Alien woody plant invasions in natural forests across China

外来木本植物在我国天然林中的入侵 外来植物入侵已经成为一个主要的全球性环境问题，造成了严重的经济和生态破坏。中国区域内部分地区已有关于严重入侵情况的报道，但是大多是小尺度上的研究，全国范围天然林中的外来植物入侵情况仍不清楚。本文基于全国天然林的3573个样方数据，绘制了外来木本植物入侵在我国各地天然林中的空间分布格局，探究了可能的环境和社会经济控制因素。研究结果显示，只有271个样方被外来木本植物入侵，占样方总数的7.58%；在所有调查的2825种木本植物中，只有5个外来物种(占比0.177%)。人类活动和气候因素都对入侵格局产生影响。由于我国天然林多位于偏远山区，人为干扰较轻，外来木本植物入侵的报道少于北美森林和欧洲林地。然而，随着交通运输的发展和山区经济活动的增加，在不久的将来可能会有更多。因此，需要积极的管理和政策制定来防止或减缓入侵进程，降低人类活动的干扰，监测外来物种的入侵情况并及时做出应对。     

Association of Nematodes and Dogwood Cankers

Dogwood canker is a serious production problem of unknown etiology. From May 1985 through April 1989, cankers from 290 flowering dogwood trees in 15 separate nurseries were sampled for nematodes. Seventy-three percent (213) of the cankers contained nematodes. Panagrolaimus rigidus (Schneider) Thorne (115/290) and Aphelenchoides spp. (91/290) were the most frequently collected taxa. Panagrolaimus rigidus was reared on 2% water agar with unidentified bacteria as the food source. Aphelenchoides spp. were reared in antibiotic-amended agar culture with the fungus Glomerella cingulata (Stoneman) Spauld. &Schrenk as a food source. Repeated attempts to culture Aphelenchoides spp. on dogwood callus tissue were unsuccessful. Artificially created stem wounds inoculated with combinations of Aphelenchoides spp. and P. rigidus callused completely in 60 days with no indication of canker development. Very low numbers of nematodes were recovered from inoculated trees, but P. rigidus and one Aphelenchoides sp. were efficient dispersers and occurred in treatments other than those in which they were inoculated.     

Current range condition in relation to land management systems in semi-arid savannas of Swaziland

Rangeland condition was assessed in the lowveld of Swaziland to determine the current status with emphasis on contrasting different land management systems and soil classes in two study areas. The assessment incorporated the grass and woody plant layer. The methods employed to evaluate the grass layer were ecological condition index (ECI) and weighted palatability composition (WPC). The government ranch had significantly higher ECI (mean 714.5) and WPC (mean 61) than the communal land (mean: ECI – 533.5; WPC – 48.7) and the game reserve (mean: ECI – 578.9; WPC – 47.9). The ECI and WPC values did not differ between the soil classes in most cases (range: ECI 551.5–645.9 and WPC – 43.7–57.6). The density of all woody plants and encroaching plants alone were the highest in communal land. Basal cover ranged from poor (2–3%) to good (>5%), while bare ground was rated from low (<1%) to high (>5%). Overall results showed great variability of studied variables at site and landscape levels of resolution. Generally, the grass layer was rated between fair and good when assessed on the basis of ecological and palatability merits. There was a clear indication of advancement of bush encroachment.     

Phenology of Australian acacias in the S.W. Gape, South Africa, and its implications for management

Australian acacias introduced to the Cape about 145 years ago are replacing indigenous vegetation over extensive lowland areas. This paper describes their growth, litter-fall, reproductive and nectar secretion phenology. Results indicate that growth and litter-fall are seasonal events, but timing varies with species and site. However, reproductive phenology is characteristic of a species, and varies little with time and place. Nectar secretion appears to be associated with both growth and flowering. Comments are made on the use of these phenological data in distribution mapping, control and utilization.     

