Mycorrhizal colonization status of plant species established in an exposed area following the 2000 eruption of Mt. Usu, Hokkaido, Japan

We investigated the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization status of plant seedlings that established in areas devastated by the eruption in March 2000 of Mt. Usu, Hokkaido, Japan. In 2005, we estimated the mycorrhizal colonization ratios and frequencies in seedlings of twelve herbaceous and seven woody plant species. Although arbuscular mycorrhizas were found to colonize Equisetum arvense and Polygonum sachalinense, they were presented at very low frequencies and colonization ratios. Other herbaceous plants exhibited higher frequencies of AM associations and either AM and/or ECM fungal associations were observed in all of the woody plant seedlings investigated. The dominant woody plant species (Populus maximowiczii, Salix sachalinensis and Salix hultenii var. angustifolia) associated mainly with ECM fungi and exhibited variable associations with AM fungi. Mycorrhizal associations were common and significant events for plant establishment, even in the early stages of the revegetation process.     

Ectomycorrhizal associations with Cedrus atlantica (Endl) Manetti ex Carrière. I. Mycorrhizal synthesis with Tricholoma tridentinum Singer var. cedretorum Bon

 The roots of Cedrus atlantica grown in a cedar forest soil under gnotoxenic conditions formed a mycorrhizal association with Tricholoma tridentinum Singer var. cedretorum Bon when this fungus was inoculated into the soil as a mycelial form. This association was not observed when plants were grown on an artificial substrate or when mycelium was immobilized in a calcium alginate gel. The influence of host receptiveness, fungal survival and cultural conditions on the mycorrhizal infection of C. atlantica is discussed. Accepted: 6 March 1998     

Influence of a non-native invasive tree on primary succession at Mt. Koma, Hokkaido, Japan

The slopes of Mt. Koma in Japan are undergoing primary succession as a result of a 1929 eruption. Understory vegetation below a non-native invasive tree species, Larix kaempferi, a native tree, Betula ermanii, and in the open were compared to determine if the non-native tree species was influencing species composition. Larix canopies are significantly larger than Betula canopies. Vegetation under Larix canopies had significantly greater richness and diversity than vegetation in the open, vegetation under Betula was intermediate but was significantly greater than the open in diversity. Vegetation cover was highest under Betula and significantly lower in the open. Larix canopy size was positively correlated with size and number of Salix reinii shrubs. Betula canopy size was positively correlated with size but not with number of Salix reinii shrubs. Species assemblages in the three sites are slightly different as shown by DCA. Due to the limited species pool on Mt. Koma the greatest possible extent of differences between the three microsites is not large. At this point Larix certainly appears to be accelerating succession for the non-tree species. If Larix persists on the slopes then succession would be permanently deflected towards a Larix forest. This would be a case of succession being deflected towards dominance by the introduced species. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Distribution of dominant arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi among five plant species in undisturbed vegetation of a coastal grassland

Most plant species in mixed grassland vegetation are colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. Previous studies have reported differences in host preferences among AM fungi, although the fungi are known to lack host specificity. In the present study, the distribution of phylogenetic groups of AM fungi belonging to a clade of Glomus species was studied in five plant species from a coastal grassland in Denmark. The occurrence of the fungi was determined by PCR analyses of fungal large subunit ribosomal DNA sequences amplified from root fragments using a specific primer set. The results showed that the dominant Glomus species were able to colonize all the studied plant species, supporting the view that the AM fungi represent a large underground interconnecting mycelial network.     

Mycorrhizal and dark septate fungal associations in shola species of Western Ghats, southern India

