Structure of plant communities and cenopopulations of Astragalus serioceocanus Gontsch. on the shore of Lake Baikal

Plant communities with Astragalus sericeocanus have been studied. Data on the ontogenetic structure and quantity of cenopopulations, as well as the seed productivity of their individuals, are given. It has been revealed that the habitats on the northern shore of Lake Baikal are characterized by high phytocoenotic diversity with the dominance and codominance of A. sericeocanus. The state of cenopopulations and parameters of seed productivity indicate that the northern habitats of Lake Baikal have more favorable conditions due to the optimal climatic characteristics for the growth and development of the species.     

Antimicrobial fungal endophytes from the botanical medicine goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)

The potential of fungal endophytes to alter or contribute to plant chemistry and biology has been the topic of a great deal of recent interest. For plants that are used medicinally, it has been proposed that endophytes might play an important role in biological activity. With this study, we sought to identify antimicrobial fungal endophytes from the medicinal plant goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis L., Ranunculaceae), a plant used in traditional medicine to treat infection. A total of 23 fungal cultures were obtained from surface-sterilized samples of H. canadensis roots, leaves and seeds. Eleven secondary metabolites were isolated from these fungal endophytes, five of which had reported antimicrobial activity. Hydrastis canadensis plant material was then analyzed for the presence of fungal metabolites using liquid chromatography coupled to high resolving power mass spectrometry. The antimicrobial compound alternariol monomethyl ether was detected both as a metabolite of the fungal endophyte Alternaria spp. isolated from H. canadensis seeds, and as a component of an extract from the H. canadensis seed material. Notably, fungi of the Alternaria genus were isolated from three separate accessions of H. canadensis plant material collected in a time period spanning 5 years. The concentration of alternariol monomethyl ether (991 mg/kg in dry seed material) was in a similar range to that previously reported for metabolites of ecologically important fungal endophytes. The seed extracts themselves, however, did not possess antimicrobial activity.     

开花期加拿大一枝黄花水浸提液对3种作物种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响

测定了入侵杂草加拿大一枝黄花（Solidago canadensis）开花期的茎、叶和花序水浸提液对辣椒(Capsicum annuum)、番茄(Lycoperiscum esculetum)、长梗白菜(Brassica chinensis var. communis)种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响。结果表明：（1）处于开花期的加拿大一枝黄花存在明显的化感作用,在25 mg·mL^-1时,对3种作物种子苗生长有促进作用,浸提液高于50 mg·mL^-1时,作物种子的萌发率和生长受到抑制,这种抑制作用随处理液浓度的提高而增强,在100 mg·mL^-1浓度处理下,甚至使作物种子失去活力;（2）加拿大一枝黄花叶和花序的水浸提液对种子萌发和生长的影响要大于其茎的浸提液;（3）在3种作物中,长梗白菜种子对加拿大一枝黄花水浸提液的敏感性最高。     

Comparative studies of the photosynthesis of the submerged macrophyte Elodea canadensis and the filamentous algae Cladophora glomerata and Spirogyra sp.

The photosynthetic and respiratory responses of Elodea canadensis Michx., Cladophora glomerata (L.) Kütz. and Spirogyra sp. to oxygen, temperature, HCO₃⁻¹ concentration, pH and irradiance were determined. Photosynthesis was inhibited by O₂ in all three species under all conditions and inhibition was greatert in E. canadensis. This inhibition was not caused solely by an accelerated rate of dark respiration and this suggests that photorespiration may be an important factor controlling productivity, particularly in E. canadensis.Photosynthetic performance was impaired much more in E. canadensis than in either of the filamentous algae conditions of high pH and low CO₂ concentrations. In the field photosynthesis of these algae may increase the pH and reduce the CO₂ content of the water sufficiently to exert deleterious effects on macrophyte photosynthesis. Such a plant-induced change in water quality could give C. glomerata a competitive advantage over E. canadensis and be a factor in the replacement of the vascular plant by the alga in some waters.     

