Reciprocal controlled crosses between Pinus sylvestris and P. mugo verified by a species-specific cpDNA marker

A species-specific marker of cpDNA (paternally inherited in pines) was used to verify the hybrid origin of seedlings from controlled reciprocal crosses between Pinus sylvestris and P. mugo. A very low degree of compatibility between those two species has been revealed. In the three consecutive years of experiments, no filled seeds were obtained in the combination with P. mugo as the seed parent. From P. sylvestris as the seed parent and P. mugo as the pollen donor, we succeeded to obtain four filled seeds (about 1 %), but only in one year. The seedling obtained from the seeds had cpDNA haplotypes specific to P. mugo, which proves their hybrid origin. This method enables verification of the result of controlled crosses. The importance of the results has been discussed in the aspect of postulated natural hybridisation in sympatric populations of the two species.     

Variation in wood anatomical traits of Pinus sylvestris L. between Spanish regions of provenance

The Spanish populations of Pinus sylvestris L. occupy differentiated sites and must therefore include structural variations to cope with varied climate conditions. This study compares wood anatomical traits of P. sylvestris from ten Spanish regions of provenance with contrasting climates, taking into account the effects of region of provenance and tree nested within provenance on variation in wood biometry. In general, the effect of both sources of variation (provenance and tree) on wood biometry was highly significant. Most of the anatomical variations observed were intra-populational (at the tree level), although variation explained by provenance was high for some parameters (e.g., ray frequency and ray parenchyma cell frequency), suggesting high environmental influence. Trees in the driest region, growing in a Mediterranean phytoclimate, were characterized by large tracheid lumens, suggesting more efficient water conduction. They also had thick cell walls, which would reduce the risk of cavitation caused by high implosion stress during periods of drought, as well as a high ray tracheid frequency, implying greater water storage capacity in the sapwood. The population with greatest growth, located in an oroboreal phytoclimate, was characterized by large bordered pits and long tracheids, which would reduce resistivity in water transport. At higher altitudes, tracheid lumen diameter and resin canal diameter tended to be smaller, and intertracheid wall strength was greater. Results are discussed in relation to adaptation of the species to growth demands and frost.     

樟子松受精作用和原胚的选择

樟子松发育成熟的雄配子体中的精子6月15日左右在颈卵器中上部与卵细胞结合,进行受精作用,其后,受精卵进行游离核分裂,形成8个子核时,开始形成细胞壁。它们再分裂1次,形成16个细胞的原胚。接着胚柄细胞层迅速生长、伸长,把下面的原胚送出颈卵器基部的细胞壁,进入胚乳中的溶蚀腔。原胚吸收溶蚀腔中的营养,生长发育。初期,胚的数目往往很多,但常常只有1个发育成熟。     

Genetic comparison between Pinus sylvestris and P. mugo using isozymes and chloroplast DNA

Pinus sylvestris and P. mugo populations from Poland and Czechoslovakia were compared using genetic variability at isozyme markers, chloroplast DNA variation, and mating system measurements. Two isozyme loci were found to differ between the species. P. mugo was as variable at isozyme loci as P. sylvestris. Diagnostic cpDNA fragments were found using the restriction enzyme Bcl-I. Populations that were morphologically classified as hybrids were found to be pure species, based both on isozyme and cpDNA results.     

Genetic and morphological patterns show variation in frequency of hybrids between Ipomopsis (Polemoniaceae) zones of sympatry

Variation in rates of hybridization among zones of sympatry between a pair of species provides a useful window into the effect of local conditions on the evolution of reproductive isolation. We employed floral morphological traits and neutral genetic markers to quantify the frequency of individuals intermediate to the two parental species in two zones of sympatry between Ipomopsis aggregata and I. tenuituba, using clustering methods that make no a priori assumptions about population structure. The sites differed not only in the frequency of intermediate individuals, but also in climate, pollinator abundance and behavior and spatial structure of plant populations. Both floral traits, which are likely to be under natural selection and molecular markers, which are quasi-neutral, indicated more population structure at one site than the other, the pattern being more pronounced for floral morphology. One likely explanation for this difference between sites is that local ecological conditions, particularly pollinator choice of flowers, have promoted different rates of hybridization between these species. Hence, the evolution of reproductive isolation might depend in part on local conditions, and thus differ among populations of the same pair of species.     

