不同生境与花部特征对巫山淫羊藿结实特性的影响

对不同生境中巫山淫羊藿结实特性进行比较研究。结果表明:(1)三个种群在繁殖时期中不同花部特征的植株繁殖投资差异不大,如每株分枝数、每株花序数和每株开花数差异均不显著;(2)三个种群中每株结实数、每株结实率、每花序结实数在不同花部特征中差异显著,PLS和SAA要显著大于PESS;(3)三种花部特征在不同生境中单株分枝数和单株花序数均无显著差异。在不同花部特征中种群1开花数量相较少,因而在结实方面均值均要小于种群2和种群3;(4)不同花部特征的果实饱满种子数、败育数和败育率均具有显著差异,而种子数差异不大,但在种群间均无显著的差异。说明种子的多少更多地受到花部特征的影响。总之,巫山淫羊藿的结实特性受到生境和花部特征的双重影响,其中花型比生境对巫山淫羊藿结实特性的影响更为明显。     

植株密度和氮素互作对垂穗披碱草生物量分配的影响

垂穗披碱草（Elymus nutans）是高寒地区建植和改良栽培草地的首选草种。虽然合理植株密度和氮素添加量是垂穗披碱草栽培草地稳产的关键因子,但两者之间是否存在最佳互作组合仍不清楚。采用盆栽试验,通过分析不同植株密度（58、102、146株/m²）和氮素添加量（0、200、400 mg/kg）组合状态下垂穗披碱草株高、单株分蘖数、地上生物量、地下生物量、根系体积和地上地下生物量比,以确定理论上是否存在植株密度和氮素添加量的最佳组合。结果表明：随植株密度增加,垂穗披碱草株高、地上生物量和地上地下生物量比值均先增加后降低,而单株分蘖数逐渐减小,根系体积和地下生物量先增加后保持相对稳定;随氮素添加量增加,垂穗披碱草单株分蘖数、地上生物量和地上地下生物量比值均表现为先增加后降低,地下生物量逐渐降低。植株密度与氮素添加量互作虽然对垂穗披碱草的根系体积和单株分蘖数没有显著影响,但两者互作显著影响了垂穗披碱草株高、地上生物量、地下生物量、地上地下生物量比（P<0.01）,这些指标与植株密度和氮素添加量的关系均表现为一个开口向下的抛物面。当植株密度为102株/m²和氮素添加量为200 mg/kg时,垂穗披碱草栽培草地产量最大,生物量分配最优。垂穗披碱草植株密度和氮素添加互作时理论上存在最佳组合,这为垂穗披碱草栽培草地的田间管理提供了理论依据。     

Pathogenic potential of root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and root-rot fungus Fusarium solani on chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)

Damaging threshold levels of root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and root-rot fungus Fusarium solani on plant growth parameters, viz., plant length, fresh and dry weight of chilli were determined by conducting their pathogenicity trials in pot experiments. The results revealed a significant reduction in the plant growth parameters at and above the inoculum level of about 1000?J₂ per plant of M. incognita and the highest reduction was recorded at 8000?J₂ per plant. Significant reduction in plant growth parameters was recorded at 1.00?g mycelial mat of F. solani per plant, while the highest reduction was observed at 8.00?g mycelial mat per plant. The damaging threshold level was 1000?J₂ per plant of M. incognita and 1.00?g mycelial mat of F. solani.     

Comparison of dwarf bamboos (Indocalamus sp.) leaf parameters to determine relationship between spatial density of plants and total leaf area per plant

The relationship between spatial density and size of plants is an important topic in plant ecology. The self‐thinning rule suggests a ?3/2 power between average biomass and density or a ?1/2 power between stand yield and density. However, the self‐thinning rule based on total leaf area per plant and density of plants has been neglected presumably because of the lack of a method that can accurately estimate the total leaf area per plant. We aimed to find the relationship between spatial density of plants and total leaf area per plant. We also attempted to provide a novel model for accurately describing the leaf shape of bamboos. We proposed a simplified Gielis equation with only two parameters to describe the leaf shape of bamboos one model parameter represented the overall ratio of leaf width to leaf length. Using this method, we compared some leaf parameters (leaf shape, number of leaves per plant, ratio of total leaf weight to aboveground weight per plant, and total leaf area per plant) of four bamboo species of genus Indocalamus Nakai (I. pedalis (Keng) P.C. Keng, I. pumilus Q.H. Dai and C.F. Keng, I. barbatus McClure, and I. victorialis P.C. Keng). We also explored the possible correlation between spatial density and total leaf area per plant using log‐linear regression. We found that the simplified Gielis equation fit the leaf shape of four bamboo species very well. Although all these four species belonged to the same genus, there were still significant differences in leaf shape. Significant differences also existed in leaf area per plant, ratio of leaf weight to aboveground weight per plant, and leaf length. In addition, we found that the total leaf area per plant decreased with increased spatial density. Therefore, we directly demonstrated the self‐thinning rule to improve light interception.     

