水分梯度下黑河流域荒漠植物群落多样性特征

物种多样性对大尺度环境条件的响应是植物生态学的热点问题,干旱区内陆河流域的特殊环境条件如何影响物种多样性仍存在较大的不确定性。以黑河流域荒漠植物群落为对象,探讨了荒漠植物群落α多样性和β多样性对不同水分梯度的响应。结果表明:(1)荒漠植物群落随水分条件不同而变化,在区域降水梯度上,依次分布有梭梭[Haloxylon ammodendron(C.A.Mey.)Bunge]、西伯利亚白刺(Nitraria sibirica Pall.)、毛瓣白刺(Nitraria praevisa Bobr.)、沙蒿(Artemisia desertorum Spreng.)、细枝盐爪爪(Kalidium gracile Fenzl)、珍珠猪毛菜(Salsola passerina Bunge)和尖叶盐爪爪[Kalidium cuspidatum(Ung.Sternb.)Grub.]群落;随距黑河河道距离增加,主要分布有胡杨(Populus euphratica Oliv.)、多枝柽柳(Tamarix ramosissima Lebed.)、花花柴[Karelinia caspia(Pall.)Less.]和红砂[Reaumuria songarica(Pall.)Maxim.]群落。(2)荒漠植物群落物种多样性指数偏低,Margalef指数、Shannon-Weiner指数和Simpson指数最大值仅为0.985、1.641、0.596,群落结构简单,物种组成单一,单寡种优势群落现象极为明显,群落相对稳定。(3)在区域降水梯度上,α多样性指数大致呈先增加后降低的变化趋势,在珍珠猪毛菜群落(190 mm)达到峰值后迅速下降,Srensen相似指数在细枝盐爪爪群落(166 mm)与珍珠猪毛菜群落(190 mm)之间达到最大值,Cody指数相对较小,表明珍珠猪毛菜群落(190 mm)物种丰富度最高,细枝盐爪爪群落(166 mm)与珍珠猪毛菜群落(190 mm)之间β多样性最小,物种更替速率最慢,群落处于较稳定阶段。(4)随距黑河河道距离增加,α多样性指数大体呈"M"型变化,在多枝柽柳群落(1 km)和多枝柽柳群落(4.1 km)存在两个峰值,此处物种多样性相对较高,Srensen指数在1—1.5 km和4.1—4.8 km之间出现两个较小值,Cody指数出现两个峰值,两者之间β多样性最大,为物种更替速率相对较快的过渡地带。对荒漠植被,以重要值为指标计测多样性指数较为可行,荒漠植物群落的物种多样性并不是随水分的增加而直线增加,这对维持和管理荒漠植物群落的多样性具有重要意义。     

刮目相看茜草科（下）

薄皮木名副其实茜草科的野丁香属（Leptodermis）是以我国华北地区为分布中心的种,尤以河北省山区为多。薄皮木这个中名十分贴切,因为此种植物为灌木,其枝条表皮十分薄,并呈片状剥落。薄皮木的叶纸质,披针形或长圆形,有时卵形,较小,长不过２．５厘米,宽不过１厘米。叶片上面较粗糙,下面有短毛或几无毛,侧脉仅３对。有短叶柄。托叶生在叶柄间,较小,长仅１．５毫米。基部宽三角形,顶部骤尖。花３—７朵簇生枝顶。花冠淡紫红色,呈漏斗状,长１０—１４毫米,少达２０毫米,花冠管部狭长,裂片披针形。花有两式,一种为短花柱花…     

