Committee for the study of Scottish Flora

Summary

Evidence is presented for and against the proposal that two new plant species have originated in Scotland in the very recent past as a result of interspecific hybridization between plants that have colonized ‘man-made’ habitats. Isozyme and chloroplast DNA evidence has confirmed a recent origin of the new allopolyploid species Welsh groundsel, Senecio cambrensis, in Leith, Edinburgh. Scottish and Welsh forms of the species differ in a number of morphological and life history features, but overall are very similar in morphology. A survey of isozyme variation in what has been considered as another new hybrid species, Epipactis youngiana (Young's helleborine), and its putative parent species, has cast doubt on its supposed origins, i.e. by hybridization between E. helleborine x E. leptochila or E. helleborine x E. phyllanthes and the stabilization of a hybrid product via autogamy. Contrary to expectation, E. youngiana was found to contain a high level of genetic diversity, and a genotypic structure that is indicative of random mating. Moreover, at a Glasgow site it appears to be interbreeding with two of its putative parents, E. helleborine and E. leptochila, to form part of a hybrid swarm. From the isozyme data, it is possible to dismiss the idea that E. phyllanthes may have acted as a parent of E. youngiana; however, it can not be ruled out that the ‘new species’ is merely a variant form of E. helleborine or an introduction rather than a product of hybridization.     

Committee for the study of the Scottish Flora

Summary

Three different oxygen-containing germination environments demonstrate the profound influence exerted by environmental oxygen (0₂) on growth and plastogenesis in coleoptiles of light-germinated rice seedlings. Coleoptile greening is extensive in low numbers of seedlings germinated in a sealed, initially air-saturated, static water environment and in large numbers of seedlings germinated under unagitated water underambient gaseous exchange conditions. In seedlings germinated in air (?21% 0₂), coleoptile greening is sparse and extension growth is much reduced compared with coleoptile extension growth of the submerged seedlings. Coleoptile greening and shoot and root growth are completely inhibited under hypoxia resulting from large numbers of germinating seedlings competing for the limited 0₂ supply in the sealed, initially air-saturated, static water environment. Coleoptile extension growth is highest under hypoxia and lowest under ?21% 0₂. The observations presented here demonstrate that 0₂ stress and non- stress conditions serve as environmental signals which influence growth behaviour and plastogenesis in coleoptiles of light-germinated rice seedlings.     

Notes on the Scottish flora

Background: The degradation of alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) has an impact on vegetation recruitment from seedlings and ramets.

Aims: Understanding the relative contribution of recruitment by seedling and ramet in alpine meadows is for the ecological restoration of degraded grasslands on the QTP.

Methods: An experiment was conducted to investigate seedling and ramet densities, species composition and their relationships with standing vegetation in plots representative of non-degraded (ND), lightly (LD), moderately (MD) and severely degraded (SD) alpine meadows.

Results: With increasing degradation and the reduction in vegetation cover, the number of seedlings and ramets declined. The proportion of young plants arising from seedlings was low, with the majority of species reproducing clonally. The establishment of seedlings of forbs in SD meadows led to species-rich, forb-dominant vegetation in these areas.

Conclusions: LD and MD meadows appear to be able to be managed by reduced grazing for the restoration of grass- and sedge-dominated pastures. In contrast, restoration of SD meadows will require additional intervention, such as of seeding and weed eradication.     

青藏高原高寒草甸初级生产力及其主要影响因素

青藏高原有各类天然草地14×108hm2,其中高寒草甸和高寒灌丛约占青藏高原天然草地面积的50%,占全国草地总面积的16.2%。嵩草草甸是高寒草甸的主体,包括矮嵩草草甸、金露梅灌丛草甸、藏嵩草草甸、小嵩草草甸和高山嵩草草甸等,这5类高寒草甸平均地上生物量分别为354.2、422.4、445.1、227.3和368.5g/m2,地下生物量分别为3389.6、3548.3、11922.7、4439.3、5604.8g/m2,地下与地上生物量的比例分别为10.55、10.15、27.82、14.82和15.21,远大于IPCC(2006)报告中地下/地上生物量比例的默认值(2.8±95%)。地下生物量对气候变化和放牧的反应比地上生物量更敏感,干旱和重度放牧均降低了地下/地上生物量的比例。在极度退化状态下地下/地上生物量的比例2。对于轻度和中度退化的高寒草甸应以围封禁牧为主要恢复措施,但如果结合补播和施肥,则恢复速率会加快;对于重度和极度退化的高寒草甸,由于草地植物群落中优良牧草的比例极低,仅靠自然恢复很难进行恢复或需要的年限很长,所以必须采用人工重建的措施,并结合毒杂草防除和施肥等措施进行恢复,通过建立人工或半人工草地的措施予以重建。     