Age dynamics of genetic variation in an isolated population of chalk pine Pinus sylvestris var. cretacea Kalenicz. ex Kom. from Donbass

Based on analysis of variation at ten allozyme loci in three age groups (25–35, 40–80, and more than 100 years of age) of plants and in seed embryos, demographic dynamics of the gene pools was studied in a small (60.5 ha) isolated relict population of chalk pine Pinus sylvestris var. cretacea Kalenicz. ex Kom. from the steppe zone of Ukraine. The observed grenotype proportions in these tree groups were shown to fit Hardy-Weinberg expectations, while in the embryos of their seeds, an excess of homozygotes was observed at five to nine loci. The mean observed heterozygosity in the sample of old (>100 years of age) trees (H _O = 0.225) was substantially lower than in trees of the two other age groups (H _O = 0.307; 0.311), but significantly higher than in the corresponding embryo samples (H _O = 0.183–0.207). No allele and genotype heterogeneity of the maternal trees and embryos of their seeds was found. However, heterogeneity was high when the progeny of trees of different ages, particularly in pairs with old trees, were compared.     

Age dynamics of genetic variation in an isolated population of chalk pine Pinus sylvestris var. cretacea Kalenicz. ex Kom. from Donbass

Based on analysis of variation at ten allozyme loci in three age groups (25-35, 40-80, and more than 100 years of age) of plants and in seed embryos, demographic dynamics of the gene pools was studied in a small (60.5 ha) isolated relict population of chalk pine Pinus sylvestris var. cretacea Kalenicz. ex Kom. from the steppe zone of Ukraine. The observed grenotype proportions in these tree groups were shown to fit Hardy-Weinberg expectations, while in the embryos of their seeds, an excess of homozygotes was observed at five to nine loci. The mean observed heterozygosity in the sample of old (> 100 years of age) trees (H(O) = 0.225) was substantially lower than in trees of the two other age groups (H(O) = 0.307; 0.311), but significantly higher than in the corresponding embryo samples (H(O) = 0.183-0.207). No allele and genotype heterogeneity of the maternal trees and embryos of their seeds was found. However, heterogeneity was high when the progeny of trees of different ages, particularly in pairs with old trees, were compared.     

盐碱胁迫下沙地彰武松和樟子松苗木生理特性

为了在北方沙漠化、盐碱化土地上推广应用沙地彰武松这一新的造林树种,客观评价彰武松的耐盐碱性及其耐盐碱机理,本文以4年生的彰武松和樟子松为试材,采用盆栽试验方法,研究NaCl、Na2CO3和NaHCO33种单盐胁迫及NaOH碱胁迫对苗木生长和叶片生理生化特性的影响.结果表明:盐碱胁迫下,彰武松苗木的受害级别较小,根系忍耐指数较大,叶片的过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性显著提高,最高为对照的22.6倍,丙二醛(MDA)含量没有显著提高,叶绿素(Chl)含量降幅较小,其叶片含水量(LWC)有所提高.樟子松则表现出与彰武松不同的变化规律,各处理MDA含量显著提高,CAT活性没有显著变化,Chl含量显著下降,LWC有所下降.说明彰武松的耐盐碱性高于樟子松.彰武松针叶内较高的Fe含量使其CAT活性和Chl含量较高,而Zn、Cu含量较高与其抗性强有关.     

Seasonal variation of neutral lipids in Pinus sylvestris L. sapwood and heartwood

Summary The lipid levels and fatty acid composition of three fractions (free fatty acids, triacylglycerols and sterol/triterpenoid esters) extracted from the sapwood and heartwood of three stems of Pinus sylvestris were determined to investigate both seasonal changes in sapwood and possible metabolic changes related to heartwood formation. Seasonal changes were observed only in the amount of the free fatty acids in the sapwood: the level of free fatty acids was greatest at the beginning and end of the growing season. In the January and March samples the amount of the free fatty acid fraction in the sapwood was very small. The amount of the other fractions remained at the same level throughout the study. Marked seasonal changes in the fatty acid composition occurred only in the free fatty acid fraction of the sapwood: the saturation grade increased during the winter.     

