Soil Seed Bank as an Input of Seed Source in Revegetation of Lead / Zinc Mine Tailings

The goal of the present study was to assess a soil seed bank as an input seed source for revegetating lead/zinc (Pb/Zn) mine tailings. The seed bank source was abandoned farmland, whose top 10‐cm layer of topsoil contained 6,850 ± 377 seeds/m² from 41 species. The seeds in the soil were principally distributed in the upper 0–2 cm, which held 75.8% of total seeds and 92.7% of species composition. The top 2‐cm layer of topsoil may be sufficient to serve the purpose of providing a seed source for revegetation on derelict lands, including mined lands. Four different thicknesses of topsoil (1, 2, 4, and 8 cm, redistributed from the total 0–10‐cm layer from the farmland) were field‐tested on the Pb/Zn mine tailings. There was no significant difference in seedling density among the 4 thickness treatments. Many seeds in the treatments with more than 1‐cm of topsoil were unable to emerge from the deeper layer. Seedlings in plots with topsoil of 1‐, 2‐ and 4‐cm failed to establish within 1 year due to the extremely high acidity (pH 2.39 to 2.76). A shallow layer of topsoil cannot neutralize the sulfuric acid generated from oxidation of pyrites in the tailings. For establishment of seedlings on metalliferous lands, an insulating layer such as subsoil, building rubble, or domestic refuse is necessary before covering with valuable topsoil. The woody legume Leucaena leucocephala grown on the tailings with a topsoil cover of 8‐cm was the most dominant species. Lead was accumulated in root, branch, stem bark, and xylem, which accounted for more than 80% of the total metal concentration in the plant. This portion of Pb will reside in the plant for a long period, while the smaller portion of Pb in the leaf (about 15%) could be returned to the environment as litter during growth. Woody plants may have an advantage in metal‐phyto‐remediation over herbaceous plants.     

Physiological and biochemical responses of micropropagated tea plants

Summary Physiological and biochemical responses of micropropagated tea plants grown under field conditions were investigated in comparison to vegetatively propagated (VP) plants. No significant variation was observed between tissue culture raised (TC) and VP plants in terms of photosynthetic carbon assimilation rate. However, clones showed significant variation among themselves. Carbon assimilation studies carried out with a radiotracer technique revealed that ‘Assam’ cultivar UPASI-27 assimilated a higher amount of labeled carbon dioxide followed by UPASI-3. However, UPASI-27 was marginally better than UPASI-3 in terms of mobilization of assimilates to the growing sinks. Both, UPASI-3 and UPASI-27 reassimilated higher quantities of photosynthates followed by BSB-1 and UPASI-26. Though there was a marginal variation in photosynthetic pigments of TC and VP plants, it was not statistically significant. Similarly, no significant variations were observed in certain substrates (polyphenols, catechins and amino acids) and enzymes (polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase) except protease involved in the formation of quality constituents of made tea. However, clonal variation was evident with respect to photosynthetic pigments, substrates/enzymes. Under soil moisture stress, no significant variation was observed between VP and TC plants in terms of proline accumulation.     

Distribution of Insect Attacks in Biological Control of Weeds: Infestation of Centaurea virgata Flowerheads by a Gall Fly

The success of biological control efforts to reduce weed density through release of insects may depend as much on the distribution of insect attacks among individual plants or plant parts as on the mean level of infestation. We used an index of dispersion to describe the distribution of Urophora quadrifasciata (Diptera: Tephritidae) galls among squarrose knapweed (Centaurea virgata) flowerheads at 18 west central Utah sites in the first 5 years following introduction of the biological control agent. Two thirds of the samples showed a significantly aggregated distribution of galls among flowerheads. Statistical analysis showed that site and year accounted for relatively small proportions of the variance in the index of dispersion. The degree of gall aggregation among flowerheads was positively correlated with the mean flowerhead quality (mean number of seeds per flowerhead; P = 0.013) and tended to be negatively correlated with the mean fly density per flowerhead at a site in a given year (P = 0.097). Our data suggest that higher quality flowerheads, and possibly higher quality plants, are preferentially attacked by U. quadrifasciata and therefore are more heavily subject to reduced reproductive potential through biological control. However, an aggregated distribution of fly attacks may undercut the potential of the fly to reduce seed production by the weed population as a whole. Understanding both the distribution of insect attacks among individual plants and the behavioral mechanisms producing such distribution patterns is important to the biological control of weeds.     

