Taste receptor activity and feeding behaviour reveal mechanisms of white spruce natural resistance to Eastern spruce budworm Choristoneura fumiferana

The pattern of feeding of Eastern spruce budworm Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.) (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) is compared on foliage from white spruce Picea glauca (Moench) Voss. (Pinaceae) trees previously determined to be susceptible and resistant to defoliation by budworm. No differences are observed in electrophysiological responses from taste sensilla to aqueous extracts of the two foliage types, nor is there a preference for either extract type in a choice test. Acetone extracts from the two foliage types are both preferred to a control sucrose solution, although neither elicits a preference relative to the other. These results suggest that there is no difference in phagostimulatory power of internal leaf contents of the two foliage types. Longer‐term observation of feeding behaviour in a no‐choice situation shows no difference in meal duration, confirming the lack of difference in phagostimulatory power. However, on average, intermeal intervals are twice as long on the resistant foliage, leading to an overall lower food consumption during the assay. This result suggests an anti‐digestive or toxic effect of the resistant foliage that slows behaviour and limits food intake. Previous research has shown that waxes of the resistant foliage deter initiation of feeding by the spruce budworm and that this foliage contains higher levels of tannins and monoterpenes. The data suggest that the resistant foliage contains a post‐ingestive second line of defence against the spruce budworm.     

紫胶虫四种寄主树次生韧皮部与周皮的解剖学观察

紫胶虫的4种寄主树钝叶黄檀、南岭黄檀、木豆和苏门答腊金合欢的次生韧皮部轴向系统均由筛管、伴胞、韧皮薄壁细胞、纤维组成,径向系统由射线组成。木豆、苏门答腊金合欢中尚有少量石细胞。苏门答腊金合欢筛管分子端壁较倾斜,具复筛板,无明显的 P-蛋白质。其余3种筛管分子端壁均为横向,具单筛板,具 P-蛋白质。根据观察结果分析,4种寄主树2—3年生枝条或具表皮,或木栓层很薄;次生韧皮部的筛管看来均具相对较长的寿命;4种寄主中有3种筛管与伴胞均属特化程度高的类型。     

白毛新木姜子[Neolitsea aurata var.glauca]胚胎学研究

应用光学显微镜对白毛新木姜子的胚胎学特征进行了研究,首次在非寄生性樟科植物中发现了细胞型胚乳。对樟科8属进行了胚胎学特征的比较。花药四室,药室壁的发育属于"基本型",周原质团型绒毡层。小孢子母细胞连续型分裂。等四面体型四分体。二细胞成熟花粉,无孔沟。雌孢原多个,一般仅一个能继续发育。蓼型胚囊。助细胞具丝状器。反足细胞宿存。大孢子母细胞和合子具极性。宿存的一个助细胞具有吸器功能。细胞型胚乳,胚胎发育属于柳叶菜型的三叶变型。种皮源于外珠被,内表皮细胞壁螺旋状加厚。胚胎学特征表明,新木姜子属与木姜子属有密切的亲缘关系。较多的双胚囊异常现象,支持樟科与Monimiaceae具有紧密关系的推测。胚胎学特征不支持将无根藤属独立为科的观点。     

Responses of stomata of senescing and nonsenescing leaves of Nicotians glauca to changes in intercellular concentrations of leaf carbon dioxide

Abstract. Gas exchange measurements were performed to test the hypothesis that failure of stomata to open in senescing leaves of Nicotiana glauca is caused by elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide in the intercellular spaces of leaf mesophyll tissue (c_i). Senescing leaves selected for experiments were completely chlorotic and lacked positive rates of photosynthesis. When stomata in detached epidermis from senescing leaves were illuminated in CO2-free air, they opened to similar apertures as those in detached epidermis from nonsenescing leaves. To compare the effects of changes in c_i on stomatal responses of the two leaf types, leaf 'flags' of either nonsenescing or senescing leaves were illuminated at a photosynthetic photon flux density of 500 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ in a gas exchange cuvette. Leaf temperatures were maintained at 23.5 ± 0.5°C, and vapour pressure differences between leaves and the air were maintained between 0.70 and 0.75kPa. C_i was adjusted by changing external concentrations of carbon dioxide in air circulating through the cuvette. Conductances and photosynthetic rates of nonsenescing leaves changed in response to changes in c_i, but neither the conductances nor the photosynthetic rates of senescing leaves were affected significantly by changes in q. We conclude that guard cells of senescing leaves of Nicotiana glauca do not lose the capacity to respond to changes in carbon dioxide concentration and that increases in c_i resulting from declining rates of mesophyll photosynthesis are not the sole cause of maintenance of stomatal closure during leaf senescence. The data suggest that factors external to guard cells may prevent them from responding to changes in carbon dioxide concentrations in intact senescing leaves.     