We analyzed mycorrhizal types and dark septate endophyte (DSE) fungal associations in a shola vegetation of Western Ghats region, southern India. Plants belonging to 29 species of 19 families were assessed for mycorrhizal type and DSE fungal association. Five mycorrhizal classes were classified based on morphological traits: arbuscular, ecto-, ectendo-, ericoid-, and orchid mycorrhizas. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) association was the most predominant mycorrhizal type, occurring in 16 plant species, followed by orchid (3 species), ericoid- (2 species), and ecto- and ectendomycorrhizas (1 species each). Mycorrhizal association is reported for the first time in 19 plant species. DSE fungal association was found in six plant species. Arum- and Paris-type AM morphology was found, respectively, in 10 and 5 plant species, with intermediate type recorded in one species. In this study, some new records on the morphological types of AM in some plant families were obtained. Further occurrence of ectendomycorrhizas in Pinus oocarpa and dark septate fungal association in Eleaocarpus munronii, Symplocos cochinchiensis, Daphniphyllum neilgherrense, Euodia roxburghiana, Syzygium arnottianum, and Syzygium montanum are reported for the first time. Roots of Berberis tinctoria, Mahonia leschenaultii (Berberidaceae), Elaeagnus latifolia (Elaeagnaceae), and Elaeocarpus oblongus (Elaeocarpaceae) lacked any fungal structures.     

Plant growth-form alters the relationship between foliar morphology and species shade-tolerance ranking in temperate woody taxa

Variation in leaf size (area per leaf) and leaf dry weight per area (LWA) in relation to species shade- and drought-tolerance, characterised by Ellenberg's light (ELD) and water demand (EWD) values, respectively, were examined in 60 temperate woody taxa at constant relative irradiance. LWA was independent of plant size, but leaf size increased with total plant height at constant ELD. Canopy position also affected leaf morphology: leaves from the upper crown third had higher LWA and were larger than leaves from the lower third. Leaf size and LWA were negatively correlated, and leaf size decreased and LWA increased with decreasing species shade-tolerance. Mean LWA was similar for trees and shrubs, but trees had larger leaves than shrubs. Furthermore, all relationships were altered by plant growth-form: none of the qualitative tendencies was significant for trees. This implies the considerably lower plasticity of foliar parameters in trees than those in shrubs. Accordingly, shade-tolerance of trees, having relatively constant leaf structure, may be most affected by the variability in biomass partitioning and crown geometry which influence foliage distribution and spacing and finally determine canopy light absorptance. Alteration of leaf form and investment pattern for construction of unit foliar surface area which change the efficiency of light interception per unit biomass investment in leaves, is a competitive strategy inherent to shrubs. EWD as well as wood anatomy did not control LWA and leaf size, though there was a trend of ring-porous tree species to be more shade-tolerant than diffuse-porous trees. Since ring-porous species are more vulnerable to cavitation than diffuse-porous species, they may be constrained to environments where irradiances and consequently evaporative demand is lower.     

秦岭太白山木本植物物种多样性的梯度格局及环境解释

物种多样性沿环境梯度的分布格局是生物多样性研究的重要议题,而海拔梯度包含了各种环境因子的综合影响,因此对于探讨物种多样性沿环境梯度的分布格局具有重要意义。秦岭山脉地处我国暖温带向亚热带的过渡带,其植被垂直带和物种多样性分布格局对于研究我国南北部植被分异特征具有重要意义。基于对秦岭山脉太白山南北坡海拔1200—3750m之间的垂直样带调查的83个样方,本文利用植被数量分析方法(DCA和TWINSPAN)和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Pielou指数以及Jaccard相异性系数对太白山木本植物物种多样性在南北坡沿海拔梯度分布格局进行了初步研究。结果表明：太白山的木本植物群落具有明显的环境梯度格局,海拔是决定太白山植物群落分布的主要因素,而坡向起到次要作用一植物群落类型与坡向的关系不大,当考虑群落的环境梯度格局时,DCA第一轴主要与年均温密切相关,而第二轴则取决于年平均相对湿度：乔木层和灌木层的物种具有相似的海拔梯度格局,植物群落中木本植物物种丰富度和多样性随着海拔的升高单调下降;群落均匀度随着海拔变化的规律不明显;灌木层的物种多样性比乔木层更为丰富,而南坡具有比北坡更多的物种数和更高的多样性。相邻海拔之问群落的相异性在南北坡具有不同的分布格局,在北坡2800m以下,群落相异性沿海拔梯度变化不大,而在2800m以上的高海拔地区,群落相异性随海拔的升高而降低;在南坡,随着海拔的升高,群落相异性不断减少。太白山南坡群落比北坡分布更连续。     

The mycorrhizal colonization of six wetland plant species at sites differing in land use history