Reinvasion of a Riparian Forest Community by an Animal-dispersed Tree Weed Following Control Measures

Patterns of seed dispersal and the effects of mulching upon Celtis sinensis Pers. seedling establishment were investigated following the removal of this tree weed from a riparian forest community. At the commencement of the study there was virtually no representation of C. sinensis in the soil seed bank. However, subsequent rates of seed immigration were high since mature individuals of C. sinensis remained on the boundary of the site. Fruit bats (Pteropus spp.) were the principal dispersal vectors. Seed rain density of C. sinensis was best fitted by an inverse power distribution, with seed densities in excess of 20 m⁻² detected at 70 m from the seed source. Extrapolation from this relationship suggested that a site would have to be more than 350 m from a seed source to reduce the C. sinensis seed rain to less than 1 m⁻². More than 98% of the seed rain occurred below the canopies of the native tree species that remained following the removal of C. sinensis. For these trees, subarboreal C. sinensis seed distributions were not homogeneous, with peak seed densities occurring at different distances from tree trunks in each of the two years that seed distributions were assessed. Mulching with compacted sugar cane trash, corresponding to litter loadings of 6–12 kg m⁻², was imposed early in the study, some weeks before the C. sinensis seed rain commenced. These treatments had no measurable effect upon C. sinensis germination, but substantially reduced seedling survival and had variable effects upon the early growth of seedlings. The potential roles of seed limitation vs establishment limitation are discussed in relation to the management of animal-dispersed invasive species. It is argued that an understanding of the likely levels and patterns of invasion is essential for the formulation of management strategies that can effectively reduce the invasion and impacts of these plants. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Genome Size and Pollen Viability as Taxonomic Criteria: Application to the Genus Hosta

Abstract: Genome size (C values) and pollen viability staining were applied as new criteria to investigate the taxonomy of the genus Hosta Tratt. (Hostaceae). Nearly all species of the genus Hosta have the same basic chromosome number (2n = 2x = 60). However, the nuclear DNA contents, as measured by flow cytometry with propidium iodide, could be demonstrated to range between 17.2 to 26.6 pg. This implies that the largest genome contains roughly 10¹⁰ more base pairs than the smallest. Therefore, nuclear DNA content is a very relevant taxonomic trait that can be measured simply by flow cytometry. In addition, differences in overall DNA composition were demonstrated by comparing to DAPI fluorescence. In general, genome size data confirmed the division into three subgenera. The geographical distribution of genome sizes indicates the migration pattern of Hosta throughout East Asia. The species belonging to the mainly Korean subgenus Bryocles, with a low nuclear DNA content (17.2 - 19.3 pg), can now largely be distinguished from the mainly Japanese species of the subgenus Giboshi (21.3 - 26.5 pg). The exception is H. longissima, that with only 19.6 pg provides a nice example of a decrease in DNA content. On the mainland, as well as on Honshu, species with increased and decreased DNA content have evolved independently. The usefulness of pollen viability to detect hybrids in Hosta was demonstrated in a large series of artificial crosses between bona fide species. Consequently, pollen viability was measured in all available Hosta described as species. Several had low pollen viability and were concluded to be hybrids. Morphology and DNA content confirmed this in most cases. The resulting 23 species approximate the number of Hosta species that follows from the combined studies by Fujita (1976¹⁸) on the Japanese species and Chung (1991 a¹¹) on the Korean species.     

