫时间的延长,土壤含水量均呈下降趋势,金银木、胡枝子和荆条的长势较好;紫薇、紫荆和构树出现叶片萎蔫、掉落现象,6种植物叶片的光合色素含量呈先上升后下降的趋势,除紫薇外,SOD活性总体均呈上升趋势,MDA含量持续上升。可见,金银木、胡枝子和荆条的耐旱性较强,紫薇、紫荆和构树的耐旱性较弱。     

Exploring non-host plant-based management strategy with lemongrass,garlic and guava volatiles for the African citrus triozid

The African citrus triozid (ACT), Trioza erytreae, is an important pest of citrus. Both nymphs and adults damage the plant by feeding on the sap causing young shoots to die. Trioza erytreae also vectors Candidatus Liberibacter africanus, the bacteria that cause citrus greening disease. Since certain non-host plants are known to repel insect pests, it is important to investigate how such plants can be exploited to manage T. erytreae. Here, we screened effects of odours of three non-host plants namely guava (Psidium guajava), garlic (Allium sativum) and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) against T. erytreae's location of a common host plant, rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri) and showed that repellence varied interspecifically with the plants. Using cage assays, we found that guava and garlic decreased the attraction of females but not males of T. erytreae to rough lemon volatiles. Chemical analysis by coupled gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) showed that volatiles of three of the plants were dominated by terpenoids; guava (69% comprised of limonene, 34%, (E)-β-ocimene, 29% and (Z)-β-Ocimene, 6%), lemongrass (56% comprised of geranial, 26%, neral, 19% and myrcene, 11%) and rough lemon (74% comprised of limonene, 53%, sabinene, 11% and (E)-β-ocimene, 10%). On the other hand, the volatile profile of garlic was dominated by benzenoids and saturated compounds (85% comprised of benzaldehyde, 12%, benzyl alcohol, 17%, nonanal, 31%, decanal, 13% and hexadecane, 12%). Our results suggest that non-host plant volatile composition and richness in specific compounds may contribute to influencing T. erytreae response to its host, with garlic and guava as potential non-host plants that can be exploited in the management of the pest.     

城市街道绿化对空气质量及微气候影响的综合模拟研究

植被对街道峡谷行人水平空气质量的影响得到了广泛关注,然而,污染物浓度与真实街道几何的宽街谷下复杂的绿化条件之间的关系没有得到足够的重视,也很少有研究对这种街道绿地对空气质量和微气候的综合影响进行评价。研究探讨街道绿化如何影响慢行道空气质量及微气候,其因子相关性、影响效果如何,并评估其综合生态效益。结果表明,街道绿化有正负两方面生态效益,可增加慢行道PM_2.5浓度9.34%-99.70%,平均降低气温1.06℃。近源冠层体积分数与浓度变化率极显著正相关,最能表征绿化引起的慢行道空气质量变化。绿化覆盖率、慢行道SVF与温湿度、风速变化率显著相关。各道路等级下中等覆盖度的场景具有最佳综合生态效益,主次干道综合生态效益高的场景特点是机非绿带为乔灌结构,水平结构为均匀型。研究可促进对宽阔街道绿化生态功能权衡的深入认识,为街道绿地配置方法及生态效益评估提供依据。     

首冠藤的生态生物学特征

通过样地调查,对首冠藤(Bauhinia corymbosa)的生态生物学特征进行研究.结果表明,首冠藤是阳生性藤本植物,主要分布于热带亚热带地区光照较好的山坡、疏林边缘或村旁;耐贫瘠,适宜生长的土壤为红壤和赤红壤.其平均光合速率为3.306 μmolm~(-2)s~(-1),气孔导度为0.25 molm~(-1)s~(-1),蒸腾速率为4.10 mmolm~(-2)s~(-1).首冠藤对营养元素的利用率较高,植株体内N、P、K、Ca、Na、Mg加权平均养分含量分别为1.11%、0.09%、0.56%、0.86%、0.21%、0.06%,其中叶片N含量最高,枝Na含量最高,根部P和Mg含量最高.首冠藤的生态生物学特征有利于其快速生长、攀附和适应环境.     

绿色屋顶径流氮磷浓度分布及赋存形态

为了解绿色屋顶暴雨径流的氮磷浓度分布及赋存形态,在重庆大学构建了两种绿色屋顶,于2009年9月至2011年10月期间进行了绿色屋顶和对照屋面的暴雨径流水质监测。研究结果表明,绿色屋顶暴雨径流pH值在7.7左右,氨氮浓度满足地表水环境质量标准Ⅲ类标准;总氮、总磷、硝酸根的平均浓度分别为3.6—4.4 mg/L、0.17—0.28 mg/L和3.1—3.7 mg/L,均高于降雨雨水浓度;与对照屋面暴雨径流相比,同时期的绿色屋顶暴雨径流中总氮、氨氮和总磷浓度较低,而硝酸根、磷酸根浓度较高。绿色屋顶暴雨径流水质的季节差异明显,夏季污染物浓度较低,而春秋季节污染物浓度较高;总体上看,随绿色屋顶运行时间的延长,暴雨径流中总氮和硝酸根浓度逐渐降低,而总磷和磷酸盐浓度则呈现出一定的波动性。气象因素、降雨雨水水质与绿色屋顶暴雨径流水质的相关性分析表明,气温越高、前期干旱时间越长,越有利于绿色屋顶径流中氨氮浓度的降低;绿色屋顶径流中的总磷和氨氮主要来自降雨。研究结果为绿色屋顶的科学构建和城市暴雨径流管理提供了重要参考。