 Five wetland prairie sites and six native plant species in western Oregon were examined to determine patterns of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (VAMF) colonization. The sites differed in type and intensity of past land use. VAMF colonization was tested in situ on seedlings from both field-sown seeds and from transplants. Colonization was measured as the percentage of root length with arbuscles or vesicles. All species (Deschampsia cespitosa, Downingia elegans, Eriophyllum lanatum, Hordeum brachyantherum, Microseris laciniata, and Plagiobothrys figuratus) became colonized by VAMF during the study. This is the first report of mycorrhizal colonization of these important native species. All sites supported mycorrhizal colonization of some of the experimental species. Average VAMF colonization ranged from 58% to 92% but was unrelated to subjective rankings of land use intensity. These results suggest that VAMF inoculum at all sites was sufficient to support revegetation by at least some species of native plants. Accepted: 16 September 1999     

西双版纳保护植物特征研究

经过重新统计和分析,确定了西双版纳地区一共分布有国家级(60种)和省级(41种)保护植物101种,对它们的一些特征进行了初步研究.主要研究了种类及数量特征、分布特征,包括其分布的海拔、植被、区域特征和保护价值等,并且就西双版纳地区保护植物的保护措施提出了建议.     

河北小五台山北坡植物物种多样性的垂直梯度变化

通过野外群落调查,分析了小五台山北坡植物物种多样性的垂直梯度变化。结果表明：(1)小五台山北坡的物种丰富度随海拔的升高逐渐减小,物种组成趋于简单,乔木树种渐少。d多样性指数变化较小,但呈现出随海拔升高先增大、后减小的趋势。(2)β多样性指数很好地反映了群落之问的变化。相异系数峰值出现在海拔1．400-1500m处灌丛向森林的过渡带和海拔2600—2700m处森林向亚高山草甸的过渡带。海拔1400-1500m处出现的Cody指数极大值反映了灌丛群落向森林群落的变化,而Cody指数在海拔2100—2200m的极大值反映了阔叶林和针叶林之间的过渡。(3)作为小五台山两种最为重要的阔叶树种,白桦(Betula platyphylla)和红桦(Betula albosinensis)沿海拔梯度出现明显的替代现象,随着海拔的升高,白桦逐渐为红桦所取代。     

云南高黎贡山北段植物物种多样性的垂直分布格局

在高黎贡山北段沿海拔梯度设置17个样地,采用数量分类,对高黎贡山北段植物群落类型、物种组成和多样性的垂直格局进行了研究.结果表明:(1)随着海拔的升高,森林群落类型由常绿阔叶林(2 000～2 300 m)依次过渡为以阔叶树为主的针阔混交林(2 300～2 600 m)、以针叶树为主的针阔混交林(2 600～3 000 m)和针叶林(3 000～3 100 m);(2)木本植物的物种丰富度随着海拔高度的增加显著下降,而草本植物的物种丰富度则随着海拔高度的增加先下降,然后在林线以上显著上升;(3)木本植物β多样性随着海拔的上升呈单调下降趋势,而草本植物β多样性在中海拔附近区域较低;(4)在植物区系方面,热带亚热带成分所占比例随海拔上升而下降,温带成分、世界分布成分则随着海拔的升高而增加.中国特有分布成分所占比重较小,主要分布在中海拔区域.总体上,温带成分占主导地位.区系平衡点在海拔2100～2200 m.     

Growth rates,biomass and distribution of selected woody plant roots in Burkea africana-Ochna pulchra savanna

Woody plants in an African Burkea africana-Ochna pulchra savanna on deep sandy soil were found to have characteristically bimorphic root systems. The shallow lateral root component was often well developed and roots extended up to seven times the extent of the plant canopy in several species. Exponential tapering of lateral roots was found in Terminalia sericea. The wide-ranging roots, together with the high degree of multispecies root system interpenetration, result in the so-called, open grassy areas in the savanna mosaic often containing a competitively significant woody plant component. Root systems of Ochna pulchra were found to be relatively specialized and included: negatively geotropic, superficial roots; sinker roots to bedrock; high suckering response to damage in roots; belowground lignotuber-type organs; and sustained subterranean interconnections between some aboveground stems. These features are likely to contribute substantially to the resilience of this plant species to various climatic and veld management stress factors. Root/shoot mass ratios averaged unity but depended on plant size and aboveground growth form in Ochna pulchra. The dependence of these ratios on sizes of plant also applied to plant clones. Initiation of root tip growth occurred in early summer in one year and late spring in another. Main root tip growth occurred in late summer and early autumn, well after completion of most growth of leafy shoots in spring. It is suggested that some active uptake of water and nutrients by non-extending roots allows this form of phased growth in the plant. In an analysis of the seasonal growth of individual root tip systems, it was clear that transitory states of rest occur in fine root development but that these are far more frequent in the branching (and hence proliferation) of roots than in the continuing development of any root axis.Nomenclature follows the present system of the Botanical Research Institute, Pretoria, and the Flora of Southern Africa.I thank M.D. Panagos, P.S. Carr and J. Steyn for assistance at various stages of this work.     