Edaphic patchiness influences grassland regeneration from the soil seed‐bank in mountain grasslands of central Argentina

The soil seed‐banks in the main natural vegetation patches that make up mountain grasslands on granite substrates in central Argentina were studied. The main natural vegetation types are moist swards, tall‐tussock grasslands and stony grasslands. Ten compound soil samples from each community at two soil depths (0–5 and 5–10 cm) were taken. The density of soil seed‐banks was highest in moist swards, intermediate in stony grasslands and lowest in tall‐tussock grasslands. Low levels of similarity were found between the established vegetation and total soil seed‐bank in tall‐tussock grasslands and stony grasslands, but the similarity was higher in swards. In all three communities the seed‐bank was most frequently transient in nature. Short‐term persistent and long‐term persistent seed‐banks were less frequent. Regeneration from the seed‐banks after disturbance is expected to differ among communities on different edaphic patches. On the basis of the density and longevity of the soil seed‐banks and the similarity to the established vegetation, potential for in situ regeneration should be lower in tall‐tussock grasslands, intermediate in stony grasslands and higher in moist swards.     

HBME-1在恶性上皮性间皮瘤的表达及其意义

目的　通过研究HBME 1在恶性上皮性间皮瘤 (MEM )的表达及其与DNA含量的关系 ,探讨HBME 1在MEM与转移性卵巢腺癌 (OA)和转移性结直肠腺癌 (CA)的鉴别诊断中的意义。方法　采用免疫组化SP法染色 ,观察MEM、OA和CA组织标本中HBME 1的表达 ;同时利用图象分析仪对MEM的细胞DNA含量进行定量分析。结果　HBME 1的表达在MEM与CA两组间的差异有显著性 (P <0 0 1) ,在MEM与OA两组间的差异无显著性 (P <0 0 5 ) ,但着色方式不同 ;在MEM中 ,HBME 1表达阳性组与阴性组之间的DNA含量差异无显著性 (P <0 0 5 )。结论　HBME 1的表达与否与MEM的DNA含量无关 ,HBME 1可作为MEM与CA鉴别的阳性标记物的参考指标 ,在MEM与OA的鉴别中也有一定参考价值。     

环境因素对薇甘菊开花结实影响初探

2001—2002年度在广东东莞市选取不同的自然小生境,研究土壤肥力、土壤水分和生境郁闭度对薇甘菊(Mikania micrantha H．B．K)开花结实的影响,结果表明：土壤肥力较高,花数较多,花期较长,结实率较高,种子千粒重较大;但土壤肥力过高,虽然种子千粒重大,花期长,但花数少,结实率低。在开阔的生境中,薇甘菊花数多,花期长;在林荫处花期短,花数少,但种子千粒重反而有所升高;植株在郁闭度为10％-20％的生境中结实率最高,高于20％或低于10％结实率均有所降低,过强或过弱的光照均不利于结实。土壤湿度虽然对种子千粒重无明显影响,但对薇甘菊花数、花期和结实率的影响显著,土壤湿度大,花数多,结实率高,花期长。在自然生境中,三种因素的影响既相对独立又相互制约。     

种子脱水耐性与糖的关系

糖类在植物种子中的累积随种子的发育阶段和种子类型不同而不同,并与种子脱水耐性的变化相联系。许多正常性植物种子的发育伴随着某些糖的累积,这些糖的累积已被认为在种子脱水耐性获得中起重要作用。但糖对种子脱水耐性的影响不是单独的,而是与ABA和蛋白质等物质协同作用。种子脱水耐性不仅与糖的种类和含量有关,而且与种子所处的生理状态和发育进程有关。本文综述了种子脱水耐性与糖关系的研究进展。     

双抗双高夏大豆种质鲁99-2的选育

优良种质创新是大豆新品种选育的关键。经过近20年的中间种质创新、亲本筛选、抗性选育、鉴定和品质检验等研究,育成了双抗双高的夏大豆优良种质鲁99-2。其对大豆胞囊线虫1、3、5号生理小种的抗性均为1级;对大豆花叶病毒y6株系的抗性也为1级;籽粒脂肪含量平均为22．09％,高值为22．67％;蛋白质含量平均为43．29％,高值为45．0％;蛋白质和脂肪合计含量平均为65．38％,高值达66．40％。鲁99-2的育成说明创造和利用优良种质、选择适宜的杂交亲本和采用有效的选育方法等对大豆育种至关重要。