20个赤苍藤种质资源表型性状的遗传多样性分析及综合评价

分析木本蔬菜赤苍藤不同种质资源的表型性状特点,为筛选出叶大、枝条生长旺盛的赤苍藤优良种源奠定基础,该研究以来自越南及中国3省(区)(广西、广东、福建)的20个赤苍藤种源为对象,对12个叶性状及4个枝条性状进行测定及计算,对各性状进行描述统计、方差分析及性状相关性分析,采用主成分分析法计算各种源主成分得分并对各种源进行聚类,对不同赤苍藤种源表型性状进行统计、分类及评价。结果表明:(1)各赤苍藤种源间大多数叶、枝条性状存在显著或极显著差异。种源内各性状变异系数变化幅度不尽相同。种源间各性状变异系数变化幅度依次为叶功能性状(15.42%～70.01%)>枝条性状(20.57%～71.71%)>叶形态性状(3.39%～20.01%); 种源内表型变异更突出。(2)就性状间相关性而言,叶形态性状及叶功能性状指标间多为极显著相关,新枝数量与节间数、新叶数极显著相关,但与叶形态性状的相关关系不明显。(3)16个表型性状共可提取4个主成分,累计贡献率达85.528%。4个主成分分别体现出叶的形态、枝叶萌发生长、叶形状及叶干物质积累及枝条增粗状况。(4)对20个种源进行聚类分析可分为三大类,一类为叶大、生长良好的种源,一类为叶较小、枝条生长旺盛的种源,还有一类种源综合表现不突出。各大类种源中的小类在地理分布上较为接近。(5)福建安溪及福清的种源可选择为大叶种源; 广西大新、上思和桂平的种源可选择为枝条生长旺盛种源。综合来看,中国福建安溪种源综合表现最佳,其次为中国福建福清、中国广东海丰、中国广西南宁、越南茶陵。广西昭平、宜州的两种源综合表现最差,不适宜广西南宁地区引种栽培。部分种源中存在生长表现突出的优良单株,可将此类植株开发为无性系,进行更深入的种源试验。该研究结果为赤苍藤种源表型性状分析及广西南宁引种初步表现提供了科学依据,为筛选、培育高产赤苍藤品种奠定了基础。     

Steam explosion of woody hemp chènevotte

This paper concerns the morphology of hemp woody core cells, investigated by optical and scanning electron microscopy, and the chemical analysis of the hemp cells. Steam explosion was investigated as a pre-treatment step for woody hemp ‘chènevotte’, with the aim of optimizing the separation and delignification of woody fibres.

In this study, we report the results of five experiments performed on ‘chènevotte’ samples impregnated in acid solution (0.1% w/w H₂SO₄) and steamed at 200, 210, 220, 230 and 240°C for 180 s. The effect of process temperatures on the woody hemp core after acidic impregnation was followed by optical and scanning electron microscopy, by assessment of the chemical composition, and by evolution of the average degree of polymerization (DPv) values of the purified wood fibres.

We found that treatment at 200 and 210°C led to samples that were difficult to delignify because the destructuring and disintegration of lignocellulosic materials were insufficient. A temperature of the order of 220–230°C is required to obtain well-separated fibres. However, at a temperature of 240°C, degradation and fibre damage were noted.     

Problems of distinction among succulent Euphorbia species from eastern tropical Africa

Problems of distinction among succulent Euphorbia species from eastern tropical Africa. Identification of herbarium specimens of succulent Euphorbia species is especially difficult due to distortion of important characters upon drying. Problems encountered in collecting and preserving material result in poor representation in the herbarium, and true variation and distribution of closely related taxa are thus often established only from field studies. These problems are exposed and some solutions given in four groups of species from east and northeast Africa: the non-spiny E. schimperi-nubica group, the single-spined E. triaculeata group, the shrubby E. heterochroma-stapfii group and the tree E. nyikae-kibwezensis group.     

The nitrogen-sink is involved in the regulation of nitrogenase activity in white clover after defoliation

The objective of the present study was to develop an empirical cold hardiness model applicable to several taxa of deciduous trees. Cold hardiness expressed as lowest survival temperature of Acer rubrum, Betula nigra, Liquidambar styracifiua, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Prunus serotina and Quercus alba was evaluated at approximately weekly intervals during the winters of three consecutive years. Plant samples and meteorological data were collected from Georgia Experiment Station, Griffin, Georgia. Maximum, minimum and average temperatures, hourly chill and heat accumulation. day length and time of year were used as input variables for model development. The statistical method of stepwise procedure of regression analysis was employed to select variables for the model. Based on the assumption that model components should be the same for all taxa included in this study and all three winters, the following independent model variables were selected as valid inputs: day length, number of accumulated hours with temperature above 20°C and number of accumulated hours with temperature below 10°C. Equation coefficients of species-specific models were determined for each species. Cold hardiness predictions were compared to actual observations for each species. The model components were interpreted as representing two processes: (1) internally regulated and independent of actual temperature, and (2) externally regulated and dependent on the amount of accumulated chill or heat. The model allowed for comparisons of cold hardening and dehardening between the studied taxa and between years.     

Composition,Microdistribution and Food of the Macroinvertebrate Fauna Inhabiting Wood in Low‐Order Mountain Streams in Central Europe

The macroinvertebrate community inhabiting woody debris in low‐order mountain streams was investigated using hand collections and emergence traps. With respect to dry mass, Amphipoda, Plecoptera and Diptera are the most important taxa. From the gut content analyses it was found that the microhabitat is colonized by xylophagous species as well as taxa of other feeding types. Regarding the whole community, there is no correlation between the abundance of specimens and density of wood, tree species, bark cover, consistency class, and surface structure. However, single species do show preferences; surface structure is the most important factor determining community composition.