樟子松和油松根叶对春季干旱胁迫的响应

以成年樟子松和油松为对象,分析春季干旱胁迫对叶片和根系形态和生理特性的影响,比较2个树种在干旱胁迫下的响应程度和受伤害大小。结果表明:樟子松叶片含水量、脯氨酸含量、POD和CAT活性均显著高于油松(P0.05),根系活力、含水量、可溶性蛋白和脯氨酸含量及CAT活性、比根长和比表面积均显著高于油松(P0.05)。樟子松叶片丙二醛含量显著低于油松(P0.05),而根系丙二醛含量显著高于油松(P0.05)。可溶性糖和脯氨酸含量及SOD活性在叶片中显著大于根系(P0.05),可溶性蛋白含量及CAT活性在樟子松叶片中显著小于根系(P0.05),POD活性在油松叶片中显著低于根系(P0.05)。上述结果表明,春季干旱胁迫下,樟子松比油松做出了更积极的响应,叶片和根系的响应关系不对应,干旱胁迫对油松叶片伤害更大,而对樟子松根系伤害更大。     

Population-genetic variation in Scots pine Pinus sylvestris L. from the main forest regions of Ukraine

Using electrophoretic analysis of 22 isozyme loci controlling ten enzyme systems, we studied intrapopulation and interpopulation variation of Scots pine Pinus sylvestris L. in the main forest regions of Ukraine. In 15 of the populations examined, 76.5% of genes were polymorphic, and an average plant was shown to be heterozygous at 23.4% of the genes. The lowest and highest values of major polymorphism parameters were characteristic of respectively the relic populations of Ukrainian Carpathians and the populations from the steppe and forest-steppe zones. Nei's genetic distances between the populations varied from 0.006 to 0.031 (on average 0.016). Cluster analysis failed to show clear trends in the population distribution relative to their geographical position.     

樟子松大孢子的发生和雌配子体的形成过程

樟子松大孢子母细胞经一系列变化,发育成雌配子体。在哈尔滨地区樟子松大孢子母细胞于每年6月8～14日形成,接着进行减数分裂,于6月16～20日形成大孢子。随着大孢子核的分裂,进入游离核时期,并于次年5月28日～6月4日形成细胞壁,幼雌配子体中出现颈卵器原始细胞,它分裂一次形成颈细胞和中央细胞。6月7～9日中央细胞分裂成卵细胞和腹沟细胞,6月13～15日颈卵器发育成熟。成熟的颈卵器含有颈细胞、腹沟细胞和卵细胞,但颈细胞和腹沟细胞已经退化。     

Genetic basis of variation in morphological and life-history traits of a wild population of pink salmon

Understanding the genetic basis of phenotypic variation is essential for predicting the direction and rate of phenotypic evolution. We estimated heritabilities and genetic correlations of morphological (fork length, pectoral and pelvic fin ray counts, and gill arch raker counts) and life-history (egg number and individual egg weight) traits of pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) from Likes Creek, Alaska, in order to characterize the genetic basis of phenotypic variation in this species. Families were created from wild-caught adults, raised to the fry stage in the lab, released into the wild, and caught as returning adults and assigned to families using microsatellite loci and a growth hormone locus. Morphological traits were all moderately to highly heritable, but egg number and egg weight were not heritable, suggesting that past selection has eliminated additive genetic variation in egg number and egg weight or that there is high environmental variance in these traits. Genetic correlations were similar for nonadjacent morphological traits and adjacent traits. Genetic correlations predicted phenotypic correlations fairly accurately, but some pairs of traits with low genetic correlations had high phenotypic correlations, and vice versa, emphasizing the need to use caution when using phenotypic correlations as indices of genetic correlations. This is one of only a handful of studies to estimate heritabilities and genetic correlations for a wild population.     

