Plant organ senescence – regulation by manifold pathways

Senescence is the final stage of plant ontogeny before death. Senescence may occur naturally because of age or may be induced by various endogenous and exogenous factors. Despite its destructive character, senescence is a precisely controlled process that follows a well‐defined order. It is often inseparable from programmed cell death (PCD), and a correlation between these processes has been confirmed during the senescence of leaves and petals. Despite suggestions that senescence and PCD are two separate processes, with PCD occurring after senescence, cell death responsible for senescence is accompanied by numerous changes at the cytological, physiological and molecular levels, similar to other types of PCD. Independent of the plant organ analysed, these changes are focused on initiating the processes of cellular structural degradation via fluctuations in phytohormone levels and the activation of specific genes. Cellular structural degradation is genetically programmed and dependent on autophagy. Phytohormones/plant regulators are heavily involved in regulating the senescence of plant organs and can either promote [ethylene, abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA), and polyamines (PAs)] or inhibit [cytokinins (CKs)] this process. Auxins and carbohydrates have been assigned a dual role in the regulation of senescence, and can both inhibit and stimulate the senescence process. In this review, we introduce the basic pathways that regulate senescence in plants and identify mechanisms involved in controlling senescence in ephemeral plant organs. Moreover, we demonstrate a universal nature of this process in different plant organs; despite this process occurring in organs that have completely different functions, it is very similar. Progress in this area is providing opportunities to revisit how, when and which way senescence is coordinated or decoupled by plant regulators in different organs and will provide a powerful tool for plant physiology research.     

不同恢复类型植被细根分布及与土壤理化性质的耦合关系

针对陕北典型黄土丘陵区吴起县主要人工造林和自然封育植被恢复类型,确定5、15年和40年不同退耕年限下的沙棘、山杏及自然恢复草地样地,进行剖面采样,分析不同植被恢复类型下细根生物量、土壤理化性质,研究了不同恢复类型和不同年限植被细根生物量与土壤理化性质随时间的变异规律及耦合关系。结果表明,(1)总体上,主要造林树种和退耕自然封育草地细根生物量都随林龄和退耕年限的增长呈增加趋势,同年限人工造林树种细根生物量大于自然恢复的草地,不同植被群落细根生物量均表现出随着深度的增加呈指数递减规律。(2)自然封育的草地生态系统土壤含水量大于人工山杏林和沙棘林。人工造林和自然封育植被恢复下,土壤团聚体稳定性都随退耕年限的增加而增强,有机质、全氮、全磷含量也都呈增加趋势,土壤平均含水量则呈减小趋势。(3)细根生物量与土壤容重和团聚体稳定性显著相关,植物细根在土壤结构改善中起到了重要作用。     

温带落叶阔叶林地表鞘翅目成虫小尺度空间格局动态分析

土壤动物空间格局是格局—过程以及生物多样性维持机制研究的重要基础,目前小尺度空间土壤动物空间格局动态特征仍不清楚。基于地统计空间分析方法,以鞘翅目成虫为研究对象,研究帽儿山温带落叶阔叶林小尺度空间(5m)地表鞘翅目成虫群落及类群的空间格局动态特征。结果表明:4次调查共捕获鞘翅目成虫11科、29类、1021只个体,调查月份鞘翅目成虫群落具有较强的时空变异性;Moran'sⅠ系数表明鞘翅目成虫群落和类群具有复杂的正的空间自相关性,其空间异质性可用球状、指数、高斯和线性模型进行拟合。这种空间异质性具有一定的时间变化特征,且这种空间分异是由随机性因素单一调控或结构性因素和随机性因素共同调控的结果;类群之间在多种尺度上表现为复杂的以负相关居多的空间关联性,这种空间关联性的形成主要是结构性因素或随机性因素单一调控的结果。本实验表明地表鞘翅目成虫群落在小尺度空间具有明显的空间异质性特征,这种空间异质性时间变异性较明显。     

土壤增温对杉木幼苗细根生长量及形态特征的影响

为了揭示杉木人工林对全球变暖的地下响应,在福建省三明市陈大国有林场开展杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)幼苗土壤增温试验,采用内生长环法探讨增温实验开始后第2年(2015年1月、7月取样)和第3年(2016年1月、7月取样)杉木幼苗细根生长量和形态特征(比根长,SRL;比表面积,SRA;组织密度,RTD)的变化。结果表明:(1)随着苗木的生长,土壤增温对细根生长量的影响趋势是先抑制,再无显著影响,最后促进。(2)土壤增温对细根形态特征的影响在不同取样时间有差异:土壤增温对7月份(夏季)取样的细根SRL或SRA有显著促进作用,对1月份(冬季)取样的细根SRL、SRA均无显著影响。(3)土壤增温对第二、第三次取样的1—2 mm细根RTD有促进作用。表明土壤增温对杉木幼苗细根生长量的影响与苗木生长阶段有关;同时苗木可通过细根形态的调整(增大SRL和RTD)以适应土壤增温引起的土壤资源变化和环境胁迫,维持自身的生长。     

Characteristics and underlying mechanisms of plant deep soil water uptake and utilization: Implication for the cultivation of plantation trees

