PATTERNS OF GROWTH IN BIRDS. II. GROWTH RATE AND MODE OF DEVELOPMENT

This analysis was initiated to examine the relationship between the rate of growth in birds and their development of mature function. The literature was surveyed for data on growth and development, and the growth curves of 81 species were chosen for the analysis. Growth curves of most species were fitted with the Gompertz equation, and the rate constants of the equation were used as an index of the growth rate. For those species whose curves were fitted better by other equations, with a slightly different form, appropriate conversion factors, derived in this paper, were employed.
Among species with similar modes of development, growth rate decreases with increasing body weight in an allometric manner, with slopes of –0.26 to –0.42, depending on the group. Between groups, the rate of growth in body weight was found to be closely associated with the rate of development of function, in particular, the acquisition of flight. Among those species that can walk at an early age, but acquire flight relatively late, the rate of growth depends primarily on the relative size of the musculature of the lower extremities.
Data are presented to refute the hypotheses that growth rate is adjusted to nestling mortality, or that the energy requirements of the young (and hence their growth rates) are balanced against brood size. It is concluded that most species grow at some physiologically maximum rate, but as yet it is not possible to distinguish between limitation of growth rate at the level of the organism or at the level of the tissue.     

STRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SHOOT IN DOLICOTHELE

Boke , Norman H. (U. Oklahoma, Norman.) Structure and development of the shoot in Dolicothele. Amer. Jour. Bot. 48(4): 316–321. Illus. 1961.—A study of 2 species of Dolicothele reveals that although they have dimorphic areoles and a pattern of spine development similar to those of certain mammillarias, they share a significant number of ectomorphic and endomorphic characters with coryphanthas of the “vivipara group.” These include a tendency toward a cespitose habit; relatively large flowers; green fruits; pitted seeds; medullary vascular systems; forking of the main tubercle traces in the bases of the tubercles; lack of mucilage cells; thin-walled epidermis and hypodermis, both devoid of crystals; and large, druse-like crystalline aggregates in older parts of the pith and cortex. The evidence suggests that Coryphantha vivipara and closely allied species are the nearest extant relatives of Dolicothele. It would, therefore, seem inconsistent to return Dolicothele to Mammillaria unless an author's viewpoint were so conservative that he was willing also to return most, if not all, coryphanthas and escobarias to that genus.     

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SHOOT GROWTH AND CHANGING PHYLLOTAXY OF RANUNCULUS

Growth of Ranunculus shoots through ontogeny is quantified by techniques utilizing scanning electron microscopy and studies on living plant material. The order of the contact parastichy phyllotaxy in the apical system is related to the relative plastochron rates of growth of the shoot. There is a change in the (2, 3) contact parastichy pattern of vegetative phyllotaxy to a transitional (3, 5) contact pattern which is maintained through sepal production. Formation of a 5(1, 1) whorl of petal primordia establishes a (5, 8) contact pattern with the sepal primordia. Subsequent initiation of stamen primordia, in spiral sequence, results in (5, 8, 13) triple contacts between petal and stamen primordia. The stamen primordia and carpel primordia arrangement is characterized by a (8, 13) contact parastichy pattern of phyllotaxy. Through ontogeny the volume of the shoot apex progressively increases but the shape of the apex, described by a second degree polynomial, remains constant. The plastochron and the relative plastochron rates of radial and vertical displacement of primordia progressively decrease during transition but there is no alteration of the chronological rate of apical expansion. The change in contact parastichy phyllotaxy through ontogeny is interpreted as a change in the relative positions of primordia insertion on the apex resulting from an increase in apical volume and an increased rate of primordia initiation.     

GROWTH PERIODICITY AND THE SHOOT TIP OF ABIES CONCOLOR

Parke , Robert V. (Colorado State U., Fort Collins.) Growth periodicity and the shoot tip of Abies concolor. Amer. Jour. Bot. 46(2) : 110-118. Illus. 1959.—The terminal shoot of Abies concolor shows a marked seasonal activity or growth periodicity of the meristmatic regions. Hence, the annual developmental sequence may be divided into three growth phases: the rest phase, during which the fully formed telescoped shoot remains in a state of suspended growth; the first growth phase, during which the telescoped shoot elongates rapidly and gives rise to numerous cataphylls; and, the second growth phase, during which shoot elongation is completed and a new unelongated axis bearing many needle primordia is formed. The shoot tip of Abies consists of 4 clearly definable cytohistological zones; the apical initials, the sub-terminal mother cells, the peripheral zone, and the zone of central tissue. The shape of the shoot tip and the volume of its various cytohistological zones change markedly during the annual growth sequence, but the basic zonation pattern remains the same.     