Identification of F1 hybrids of artichoke by ISSR markers and morphological analysis

Five different artichoke hybrid populations (crosses between a male sterile artichoke (MS6) and three American accessions (AMA3, AMA7, AMB1) and two Spanish accessions (SP2, SPA2)) plus a commercial hybrid population (Opal F1, Nunhems, Netherlands) were used for molecular and morphological characterisation in order to identify the purity of the F1 populations. Molecular analysis was carried out using the inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) technique with twenty primers. Out of these, nine were polymorphic, producing 82 DNA bands per primer on average, 56 of which were polymorphic among the populations. A dendrogram, drawn on the basis of a similarity matrix using the UPGMA algorithm, revealed that the 66 samples (10 plants per F1 populations and their respective progenitors) could be classified into two major clusters at a Nei’s genetic distance of 0.13. The male parents were genetically quite similar to all their respective progenies. In order to confirm hybrid purity, only the primers which amplified bands specific to the male parent of each hybrid were considered and the inheritance of the single locus for each cross-combination was analysed. Three ISSR markers (857c, 857g and 878) were able to confirm the hybrid purity. The morphological trait analysis showed that eight of the 17 morphological characters were significantly different among the six F1 populations. When the Mantel test was applied to the matrix of the Nei’s genetic distances and the matrix of morphological traits, a significant degree of correlation was observed between them. A selection method using ISSR markers based on cluster analysis is suggested to confirm the purity of artichoke hybrids and to predict the characters expected by any F1 hybrid offspring.     

Plagiochila cucullifolia var. anomala var. nov. from Ecuador, with notes on discordant molecular and morphological variation in Plagiochila

Plagiochila cucullifolia Jack & Steph. var. anomala J. Heinrichs & Gradst. var. nov. is described and illustrated. The new variety is known from a single locality in southern Ecuador and differs from P. cucullifolia var. cucullifolia by the flat, not saccate leaves, somewhat smaller plant size and weaker leaf dentation. According to phylogenetic analyses of 35 nrDNA ITS1 and ITS2 sequences of Plagiochila, the two varieties of P. cucullifolia form a monophyletic lineage and are placed in a well supported clade together with five other species of Plagiochila sect. Hylacoetes: P. dimorpha Lindenb. & Gottsche var. ecuadorica (Inoue) J. Heinrichs, P. flabelliflora Steph., P. patriciae J. Heinrichs & H. Anton, P. macrostachya Lindenb. and P. turgida Herzog. Within Plagiochila, nrITS sequence variation is not concordant with morphological diversification. ITS sequences of Plagiochila cucullifolia s.str. and of P. dimorpha var. ecuadorica differ in only 23 aligned positions whereas two sequences of P. subplana Lindenb. differ in 86 aligned positions. Morphologically, P. cucullifolia s.str. and P. dimorpha var. ecuadorica differ in more than 20 characters and previously these two taxa were placed in separate genera. P. subplana phenotypes show considerable variation in leaf shape and dentation but the extremes are linked by numerous intermediates.     

DNA marker based identification of spontaneous hybrids between Pinus mugo and P. sylvestris at the Lithuanian sea‐side

The objective was to identify spontaneous hybrids between P. mugo and P. sylvestris using organelle DNA markers in sympatric zones at the sea‐side spit of Kursiu Nerija in western Lithuania. A field inventory was carried out over the entire Lithuanian part of the spit and 203 individuals morphologically intermediate between P. sylvestris and P. mugo were tested for their male parent with chloroplast DNA PCR‐RFLP markers and for their female parent with mitochondrial DNA PCR markers. Unfortunately, the mitochondrial DNA Nad7 marker failed to identify the female parent species in our study. However, the chloroplast DNA PCR‐RFLP marker revealed that out of 203 tested individuals only 23 had a paternity different than that indicated by morphology. Of these, 13 individuals were morphologically identified as P. sylvestris but possessed cpDNA of P. mugo (putative hybrids with P. sylvestris (female) ×P. mugo (male parent), and 10 individuals morphologically identified as P. mugo possessed cpDNA of P. sylvestris and may be hybrids with P. mugo (female) ×P. sylvestris (male parent). The remainder of the 177 individuals identified in the field inventory were were considered as pure species. In conclusion, our study indicates ongoing spontaneous hybridization between P. mugo and P. syvestris in Kursiu Nerija. Human impact via seed transfer on altered hybridization rates as well as evolutionary consequences are discussed.     