油茶蛀茎虫(Casmara patrona Meyrick)的初步观察

为害情况 油茶蛀茎虫,以幼虫为害油茶树干枝,亦危害茶树,在我埸危害油茶树比较严重,被害率达20—30％(萌芽丛生10年生左右的干枝为多)。幼虫孵化后,即从侧枝嫩梢顶端的叶腋内蛀入,至侧枝与主枝相接处即沿主枝继续蛀下,每隔一定距离作一圆形小孔排泄粪便。粪便呈棕红色,分散在地面和树叶间。排泄孔随虫体的增长而扩大。上端孔小、下端孔大。孔径2—3毫米,排粪孔数,一般7—10个,最多13个。被害枝、干的直径多在8—14毫米范围内。幼虫一生蛀食长46—96厘米,平均为70厘米。蛀道宽达5毫米左右,孔道中有多数被幼虫咬而未破的孔痕。枝、干破害后逐渐枯死,每枝损失果数最少6个,最多44个。10年生左右的油茶幼林干、枝,只要10个月的时间,全被蛙     

西藏藓类二新种

茎匍匐,长3—4厘米,具少数褐色假根。分枝密集,呈拱形向上弯曲,长4—5厘米,单生或具成簇短分枝,短枝长1厘米,呈圆条形,先端渐尖,黄绿色或褐绿色,有时具鞭状枝。茎横切面为椭圆形,直径为0.24—0.28毫米,中轴细弱,中央有7—8个小形、无色透明的细胞,长12—14微米,宽约10微米,外面具大形六角形的细胞,直径     

岩高兰

岩高兰(Empetrum nigrum var.japonicum),又名黑果子、夜明豆,蒙文名:哈日—阿日查,属岩高兰科植物,主产于大兴安岭亚高山地带。常绿匍匐小灌木,长60-200厘米,老枝棕色,横卧,粗糙;叶线形,互生,长4—7毫米,宽1.5—2.5毫米,全缘,暗绿色,上中脉深凹,无柄及托叶;花小型,苞片3—4,呈鳞片状,无花瓣,萼片3,花瓣状,暗红色;浆果球形,径约5毫米,成熟时暗紫色或黑色(见封二照片),果可食,其味甘甜。花期6月,果期7—8月。     

黄杉属一新种和梣属一新亚种

乔木,高达12米,胸径30厘米;树皮深灰色,下部不规则片状开裂;一年生枝淡黄色(干时红褐色),主枝无毛或有疏毛,侧枝有褐色密毛,老枝灰色,无毛,叶条形,螺旋状着生,在枝下部排成二列,长1.5—2.5厘米,宽约2毫米,先端微凹,上面深绿色,下面有两条白色气孔带。球果圆锥状卵形,基部宽,上部较窄,长4.5—8.0厘米,径4—5厘米;中部种鳞肾形或横椭圆状肾形,长2厘米,宽3.2厘米,鳞背露出部分密生褐色短毛;苞鳞露出部分向后反伸,中裂窄三角形,长2—3毫米,侧裂三角状,先端凸尖,长1—2毫米.种子三角状卵圆形,长9毫米,上面密生褐色短毛,种翅较种子长。花期5月,球果10—11月成熟。     

盐胁迫下荒漠共生植物红砂与珍珠的根茎叶中离子吸收与分配特征

西北荒漠地区C3小灌木红砂(Reaumuria soongorica)和C4半灌木珍珠猪毛菜(Salsola passerina)在特定环境下混生在一起,分布面积广阔。以采自腾格里沙漠边缘荒漠地带的天然野生珍珠猪毛菜和红砂群落的幼苗为材料,经0、100、200、300、400mmol/L NaCl盐溶液共同胁迫10 d,检测它们的含水量、主要矿质离子在根茎叶的含量与分布,揭示二者耐盐的共生协同的离子平衡适应机制。试验结果发现,珍珠猪毛菜叶片具有"吸钾排钠的"的耐盐特征,红砂叶片具备"吸钠排钾"的特征,吸收利用无机矿质离子具备互补效应。二者耐盐Cl、Ca和Si离子吸收与累积能力存在很大差异:随着盐胁迫程度加剧,红砂的根茎叶中Cl离子含量持续增加,并且为珍珠猪毛菜的2—5倍;珍珠猪毛菜根中Ca离子含量为红砂的2—3倍,但含量变化不显著;红砂根中Si离子含量迅速降低后稳定,并且是珍珠猪毛菜根的3—5倍,其他器官变化差异较小。因此,红砂与珍珠猪毛菜的共培养盐胁迫下根中吸收的离子侧重不同,红砂以Na、Cl、Si为主,珍珠猪毛菜以K、Ca为主。随着盐胁迫的程度加强,离子选择吸收系数S k,Na的变化趋势降低,表明二者叶部对Na的选择性减小,K的选择性吸收积累增大,增强了它们的抗盐性,最终使叶片所受盐害减小。总之红砂与珍珠猪毛菜共生的耐盐离子稳态机制显著不同,离子吸收与分布具有互补互利的效应。     