Stable carbon isotopes as indicators of increased water use efficiency and productivity in white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) seedlings

The relationship among water use efficiency (WUE), productivity and carbon isotopic composition (δ¹³C) in white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) seedlings was investigated. Sixteen hundred seedlings representing 10 controlled crosses were planted in the field in individual buried sand-filled cylinders. The soil water content in the cylinders was measured using time domain reflectometry over two growing seasons and seedling water use determined by water balance. Two watering treatments were imposed: irrigation and dry land. There was significant (1.6–2.0%c) genetic variation in needle δ¹³C. Ranking of crosses in terms of δ¹³C was generally maintained over watering treatments and there was not a significant genetic versus environmental interaction. There was a positive correlation between δ¹³C and both intrinsic and long-term WUE (more positive δ¹³C with increased WUE) and between δ¹³C and productivity, suggesting a correlation due to variation in photosynthetic capacity. Root to shoot ratios did not increase in water-stressed plants, indicating that responses to drought were primarily at the level of gas exchange, rather than through morphological changes. Our results indicate that it should be possible to use δ¹³C as a surrogate for WUE and to select white spruce genotypes for high WUE without compromising yield.     

Experimental evaluation of realized niche models for predicting responses of plant species to a change in environmental conditions

Abstract. We estimated, using logistic regression techniques, the realized niches of the four dominant species in an experimental marsh complex located in the Delta Marsh, Manitoba, Canada. These models were then used to predict the probability of occurrence of these species in selected elevation ranges when water levels were raised in 1985 either 0, 30 or 60 cm above the long-term normal water level. These realized-niche models were calculated using elevation and species data collected in 1980. After having been eliminated by two years of deep flooding, the emergent vegetation in this complex had been re-established during a drawdown beginning in either 1983 or 1984. Our hypothesis was that from 1985 to 1989 the frequencies of occurrence of species in selected elevation ranges would converge to their probabilities predicted from the 1980 logistic models. This was not borne out by our results. Actual frequencies and predicted probabilities of occurrence of a species were similar at best less than 40% and then mostly in the control (0 cm) treatment. The realized-niche models were not adequate to predict the distribution of emergents after an increase in water level in the short term because the emergent species did not migrate upslope. Emergent species in the medium and high treatments either (1) died out - Scolochloa festucacea and Scirpus lacustris - after 3 yr because they could not survive permanent flooding, (2) stayed where they were - Phragmites australis - because they were unable to move upslope through clonal growth, or (3) became more widespread - Typha glauca only because of the expansion of small local populations already established in 1985 in areas dominated formerly by other species.     

Evaluation of somatic embryos of interior spruce. Characterization and developmental regulation of storage proteins

Storage proteins of interior spruce ( Picea glauca engelmanii complex) somatic embryos were compared to those of zygotic embryos by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting. Somatic embryos contain the same storage proteins as zygotic embryos based on similarities of molecular weight, isoelectric variants, solubility characteristics and disulfide linkages. Storage protein levels varied among different somatic embryo genotypes; however, all genotypes tested accumulated significant amounts of storage proteins. Zygotic and somatic embryos display a similar developmental accumulation of storage proteins. The 22, 24, 33 and 35 kDa proteins appear in early stage embryos, while the 41 kDa protein begins to accumulate during mid cotyledon development. The 22, 24 and 41 kDa proteins accumulate continuously during cotyledon development in somatic embryos cultured on abscisic acid. In contrast, zygotic embryos display a more rapid and transient accumulation of these proteins.     