How long to stay on a plant: the response of bumblebees to encountered nectar levels

This field study shows that the number of flowers visited per bee per plant (Anchusa officinalis) increases with the instantaneous nectar level at the plant. Observations during the season showed that a bee visits more flowers per plant of given nectar level, the lower the overall mean nectar level in the study area. These results agree with predictions from a model based on the ‘marginal value theorem’, but with assumptions and constraints adapted for nectar-foraging bees. It suggests that bumblebees assess the nectar level at a plant by sampling one or a few flowers, which is possible because within-plant nectar volumes are correlated. The bees compare encountered gains to an optimal plant switching threshold equal to the overall mean nectar level and leave an unrewarding plant as soon as possible, but continue to visit the flowers on a rewarding plant. However, the bees leave before having visited all flowers due to a searching constraint. The bees’ response to plant nectar levels results in systematic flower visitation, because visitation to recently depleted flowers is reduced, which reduces the variation of the inter-visit time per flower. Systematic flower visitation implies that the overall mean encountered gain per flower is higher than the overall mean standing crop, as predicted by a model of systematic foraging. However, the sampling and searching constraints on the bees’ response to plant nectar levels increase the variation of the inter-visit time per flower, and thereby limit the degree of systematic flower visitation and the effect on the mean encountered gain.     

高原鼠兔有效洞穴密度对高山嵩草群落及其主要种群空间分布特征的影响

高原鼠兔(Ochotona curzoniae)有效洞穴密度变化会引发高山嵩草(Kobresia pygmaea)草甸植物群落及其种群分布格局发生变化。采用野外调查法研究了高原鼠兔有效洞穴密度对高山嵩草群落特征及其主要种群分布格局的影响。结果表明:随高原鼠兔有效洞穴密度增加,高山嵩草草甸植物群落的优势种没发生明显变化,部分伴生种发生更替;高度、盖度、多样性指数和均匀度指数呈现降低态势;地上生物量和丰富度指数变化不明显;高山嵩草和矮火绒草(Leontopodium nanum)种群的盖度、密度以及生物量均呈现降低态势,而达乌里秦艽(Gentiana dahurica)和小花草玉梅(Anemone rivularis var.flore-minors)种群的盖度、密度和生物量呈增加趋势。高山嵩草和矮火绒草的种群分布格局从8个/625m2和14个/625m2的聚集分布分别变为34个/625m2时的均匀分布和随机分布,达乌里秦艽和小花草玉梅种群从8个/625m2和14个/625m2的随机分布变为23个/625m2和34个/625m2时的聚集分布,这说明高原鼠兔有效洞穴密度变化改变了高山嵩草群落的特征和主要植物种群的空间分布格局,而对应群落特征和种群分布格局改变的有效洞穴密度为14个/625m2和23个/625m2。     

How does plant population density affect the biomass of Ravenna grass?

Ravenna grass, Tripidium ravennae (L.) H. Scholz, is known to produce an abundance of biomass, but how plant density affects its biomass potential remains unknown. The objectives were to determine the effects of plant density on biomass yield; plant growth traits; biomass?carbon, nitrogen, and ash concentrations; heating value; nitrogen removal; and sucrose concentration in leaves and culms. The treatments consisted of five plant densities (1,250; 2,500; 5,000; 10,000; and 20,000 plants per hectare) in a randomized complete block design with four blocks. Plots were nonirrigated, unfertilized, and harvested once during the dormant season each year. Data were collected from 2015?2019. Dependent variables that varied with plant population density (p < .05) were biomass yield, number of reproductive culms per plant, reproductive culm diameter, reproductive culm sucrose concentration, and nitrogen removal with biomass. Biomass yield ranged from 5.6 to 16.3 Mg/ha for plant densities of 1,250–20,000 plants per hectare, respectively. Combined over years, nonlinear regression of the data showed the equation for biomass yield to plateau at 16.2 Mg/ha at a plant density of 10,640 plants per hectare. As plant density increased, the number of reproductive culms per plant, culm diameter, and culm sucrose concentration significantly decreased. At 1,250 plants per hectare, the number of reproductive culms per plant, culm diameter, and culm sucrose averaged 70, 10.2 mm, and 63.2 g/kg, respectively. Nitrogen removed with biomass significantly increased as biomass yield increased with plant density. At a density of 10,000 and 20,000 plants per hectare, the amount of nitrogen removed annually in the harvested biomass averaged 88 kg/ha. The data suggest that 10,000 plants per hectare would produce the greatest annual biomass yields; however, research is needed to determine the nutrient requirement for Ravenna grass to sustain biomass production at that density.     