Influence of pH on in vitro mycelial growth in three Japanese truffle species: Tuber japonicum,T. himalayense,and T. longispinosum

Truffle species indigenous to Japan include a white-colored truffle Tuber japonicum and two black-colored truffles, T. himalayense and T. longispinosum. As the fruiting bodies of these Tuber species are promising edible, studies on the artificial cultivation for these truffles are currently underway in Japan. In the present study, we investigated the influence of pH on in vitro mycelial growth in these Tuber species to determine the optimal pH conditions for the cultivation of these truffles. Mycelia of five strains from each species were cultured in modified Melin–Norkrans liquid medium at different pH values. Tuber japonicum grew well at pH 5.0 and 6.0, whereas T. himalayense and T. longispinosum grew well at pH 7.0. This results suggest that the optimal pH for mycelial growth varies among Tuber species. The growth data collected in this study can be used to design optimal pH conditions for artificial cultivation of these Japanese truffles.     

秦巴山地栓皮栎所在群落主要乔木树种种间联结性的研究

应用方差比率法,并通过2×2列联表χ2检验法及利用Jaccard指数测定法研究了秦岭北坡和巴山北坡栓皮栎所在群落主要乔木树种的种间联结性.结果表明: 1 两地栓皮栎所在群落主要乔木种群间在总体上呈显著正关联; 2 2×2列联表的χ2检验共有9 7为秦岭北坡的种对数,下同 个种对为显著正关联,1 25 个种对为显著负关联; 3 Jaccard指数标量出了两地栓皮栎所在群落中种对间的联结程度和相伴随出现的机率,两地栓皮栎所在群落中多数乔木种群间的联结性不显著且联结程度较低; 4 种对间的正关联,主要是由于它们具有相近的生物学特性以及对生境具有相似的生态适应性所致,种对间的负关联主要是由于物种间的空间排斥,适应不同的微环境的结果; 5 两地栓皮栎所在的群落处于演替的不稳定阶段.     

Molecular identification of the mycorrhizal fungi of the epiparasitic plant Monotropastrum humile var. glaberrimum (Ericaceae)

Achlorophyllous monotropoid plants (Monotropoideae, Ericaceae) are epiparasites that obtain all of their carbon from their host plants via connections with mycorrhizal fungi. The mycorrhizal fungi of the epiparasitic monotropoid Monotropastrum humile var. glaberrima were identified based on mitochondrial, large ribosomal DNA sequences, and were compared with those of another variety, M. humile var. humile. The fungi that inhabit M. humile var. glaberrimum belong to the Thelephoraceae, whereas that of M. humile var. humile is a member of the Russulaceae. Two explanations are possible for this phenomenon: a misunderstanding of the taxonomic position of M. humile var. glaberrimum, or a change in the fungal partner within the Monotropastrum.     