Latitudinal variation in seeds characteristics of Acer platanoides and A. pseudoplatanus

Climate change will likely affect population dynamics of numerous plant species by modifying several aspects of the life cycle. Because plant regeneration from seeds may be particularly vulnerable, here we assess the possible effects of climate change on seed characteristics and present an integrated analysis of seven seed traits (nutrient concentrations, samara mass, seed mass, wing length, seed viability, germination percentage, and seedling biomass) of Acer platanoides and A. pseudoplatanus seeds collected along a wide latitudinal gradient from Italy to Norway. Seed traits were analyzed in relation to the environmental conditions experienced by the mother trees along the latitudinal gradient. We found that seed traits of A. platanoides were more influenced by the climatic conditions than those of A. pseudoplatanus. Additionally, seed viability, germination percentage, and seedling biomass of A. platanoides were strongly related to the seed mass and nutrient concentration. While A. platanoides seeds were more influenced by the environmental conditions (generally negatively affected by rising temperatures), compared to A. pseudoplatanus, A. platanoides still showed higher germination percentage and seedling biomass than A. pseudoplatanus. Thus, further research on subsequent life-history stages of both species is needed. The variation in seed quality observed along the climatic gradient highlights the importance of studying the possible impact of climate change on seed production and species demography.     

Reproductive biology in an invasive plant Solidago canadensis

Solidago canadensis, a perennial Compositae plant originating from North America, was introduced into China as a horticultural plant in 1935. Under natural conditions, S. canadensis allocates large amounts of energy to sexual reproduction and produces many seeds, which reflects an r-strategy with high seed number and small seed size. In addition, naturalized populations have a great capacity to grow clonally with underground stems. S. canadensis has become an invasive weed in eastern China, and has caused serious damages to agricultural production and ecosystems in several provinces in China. In order to understand the reproductive characteristics of S. canadensis and effectively control its spread, we examined soil conditions, seed characteristics, seed germination and the capacity for asexual reproduction in different plant parts. We investigated the population dispersion of S. canadensis in fixed sites for three years, and analyzed the seasonal dynamics of the morphological parameters of the underground parts and the caloric values of different organs of S. canadensis. We also compared differences in the root systems of S. canadensis and composite exotic weeds. The following results were obtained:

Signals Can Trump Rewards in Attracting Seed-Dispersing Ants

Both rewards and signals are important in mutualisms. In myrmecochory, or seed dispersal by ants, the benefits to plants are relatively well studied, but less is known about why ants pick up and move seeds. We examined seed dispersal by the ant Aphaenogaster rudis of four co-occurring species of plants, and tested whether morphology, chemical signaling, or the nutritional quality of fatty seed appendages called elaiosomes influenced dispersal rates. In removal trials, ants quickly collected diaspores (seeds plus elaiosomes) of Asarum canadense, Trillium grandiflorum, and Sanguinaria canadensis, but largely neglected those of T. erectum. This discrepancy was not explained by differences in the bulk cost-benefit ratio, as assessed by the ratio of seed to elaiosome mass. We also provisioned colonies with diaspores from one of these four plant species or no diaspores as a control. Colonies performed best when fed S. canadensis diaspores, worst when fed T. grandiflorum, and intermediately when fed A. canadense, T. erectum, or no diaspores. Thus, the nutritional rewards in elaiosomes affected colony performance, but did not completely predict seed removal. Instead, high levels of oleic acid in T. grandiflorum elaiosomes may explain why ants disperse these diaspores even though they reduce ant colony performance. We show for the first time that different elaiosome-bearing plants provide rewards of different quality to ant colonies, but also that ants appear unable to accurately assess reward quality when encountering seeds. Instead, we suggest that signals can trump rewards as attractants of ants to seeds.     

Immediate shift towards source dynamics: The pioneer species Conyza canadensis in an initial ecosystem

The aim of this study was to detect a potential temporal shift from sink to source dynamics of pioneer plants during primary succession. The study was done in an initial ecosystem, namely an artificially constructed catchment on Pleistocene sands in eastern Germany. The import and export of seeds (including soil seed bank and seed rain), the development of vegetation cover and the population size of all pioneer species were recorded in 2005-2009. The interplay between the spatial distribution of seed rain and the prevailing wind direction provide evidence that seeds of Conyza canadensis (Asteraceae) first and to a considerable amount left the developing ecosystem. A change from a sink to source dynamics was detected already in the first year of both the existence of the site and occurrence of C. canadensis individuals within the site. Population patterns at the landscape unit scale demonstrated extensive auto-correlations in the coverage of this invasive plant at first. Our results underline the pioneer traits of C. canadensis as a prolific seeder and excellent wind disperser, which enables this species to become rapidly dominant over relatively large areas.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi facilitate the invasion of Solidago canadensis L. in southeastern China