高寒草甸15种植物种子发芽的比较研究

对高寒草甸 15种植物种子的发芽进行了比较实验研究。结果显示 ,冷湿层化、温度变幅及光照条件能够提高或者降低多数高寒草甸植物种子发芽率。其中 ,13种植物对层化、11种对光照条件、14种对温度变幅处理有显著性响应。 15种植物中 ,有14种对单一因子或因子组合有反应 ,仅藏嵩草种子发芽对设定的因子或因子组合没有响应。根据不同植物种子对不同处理及其组合的发芽反应可将植物种子划分为不同的反应类型 ,通过对种子进行冷湿层化处理 ,可以部分或者全部地替代某些植物种子发芽对光、温需求。探明植物种子在特定环境因子组合条件下的发芽表现 ,对通过种子恢复退化草甸是至关重要的。     

Seed germinating characteristics of 54 gramineous species in the alpine meadow on the eastern Qinghai-Tibet plateau

The germination experiment was started on March 3,2004,and seeds were collected from July to October in 2003.We analyzed the percentage of germination,days to first germination,germination period and days to 50% germination.Among the 54 examined species,26 species exceeded 80% germination,11 species exceeded 60%-80% germination,8 exceeded 40%-0%,5 exceeded20%-40%,and 4 showed less than 20%.A principalcomponent analysis revealed that the species were distributed along two statistically independent axes,the first primarily represented the germination rate and the second represented the time of germination process.Based on scores of germination characteristics,duster analysis of the 54 gramineous species could be divided into 4 distinct groups:rapid,slow,intermediate germinating (germination percentage＞ 50%),and low germinating (germination percentage＜ 50%).The meaning of different groups to the vegetation regeneration was discussed.     

治沙措施通过植物群落的质量效应驱动土壤因子变化——以玛曲高寒草甸沙化区为例

沙漠化是玛曲高寒草甸面临的主要生态问题之一,研究沙障固定+种草植灌+围封共同构建的综合性治沙措施对不同调查区(县城南岸与河曲马场)玛曲高寒草甸严重沙漠化区域(流动沙地)植物群落和土壤因子的影响,以及植物群落驱动土壤因子变化的生态机制,有助于科学合理的开展沙漠化防治与生态恢复工作。结果表明：治沙措施实施后,植物群落的主要优势种由青藏苔草(Carex moorcroftii)转变为垂穗披碱草(Elymus nutans)与青藏苔草并重。不受调查区制约,治沙措施能够显著改善植物群落数量特征与物种多样性,表现为县城南岸与河曲马场的地上生物量大幅提高至18.04 g/m²和24.67 g/m²(P<0.05),盖度分别为23.8%和31.1%,较流动沙地显著提高了487.3%和589.2%(P<0.05),物种丰富度和Shannon多样性指数的变化规律与盖度相近。土壤因子方面,除pH值外,治沙措施能够显著提高县城南岸与河曲马场的土壤全氮、全碳、全磷、速效磷和速效钾。线性混合效应模型表明,治沙措施实施后,地上生物量是驱动土壤有机质、全氮和全碳...     