The Paxillus involutus (Boletales, Paxillaceae) complex in Europe: Genetic diversity and morphological description of the new species Paxillus cuprinus, typification of P. involutus s.s., and synthesis of species boundaries

Paxillus involutus is a model species for ecological or physiological studies of ectomycorrhizal agaricomycetes. Three to six groups or species linked to it have been ecologically and morphologically distinguished. Phylogenetic studies have revealed the existence of four species in Europe: Paxillus ammoniavirescens, Paxillus obscurisporus, P. involutus, and a fourth as yet not described species. We studied 47 collections from 24 French and Italian locations, supplemented with GenBank data, in order to genetically and taxonomically delineate these species. Phylogenetic analyses of three nuclear DNA regions (rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS), tef1-α, and gpd) confirmed the four European species. Morphology, culture, and ecology features allowed us to delineate species boundaries and to describe the fourth species we named Paxillus cuprinus since it turns coppery with age. As there is no existing original herbarium specimen for P. involutus, one of our collections was chosen as the epitype. The low genetic diversity found in P. cuprinus correlates with stable morphological traits (basidiome colour, ovoid–amygdaliform spores with an apical constriction) and with ecological preferences (association with Betulaceae in open and temperate areas). In contrast, P. ammoniavirescens is characterized by a high genetic diversity and a high variation of its morphological and ecological features.     

藤枣生境地木本植物种间关联性与群落稳定性

藤枣(Eleutharrhena macrocarpa)是国家Ⅰ级重点保护植物, 属于木质藤本植物, 野外数量稀少, 种群更新困难。本文通过分析云南省太阳河自然保护区藤枣生境地热带季节雨林乔木层与灌木层中木本植物种群的种间关联性以及群落的稳定性, 揭示种间关联性在藤枣种群濒危机制形成中的作用, 为极小种群的保护提供科学依据。结果表明: 藤枣生境地群落乔木层总体联结性VR (方差比率) > 1, 检验统计量W > χ_0.05(29), 灌木层种群总体联结性VR < 1, χ_0.95(29) < W < χ_0.05(29), 乔木层和灌木层分别呈显著正相关和不显著负相关。x ²检验显示乔木层与灌木层中无联结的种对占多数, 其正负关联比分别是0.238和0.279, 联结系数显示显著和极显著的负联结种对要多于正联结的种对; Pearson相关系数显示乔木层与灌木层正负关联比分别是0.376和0.511, 绝大多数种对的联结关系未达到显著水平, 种对间的独立性相对较强。藤枣与其他植物种群之间对生境有相似的适宜生态位, 通过共同利用资源而共存, 在灌木层则面临较强的种间竞争。藤枣生境地群落稳定性交点坐标为(33.92, 66.07), 显示群落具有较好的稳定性, 而群落建群种与其他种对存在较强的种间竞争, 反映热带季节雨林的脆弱性, 因此生境地群落的严格保护对藤枣种群的更新和生物多样性保育至关重要。     

城市公共绿地常见木本植物组成对鸟类群落的影响

快速城市化背景下, 城市公共绿地已经成为重要的鸟类栖息地, 其中的木本植物群落构成对鸟类群落结构有显著影响, 研究木本植物配置与鸟类多样性的关系对提升城市公共绿地作为鸟类栖息地的生态服务功能有重要的理论和应用价值。我们于2009–2010年间在上海市滨江森林公园就木本植物和鸟类群落的相互关系展开研究。样线法结合样点调查共记录到鸟类10目25科64种5,368只(次), 鸟类多度全年变化显著, 峰值分别出现在4月和11月。丰富度全年也呈现双峰型变化, 峰值出现在4月和12月。全年鸟类多样性(Simpson指数)差异显著, 10月最高, 8月最低。样方调查共记录到77种木本植物, 其中有14种(乔木9种、灌木5种)出现率超过5个样方, 定义为常见种, 其果期主要集中在9月到翌年2月, 其上常见林业致病害虫的发生盛期集中在5–11月。主成分分析显示, 常见木本植物上观察到的鸟类可划分为8个鸟类集团, Spearman秩相关检验显示秋冬季常见木本植物果期与植食性、肉食性、食虫性、杂食性等多个鸟类集团的多度均呈显著正相关。说明在秋冬季鸟类迁徙高峰期不同鸟类集团均能获得丰富的食物资源。就常见木本植物对鸟类群落的重要值进行排序, 结果显示, 大叶杨(Populus lasiocarpa)、枫杨(Pterocarya stenoptera)、香樟(Cinnamomum camphora)等乔木对鸟类重要值较高, 而灌木层对鸟类的重要性整体偏低, 说明滨江森林公园的灌木层作为鸟类栖息地的功能建设尚需加强。根据以上研究结果, 我们提出了提高上海城市公园鸟类多样性的植被配置建议。