The significance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the process of plant invasion is still poorly understood. We hypothesize that invasive plants would change local AMF community structure in a way that would benefit themselves but confer less advantages to native plants, thus influencing the extent of plant interactions. An AMF spore community composed of five morphospecies of Glomus with equal density (initial AMF spore community, I-AMF) was constructed to test this hypothesis. The results showed that the invasive species, Solidago canadensis, significantly increased the relative abundance of G. geosperum and G. etunicatum (altered AMF spore community, A-AMF) compared to G. mosseae, which was a dominant morphospecies in the monoculture of native Kummerowia striata. The shift in AMF spore community composition driven by S. canadensis generated functional variation between I-AMF and A-AMF communities. For example, I-AMF increased biomass and nutrient uptake of K. striata in both monocultures and mixtures of K. striata and S. canadensis compared to A-AMF. In contrast, A-AMF significantly enhanced root nitrogen (N) acquisition of S. canadensis grown in mixture. Moreover, mycorrhizal-mediated ¹⁵N uptake provided direct evidence that I-AMF and A-AMF differed in their affinities with native and invading species. The non-significant effect of A-AMF on K. striata did not result from allelopathy as root exudates of S. canadensis exhibited positive effects on seed germination and biomass of K. striata under naturally occurring concentrations. When considered together, we found that A-AMF facilitated the invasion of S. canadensis through decreasing competitiveness of the native plant K. striata. The results supported our hypothesis and can be used to improve our understanding of an ecosystem-based perspective towards exotic plant invasion.     

Rapid Development of Adaptive,Climate-Driven Clinal Variation in Seed Mass in the Invasive Annual Forb Echium plantagineum L.

We examined adaptive clinal variation in seed mass among populations of an invasive annual species, Echium plantagineum, in response to climatic selection. We collected seeds from 34 field populations from a 1,000 km long temperature and rainfall gradient across the species'' introduced range in south-eastern Australia. Seeds were germinated, grown to reproductive age under common glasshouse conditions, and progeny seeds were harvested and weighed. Analyses showed that seed mass was significantly related to climatic factors, with populations sourced from hotter, more arid sites producing heavier seeds than populations from cooler and wetter sites. Seed mass was not related to edaphic factors. We also found that seed mass was significantly related to both longitude and latitude with each degree of longitude west and latitude north increasing seed mass by around 2.5% and 4% on average. There was little evidence that within-population or between-population variation in seed mass varied in a systematic manner across the study region. Our findings provide compelling evidence for development of a strong cline in seed mass across the geographic range of a widespread and highly successful invasive annual forb. Since large seed mass is known to provide reproductive assurance for plants in arid environments, our results support the hypothesis that the fitness and range potential of invasive species can increase as a result of genetic divergence of populations along broad climatic gradients. In E. plantagineum population-level differentiation has occurred in 150 years or less, indicating that the adaptation process can be rapid.     

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and the productivity and structure of prairie grassland communities

Due to their complementary roles in meeting plant nutritional needs, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and nitrogen-fixing bacteria (N₂-fixers) may have synergistic effects on plant communities. Using greenhouse microcosms, we tested the effects of AMF, N₂-fixers (symbiotic: rhizobia, and associative: Azospirillum brasilense), and their potential interactions on the productivity, diversity, and species composition of diverse tallgrass prairie communities and on the productivity of Panicum virgatum in monoculture. Our results demonstrate the importance of AMF and N₂-fixers as drivers of plant community structure and function. In the communities, we found a positive effect of AMF on diversity and productivity, but a negative effect of N₂-fixers on productivity. Both AMF and N₂-fixers affected relative abundances of species. AMF shifted the communities from dominance by Elymus canadensis to Sorghastrum nutans, and seven other species increased in abundance with AMF, accounting for the increased diversity. N₂-fixers led to increases in Astragalus canadensis and Desmanthus illinoense, two legumes that likely benefited from the presence of the appropriate rhizobia symbionts. Sorghastrum nutans declined 44?% in the presence of N₂-fixers, with the most likely explanation being increased competition from legumes. Panicum monocultures were more productive with AMF, but showed no response to N₂-fixers, although inference was constrained by low Azospirillum treatment effectivity. We did not find interactions between AMF and N₂-fixers in communities or Panicum monocultures, indicating that short-term effects of these microbial functional groups are additive.     

