Catastrophic disturbance, logging and the ecology of mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King): grounds for listing a major tropical timber species in CITES

Recent debate on whether or not mahogany ( Swietenia macrophylla King) is threatened by the international timber trade has focused on the breadth of its range and estimates of the remaining stock of mahogany trees. These data are inadequate to reveal the status of mahogany populations, both because they are incomplete in areal extent and because they do not reveal population parameters such as the existence or density of young trees smaller than commercial size. However, there is sufficient information on the regeneration ecology of mahogany to indicate that under natural conditions this species regenerates in essentially even-aged stands after catastrophic disturbances destroy many or most trees, and, in the case of fires and flooding, saplings and seedlings as well. Adult mahoganies tend to survive these events, and regenerate by shedding seed onto the resulting gaps or clearings. This ecological strategy makes mahogany vulnerable to logging, first because juvenile mahoganies are not found in the understorey, and secondly because logging operations shortcircuit mahogany regeneration processes by selectively removing almost all mahogany seed sources while leaving standing competing vegetation of other species. Listing of mahogany in CITES Appendix II could provide both a mechanism to fill in gaps in information and an incentive to change current practices in favour of silvicultural management to provide for regeneration of this valuable timber species in forests subjected to logging.     

Temporal,cell-specific,and tissue-preferential expression of myrosinase genes during embryo and seedling development in Sinapis alba

The expression of the genes for two types of myrosinase (EC 3.2.3.1), designated MA and MB, during embryo and seedling development was investigated in Sinapis alba L. by in-situ and RNA slot-blot analyses. The expression of MA and MB genes followed similar temporal profiles during embryogenesis, but MB mRNA was present in considerably higher amounts than MA mRNA. In the embryo, both MA and MB genes are activated in cotyledons and axis. The MB genes are preferentially expressed in the cotyledons whereas MA genes are preferentially expressed in the axis. In the developing seedling, MA mRNA was not present in the organs investigated. By contrast, MB mRNA was found in appreciable amounts in hypocotyls, cotyledons and developing leaves. The MB genes seem to be activated preferentially in tissues undergoing rapid cell division and — or cell expansion.Abbreviations DAP days after pollination - MA, MB A type, B type myrosinases in Sinapis alba Anna-Stina Höglund (Uppsala Genetic Center) is gratefully acknowledged for valuable discussion, Anders Gobl (Department of Immunology, Uppsala University) for kindly advice with the labeling of probes and Qingzhu Zhai (Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University) for help with seed harvest. This work was supported by grants from the Swedish Research Council for Forestry and Agriculture.     

Minimally-invasive Technique for Injection into Rat Optic Nerve

The rat optic nerve is a useful model for stem cell regeneration research. Direct injection into the rat optic nerve allows delivery into the central nervous system in a minimally-invasive surgery without bone removal. This technique describes an approach to visualization and direct injection of the optic nerve following minor fascial dissection from the orbital ridge, using a conjunctival traction suture to gently pull the eye down and out. Representative examples of an injected optic nerve show successful injection of dyed beads.     

Gliotransmission and adenosine signaling promote axon regeneration

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Long-Term GABA Administration Induces Alpha Cell-Mediated Beta-like Cell Neogenesis

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哈茨木霉与绿色木霉对杉木种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响

以杉木种子为材料,研究不同浓度(0.003、0.03、0.3、3、30、300 mg·L^-1)哈茨木霉和绿色木霉溶液对杉木种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响.结果表明: 各浓度木霉溶液处理对杉木种子萌发和幼苗生长均有一定的促进作用,其促进效果随着处理浓度的增加均呈先升后降的趋势.与对照相比,0.03 mg·L^-1哈茨木霉和绿色木霉处理对提高杉木种子的发芽率、发芽势、发芽指数、活力指数、根长、苗高和鲜质量效果最佳,分别提高了57.6%、125.0%、51.0%、209.2%、114.3%、16.1%、24.6%和42.7%、76.7%、43.9%、185.4%、113.8%、8.6%、22.6%;0.3 mg·L^-1哈茨木霉和绿色木霉显著提高杉木幼苗超氧化物歧化酶和过氧化物酶活性,分别增加了157.6%、179.9%和127.5%、116.2%,而丙二醛含量降低了86.1%和72.4%. 0.03～0.3 mg·L^-1浓度的哈茨木霉和绿色木霉不仅能显著促进杉木种子的萌发和幼苗生长,而且能够提高其抗氧化酶活性,增强杉木幼苗的抗逆性.     

林分结构对桂西南蚬木种群天然更新的影响

研究垂直结构(树冠指数、大树比例、小树比例和树高)及密度因素(基面积、乔木密度、灌木密度、灌木盖度和蚬木比例)对桂西南喀斯特山地典型蚬木种群天然更新的影响.结果表明: 群落平均更新密度为1742～3861株·hm^-2,密度相对较低.垂直结构和密度因素对蚬木幼龄植株个体数影响不显著,对地径和株高生长有一定影响.在垂直结构变量中,树冠指数与蚬木幼苗株高呈显著负相关,与幼苗地径的相关性不显著;大树比例和树高与幼苗的地径和株高均呈显著负相关,小树比例与幼苗地径和株高呈显著正相关.在密度变量中,乔木密度与幼苗地径、株高呈显著正相关;蚬木比例与幼苗地径呈显著负相关.多元回归分析显示,林分结构因子与蚬木幼龄植株个体数的拟合较差(P>0.05),蚬木幼苗的数量分布在一定程度上受到垂直结构的综合影响;林分结构因子模型对蚬木幼苗地径和株高的拟合较好(P<0.01),幼苗地径生长主要受乔木密度影响,株高生长主要受乔木密度和基面积的共同影响.     

香果树实生苗的光合特性及其与环境因子的关系

为确定香果树实生苗的适生环境并为其自然更新提出有针对性策略,研究了不同生境(冠下、冠缘、林窗和林缘)中2年生香果树实生苗的净光合速率、水分利用效率、叶绿素含量、苗高、基径、生物量等的变化及其与生态因子之间的关系.结果表明: 4种生境中的光合有效辐射最大值为50～1380 μmol·m^-2·s^-1,冠下和冠缘中香果树实生苗的净光合速率日变化呈单峰型,而林窗和林缘实生苗的净光合速率日变化呈双峰型;香果树实生苗为耐阴植物,但耐阴能力较弱,其功能叶的光饱和点、补偿点和暗呼吸在4种生境中大小顺序为: 林缘>林窗>冠缘>冠下,表观量子效率的变化规律与之相反;林窗和冠缘2种生境中香果树实生苗的适应能力较强,叶片的蒸腾速率、气孔导度、水分利用效率和净光合速率较高;林窗中香果树实生苗叶片的叶绿素含量较低,但实生苗的生长速度最快,生物量最大;香果树实生苗的净光合速率与光合有效辐射和气孔导度呈显著正相关.对于冠下生境,需降低林冠层密度,增加透光率,以利于香果树实生苗的光合作用;对于林缘生境,则需要增加植被盖度,降低光照强度,以利于其快速生长.