Vertical distribution pattern of mixed root systems of desert plants Reaumuria soongarica and Salsola passerina under different environmental gradients

植物种间相互作用及其对环境胁迫的响应一直是物种共存和生物多样性维持研究的一个热点, 从地下根系入手来探讨混生群落植物种间关系及其对环境胁迫响应的研究少见报道。该文以荒漠草原区(灵武)、典型荒漠区(张掖)和极端荒漠区(酒泉) 3个不同生境条件下单生与混生红砂(Reaumuria soongarica)和珍珠猪毛菜(Salsola passerina)为实验材料, 采用分层取样法对其垂直根系参数进行测定和分析, 探讨了两种植物根系分布对混生及荒漠环境梯度的响应。结果表明: 同一生境条件下, 混生红砂和珍珠猪毛菜比根长和比表面积均高于单生, 说明红砂、珍珠猪毛菜混生后其根系相互作用关系表现为互惠, 促进了植株对土壤养分和水分的吸收。不同生境条件下, 同一生长方式的红砂根系分布深度均大于珍珠猪毛菜, 且根系消弱系数也普遍高于珍珠猪毛菜, 说明二者在不同生境条件下占据不同生态位, 红砂表现为深根性, 根系位于土壤深层, 珍珠猪毛菜表现为浅根性, 根系分布于土壤浅层。随着荒漠环境胁迫增强, 单生和混生红砂与珍珠猪毛菜的比根长和比表面积均呈现出极端荒漠区>典型荒漠区>草原荒漠区的规律, 且生境越干旱, 混生群落根系分离越明显; 单生与混生红砂根系消弱系数也逐渐增大, 在极端干旱区达到最大值, 珍珠猪毛菜变化不大, 表明红砂-珍珠猪毛菜混生群落根系生态位分离随荒漠环境胁迫增强而加大, 验证了环境胁迫梯度假说。可见“地上聚生, 地下分离”的混生方式可能是红砂-珍珠猪毛菜混生群落适应干旱胁迫环境的生长策略。     

不同生境下荒漠植物红砂-珍珠猪毛菜混生根系的垂直分布规律

植物种间相互作用及其对环境胁迫的响应一直是物种共存和生物多样性维持研究的一个热点, 从地下根系入手来探讨混生群落植物种间关系及其对环境胁迫响应的研究少见报道。该文以荒漠草原区(灵武)、典型荒漠区(张掖)和极端荒漠区(酒泉) 3个不同生境条件下单生与混生红砂(Reaumuria soongarica)和珍珠猪毛菜(Salsola passerina)为实验材料, 采用分层取样法对其垂直根系参数进行测定和分析, 探讨了两种植物根系分布对混生及荒漠环境梯度的响应。结果表明: 同一生境条件下, 混生红砂和珍珠猪毛菜比根长和比表面积均高于单生, 说明红砂、珍珠猪毛菜混生后其根系相互作用关系表现为互惠, 促进了植株对土壤养分和水分的吸收。不同生境条件下, 同一生长方式的红砂根系分布深度均大于珍珠猪毛菜, 且根系消弱系数也普遍高于珍珠猪毛菜, 说明二者在不同生境条件下占据不同生态位, 红砂表现为深根性, 根系位于土壤深层, 珍珠猪毛菜表现为浅根性, 根系分布于土壤浅层。随着荒漠环境胁迫增强, 单生和混生红砂与珍珠猪毛菜的比根长和比表面积均呈现出极端荒漠区>典型荒漠区>草原荒漠区的规律, 且生境越干旱, 混生群落根系分离越明显; 单生与混生红砂根系消弱系数也逐渐增大, 在极端干旱区达到最大值, 珍珠猪毛菜变化不大, 表明红砂-珍珠猪毛菜混生群落根系生态位分离随荒漠环境胁迫增强而加大, 验证了环境胁迫梯度假说。可见“地上聚生, 地下分离”的混生方式可能是红砂-珍珠猪毛菜混生群落适应干旱胁迫环境的生长策略。     