Can polyploidy confer invasive plants with a wider climatic tolerance? A test using Solidago canadensis

Polyploidy can cause variation in plant functional traits and thereby generate individuals that can adapt to fluctuating environments and exploit new environments. However, few empirical studies have tested for an association between ploidy level and climatic tolerance of invasive cytotypes relative to conspecific native‐range cytotypes. Here, we used an invasive plant Solidago canadensis to test whether invasive populations had a higher proportion of polyploids, greater height and stem‐base diameter, and occupied a wider range of climatic conditions than conspecific native‐range populations. We also tested whether the invasive populations had overcome genetic founder effects. We sampled a total of 80 populations in parts of the invaded range in China and native range in North America for in situ measurements of plant height and stem‐base diameter in the field and for population genetic and cytotype analyses. To examine climatic correlates, we augmented our field‐sampled data with occurrence records obtained from Global Biodiversity Information Facility. All, except one, of the populations that we sampled in China occurred in a humid subtropical climate. In contrast, the North American populations occurred in humid continental, humid subtropical, and semi‐arid climatic zones. All populations of S. canadensis in China were purely hexaploid, while the North American populations were diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid. The invasive hexaploids were significantly taller and had a larger stem‐base diameter than native hexaploids. Native hexaploids were significantly taller and had larger stem‐base diameter than native diploids. Climatic correlate assessment found that invasive and native populations occupied different climatic envelopes, with invasive populations occurring in warmer and less seasonal climates than native populations. However, there was no significant correlation between ploidy level and climatic envelope of S. canadensis. Molecular phylogeography data suggest reduced genetic founder effects in the invaded range. Overall, these results suggest that polyploidy does not influence S. canadensis climatic tolerance.     

Population genetics of the invasive water weed Elodea canadensis in Finnish waterways

Invasions of exotic species often involve a rapid evolutionary change in the introduced populations. Elodea canadensis is an invasive aquatic weed native to North America. Our aims were to reveal the evolutionary consequences of invasion to the population genetic structure of the presumably clonal E. canadensis in Finland and to test the hypothesis that the whole Finnish population originates from the first introduction of the species. We used ten polymorphic microsatellite markers to analyze the genetic characteristics of seven introduced E. canadensis populations in Finland. Despite the species' totally asexual mode of reproduction in Finland, two to five alleles per locus were detected in Finnish populations, and the expected heterozygosities varied between 0.19 and 0.37. The majority of variation was found within populations. Except for one, all pairwise values of population differentiation (F _ST) were significant, indicating restricted gene flow among the Finnish populations. In addition, a Bayesian analysis of population structure revealed the presence of regional population structuring. Genetic analyses indicate that E. canadensis could have been introduced to Finland multiple times. However, the amount of genetic variation and regional clustering detected could also be explained by post-establishment evolution, and based on this study it is not possible to exclude one introduction event followed by rapid evolution. We also tested the usability of the microsatellite markers for native North American samples in order to compare the within-population genetic characteristics of introduced and native populations. However, in native populations only four microsatellite markers amplified reliably, indicating sequence variation within primer-binding regions and, thus, genetic differentiation among populations of E. canadensis.     

Embryo structure,seed traits,and productivity of relict vine Aristolochia contorta (Aristolochiaceae)

The herbaceous vine Aristolochia contorta (Aristolochiaceae) is a rare plant with a fragmented area in East Asia. Confocal laser-scanning microscopy and stereomicroscopy were employed to examine the seed and embryo structure. This is the first research on embryo anatomy in Aristolochia. Shape and structure of this embryo may be phylogenetically significant. The seed structure of A. contorta is similar to that of other Aristolochia species. Considerable variation is found for productivity traits; the average seed set is rather low (26.7%). The studied seed and embryo traits of A. contorta are found to be variable, but may be potentially informative at the genus and species level. The restricted productivity and reduced population size threaten the continued survival of A. contorta and, perhaps, the butterfly that depends on it.     