Seed germinating characteristics of 54 gramineous species in the alpine meadow on the eastern Qinghai-Tibet plateau

The germination experiment was started on March 3, 2004, and seeds were collected from July to October in 2003. We analyzed the percentage of germination, days to first germination, germination period and days to 50% germination. Among the 54 examined species, 26 species exceeded 80% germination, 11 species exceeded 60%–80% germination, 8 exceeded 40%–0%, 5 exceeded 20%–40%, and 4 showed less than 20%. A principal-component analysis revealed that the species were distributed along two statistically independent axes, the first primarily represented the germination rate and the second represented the time of germination process. Based on scores of germination characteristics, cluster analysis of the 54 gramineous species could be divided into 4 distinct groups: rapid, slow, intermediate germinating (germination percentage > 50%), and low germinating (germination percentage < 50%). The meaning of different groups to the vegetation regeneration was discussed. __________ Translated from Journal of Plant Ecology, 2006, 30(4): 624–632 [译自: 植物生态学报]     

青藏高原高寒草甸退化对矮嵩草有关生理特性的影响

该研究采用空间分布代替时间演替的方法,选取青藏高原青海省果洛藏族自治州玛沁县境内典型的未退化草甸和退化草甸样地,分别设置3个5m×5m的样方,于6至9月下旬上午进行植株和土壤采样,测定矮嵩草生理指标,探讨高寒草甸退化所导致的环境变化对自然生长状态下矮嵩草生理特性的影响机制。结果表明:(1)与未退化草甸相比,退化导致土壤表层速效氮含量极显著降低,而速效磷和速效钾含量显著升高;全氮、全磷和全钾的含量总体上表现为未退化草甸低于退化草甸。(2)与未退化草甸相比,退化草甸矮嵩草叶中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性在生长前期高而后期低(低4%),谷胱甘肽(GSH)含量在两个样地的变化趋势基本一致。(3)退化草甸矮嵩草叶片可溶糖和可溶蛋白含量在生长后期分别比未退化草甸降低17.6%和34.9%,且9月份降低达极显著水平。(4)生长中期以后,退化草甸矮嵩草叶片叶绿素a、b含量比未退化草甸的下降速度快、含量分别低18.84%和20.68%。(5)退化草甸矮嵩草叶片超氧阴离子自由基(O_2~)的产生速率在9月份极显著高于未退化草甸。研究表明,在非生物胁迫下未退化草甸的矮嵩草具有更高的ROS清除能力和渗透调节能力,退化导致的环境变化可能是矮嵩草在生长后期抗氧化能力降低、衰老早的内在原因。     

高寒草甸生态系统蚁丘对小型土壤节肢动物群落的影响

为查明高寒草甸中蚁丘对小型土壤节肢动物群落的影响,2018年5、7和10月分别在若尔盖高寒草甸内选取6个直径在30-35 cm间的蚁丘作为调查对象,并选取距相应蚁丘2 m处的点作为对照,采集蚁丘和对照的土壤样品,用Tullgren法分离小型土壤节肢动物。结果表明：（1）蚁丘可以明显改变高寒草甸小型土壤节肢动物群落组成结构,主要类群由螨类转变为跳虫;（2）蚁丘中的长角跳目、前气门亚目和甲螨亚目的个体密度均显著高于对照（P<0.05）,但仅有甲螨亚目个体百分比在群落中所占比例显著高于对照（P<0.05）;（3）蚁丘可以显著提高小型土壤节肢动物群落密度和多样性,尤其能够使部分菌食性跳虫（库跳属、隐跳属、符跳属）和腐食性螨类（布伦螨属、双瘤吸螨属、微奥甲螨属及下盾甲螨属）的个体数量大幅增加;（4）从5月到10月,小型土壤节肢动物群落的个体密度在蚁丘中呈先增加后下降的变化趋势（P<0.05）,在对照中呈持续增加（P>0.05）,而类群数和Shannon多样性指数在蚁丘和对照中均呈增加趋势,但仅在对照有显著差异（P<0.05）;（5）小型土壤节肢动物的类群数、Shannon多样性指数与有机质含量呈显著正相关（P<0.05）,个体密度与土壤容重呈显著负相关（P<0.05）。研究结果表明,蚁丘能够改变小型土壤节肢动物群落组成结构,并显著提高小型土壤节肢动物群落个体密度和多样性。     