Effect of copper on callus growth and gene expression of in vitro-cultured pith explants of Nicotiana glauca

Abstract

Copper is a vital component of electron transfer reactions mediated by proteins such as superoxide dismutase, cytochrome c oxidase and plastocyanin, but its concentrations in the cells needs to be maintained at low levels. In fact, the same ability of this essential metal ion to transfer electrons can also make it toxic to cells when present in excess. In vitro cultured explants of Nicotiana have been extensively used as a model to analyse metal-DNA interactions. In this report, we examined the effect of copper (1, 10 and 100 μM CuSO₄) on callus growth and protein synthesis of in vitro-cultured pith explants of Nicotiana glauca. In addition, a N. glauca cDNA library from Cu-treated (100 μM CuSO₄) pith explants cultured in vitro for 24 h was analysed by mRNA differential screening. The copper treatments inhibited callus growth of pith explants. The extent of inhibition was directly correlated to metal concentration. One and 10 μM CuSO₄ induced a notable increase of proteins synthesis relative to control explants. By contrast, 100 μM CuSO₄ inhibited protein synthesis relative to control extracts. The SDS-PAGE fluorography of pith proteins revealed, in Cu-treated extracts qualitative and/or quantitative differences in the synthesis of some polypeptides compared with control explants. Copper-modulated patterns of gene expression were also analysed by mRNA differential screening. The N. glauca genes isolated from Cu-treated pith explants shared common identities with other genes known to be elicited by diverse stresses, including pathogenesis and abiotic stress. In particular, the cDNAs were homologues to genes encoding cell wall proteins (i.e., extensin, and arabinogalactan-protein) and pathogenesis-related proteins (i.e., osmotin, endochitinase and a member of the Systemic Acquired Resistance gene family). In addition, an MD-2-related lipid-recognition (ML) domain protein and the enzyme S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (AdoHcy) hydrolase appeared involved in the response to copper stress. In animal cells, AdoHcy hydrolase is a copper binding protein in vivo, which suggests that, also in plant tissues, this enzyme may play an important role in regulating the levels and intracellular distribution of copper.     

Wetland Waterbird Food Resources Increased by Harvesting Invasive Cattails

The conservation of many freshwater marsh waterbirds (i.e., waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, and secretive marshbirds) in the Laurentian Great Lakes requires managing invasive emergent macrophytes, which degrade waterbird habitat by creating dense, litter-clogged stands, and excluding plants that produce nutritionally balanced and high-energy food (seeds, tubers, and submerged aquatic vegetation). The most commonly used management approach in the United States Great Lakes region involves the application of herbicides, which can stimulate waterbird forage plants but does not address the accumulation of plant litter, the underlying cause of plant community diversity loss and habitat degradation. We experimentally evaluated the effects of an alternative approach, harvesting invasive plants and their litter followed by flooding, on plant communities, focusing on the effects of these treatments to increase the abundance of high-energy wetland plants. At the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge in Michigan, USA, we experimentally treated an invasive cattail (Typha × glauca)-dominated wetland in August and September of 2016, 2017, and 2018, using a randomized block design with 4 blocks and 3 treatments (sediment surface harvest, above ground harvest, and control). We monitored the effects of these treatments on the abundance and dominance of waterbird forage-producing plants, plant diversity, and plant communities prior to (Jul 2016) and during the summer following each treatment (late Jul or early Aug 2017, 2018, and 2019). Additionally, we used pre- and post-treatment waterbird use-day data collected at the unit scale and compared values with satellite imagery-derived land cover changes. Compared to control plots, 3 years of harvesting and flooding significantly increased plant species diversity, increased the abundance of waterbird seed- and tuber-producing plant species by 5 times, and increased annual plant dominance by more than 10 times, while substantially reducing all measures of cattail and its litter. Use-days increased for total waterbirds, including waterfowl and dabbling ducks, following treatment. Cattail cover decreased and open water and non-cattail emergent vegetation cover increased. Harvesting invasive plant biomass coupled with flooding promoted a plant community composition and structure beneficial to waterbirds. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.