Comparative responses of Achillea millefolium ecotypes to competition and soil type

Summary Achillea millefolium populations from adjacent sites with zonal and serpentime soil were used to test predictions about the relation between growth and the competitive ability of plants in productive and unproductive environments. Under greenhouse conditions, individually-grown plants from both sources grew larger in serpentine soil than in zonal soil; serpentine plants accumulated 72% more biomass than zonal plants. In zonal soil, zonal plants were 71% larger than serpentine plants, although these differences were not statistically significant, and plants from both sources accumulated much less biomass and were shorter than plants growing in serpentine soil. In a high density, fertilized replacement series, zonal plants were taller and heavier but exhibited no more competitive ability than serpentine plants. The predictions that rapid height growth and biomass accumulation contribute significantly to competitive ability are not supported by our results. Although ecotypic differentiation has occurred between these A. millefolium populations, apparently in response to different soil types, the expression of these heritable differences can be masked by other environmental effects. There has been no apparent trade-off in these ecotypes between their response to the physical environment and their competitive ability.     

Peat and water chemistry at Big Run Bog,a peatland in the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia,USA

At Big Run Bog, aSphagnum-dominated peatland in the unglaciated Appalachian Plateau of West Virginia, significant spatial variation in the physical and chemical properties of the peat and in surface and subsurface (30 cm deep) water chemistry was characterized. The top 40 cm of organic peat at Big Run Bog had average values for bulk density of 0.09 g · cm^–3, organic matter concentration of 77%, and volumetric water content of 88%. Changes in physical and chemical properties within the peat column as a function of depth contributed to different patterns of seasonal variation in the chemistry of surface and subsurface waters. Seasonal variation in water chemistry was related to temporal changes in plant uptake, organic matter decomposition and element mineralization, and to varying redox conditions associated with fluctuating water table levels. On the average, total Ca, Mg, and N concentrations in Big Run Bog peat were 33, 15, and 1050 mol · g^–1, respectively; exchangeable Ca and Mg concentrations were 45 and 14 eq · g^–1 , respectively. Surface water pH averaged 4.0 and Ca⁺⁺ concentrations were less than 50 eq · L^–1 . These chemical variables have all been used to distinguish bogs from fens. Physiographically, Big Run Bog is a minerotrophic fen because it receives inputs of water from the surrounding forested upland areas of its watershed. However, chemically, Big Run Bog is more similar to true ombrotrophic bogs than to minerotrophic fens.     

Responses of radial growth and stable carbon isotopes to climate in the northern Tianshan Mountains

Climate change has profound effects on forest ecosystems. Schrenk spruce (P. schrenkiana) is a natural conifer species endemic to the arid inland areas of Asia. In this study, the relationship between tree-ring parameters of P. schrenkiana and major meteorological factors were analyzed, and the main limiting factors for tree radial growth and stable carbon isotope fractionation were explored. Our results indicate that moisture stress before and during the growing season have an important influence on radial growth of P. schrenkiana, especially, the correlation coefficient between tree-ring width and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) from previous August to current July is as high as −0.622 (n = 51, p < 0.01). Collinearity analysis further supports the conclusion that the limiting factor for the radial growth of P. schrenkiana is moisture. Although the correlation analysis results show that the tree-ring δ¹³C_corr is significantly positively correlated with sunshine duration (SD), additional analysis based on first order difference variables suggests that the climate factor may not be the only limiting factor for the stable carbon isotope fractionation of tree rings in the Sayram Lake Basin. This lays the foundation for the assessment of forest management practices and carbon sink capacity in light of future climate change.     