Genetic analyses of agronomic and seed quality traits of synthetic oilseedBrassica napus produced from interspecific hybridization ofB. campestris andB. oleracea

The heritability, the number of segregating genes and the type of gene interaction of nine agronomic traits were analysed based on F₂ populations of synthetic oilseedBrassica napus produced from interspecific hybridization ofB. campestris andB. oleracea through ovary culture. The nine traits—plant height, stem width, number of branches, length of main raceme, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, length of pod, seed weight per plant and 1000-seed weight—had heritabilities of 0.927, 0.215, 0.172, 0.381, 0.360, 0.972, 0.952, 0.516 and 0.987 respectively, while the mean numbers of controlling genes for these characters were 7.4, 10.4, 9.9, 12.9, 11.5, 21.7, 20.5, 19.8 and 6.4 respectively. According to estimated coefficients of skewness and kurtosis of the traits tested, no significant gene interaction was found for plant height, stem width, number of branches, length of main raceme, number of seeds per pod and 1000-seed weight. Seed yield per plant is an important target for oilseed production. In partial correlation analysis, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and 1000-seed weight were positively correlated with seed yield per plant. On the other hand, length of pod was negatively correlated (r = -0.69) with seed yield per plant. Other agronomic characters had no significant correlation to seed yield per plant. In this experiment, the linear regressions of seed yield per plant and other agronomic traits were also analysed. The linear regression equation wasy = 0.074x₈ + 1.819x₉ + 6.72x₁₂ -60.78 (R ² = 0.993), wherex ₈, x₉ and x₁₂ represent number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and 1000-seed weight respectively. The experiment also showed that erucic acid and oil contents of seeds from F₂ plants were lower than those of their maternal parents. However, glucosinolate content was higher than that of the maternal plants. As for protein content, similar results were found in the F₂ plants and their maternal parents. It was shown that the four quality traits, i.e. erucic acid, glucosinolate, oil content, and protein content, had heritability values of 0.614, 0.405, 0.153 and 0.680 respectively.     

Using ecological niche modeling to predict the distributions of two endangered amphibian species in aquatic breeding sites

Waterfowl can cause substantial reductions in plant standing crop, which may have ecological and economic consequences. However, what determines the magnitude of these reductions is not well understood. Using data from published studies, we derived the relationship between waterfowl density and reduction in plant standing crop. When waterfowl density was estimated as individuals ha⁻¹ no significant relationship with reduction in plant standing crop was detected. However, when waterfowl density was estimated as kg ha⁻¹ a significant, positive, linear relationship with reduction in plant standing crop was found. Whilst many previous studies have considered waterfowl species as homologous, despite large differences in body mass, our results suggest that species body mass is a key determinant of waterfowl impact on plant standing crop. To examine relative impacts of waterfowl groups based on species body mass, a measure of plant biomass reduction (R _s) per bird per hectare was calculated for each group. Comparison of R _s values indicated some differences in impact between different waterfowl groups, with swans having a greater per capita impact than smaller-bodied waterfowl groups. We present evidence that this difference is linked to disparities in individual body size and associated differences in intake rates, diet composition and energy requirements. Future research priorities are proposed, particularly the need for experiments that quantify the importance of factors that determine the magnitude of waterfowl impacts on plant standing crop.     

Behavior and mortality of the southern stink bugNezara viridula in Hawaii

This paper is concerned with some aspects of the ecology of the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula, in Hawaii. Dispersal studies on adults showed an asymetrical dispersal pattern. The rate of plant to plant to movement by the adults was 3.3–6.7 feet per day. Mortality studies showed that egg predation by ants, Pheidole megancephala, was as high as 80–90 per cent. Egg parasitism by Telenomus basalis was highest during February, 1965, and adult parasitism by Trichopoda pennipes was highest during July, 1964, to January of the following year. The population of N. viridula declined during May, 1964, to May, 1965. This decline occurred simultaneously with the decline in the number of eggs produced per female. It has been speculated that this reduction in egg production was caused by parasitism by T. pennipes.     