北京地区山羊与绵羊寄生蠕虫初步调查报告

1.这次在北京地区进行羊体内寄生蠕虫调查,经鉴定结果:共计吸虫2种,絛虫1种,线虫19种。以寄生线虫最为普遍,其中又以羊仰口线虫、美丽筒状线虫、捻转血矛线虫、哥伦比亚节结虫及粗纹节结虫等5种线虫的感染率较高。 2.于山羊第四胃内发现一寄生线虫新种,定名为长交合刺奥氏线虫Ostertagia(O.)longispiculata sp.nov.,并对该新种的形态特征作了详细的描述。新种的主要特征为:雄虫体长8.925—9.572毫米。交合刺一对,等长,长0.280—0.302毫米。于距末端0.053—0.075毫米处分成3分枝。即:背枝,长0.053—0.075毫米,背腹面扁而宽;侧腹枝,长0.046—0.065毫米,较背枝细,末端呈锥状;中腹枝,长0.041—0.061毫米,宽度同侧腹枝,末端呈钩状。导刺带呈匙状,长0.083—0.099毫米。 3.瞪羚毛首线虫Trichocephalus gazellae寄生于锦羊的小肠内,为该虫一新的宿主,且为我国新纪录。 4.关于两种同物异名的讨论。我们考虑O.(O.)erschowi,为O.(O.)trifurcata的同物异名;O.(O.)hsiungi为O.(O.)buriatica的同物异名。并提出了我们的看法。 5.附有奥氏亚属Ostertagia(O.)各个种的检索表。     

珍珠植物群落的研究

珍珠(Salcola passerina)植物群落广泛分布于■尔多斯西部、阿拉善东部和河西走廊等地区。同红砂(Reaumuria soongorica)群落、泡泡(?) ia sphaerocarpa)群落和合头草(Sympegma reglii)群落组成该地区荒漠植被的主要部分。在生产上珍珠群落是较好的荒漠草场之一。前人对本区珍珠荒漠群落有一些研究,如《治沙研究》和《中国植被》等(中国植被编辑委员会,1980;中国科学院治沙队,1958;李博,1962;黄银晓等,1962)。但还未见到较详细的群落学研究报道。因此,在这里报道我们的研究,为荒漠植被的研究和放牧利用提供参考。     