云南哀牢山徐家坝中山湿性常绿阔叶林动态和节律的研究

根据多年定位观察资料,包括从组成种的种子萌发、幼苗生长及成年物种的生长规律和物候节律对湿性常绿阔叶林动态和节律的研究,结果表明：林地种子贮量、可萌发种子量和萌发种数,雨季大于旱季。幼苗生长雨季快于旱季。表明雨季是种子萌发、幼苗生长的最佳季节。立木生长是种间竞争、自我调控、自疏的过程。成年物种各物候期长、不明显与温带阔叶林各物候期短、明显不同,而开花、结果、落果终年进行与西双版纳季节雨林物候节律相似。三者的不同在于季节雨林春季（２～３ 月）落叶,常绿阔叶林冬季（１１～１２ 月）落叶,温带阔叶林秋季（９～１０ 月）落叶。依据物种物候节律特点及其对气候环境的反应区分出３ 种生态物候型：１．暖温生态物候型（占总种数（５０）的８２％ ）;２．温性生态物候型（占１２％ ）;３．温凉生态物候型（占０．６％ ）     

秦巴山区野生百合(Lilium spp.)的育种应用研究

为探索秦巴山区野生百合资源在百合育种中的应用方向及途径, 获得具有其独特遗传背景的育种材料,将秦巴山区野生百合的抗病毒及独特观赏特性等优良遗传性状逐渐渗到栽培品种中去。该研究借助切割柱头杂交及胚抢救技术,选取6种秦巴山区野生百合［岷江百合(Lilium gegale)、宜昌百合(L. leucanthum)、山丹（L. pumilum）、野百合（L. brownii）、宝兴百合（L. duchartrei）、川百合（L. davidii）］以及亚洲百合（Asiatic hybrids,AA）品种‘Elite’、东方百合（Oriental hybrids,OO）品种‘Sorbonne’、‘Siberia’和‘Marlon’、OT百合（Oriental × Trumpet hybrids,OT）品种‘Yelloween’、‘Serano’、‘Corel′door’进行了32组共计263朵花的（品）种间杂交,并针对膨大变软的果实剥离可供离体培养的胚及胚囊进行胚抢救。结果表明：（1）不同杂交组合坐果率、胚获得及萌发率呈现出较大差异,综合坐果率为11.4%,对30个膨大的果实中共计38个可供离体培养的胚及胚囊进行胚抢救,有7株最终萌发。（2）以野生百合为父母本的12组杂交组合中,6组获得了膨大果实,得到6株杂交后代。（3）栽培百合做母本,野生百合做父本的20组杂交组合中,共9组获得了膨大果实,除‘Elite’ × 山丹可直接收获种子外,共得到1株杂交后代。（4）以岷江百合及宜昌百合为亲本的远缘杂交TT × AA及回交OT × TT成功获得杂种后代。（5）秦巴山区6种野生百合在远缘杂交中获得育种后代的几率存在较大差异,宜昌百合和岷江百合获得后代几率较高,宝兴百合获得后代几率较低,野百合未获得后代。以上结果表明,岷江百合和宜昌百合为母本的TT × AA杂交和宝兴百合为父本的TT × AA杂交以及岷江百合和宜昌百合为父本的OT回交,为三种百合的育种利用提供了新途径,野百合的育种应用途径需要继续探索。     

中国西南岩溶山地石漠化演变趋势

为揭示20世纪50年代末至今中国西南地区岩溶山地石漠化转型演变的时空分布及其特征,运用文献计量分析方法,对石漠化演变相关文献的总量和主题词进行了分析,并提取文献中石漠化演变的时间、类型、程度、驱动因素等信息,从县(市)域尺度对中国西南岩溶山地石漠化演变趋势及其空间分布进行综合分析,并进行了典型案例研究。研究表明,从20世纪50年代末至今,西南岩溶山地石漠化演变经历了由自然基础及人为破坏相互激发的严重石漠化向多种人为干扰、综合治理下的演变转型,即由高等级石漠化转向低等级石漠化的过程。在此基础上,研究认为石漠化存在由扩张向收缩转型演变的现象,同时对其转型演变的驱动机制和启示意义进行了探讨,以期为乡村振兴时代岩溶山地生态建设提供参考。     

Intersexual variation in the foraging ecology of sexually monochromatic Western Wood‐Pewees