三江源区高寒坡地退化植物群落多样性和地上生物量沿海拔梯度的变化特征

山地生态系统退化对生物多样性和地上生物量,以及相互关系在海拔高度梯度上的格局影响,是认识全球变化和人类干扰引起自然生态系统变化的重要内容。以青藏高原三江源区高寒坡地退化草甸和灌丛为研究对象,探讨退化草甸、灌丛群落物种多样性与地上生物量关系及其沿海拔梯度的变化规律。结果表明:(1)坡地退化的上坡位植被盖度显著大于下坡位(P＜0.05)。坡地退化高寒草甸和高寒灌丛,植物物种多样性沿海拔梯度变化规律一致,均呈现"单峰"分布格局。坡地退化高寒草甸Shannon-wiener指数和Simpson指数二次回归方程解释度达到80%和70%以上(P＜0.05)。(2)坡地退化高寒草甸和高寒灌丛的地上生物量与海拔梯度的变化规律一致,即随海拔升高高寒坡地地上生物量呈先增加后降低的变化趋势。海拔梯度对退化高寒山地地上生物量的解释度达到85%以上(P＜0.05)。(3)物种多样性和地上生物量的关系在两个坡地上表现出一致的规律,呈线性增加的变化趋势。高寒草甸坡地回归方程解释度达到70%,高寒灌丛坡地达到60%(P＜0.05)。坡地退化高寒灌丛植物群落多样性和地上生物量高于高寒草甸植物群落。高寒坡地退化草甸和灌丛植物群落物种多样性以及其与地上生物量之间的关系沿海拔梯度的变化规律一致,海拔梯度造成的环境差异对植物群落物种多样性和地上生物量影响仍较大。该研究对认识三江源区退化山地形成生态学机制,及提出有效的生态恢复措施具有重要参考价值。     

Ectomycorrhizal transfer of amino acid-nitrogen to the alpine sedge Kobresia myosuroides

Previous work in the Colorado alpine ecosystem has shown that amino acids are a potentially important N source for the sedge, Kobresia myosuroides . This plant is the only known sedge to harbour associations with ectomycorrhizal fungi. The aim of the present work was to test the hypothesis that these ectomycorrhizas transfer N from amino acids in the soil solution to the host plant, and thereby have an important role in the N nutrition of this species. We used a two-chamber system (rhizoboxes) in which K. myosuroides plants were separated from a soil chamber by nylon mesh that allowed fungal hyphae, but not plant roots, to cross it. Injections of [¹⁵N, 2-¹³C]glycine were made into the soil chamber. The hyphal crossings on half of the rhizoboxes were regularly disrupted to control for leakage of label across the barrier. Plants in the intact rhizoboxes showed significantly higher ¹⁵N enrichment than those in controls, and mycorrhizal root tips were significantly more enriched than bulk roots. The mycorrhizas transferred an average of 1.3% of the added ¹⁵N label to plants, a figure comparable to those obtained in previous studies in which plant roots were directly exposed to label. We conclude that fungal associations have an important role in the N nutrition of K. myosuroides by transferring N from amino acids to their hosts.     

青藏高原两种高寒草地植被变化及其水温驱动因素分析

高寒草甸和高寒草原作为青藏高原两种重要植被类型,研究其植被变化与气候变化相关性,有助于为青藏高原两种高寒草地生态系统应对全球气候变化管理提供参考。以位于同纬度的三江源高寒草甸和阿里高寒草原为研究对象,基于植被净初级生产力(Net Primary Productivity, NPP)变化表征植被变化,利用NPP数据和气象数据,分别分析两地2000—2017年植被NPP、降水和气温时空变化差异;利用Sen+Mann-Kendall趋势检验,研究两种高寒草地气候与植被净初级生产力变化趋势;以县域统计年鉴牛羊肉产量表征放牧强度,研究放牧活动对高寒草地植被变化的影响;通过Pearson相关和偏相关分析方法,分别研究降水和气温对两种高寒草地植被NPP变化影响差异。研究结果表明:(1)2000—2017年三江源高寒草甸和阿里高寒草原区年平均气温以0.085℃/a和0.084℃/a的趋势上升,降水以平均每年3.87 mm和2.23 mm的趋势增加,高寒草甸区变暖变湿速率较高寒草原区快。(2)三江源高寒草甸和阿里高寒草原植被NPP均呈现由东南向西北逐渐降低空间格局;2000—2017年高寒草甸区57.7...     