安西荒漠植物群落和优势种的分布与环境的关系

应用排序（ＤＣＡ）和回归分析方法对安西砾石戈壁荒漠植物群落及优势种的分布与环境的关系进行了研究。结果表明,该区群落的盖度（Ｃ）和密度（Ｄ）均与年降水量（Ｒ）有密切关系,而群落的种类丰富度（Ｎ）则与土壤含盐量（Ｓ）相关,其回归关系式为：Ｃ＝０．０５１９６８１６３ｅ０．０４０７８６８２１Ｒ（Ｒ＝０．９５,Ｐ＜０．０１）,Ｄ＝０．２７１４７９１３ｅ０．０５２７４１８２９Ｒ（Ｒ＝０．９６,Ｐ＜０．０１）,Ｎ＝１３．７７４８－６．４７７３０３ｌｇ１０００Ｓ（Ｒ＝０．８３,Ｐ＜０．０１）。即：年降水量是决定戈壁荒漠植物群落盖度和密度的主要因素,土壤含盐量则与群落种类丰富度的关系尤为突出。优势种的抗旱性顺序是：红砂（Ｒｅａｕｍｕｒｉａｓｏｎｇｏｒｉｃａ（（Ｐａｌ．）Ｍａｘｉｍ．）＞泡泡刺（ＮｉｔｒａｒｉａｓｐｈａｅｒｏｃａｒｐａＭａｘｉｍ．）＞黑柴（ＳｙｍｐｅｇｍａｒｅｇｅｌｉＢｇｅ．）＞珍珠（ＳａｌｓｏｌａｐａｓｅｒｉｎａＢｇｅ．）＞膜果麻黄（ＥｐｈｅｄｒａｐｒｚｅｗａｌｓｋｉＳｔａｐｆ．）,而耐盐性顺序是：珍珠＞红砂＞黑柴＞泡泡刺＞膜果麻黄     

Environmental Relations with Desert Plant Communities and Distribution of Dominants in Anxi

The ordination (DCA) and the regression analysis methods were used to study the relations between the Gobi desert plant communities as well as the distribution of the dominants and the environment in Anxi. The results indicated that the coverage(C) and density(D) of the plant communities have a close relation to the annual precipitation(R), but the species richness(N) of the plant communities has a relation to the salt content(S) in the soil. Their regression equations are as follows: C = 0. 051 968 163e0.040786821R (R = 0.95, P < 0.01), D = 0.27 147 913e0.052741829R (R =0.96,P Nitraria sphaerocarpa Maxim. > Sympegma regelli Bge. > Salsola passerina Bge. > Ephedra przewalskii Stapf., but the resistibility to salt of the main dominants was found in the order as follows: Salsola passerina > Reaumuria soongorica > Sympeg- rna regelli > Nitraria sphaerocarpa > Ephedra przewalskii.     

新疆10种藜科植物叶片和同化枝的旱生和盐生结构的研究

 本文应用扫描电镜和光学显微镜对生长在新疆荒漠地区10种藜科植物中亚滨藜(Atriplex centralasiatica),心叶驼绒藜(Ceratoides ewersmanniana),驼绒藜(Ceratoides latens),盐节木(Halocnemum strobilaceum),盐穗木(Halostachys caspica),梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron),圆叶盐爪爪(Kalidium schrenkianum),绒藜(Londesia eriantha),费尔干猪毛菜(Salsola ferganica),浆果猪毛菜(Salsola foliosa)的叶和同化枝进行了形态解剖学研究。结果表明,它们是通过以下结构来适应旱生和盐生环境的：叶片及角质膜厚,气孔器下陷,具表皮毛;栅栏组织发达,多为等面叶;部分植物叶片退化成鳞片状,而由同化枝执行光合功能;多数植物叶片和同化枝内部具有粘液和含晶细胞,贮水组织发达。根据盐分是否排出体外,又划分出聚盐和泌盐植物。在泌盐植物中,盐腺具有单细胞和多细胞及分泌孔类型,并对其聚盐和泌盐机理作了初步探讨。     