Influence of 24-epibrassinolide on lipid signalling and metabolism in Brassica napus

Due to the increasing demand for biofuel production, it is an important goal to optimize the seed productivity and quality of oilseed plants even in adverse conditions. Acting on signalling mechanisms might provide means to attain such goals. In this study, we were interested in the effect of a brassinosteroid hormone 24-epibrassinolide (24-EBR) on Brassica napus cultivated in salt stress condition. We show that salt stress leads to a 60 % decrease in seed production in B. napus. This is accompanied by a 50 % decrease in seed oil content. Treatment with 24-EBR had no effect on seed and oil productivity in control plants. However, it could rescue half of the seed production and all the oil production in salt-treated plants. The fatty acid composition of seed oil in B. napus was selectively affected by salt stress, 24-EBR or combined treatment. Besides these long-term actions of 24-EBR, we have also investigated its short-term actions in cell signalling. We did so by in vivo labelling of plantlets with fluorescently labelled phosphatidylcholine. A treatment of 2 h with 24-EBR was sufficient to induce a substantial increase in the content of diacylglycerol and phosphatidic acid, two lipid mediators. Non-specific phospholipases C and phospholipases D are involved in these increases. Therefore, brassinosteroid treatments appear as promising way to gain oil productivity when plants have to grow in unfavourable conditions such as salt stress. The link between long-term actions and short-term signalling of 24-EBR is discussed.     

加拿大一枝黄花的入侵机理研究进展

我国是世界上遭受外来生物入侵最为严重的国家之一。加拿大一枝黄花(Solidago canadensis L.)是一种世界性的入侵植物,侵入我国已有70多年的历史,目前国内外对其入侵机理已有许多研究。结合近年来的研究热点和重要进展,从加拿大一枝黄花的生物学特点、入侵地环境的可入侵性、化感效应以及植物与土壤的反馈作用等4个方面综述了其成功入侵的机理,分析和评价了各种机理之间的内在联系。认为生物入侵是一个涉及多个营养级的复杂生物学过程,是多种机制综合作用的结果,人类活动的干扰是入侵事件频发的深层次原因。加拿大一枝黄花强大的入侵能力、高度的抗逆性、对本地植物和土传病原菌的化感抑制、入侵地环境的脆弱性以及菌根真菌等有益微生物的协助在入侵过程中起着关键作用,但天敌释放并未使其获得更大竞争优势。     

State of the reproductive system of populations of species of the genus Glycyrrhiza L. (Fabaceae)

Reproductive features of the valuable medicinal herbs Glycyrrhiza glabra L., G. uralensis Fisch., and G. korshinskyi Grig. were investigated; an assessment was made of the state of the reproductive systems of populations located under introduction conditions in the Central Urals and in the zone contact of the species ranges in the southern cis-Urals. The states of the male and female reproductive systems, seed productivity elements, pollination features, and the viability of seeds produced by different pollination treatments were studied. For the three Glycyrrhiza species, the seed productivity indices were found to decrease considerably starting from the early stages of development of the female reproductive system and continuing to seed maturity. A quantitative analysis of seed productivity elements taking into account the flowering duration of the species showed that the seed production system of the species is very efficient; even in the introduced populations located north of the range, it is able to produce viable seeds in years with favorable growing conditions. Qualitative and quantitative indices of the reproductive system were used to characterize samples from the zone of contact between the ranges. Embryological analysis confirmed the possibility of interspecific hybridization and the prevalence of hybrid forms among the samples. A broad distribution of interspecific hybridization in Glycyrrhiza in various parts of the ranges is assumed. Glycyrrhiza species are characterized by seed and vegetative reproduction. Vegetative reproduction is limited in space but efficiently ensures reproduction of individuals and formation of vegetative clones. Seed reproduction is characterized by indices such as amphimictic seed formation, strict entomophily, and interspecific compatibility. Seed reproduction is a factor that controls the possibility of wide propagation of the genetic material in space and, hence, the formation of mixed and hybrid populations leading to a higher intraspecific and interspecific diversity of the genus.     