根系吸水是树木水分关系的重要环节, 在树木生理活动中发挥着至关重要的作用。深层土壤中的水资源含量一般相对较高, 常可为树木生长供给大量水分, 并在旱季保障其生存与正常生长。因此, 了解树木对深层土壤水的吸收利用特征与机制, 可帮助深入认识树木与环境的互作机制、树木的生长与生存策略、物种间的共存与竞争机制等内容, 同时还可帮助构建既能降低外部水资源投入, 又能避免水分生态环境负面效应的人工林绿色栽培制度。基于已有研究, 该文对树木吸收利用深层土壤水的特征与机制进行了综述。首先, 探讨了深层根系和深层土壤的界定, 指出对于除寒温带针叶林以外的其他主要森林植被类型, 可以1 m作为树木深根系和深土层的平均划分(参考)标准, 并明确了全球范围内树木深根系的成因。其次, 对已有研究中观察到的树木对深层土壤水的吸收利用特征及其影响因素进行了归纳与总结, 并从深根系性状调节、整株水力特性协调两方面探讨了树木高效吸收利用深层土壤水的机制, 如可通过深根系的空间、时间和效率调节策略来促进对深土层水分的吸收。最后, 提出了树木利用深土层水分对人工林培育的几点启示, 包括水分管理.中应使林木适度利用深层土壤水, 选用合适的灌水频率、合理的树种混交能促进深层土壤水分储库“缓冲”作用的发挥, 基于树木土壤水分利用深度的间伐木选择技术等, 并指出了该领域现有研究的不足以及今后的发展方向。     

Effects of fine root decomposition on bacterial community structure of four dominated tree species in Mount Taishan,China

为了理解细菌群落结构和多样性对森林生态系统细根凋落物分解的影响, 该研究以泰山4种主要优势造林树种刺槐(Robinia pseudoacacia)、麻栎(Quercus acutissima)、油松(Pinus tabulaeformis)和赤松(Pinus densiflora)为研究对象, 采用凋落物分解袋法及Illumina Miseq测序平台对细菌16S rDNA V4-V5区扩增产物进行双端测序, 分析了4种树种细根分解对细菌群落结构及多样性的影响。结果表明: (1) 4种植物细根分解速率差异显著, 阔叶树种分解速率显著高于针叶树种, 表现为刺槐>麻栎>油松>赤松。(2) 4个树种细菌序列操作分类单元(OTU)、观测到的物种数、Ace指数和系统发育多样性之间差异显著, 且阔叶树种刺槐和麻栎显著低于针叶树种赤松和油松。4种细根分解的细菌群落结构存在极显著差异。细根初始碳(C)含量、木质素:氮(N)和C:N对细菌群落结构的影响较大。(3)细菌群落相对丰度在5%以上的优势类群是变形菌门、放线菌门、拟杆菌门、酸杆菌门, 且变形菌门、酸杆菌门在4个树种之间差异显著, 特别是阔叶树种变形菌门显著高于针叶树种。在纲水平上, α-变形菌纲、β-变形菌纲、γ-变形菌纲、不明放线菌纲、鞘脂杆菌纲为主要的优势纲, 其中α-变形菌纲、不明放线菌纲在4个树种之间差异显著。(4) Pearson相关性分析表明, 细菌优势门和纲相对丰度受到凋落物初始化学性质的影响, 特别是变形菌门和α-变形菌纲; 变形菌门和α-变形菌纲相对丰度与细根分解速率显著正相关。冗余分析结果也显示, 细根初始N、磷(P)含量和木质素含量对细菌群落结构的影响较大。研究结果有助于理解细菌群落结构和多样性对森林生态系统细根凋落物分解的影响。     

不同品种油茶细根时空分布动态

以赣无1、赣永5、长林4、长林40和赣447 等5个品种的油茶林为研究对象,采用微根管技术对0～40 cm土壤剖面的油茶细根进行了为期一年的观测,并分析了总根尖数(TRT)、平均根长密度(ARLD)、平均直径(ARD)的时空分布动态规律.结果表明: 2016年下半年,各品种的TRT和ARLD变化相对稳定,2017年上半年,各品种的TRT和ARLD变化幅度较大,尤其体现在赣无1与长林40中.赣无1的TRT和ARLD在2017年5月出现峰值,长林4的ARD在2017年3月出现峰值.赣无1的TRT和ARLD 以及长林4的ARD在整个观测期都显著大于其他品种.不同品种油茶细根在土层中的空间分布规律及动态变化存在明显差异,赣无1和赣447的细根主要分布在0～20 cm土层中,长林4和长林40的细根以20～40 cm土层居多,空间分布动态变化较其他3个品种稳定;赣永5的空间分布动态变化幅度较大,根量分布各土层无显著差异;长林4的ARD表现为20～40 cm土层>0～20 cm土层,其他品种的ARD在不同土层中无显著差异.赣无1的细根生物量最多,主要分布在上层;长林4的细根直径最粗,主要分布在下层.     

Conservation of a domestic metapopulation structured into related and partly admixed strains

Preservation of genetic diversity is one of the most pressing challenges in the planetary boundaries concept. Within this context, we focused on genetic diversity in a native, unselected and highly admixed domesticated metapopulation. A set of 1,828 individuals from 60 different cattle breeds was analysed using a medium density SNP chip. Among these breeds, 14 Bu?a strains formed a metapopulation represented by 350 individuals, while the remaining 46 breeds represented the global cattle population. Genetic analyses showed that the scarcely selected and less differentiated Bu?a metapopulation contributed a substantial proportion (52.6%) of the neutral allelic diversity to this global taurine population. Consequently, there is an urgent need for synchronized maintenance of this highly fragmented domestic metapopulation, which is distributed over several countries without sophisticated infrastructure and highly endangered by continuous replacement crossing as part of the global genetic homogenization process. This study collected and evaluated samples, data and genomewide information and developed genome‐assisted cross‐border conservation concepts. To detect and maintain genetic integrity of the metapopulation strains, we designed and applied a composite test that combines six metrics based on additive genetic relationships, a nearest neighbour graph and the distribution of semiprivate alleles. Each metric provides distinct information components about past admixture events and offers an objective and powerful tool for the detection of admixed outliers. The here developed conservation methods and presented experiences could easily be adapted to comparable conservation programmes of domesticated or other metapopulations bred and kept in captivity or under some other sort of human control.