REPRODUCTIVE CAPACITY AND SEED SIZE IN LUPINUS TEXENSIS

The average number of ovules produced per individual of Lupinus texensis is much greater than the average number of seeds per plant. Each plant produces approximately 2,000 ovules but only 2.5% develop into seeds. One fourth of the seeds is lost due to abortion and 0.3% is lost due to predation on the plant. Mature seeds from this population exhibit a five-fold range in weight, from 10 to 56 mg. The distribution of seed weights in the field population is skewed and leptokurtic. Seed wt is positively correlated with both seed germination and seedling survivorship. Heritability of seed wt is 0.09. There is no correlation between average seed wt per plant and total number of seeds per plant, seeds per pod, or legumes per plant.     

The effects of soybean cultivar,rhizobium strain and nitrate on plant growth,nodule mass and acetylene reduction rate

Summary The effects of twelve strains ofBradyrhizobium japonicum and ten cultivars of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) on plant and nodule weights, and acetylene reduction rates (33 to 41 days) were measured in the presence and absence of 6mM nitrate. No interactions between strains and cultivars were observed. Strain by nitrate interactions were found for plant and nodule weights, and acetylene reduction rates per gram of nodule. Cultivar by nitrate interactions were found for nodule weights, acetylene reduction rates per plant and per gram of nodule. Blackhawk with all strains, and all cultivars with strains 110 and CB 1809, seemed to be able to grow as well in the absence of nitrate (utilizing nodule fixation) as in its presence. The problems of identifying strains and cultivars with especially good nitrogen fixing ability in the presence of nitrate are discussed.     

Pathogenicity of root knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita on okra and its management through botanicals

An investigation was carried out to study the pathogenicity of root knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita on okra and its management through various organic amendments. The inoculum level of 1000 juveniles per plant showed significant reduction in various plant growth parameters, which reveals that M. incognita is a potential pathogen of okra. With the increase in inoculums level of M. incognita (J₂), there was a progressive decrease in various plant growth parameters. The maximum reduction in plant growth parameters was observed at an inoculum level of 4000 juveniles per plant. The efficacy of five organic amendments viz. groundnut cake, castor cake, sunflower cake, linseed cake and sawdust was tested against root knot nematode M. incognita. Amending the soil with different oil cakes was found to be effective in reducing the nematode soil population, number of females, number of egg masses as well as root gall formation in okra. The highest increase in plant growth (13%) and maximum reduction in number of galls (54%), number of females (57%) and number of egg masses (55%) was recorded on application of groundnut cake.     

Control efficiency of leaf beetle,Ophraella communa,on the invasive common ragweed,Ambrosia artemisiifolia,at different growing stages

Ophraella communa LeSage (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), an effective biological control agent of A. artemisiifolia, was unintentionally introduced into China. To understand the biological control potential of O. communa on A. artemisiifolia, plant height, the number of branches and leaf control index of A. artemisiifolia injured by the beetle were determined. The results showed that plant height and number of branches decreased and leaf control index increased with the increasing initial release density of O. communa adults, when they were released at 90–100-cm plant height stage in 2008 and 60–70-cm stage in 2009. Even when O. communa was released at a low average density of 1.07 adults per plant at early growth stage of A. artemisiifolia in 2009, it could significantly suppress plant height and number of branches and led to a higher leaf control index compared with the herbicide treatment with Roundup. Prior to the fructicative period, the leaf control index of A. artemisiifolia by O. communa was up to 1.0 on the 47th day after the average initial release of 12 beetles per plant in 2008 or on the 85th day after the average release of 1.07 beetles per plant in 2009, which was significantly higher than that in the herbicide treatment. We suggest that the initial release average density of O. communa adults should be ≥1.07 beetles per plant at the early growth stage, or ≥12 beetles per plant at the late growth stage for an effective control of A. artemisiifolia in the field.     

Size-dependent reproduction in Australian alpine Ranunculus

Abstract The effect of plant size on reproduction in four species of alpine Ranunculus (R. muelleri, R. dissectifolius, R. graniticola and R. niphophilus) was investigated in two sites over two seasons in the field on a total of 190 plants. The effects of plant size (number of leaves) and number of flowers on the number of anthers, ovules and seed per flower and per plant were determined. There was a positive relationship between several measures of reproduction and plant size in all four species, indicating that reproduction is size-dependent. All the results indicate that the main factor controlling the amount of seed produced by alpine Ranunculus is the size of the plant. Specifically, bigger plants produced more seed by producing more flowers, not by producing more ovules per flower, or higher seed set per flower. Correspondingly, bigger plants produced more anthers by producing more flowers, rather than by producing flowers with more anthers. The total number of seeds produced by a plant was directly proportional to plant size in the four species. Therefore, reproductive effort should not vary with plant size in the four species.     