Comparative Analyses of Plastid Sequences between Native and Introduced Populations of Aquatic Weeds Elodea canadensis and E. nuttallii

Non-indigenous species (NIS) are species living outside their historic or native range. Invasive NIS often cause severe environmental impacts, and may have large economical and social consequences. Elodea (Hydrocharitaceae) is a New World genus with at least five submerged aquatic angiosperm species living in fresh water environments. Our aim was to survey the geographical distribution of cpDNA haplotypes within the native and introduced ranges of invasive aquatic weeds Elodea canadensis and E. nuttallii and to reconstruct the spreading histories of these invasive species. In order to reveal informative chloroplast (cp) genome regions for phylogeographic analyses, we compared the plastid sequences of native and introduced individuals of E. canadensis. In total, we found 235 variable sites (186 SNPs, 47 indels and two inversions) between the two plastid sequences consisting of 112,193 bp and developed primers flanking the most variable genomic areas. These 29 primer pairs were used to compare the level and pattern of intraspecific variation within E. canadensis to interspecific variation between E. canadensis and E. nuttallii. Nine potentially informative primer pairs were used to analyze the phylogeographic structure of both Elodea species, based on 70 E. canadensis and 25 E. nuttallii individuals covering native and introduced distributions. On the whole, the level of variation between the two Elodea species was 53% higher than that within E. canadensis. In our phylogeographic analysis, only a single haplotype was found in the introduced range in both species. These haplotypes H1 (E. canadensis) and A (E. nuttallii) were also widespread in the native range, covering the majority of native populations analyzed. Therefore, we were not able to identify either the geographic origin of the introduced populations or test the hypothesis of single versus multiple introductions. The divergence between E. canadensis haplotypes was surprisingly high, and future research may clarify mechanisms that structure native E. canadensis populations.     

Invasion by Solidago species has limited impacts on soil seed bank communities

Increasing attention in invasion biology is being paid to measuring and understanding the impacts of invasive species. For plant invasions, however, the impact of invasion on soil seed bank communities has been under-studied. At six sites in southern Germany, we investigated whether areas invaded by Solidago gigantea and Solidago canadensis experienced a reduction in seed bank species richness, size and diversity, and a change in species composition compared to adjacent uninvaded areas. We found no overall effect of invasion on seed bank size, or on species richness and diversity. Seed bank size significantly decreased from 0–5 cm to 5–10 cm depth in both invaded and uninvaded areas. A significant amount of variation in species composition was explained by invasion, but it was only one-tenth of that explained solely by site effects. Our study suggests that invasion by Solidago species may not have the same impacts on the soil seed banks of native species as other invasive perennial forbs that have so far been studied.     

Long-term monitoring of the restoration and development of limestone grasslands in north western Germany: Vegetation screening and soil seed bank analysis

We analysed the long-term development of limestone grasslands in West- and Central Europe (Mesobromion: Gentiano-Koelerietum) under conditions of restoration comparing vegetation changes with the composition of its corresponding soil seed bank over a time period from 1992 to 2005. Because of optimal climatic, edaphic and geomorphologic conditions restoration of vegetation developed gradually into the optimal phase of the typical limestone grassland vegetation type. However, the development of the soil seed bank compared to that of the actual vegetation cover is much slower, and even after 13 years all three study plots did not reach the optimal phase compared to soil seed bank composition from well-developed control vegetation nearby. This finding agrees with the assumption that after changes of management limestone grasslands need decades or even centuries to develop into self-sustaining species-rich habitats. We also monitored the orchid Ophrys insectifera as target species and characteristic species of this type of plant association over the last 27 years. Here, population density increased continuously over time indicating that vegetation restoration efforts of the last decades have had a positive effect.We further documented that the data obtained for the soil seed bank largely depend on the applied method used for the characterization of the soil seed bank. The seedling emergence and the rinsing method provided different results, and in case of our study area the rinsing method was mostly superior. The rinsing method detected up to 20fold higher total seed numbers.