REGULATION OF CHAMISE SHOOT GROWTH

Nutritional, hormonal, and environmental control of chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum H. & A.) shoot growth was investigated. In vitro culture of shoot tips demonstrated that 0.18 M sucrose was required for optimum apical growth. Cytokinin (benzyladenine) promoted shoot growth at otherwise growth-limiting sucrose concentrations and induced uptake of sucrose from the basal medium. Abscisic acid inhibited growth of cultured shoot tips induced by high sucrose concentration or cytokinin. In the field, inhibition of shoot growth was a function of water stress. These studies indicate that the effects of water stress on chamise shoot growth may be mediated by changes in carbohydrate, cytokinin, or growth inhibitor levels at the shoot apex.     

GROWTH PATTERNS OF PLANTS THAT MAXIMIZE VERTICAL GROWTH AND MINIMIZE INTERNAL STRESSES

The geometry of plant axis flexure is analyzed as the result of orthotropic growth and the stresses caused by a vertical weight distribution along the axis. Distal responses to light and gravity and proximal sagging flexure result in a curvilinear axial geometry. The stresses associated with this geometry are analyzed by means of the flexure theory for curved beams. A flexed plant axis is shown to conform to some portion of a logarithmic spiral, r = r₀e^kθ, of which a special case is circular flexure, k 0. Calculations of the maximum bending moment, M_max and the maximum tensile stress, _max, acting parallel to the axis indicate that the optimal mode of flexure (one that minimizes M_max and _max) is some arc of a circle. Examination of 11 plant taxa indicates that this mode of curvature is statistically the most prevalent condition in plants lacking or having limited secondary growth. Indeterminate apical growth of orthotropic axes is shown to result in a type of failure where portions of vertical axes are reapportioned into a horizontal or supported position.     

植物生长调节物质对果实生长发育的调控

本文就赤霉素、细胞分裂素、乙烯利对果实生长发育的调控作用进行了较为系统的论述,并对其在果树上的利用方法、时期、浓度等作了说明。     

SHOOT HISTOGENESIS: SUBAPICAL MERISTEMATIC ACTIVITY IN A CAULESCENT PLANT AND THE ACTION OF GIBBERELLIC ACID AND AMO-1618

Sachs , R. M., A. Lang , C. F. Bretz and Joan Roach . (U. California, Los Angeles.) Shoot histogenesis: subapical meristematic activity in a caulescent plant and the action of gibberellic acid and Amo—1618. Amer. Jour. Bot. 47(4): 260—266. Illus. 1960.–Studies on gibbereilininduced stem formation in rosette plants (Sachs et al., 1959) have shown that a zone of intensive meristematic activity, arising below the existing apical meristem, is almost solely responsible for stem histogenesis, i.e., the formation of the cells constituting the elongate stem. An extensive subapical zone of meristematic activity is also present in caulescent plants, such as Chrysanthemum morifolium, Amo-1618 ([4-hydroxy-5 isopropyl-2 methylphenyl] trimethylammonium chloride, 1-piperidine carboxylate) completely inhibits subapical meristematic activity in chrysanthemum, causing the plants to assume a dwarfed, rosette-like habit of growth. Gibberellic acid, applied either simultaneously, or following the Amo—1618 treatment, completely prevents or reverses the effect of Amo—1618, making the plants retain or resume their normal growth habit. Amo—1618 and gibberellic acid have relatively little effect upon the activity of the apical meristem of Chrysanthemum. Thus, while the apical meristem proper (eu- or promeristem) is the site of shoot organization and the ultimate source of the cells of the entire shoot, the subapical zone of division, termed the subapical meristem, is largely responsible for stem histogenesis in caulescent as well as in rosette plants. Gibberellins, or native, gibberellin-like substances appear to regulate the activity of the subapical meristem and thus to play an important role in shoot development. Amo—1618 and related compounds seem to exert their dwarfing effect in plants by acting as antagonists of gibberellins, at least with respect to the latters' function in regulating the subapical meristematic activity in the shoot.     

RELATION OF PLASTOCHRON TO ANATOMY AND GROWTH IN THE SHOOT APEX OF CHRYSANTHEMUM

The relation between plastochron stage, apical anatomy, and thymidine-C¹⁴ incorporation was studied in the shoot apex of Chrysanthemum morifolium ‘Albatross.’ Apices were sorted into early, middle, and late plastochron stage under a dissecting microscope, fixed, and sectioned longitudinally so that median sections included known sectors of the apical flank. Study of these sections revealed no discernible difference between apices in early, middle, or late plastochron with respect to regularity of cell pattern, presence of a cambium-like zone, appearance of the second tunica layer or staining pattern with pyronin or with toluidine blue. Likewise, apices that had been treated with thymidine-C¹⁴ for 2-4 hr showed no differences between the three stages in number or distribution of labeled cells.