Toward exploration of morphological disparity of measurable traits of mammalian skull. 1. Interrelation between different forms of group variation

Interrelations between some forms of group variation (FGVs) (age, sex, geographic, inter-species, differences among breeds) of 12 to 15 measurable skull traits are studied in 6 mammal species (pine marten, polar fox, Przewalskii horse, and 3 jird species) by means of dispersion analysis (model III, MANOVA). The above FGVs are considered as factors in the MANOVA, and skull traits are considered as dependent variables. To obtaine commeasurables estimates for the FGVs, each of them is assessed numerically as a portion of its dispersion in the entire morphological disparity defined for each character (or a set of characters) by MANOVA. The data obtained indicate a wide diversity of interrelations between FGVs. It is shown that statistical analysis of significance of joint effects of FGVs does not substitute the analysis of numerical interrelations of their dispersion portions. It is concluded that it is unproductive to study such interrelations as simple "statistical regularities" like the Kluge-Kerfoot phenomenon, so the character sets are not to be considered as statistical ensembles. A kind of content-wise null-model for FGVs of measurable traits is formulated according to which there is a "background" age variation while other FGVs are its derivatives. Respectively, other factors structuring the morphological disparity under investigation being absent, a positive correlation between FGVs is to be anticipated (strong succession). With the significant deviations of the postulated correlation being observed, other factors regulating respective FGVs that cannot be reduced to the age variation are to be supposed (weak succession). Possible interpretations of interrelations between age variation and some other FGVs in carnivores are considered. Craniological variation in the Przewalskii horse is just slightly effected by maintenance conditions under its domestication, a significant influence of other factors is to be supposed. Negative correlation between geographic and inter-species differences in the jirds (genus Meriones) could be interpreted as an evidence for the speciation described by the punctuated equilibrium model.     

Reproduction and cytogenetic characterization of interspecific hybrids derived from crosses between Brassica carinata and B. rapa

The tri-genomic hybrid (ABC, 2n=27) between Brassica carinata (BBCC, 2n=34) and B. rapa (AA, 2n=20) is a unique material for studying genome relationships among Brassica species and a valuable bridge for transferring desirable characteristics from one species to the other within the genus Brassica. The crossability between B. carinata and B. rapa was varied with the cultivar of B. rapa. Hybrid pollen mother cells (PMCs), confirmed by morphological observation and molecular marker assay, could be grouped into 20 classes on the basis of chromosome pairing configurations. More than 30% of the PMCs had nine or more bivalents. Genomic in situ hybridization confirmed that two of the bivalents most likely belonged to the B genome. Nearly one-half of the PMCs had trivalents (0–2) and quadrivalents (0–2), which revealed partial homology among the A, B, and C genomes and suggested that there is a good possibility to transfer genes by means of recombination among the three genomes. The advantages of using the tri-genomic hybrids as bridge material for breeding new types of B. napus are discussed.     

Genetic introgression between tetraploidDactylis glomerata subspp.reichenbachii andglomerata in the French Alps. Insight from morphological and allozyme variation

The morphology, phenology and allozyme polymorphism in seven tetraploidDactylis glomerata populations growing in the French Alps were studied. Based on habitat and morphological characteristics, two of the populations could be classified asD. glomerata subsp.reichenbachii, which is known to comprise diploid and tetraploid plants growing exclusively on dolomite, on south-facing meadows. This subspecies has been previously recorded in the Italian and Swiss Alps but not in the French Alps. The remaining five populations were morphologically intermediate but more similar to the cosmopolitanD. glomerata subsp.glomerata. On the basis of allozyme variation, all populations were more related to subsp.reichenbachii than to the cosmopolitan subsp.glomerata, suggesting that gene flow has occurred between the two tetraploid subspecies. The possibility that selection has acted differently on morphological and allozyme characters is discussed.