C4荒漠植物猪毛菜与木本猪毛菜的叶片解剖结构及光合生理特征

 为了比较C₄荒漠植物猪毛菜(Salsola collina)和木本猪毛菜(S. arbuscula)的抗旱结构和适应环境的光合作用特征, 在二者混生的群落中, 选择代表性植株, 采集叶片进行叶片解剖结构分析, 在自然条件下测定了二者叶片的气体交换参数。研究结果表明：猪毛菜叶片具表皮毛, 具有更发达的薄壁贮水组织;木本猪毛菜叶片具有更厚的角质层, 表皮下有1层下皮细胞, 其栅栏组织细胞较长, 排列更紧密。猪毛菜的净光合速率明显高于木本猪毛菜, 日平均值分别为21.5和15.7 μmol CO₂·m^–2·s^–1。猪毛菜的蒸腾速率也明显高于木本猪毛菜, 日平均值分别为14.9和10.2 mmol·m^–2·s^–1。猪毛菜和木本猪毛菜的水分利用效率的日平均值分别为1.39和1.53 μmol CO₂·mmol^–1 H₂O, 特别是在14:00时分别为1.61和2.30 μmol CO₂·mmol^–1 H₂O, 木本猪毛菜高出猪毛菜约42%。猪毛菜的光补偿点低于木本猪毛菜, 而光饱和点和光量子效率较高, 具有更低的CO₂补偿点。这表明：二者的旱生结构不同, 木本猪毛菜具有更显著的荒漠植物特征;在适于二者混生的环境下, 猪毛菜比木本猪毛菜的光合能力更强, 而木本猪毛菜的水分利用效率更高。     

CAUSAL MECHANISMS OF LEAF DIMORPHISM IN THE AQUATIC ANGIOSPERM CALLITRICHE HETEROPHYLLA

This report investigates the physiological basis for the production of dimorphic leaves on the aquatic angiosperm Callitriche heterophylla. In nature, the leaf morphology of this plant depends on whether the shoot apex is submerged in or emergent from water. The water-form leaves that develop on submerged apices assume a long, linear shape in contrast to the short, obovate appearance of land forms on emergent apices. The parameters of length/width ratio and stomatal density were used as developmental indices to characterize how natural conditions, fluctuating water levels and other experimental treatments affect leaf shape. Transferring submerged and emergent shoots to the alternative culture conditions caused immature leaves to assume the characteristics appropriate to their new environment. Moreover, the treatments of 0.24 mol mannitol, high temperature (30 C) and 10^−-5 m abscisic acid induced submerged shoots to produce land-form leaves whereas 10^−-5 m gibberellic acid mediated the development of water-form leaves on emergent shoots. Water, osmotic and pressure potentials of immature leaves in the control and experimental treatments were determined by thermocouple psychrometry. Under natural conditions, growing water forms exhibited high turgors (3–5 bars) while developing land forms showed much lower turgors (0–1 bar). Similar correlations between turgor pressure and leaf morphology were observed in the case of the gibberellic acid and mannitol treatments. However, abscisic acid and high temperature caused the developing land-form leaves to exhibit high turgors without a concomitant change to the water-form morphology. Microscopic measurements of epidermal cells established that irrespective of the experimental conditions, water-form leaves had longer and narrower epidermal cells with less convoluted anticlinal walls than land forms. Cell counts indicated that the numbers of epidermal cells did not account for the observed differences in leaf morphology. The results are interpreted in terms of how cell expansion might regulate leaf morphology in aquatic angiosperms.     

阿拉善高原2种荒漠植物根系构型及生态适应性特征

根系构型决定了植物对资源的吸收方式,根系构型的变化是植物对环境的生态适应和有效生存策略。在阿拉善高原西南缘红砂（Reaumuria soongarica）-珍珠猪毛菜（Salsola passerina）混生群落采用传统挖掘法收集两种植物根系,基于量化的根系形态指标,利用几何拓扑学及分形理论分析了根系构型特征,探讨了该地区2种植物对干旱生境的生态适应策略。结果表明：红砂和珍珠猪毛菜根系均以水平分布占优,根系浅层化分布明显,混生的两种植物占据不同的生态位;2种荒漠植物均具有较大的比根长（SRL）和比表面积（SRA）,红砂SRL=21.3 cm/g,SRA=7.6 cm²/g,珍珠SRL=22.4 cm/g,SRA=6.5 cm²/g,有利于水分和养分的获取;红砂根系拓扑指数（TI）、修正拓扑参数（q_a和q_b）分别为0.86、0.52、0.49,珍珠猪毛菜对应参数分别为0.93、0.76、0.73,表明2种植物根系均趋向于鱼尾形分支结构;根系分形维数值（FD_红=1.488、FD_珍=1.422）较小,而分形丰度值（lgK_红=1.855、lgK_珍=1.774）较大,表明2种植物分支相对简单,但空间拓展能力强,有利于对营养空间的占有。上述特征可能是阿拉善西南缘红砂-珍珠猪毛菜群落2种荒漠植物植物对干旱贫瘠生境的重要生态适应策略。     