Spatial scale of aggregation in three acarine predator species with different degrees of polyphagy

Aggregative responses by the predatory mites, Phytoseiulus persimilis, Typhlodromus occidentalis, and Amblyseius andersoni (Acari: Phytoseiidae), to spatial variation in the density of mobile stages of Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) were studied over different spatial scales on greenhouse roses. Significant spatial variations in prey numbers per leaflet, per leaf, per branch or per plant were present in all experimental plots. None of the predator species responded to prey numbers per plant, and all searched randomly among plants. Within a plant, the oligophagous P. persimilis searched randomly among branches, but aggregated strongly among leaves within a branch and among leaflets within a leaf. The narrowly polyphagous T. occidentalis searched randomly among leaflets within a leaf and amond leaves within a branch, but aggregated strongly among leaflets or leaves within a plant. The boradly polyphagous A. andersoni searched randomly among leaflets within a leaf, a branch or a plant, and among leaves within a branch or a plant, but distributed themselves more often on branches with lower prey densities. Thus, specialist predators aggregate strongly at lower spatial levels but show random search at higher spatial levels, whereas generalist predators show random search at lower spatial levels but aggregate at higher spatial levels. This is the first empirical evidence demonstrating the relation between the degree of polyphagy and the spatial scale of aggregation. It is also concluded that both the prey patch size (i.e. grain) and predator foraging range (i.e. extent) are important for analyzing spatial scales of predator aggregation. The importance of studying spatial scale of aggregation is also discussed in relation to predator-prey metapopulation dynamics.     

Micropropagation of selected somaclones ofBegonia andSaintpaulia

Begonia x elatior plantlets which regenerated from leaf disk callus showed variations in plant morphology, number of flowers per plant, and flower size. Variations in flowering period, number of flowers per plant, and flower morphology were observed in Saintpaulia ionantha L. plants directly regenerated from leaf disk explants. The cytokinins, benzylaminopurine and zeatin, tested in the culture medium did not affect the basic plant characteristics including flower colour which remained stable in both species. Micropropagation of selected somaclones having the desirable trait of high number of flowers per plant was stable in the MV2 and MV3 generations.     

Temporal variation in the effects of habitat fragmentation on reproduction of the Mediterranean shrub <Emphasis Type="Italic">Colutea hispanica</Emphasis>

Habitat fragmentation poses a major threat to the viability of plant populations. However, the intensity of fragmentation effects may vary among years. We studied two possible effects of habitat fragmentation (patch size and isolation) on the reproduction and proportion of damaged fruits in 24 patches of the self-compatible shrub Colutea hispanica for three consecutive years with different climate conditions. We also studied the effect of fragmentation on the incidence of two main pre-dispersal seed predators, the butterflies Iolana iolas and Lampides boeticus. High between-year variability was found in number of viable seeds per fruit, number of fruits per plant, total number of viable seeds per plant and proportion of damaged fruits. In 2003, small, isolated patches had a higher fruit set and number of fruits per plant. The proportion of damaged fruits was significantly lower in isolated populations in 2003, while it was very high in all patches in 2004 and 2005. High between-year variability was also found in the proportion of fruits per plant with I. iolas eggs. In 2003 isolated patches had a lower proportion of fruits with I. iolas eggs, but no significant effect of patch size and isolation was found in 2004 or 2005. The proportion of fruits with L. boeticus eggs was similar in the three years of study, although it was slightly higher in large, non-isolated patches in 2003. Thus, the effects of fragmentation on plant reproduction cannot be generalized from one single-year survey. In contrast to the generally accepted idea that fragmentation reduces plant reproduction, plant fitness may increase in isolated patches in years with high fruit production and low seed predation.     

Interaction between Meloidogyne incognita and Pochonia chlamydosporia and their effects on the growth of Phaseolus vulgaris

An experiment was conducted to test the effect of different doses of 2, 4 and 8?g/2?kg of soil of Pochonia chlamydosporia against the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) on Phaseolus vulgaris. It was observed that inoculation of plant with the nematode alone, and 15?days prior to fungal inoculation, reduced the plant growth when compared with the plant with fungal application followed by the nematode. Plant length, fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll, carotenoid, protein contents and nitrate reductase activity decreased in nematode-infested plants. Application of higher dose of 8?g/2?kg of soil of P. chlamydosporia increased all the plant growth parameters as well as biochemical parameters. Highest number of galls per root system was recorded on the plants infested with nematode but not treated with the fungus. However, application of fungus prior to nematode inoculation improved the plant growth and reduced the number of galls and the number of egg masses per root system.