Field evidence for earlier leaf-out dates in alpine grassland on the eastern Tibetan Plateau from 1990 to 2006

Worldwide, many plant species are experiencing an earlier onset of spring phenophases due to climate warming. Rapid recent temperature increases on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) have triggered changes in the spring phenology of the local vegetation. However, remote sensing studies of the land surface phenology have reached conflicting interpretations about green-up patterns observed on the TP since the mid-1990s. We investigated this issue using field phenological observations from 1990 to 2006, for 11 dominant plants on the TP at the levels of species, families (Gramineae—grasses and Cyperaceae—sedges) and vegetation communities (alpine meadow and alpine steppe). We found a significant trend of earlier leaf-out dates for one species (Koeleria cristata). The leaf-out dates of both Gramineae and Cyperaceae had advanced (the latter significantly, starting an average of 9 days later per year than the former), but the correlation between them was significant. The leaf-out dates of both vegetation communities also advanced, but the pattern was only significant in the alpine meadow. This study provides the first field evidence of advancement in spring leaf phenology on the TP and suggests that the phenology of the alpine steppe can differ from that of the alpine meadow. These findings will be useful for understanding ecosystem responses to climate change and for grassland management on the TP.     

施肥和放牧对青藏高原高寒草甸物种丰富度的影响

在草地生态系统中, 施肥通常会导致生物多样性下降, 但是关于引起生物多样性下降的机制还存在着很大的争议。该研究基于一个4年的施肥实验, 试图通过个体大小的不整齐性和单位植物氮含量, 定性地揭示青藏高原东部高寒草甸施肥后多样性下降的原因。研究显示: 在封育地, 施肥致使个体大小不整齐性增加了15%, 并不同程度地增加了物种的高度。同时, 施肥使物种间单位植物氮含量存在显著差异的数目降低了65%。施肥后光竞争加剧, 导致大个体植物排斥小个体植物, 进而引起了物种丰富度下降29.6%。与封育地不同, 放牧地施肥并没有改变个体大小不整齐性和物种的高度, 而是使物种间单位植物氮含量存在显著差异的数目增加了11.4%。施肥并没有改变放牧地的光竞争强度, 而是增加了物种间对土壤营养元素氮的竞争强度, 进而引起了物种丰富度下降17.3%。该研究还发现, 放牧施肥地的物种丰富度下降速度和等级显著低于封育施肥地的物种丰富度下降速度和等级, 这表明放牧减缓了施肥对物种丰富度的影响力。     

青藏高原东缘28种风毛菊属植物花粉形态研究

通过扫描电镜对青藏高原高寒草甸风毛菊属28种多年生草本植物的花粉进行了形态观察和比较,结果显示,该属植物花粉形态较为一致。花粉近球形或长球形,极面观三裂圆形,三孔沟,外壁表面具刺状突起。刺间纹饰可分为4种类型:穴状、颗粒状、网状—颗粒状和网状。花粉形态没有大的差异,但刺间表面纹饰、萌发沟的宽窄、刺的大小、分布密度和花粉大小在种间存在差异,可作为种的分类依据。花粉特征聚类分析结果表明,此28种风毛菊属植物花粉大致划分为明显的5个类群,所包含的种分别隶属于风毛菊属的四亚属:雪兔子亚属、雪莲亚属、附片亚属和风毛菊亚属。     

青藏高原高寒草地植物物种丰富度及其与环境因子和生物量的关系

在青藏高原进行了大范围的群落调查 ,研究高原的两种主要草地群落类型———高寒草甸和高寒草原的植物物种丰富度及其变化。结果表明 :(1)在 5 0个样地 2 5 0个 1m× 1m的样方中 ,共出现 2 6 7种植物 ,其中高寒草甸179种 ,高寒草原 135种。在高寒草甸 ,1m2 样方内物种数最多为 32种 ,最少的仅为 3种 ;在高寒草原 ,物种数最多为 18种 /m2 ,最少的仅为 2种 /m2 。 (2 )物种丰富度随经度和纬度的增加呈增加趋势 ;随海拔的上升呈减少趋势。对物种丰富度与环境因子之间进行逐步回归 ,发现物种丰富度与生长季降水和温暖指数呈显著正相关。 (3)物种丰富度与地上生物量呈显著正相关。