Essential function of linoleic acid esterified in acylglucosylceramide and acylceramide in maintaining the epidermal water permeability barrier. Evidence from feeding studies with oleate, linoleate, arachidonate, columbinate and alpha-linolenate

Essential fatty acid-deficient rats were supplemented with 300 mg per day of pure fatty acid esters: oleate (O), linoleate (L), arachidonate (A), and columbinate (C) for 10 days. During this period, the rats in groups L, A, and C all showed a decrease in their initially high trans-epidermal water loss, a classical essential fatty acid-deficiency symptom, to a level seen in non-deficient rats (group N). The trans-epidermal water loss in rats of group O was unaffected by the supplementation. Fatty acid composition of two epidermal sphingolipids, acylglucosylceramide and acylceramide, from the skin were determined. The results indicate that re-establishment of a low trans-epidermal water loss was associated with incorporation of linolenate into the two epidermal sphingolipids. Supplementation with columbinate resulted in relatively high amounts of this fatty acid in the investigated epidermal sphingolipids. Analysis of pooled skin specimens from a previous study in which weanling rats were fed a fat-free diet and supplemented orally with pure alpha-linolenate for 13 weeks (Hansen, H.S. and Jensen, B. (1983) Lipids 18, 682-690) revealed very little polyunsaturated fatty acid in the two sphingolipids. These rats showed increased evaporation which was comparable to that of essential fatty acid-deficient rats. We interpret these results as strong evidence for a very specific and essential function of linoleic acid in maintaining the integrity of the epidermal water permeability barrier. This function of linoleate is independent of its role as precursor for arachidonate and icosanoids.     

SOME EFFECTS OF NITROGEN NUTRITION ON THE MORPHOLOGY AND ANATOMY OF MARROW-STEM KALE

Marrow-stem kale plants grown on plots receiving frequent additions of sulphate of ammonia showed a 40% increase in length of internode and a 25% increase in number of nodes per plant, and the leaf size was increased by between 50 and 70% over plants in plots receiving no N fertilizer. Leaves of kale continue to increase in area until they turn yellow, and the high N leaves showed a greater rate of increase in area at every stage in the life of the leaf.
Various features of leaf structure, such as stomatal index, and thickness of palisade and mesophyll, were unaffected by N treatment. The size of the epidermal cells of the leaves was very variable, and although the high N leaves showed a 12% increase in area per epidermal cell over the low N leaves, this difference is not statistically significant. The increased area of the high N leaves can therefore be attributed mainly to increased cell division during the life of the leaf. Only a very slight increase in rate of cell division is necessary to produce the observed effect.
The greater leaf area of the high N plants can be attributed mainly to increased size of individual leaves, but there was also a significantly greater number of living functional leaves per plant on the high N plants; at 23 weeks from sowing the high N plants had an average of 13.4 living leaves, while the low N plants had only 11.7 living leaves per plant.
There was an appreciable degree of N succulence in the high N kale leaves, which showed a 2% greater moisture content than the low N leaves.
A seasonal drift in epidermal cell size, palisade thickness, and total leaf thickness, is shown to be fully significant, statistically. Marked variations in stomatal frequency are barely significant at the 5% level.