ABSTRACT Investigators generally pool observations of males and females in studies of the foraging behavior of sexually monochromatic songbirds. However, such pooling can obscure possible intersexual differences. We compared the foraging behavior of male and female Western Wood‐Pewees (Contopus sordidulus), a sexually monochromatic species, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California during the breeding seasons of 2007 and 2008. We recorded 143 foraging observations (male N= 74, female N= 69). Overall, mean foraging rates of females (2.8 attacks/min) were higher (P < 0.001) than those of males (1.1 attacks/min). In addition, female foraging rates were significantly higher during incubation than during the nest building, nestling, and fledgling periods. When foraging, males perched higher above ground than females (means = 17.1 and 6.7 m, respectively). Differences between male and female Western Wood‐Pewees in foraging rates and perch heights suggest that males may spend more time on vigilance while females focus on foraging quickly during incubation and when feeding nestlings. Because metrics such as foraging attack rates are sometimes used as indicators of habitat quality and we found that rates can differ between the sexes and among nesting stages, investigators should consider the possibility of such differences when assessing habitat quality, especially for sexually monochromatic species of birds.     

Contribution to the knowledge of Bulgarian serpentine grasslands and their relationships with Balkan serpentine syntaxa

Serpentine areas, including those in Bulgaria, are rich in endemic taxa, and still remain to be investigated phytocoenologically. We analyse the vegetation types in various sites and compare them with those in other Balkan countries. The main objectives were (1) to explore and describe the relationships between the vegetation in the serpentine areas investigated in Bulgaria with those in the Balkan Peninsula and (2) to explore and classify the diversity of vegetation in grasslands on serpentine rocks in eastern Rhodope, Bulgaria. The classic methodology of the Braun-Blanquet school was applied to the exploration of the vegetation. Average linkage method (unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean) and principal coordinate analysis were used to evaluate floristic and synoptic similarities. As a result, the new endemic association Onosmo pavlovae-Festucetum dalmaticae was proposed. This association can be included in the alliance Alyssion heldreichii Bergmeier et al. 2009, newly described on serpentine rocks in northern Greece. Our data confirmed the existence of similar or vicariant endemic syntaxa (associations) on isolated serpentine terrains in northern Greece and south-eastern Bulgaria.     

Upward ant distribution shift corresponds with minimum,not maximum,temperature tolerance

Rapid climate change may prompt species distribution shifts upward and poleward, but species movement in itself is not sufficient to establish climate causation. Other dynamics, such as disturbance history, may prompt species distribution shifts resembling those expected from rapid climate change. Links between species distributions, regional climate trends and physiological mechanism are needed to convincingly establish climate‐induced species shifts. We examine a 38‐year shift (1974–2012) in an elevation ecotone between two closely related ant species, Aphaenogaster picea and A. rudis. Even though A. picea and A. rudis are closely related with North American distributions that sometimes overlap, they also exhibit local‐ and regional‐scale differences in temperature requirements so that A. rudis is more southerly and inhabits lower elevations whereas A. picea is more northerly and inhabits high elevations. We find considerable movement by the warm‐habitat species upward in elevation between 1974 and 2012 with A. rudis, replacing the cold‐habitat species, A. picea, along the southern edge of the Appalachian Mountain chain in north Georgia, USA. Concomitant with the distribution shifts, regional mean and maximum temperatures remain steady (1974–2012), but minimum temperatures increase. We collect individuals from the study sites and subject them to thermal tolerance testing in a controlled setting and find that maximum and minimum temperature acclimatization occurs along the elevation gradient in both species, but A. rudis consistently becomes physiologically incapacitated at minimum and maximum temperatures 2 °C higher than A. picea. These results indicate that rising minimum temperatures allow A. rudis to move upward in elevation and displace A. picea. Given that Aphaenogaster ants are the dominant woodland seed dispersers in eastern deciduous forests, and that their thermal tolerances drive distinct differences in temperature‐cued synchrony with early blooming plants, these climate responses not only impact ant‐ant interactions, but might have wide implications for ant‐plant interactions.